Underground Captive (43 page)

Underground Captive
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
223

30

    
             
At mid-afternoon the next day, Nicki awakened.  Every muscle in her body cried for succor.  She was so sore she could barely move.  The redness in her hands was gone, but they were still rough and chapped.

    
             
She sat up in bed, swung her legs over the side and gently let her feet touch the floor.  Feeling ravenously hungry, she realized she hadn't eaten supper.  Suddenly, the events of the night before hit her, as did the enormity of it all.

    
             
She had ruined perfectly good food, and perhaps, a good sale for Jared.

             
Good!  He had that fool believing she was his ward!

    
             
Nicki knew she should apologize to Mary Douglas and Elizabeth because, not only had they started to show some kindness toward her, but she genuinely liked them.  She really didn't mean to hurt them. 

             
Going to the door, she turned the knob.

             
Locked!

    
             
Jared's words of last night came back to haunt her.  "Ye can rest for the next month".  She remembered hearing the key turning in the door and the padlock being put in place.  Surely he wouldn't keep her locked up for a whole month?  Maybe he intended to starve her to death!

             
She banged on the door.  "Elizabeth! Mary Douglas!"  She got no response.  "Damn you, Jared Fleming!  Damn you to hell!" 

             
Sinking down to the floor, Nicki covered her face with her hands, wondering if she should try climbing out the window.  For a few minutes she sat there.  Then, she heard the padlock being taken off and the key turning in the latch.  She jumped up before the door was pushed against her back.  The door opened and she looked into Mary Douglas's stricken face.

    
             
Nicki dropped her shoulders.  "I know you must hate me, Mary.  But I'm so sorry.  I didn't mean to hurt you or Elizabeth."  The tears she had fought to hold back for nearly six months broke like a dam in a raging storm.  "I just want to go home, Mary.  I only wanted to make Jared angry enough to release me.  Please, forgive me for hurting you."

    
             
Mary pulled Nicki into her arms, holding her close to her ample bosom.  "Dinna weep, me lassie," she said, sympathy in her voice.   "I forgive ye.  I unner
stan' what ye're goin' through.  But ye shouldna fight the master.  He willa noot make it easy fer ye if ye do."

    
             
"I know that now, Mary," Nicki miserably said between sobs.   "And I won't do it again.  I'll just stay out of his way."

    
             
"I'm thinkin' ye should also apologize tae Master Jared, lassie," Mary said, rubbing Nicki's back tenderly.  "'E's a forgivin' mon.  Even though ye made 'im taste the bitter alum wi' the red pepper, 'e can still talk and 'e's forgivin'."

    
             
Nicki held herself back from Mary and looked into her eyes.  "Oh, Mary, do you think so?"

    
             
"'Twas the master who told me tae unlock yer door, lassie.  'E couldna stand tae see ye locked up.  'E said, 'Mary', thats wha' 'e said, 'Mary, Nicki willa be needin' tae bathe when she wakens.  Prepare a ba' fer 'er.  Then see tae it that she 'as somethin' tae eat', the master said." Mary smiled sympathetically.  "Sae stop yer weepin', lassie.  The master dinna stay angry wi' ye."

             
"Thank you, Mary.  You're very kind," Nicki sniffled, wiping her eyes

with the back of her hand.

   
             
After Nicki bathed, Mary helped her to dress.  They went down to the kitchen, where Nicki ate a hearty breakfast.  When Elizabeth entered the kitchen, Nicki humbled herself with apologies.  Coolly reluctant at first, Elizabeth finally gave in and accepted the penitently meek sincerity of a chastened Nicollette.

    
             
"Lass, I ken 'ow un'appy ye are," Elizabeth assured her with a smile.  "But ye ruined a perfectly good meal.  'Twas a vicious thing tae do.  But I'm thinkin' ye did it because of yer un'appiness.  And I'm thinkin' ye're truly sorry.  I forgive ye, lass."

    
             
"Thank you, Elizabeth" Nicki said gratefully.   "I promise I'll try to do better.  I'll never again tamper with either of your pots.  Where's Jared?"

    
             
"'E's oot by the stables, lassie," Mary Douglas answered.  "Why dinna ye go oot an' apologize tae 'im? 'E was angry, 'e was.  I dinna think 'e's still angry.  But a little 'umbleness wouldna 'urt."

    
             
"
Non
, it wouldn't," Nicki agreed.  "Thanks for the advice, Mary.  That's just what I'll do."

    
             
Nicki went through the front entrance.  She walked across the gallery and stood on the top step, looking out over the sweep of the fields.  The hay, alfalfa, and corn swayed gently in the sum
mer breeze.  The fragrances of the gardenias, roses, and lilies delighted her senses.

    
             
She walked to the back of the house and looked in the direction of the stables. A man astride a horse gazed down at Jared.  Recognizing the man as Morgan Turner, she stopped in her tracks.  He apparently said something amusing to Jared, because the sound of Jared's booming laughter reached where she stood.  A pleasurable shiver swirled through her.

    
             
She sighed and directed her steps toward the cooler near the small boat land
ing a few hundred yards away in the opposite direction.

    
             
The cooler was built partially underground and lined with zinc to delay the melting of that precious commodity, ice.  Situated near the landing, it made delivery and placement an easy task.  An unlocked padlock hung on the door.  Nicki removed the padlock and lifted the door open.  Curiosity having gotten the better of her, she wanted to see what was inside.  With the door lifted and left opened, light illuminated the in
side.

    
             
A lantern sat on the top of the six steps leading down to the cooler. 
For nighttime.
  She stepped gingerly down each step until she stood at the bottom, where it was cool, almost cold.  Huge blocks of ice, barely melting, sat in zinc-lined containers.  Zinc-lined shelves held butter, milk, meat and wine.  Deep enough for a man to stand in, she had more than enough room.  She got a sudden urge to drink some cool milk.  But there was nothing to drink it out of.  Hesitating a moment, she lifted the cover off the two gallon, wide-mouthed milk jar.  Cupping and dipping her hands into the milk, she raised them to her mouth and sipped the cool liq
uid down with two slurps.

    
             
"Nicki!"  The sound of Jared's voice startled her and she jumped.

    
             
She hurriedly put the top back on the jar and wiped her hands on her dress.  "Yes? I'll be right up."

    
             
"What were ye doing down there?" Jared asked when she'd come out of the cooler.

    
             
"Why...er...I...I was touring the rest of Highland Acres," Nicki replied, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.   "I saw you talking to
Monsieur
Turner and I did not want to intrude on you."

    
             
"So what were ye doing in the cooler?" Jared asked, amusement showing on his handsome face.

    
             
"I was just comparing it to my father's cooler," Nicki quickly answered, a little confused as to what was so humorous.

             
"And what did ye find?  Is mine comparable?"  Jared asked, grinning

engagingly.

    
             
"Yes.  It's smaller but comparable in other ways."

    
             
Jared bent down and laved her chin with his tongue.  He laughed as she stepped back.  "Delicious.  I must speak to that jar of milk.  It seemed some of it jumped out and attached itself to yer chin."

    
             
Nicki laughed, a blush spreading across her face.  "Caught.  I got thirsty and decided to try the milk."  She looked into his eyes and knew she'd never be satisfied until she got what she wanted.  Him.  Somehow, someway, they could come to a compromise of sorts.  Just as she couldn't change Ricard's views on slavery, why did she expect to change Jared's or hold it against him?  Hadn't she herself defended the Black Rider on several occasions?  “You've forgiven me?"

    
             
"Aye, Nicki, I've forgiven ye.  But tell me why ye did it."  Jared took her hand.  Together, they started walking toward the stables.

             
Nicollette bristled.

    
             
Jared felt the tension down to her fingertips.  He stopped and their eyes met.

    
             
"You left me and went to her," Nicki whispered.  Try as she might, she couldn't keep the hurt and misery out of her voice.  "And you were gone almost four weeks."

    
             
"I left ye to take care of business, Nicki.  I left ye to prevent what was happening between us," Jared said, his voice strained, hearing her sadness.

             
"You didn't see Judith?"

    
             
"Nay.  I had a meeting with Otto Kolb.  Then I put in some fencing practice at Pepe's.  The rest of the time I stayed at my place by the ramparts while I waited for Morgan to come in from Saint Louis."  'Twas only partially the truth.  He'd put in some fencing prac
tice at PePe's and went to Philadelphia.  Then he and Morgan had stayed at the house by the ramparts for four days while Jared took care of some business at Fleming Carriage Company.

    
             
Nicki lowered her head and began walking again.  "I'm sorry for ruining your dinner last night," she said sincerely.

    
             
"'Tis all right, Nicki, I understand," Jared told her, fall
ing into pace with her.

    
             
"You...you knew I would be angry when you got back so you told Morgan...?"

    
             
"That ye were my ward," he supplied.  "The spoiled brat of my deceased brother...."

             
"I didn't know you had a brother," Nicki muttered.

     
             
"I don't.  I'm an only child.  I think I told ye that.  But I did what I did for me, Nicki.  For my protection.  I knew ye would try to make a break for it.  'Twas imperative that he believe ye really were my ward and not who ye told him ye were," Jared said, convincing her to believe the game he and Morgan played.

             
Nicki gave him a scathing look.

    
             
"'Tis not my intention to hurt ye, Nicollette," Jared said apologetically.  "But, unfortunately, I have no other choice."

             
"Jared, you must let me go" Nicki implored.  "You must trust me.  I won't tell anyone you kidnapped me.  I promise."

    
             
"Ye know I can't do that.  Ye've not been very trustworthy so far."  Jared smiled to cushion his words.  "I promise I'll make yer time here as easy and pleasant as possible."  His eyes roamed over her body.  The tight bodice of her low cut dress held her breasts together, pushing them up and out, revealing the soft mounds of her bosom.  His eyes moved up to her face and his gaze met hers.

    
             
She had fire in her beautiful eyes and he knew that her pride was wounded because he didn't feel enough for her to trust that she would keep her word.

    
             
"How dare
you
talk about trust?  My father trusts you.  All the planters trust you, Jared, and you've betrayed them all. 
I
trusted you.  You've made a mockery of that trust.  You're noth
ing but a devious, self-righteous, perfidious weasel and I to
tally despise you!"