Underground Captive (45 page)

    
             
"We had completed our business transaction.  He was just leaving when ye saw him."   
             

             
"Oh.  Jared, what are you going to do about what happened to Emma?" Nicki asked, unable to let the subject drop so easily.

             
"Nothing," came the quick reply.

    
             
"I don't believe you!" Nicki retorted sharply, leaning for
ward in her seat.

    
             
"I can't help that!" Jared shot back.

    
             
"Yes, you can.  You can tell me the truth!  I know this is something you won't just ignore.  I know you will try to do some
thing, and it could be very dangerous for you," Nicki said pas
sionately, still full of anger and outrage over Emma's death, and now for Jared's safety.

    
             
The unreasonable dislike she harbored for him when she thought he was an American had long ago dissolved, had actually dissolved soon after she met him.  More recently, she hated him for kidnapping her and for his traitorous actions against her father and the other planters.  But after witnessing the piti
fully cruel death of the small black slave girl, the last feel
ings of maleficence towards him vanished.

    
             
It was replaced by a fear that he could be harmed while doing whatever it

was he did to help the slaves.  She couldn't stand to see him hurt.  Not again.

    
             
He'd been so ill when he was set upon by the...the...but wait.  Jared was the Black Rider even then.  There had been no rob
bery.  Jared had been caught freeing the slaves and was shot in the process!
             

             
And he’d nearly died! 
Mon Dieu
!  If not for Odessa, he prob
ably would have.

    
             
He must not go out there again.  Didn't he realize how im
possible a task he had set for himself?  He was only one man against all the plantation owners and perhaps even some slaves, who were willing to betray him for their master's favor just as he betrayed their masters.

    
             
Dieu de ciel
, what could he accomplish alone against a man like Edmond Falgout?

    
             
"Jared, a moment ago you said that perhaps I'll agree with your methods one day, of the way you go about helping to free the slaves.  You are wrong.  I will never agree! You were shot once.  You...you could be killed.  The risk is too great!"  She leaned back in her seat and met his eyes from across the table.  "I realize now that you weren't shot during a robbery," she whispered.

    
             
Jared held her gaze, taking her small hand in his.  He tried to think back to the exact moment that he fell so desperately in love with her.

    
             
What had she done to change his feelings from an
tagonistic hostility to the prodigious love he now felt for her?  Was it the first time he kissed her under the oak tree?  Nay.  He swore he still felt the sting of her slap across his face.

    
             
Perhaps his heart had softened at the sight of her small frame being helplessly pushed and pulled by the brutish river boatmen.  Nay.  She was too arrogant and headstrong to be helpless.  But being female, and her tiny size, made her helpless.  They were always at odds and her haughtiness irritated him constantly.  Her boldness was absolutely not to be tolerated!  All the different times they clashed, he could think of only one moment when he’d fallen in love with her.  Hopelessly.  Desperately.  Fiercely.

             
That moment was as they'd stood talking—nay, arguing--the day he'd first

visited Crescent Wood.  Aye, he'd thought of her often enough after he met her on the Creole Belle, but it had nothing to do with love and everything to do with using her in his plan of revenge.  But that day at Crescent Wood, seeing her hair untethered, made to be as free from the binds of ornaments and current fashion as he soon realized Nicki was determined to be free from the constraints of society and even propriety, the ice around his heart had began to melt.

    
             
He thought, too, of the reason he denied his feelings.  He still felt as strongly about avenging Patricia's death as he did the day she died in his arms so long ago.  He couldn't forget nor could he forgive Ricard Duplantier, though he tried.  But he couldn't do it--not even for the love and attainment of Ricard's sister.

    
             
Now, Nicki presented him with another problem.  Somehow, he did believe her when she said she'd never tell anyone that he kidnapped her or that he was the infamous Black Rider.  He knew that she'd eventually press him to release her.  But, nay, he couldn't take that chance.  Nicki was too impulsive and the slightest slip of the tongue could end his quest.  Perhaps, even his life.

    
             
"Oh, Jared, please be reasonable," Nicki was saying.  "Surely in the name of human decency the authorities will see to it that
Monsieur
Falgout is punished."

    
             
Jared squeezed her hand gently.  "Tell me ye believe that in yer heart, Nicki, and I'll let the authorities handle it."

    
             
"I...you know I can't do that, Jared," Nicki conceded, placing her other hand over his.  "Not after what I've seen today."

    
             
"Then we won't discuss this anymore," Jared said softly.  Abruptly freeing her hands, he stood.  "I have to get back to the stables.  There are six mares there that need my at
tention.  I'm looking forward to seeing ye tonight at dinner."  He dipped his head slightly and, turning away from her, went down the stairs and around the house in the direction of the stables.  As he disappeared behind the house, she heard Rags call his name.

             
The shadows grew long.  A slight breeze fanned her hair.  Soon Mary and

Elizabeth would start to prepare dinner for her and Jared.  She sat alone on the gallery, wondering about her predicament and her future, trying to imagine how she would feel if someone brought news to her that Jared had been killed while breaking the law.

             
How could she think about a future without him in her life?  And her

predicament?  What if Jared released her before he found the man who’d mur
dered his Patricia?  Would he ever find time to visit her again?  Or would he just walk out of her life?  She wanted him in her life.  She wanted his kiss, his touch.  His babes.  But above all, she wanted him safe.  She'd find a way to stop him from going after Falgout.  Or be at his side when he did.

    
             
Standing and opening the door, she stepped into the coolness of the house.   If she napped for an hour, she'd look and feel rested at supper.  She wanted to look her best tonight. 

   
             
In that instant, being held captive became unimportant.  Seeing her father or Crescent Wood was unimportant.  Even her yearning to see Ricard again was unimportant.

    
             
The only thing important, vital, and precious to her was Jared.

             
She was determined to stand at his side.

             
Defeat or victory.  Life or death.

             
She had only to convince Jared of her sincerity.

31

             
Five days later, Nicki was sitting on the gallery, sipping cool, tart lemonade when she saw Rags approach Jared.  She watched as they walked a little distance from the house and conversed.  Then, they walked to the corral.  Jared straddled the fence, pointing out horses to Rags, including Thunder and Satan.  She wondered what they were talking about.  She also wondered what Jared could have told Rags about why she was there.  Surely, Rags couldn't know that she was Jared's prisoner and not inform Charles of her whereabouts.

    
             
As Jared jumped down from the fence and led Rags out of sight, a thought crossed her mind to try to escape, but it was only momentary.  If Rags already knew she was being held captive, he certainly wouldn't aid her.  And if he didn't know she felt certain he wouldn't betray Jared.  Besides, if she did escape she couldn't be sure Jared would be unharmed.

             
She had to be near him to know.

    
             
When she saw Rags reappear alone and head for his wagon in the front pathway, she stopped him.

    
             
"Rags!" she called, standing from her seat and rushing down the steps to him.

             
"Yas'm, Mam'zelle Nicollette?" Rags asked somberly.  His dark, gentle eyes glittered with raw hurt.  His massive shoulders sagged under the strain of his grief and though a faint smile played about his wide mouth, his face was bleak with sadness. 

             
Nicki was sure the smile he attempted was out of respect for her.  She had never seen Rags so downtrodden before.  Or maybe she never cared to notice.  Her heart ached for him.  She laid a hand on his arm.  "I'm so sorry about Emma, Rags.  Is there anything I can do for you?"

    
             
"Thank you, no, mam'zelle.  It ain't yo' place to worry 'bout that," Rags said, bowing his head, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

    
             
"Of course it is," Nicki insisted softly, dropping her hand.  "You're one of our people.  I don't like to see you hurting."

    
             
"Massa Jared, he say he gonna take care of it," Rags informed her, looking out into the distance.

    
             
"I don't doubt that he will," Nicki whispered, wondering just what Jared had in mind.  She suspected he'd don his black cloth
ing and mask.  "He did mention something about the Black Rider."

    
             
Rags' eyes widened and surprise showed on his face.  But the look passed almost as quickly as it came.  Again, he shifted his weight uneasily.

    
             
"Yas'm, mam'zelle," he said, not agreeing or disagreeing with her as he met her glance.

    
             
Nicki licked her lips.  "I know something about what he's going to do, Rags," she lied.  "He didn't tell me everything.  He said he didn't know the exact plan yet.  Do you?  I saw you talk
ing to him."  An immediate wave of guilt washed through her at the look of apprehension on Rags' face.  She was trying to trick the information from him, but she had no intention of betraying Rags, or Jared for that matter.  She wanted revenge for Emma as much as Rags and Jared did.  Be
sides, she knew the penalty for both men would be death if they were caught.  "Rags, I must ask you a question and you must be truthful.  You know why I'm here, don't you?"

    
             
"Yas'm, mam'zelle," came the nervous reply.  "Massa Jared said you done seed who the Black Rider is an' he's got to keep you here 'til the Black Rider can fine somebody he's been lookin' fo' fo' a very long time.  Then the Black Rider can leave an' Massa Jared will set you free."

    
             
Jared had told Rags everything except that he was actually the Black Rider.  Knowing the circumstances of why she was there, she knew Rags wouldn't take a chance and let her go with him to the Falgout plantation.  She had to convince him that she wouldn't betray him and Jared.

    
             
"Rags," she began pleadingly.  "You have to listen to me.  You must believe me when I tell you I won't betray you.  I promise you.  Please, trust me.  I want to help.  I swear I won't do anything to hurt you or Jared. 
Monsieur
Falgout should be tortured.  Trust me," she whispered.  "Please, Rags."

    
             
Not only did she want to be there to see Falgout get whatever diabolical revenge Jared had in store for him, but she wanted to be there in the event that Jared would need her.

    
             
"I'll ask Massa Jared an' if he say it be all right--" Rags began.

    
             
"
No
!  No, Rags."  Nicki realized what a mistake it would be to ask Jared.  If he hadn't told her of his plans, he didn't want her to know.  "Listen to me.  Master Jared would never allow me to help and I so desperately want to.  You must take me with you on the night in question.  I swear I won't try to escape.  Trust me."