She watched the man move about, catlike quiet, looking for anything of value in her father’s things. He was tall, muscular, and beardless. His strong profile, lit by moonlight, was somber and rigid and his black hair was straight and hung loose to his wide shoulders. Dressed simply, but richly, he gave the appearance of someone who demanded instant obedience.
Well, once they were safely away from her father, he would find her anything but obedient.
She shook her head in disbelief. Could this night get any worse? How could this be happening to her? If her father had acted more like William or Captain Sam, always cautious in the wild, he would have stayed alert and been ready for trouble. Instead, he’d been irresponsible and reckless, drinking himself into a stupor.
As a result, she was the one in danger.
And frightened. What did Harpes want with her? What would he do to her? A hard knot formed in her stomach and her heart beat erratically.
When he mounted his horse, she gathered Ginger’s reins in her hands and reluctantly leapt up onto the saddle. She had no choice. She wouldn’t let this man harm her father.
Kelly glanced back at her father, still dead to the world, as Ginger followed the tall man’s horse into the darkness.
CHAPTER 8
William, Sam, and Bear rode through town so early most people were still asleep. Within minutes, they passed through the moonlit Fort’s shadow and headed out of town on Boone’s Trace, a branch of the Wilderness Road. Through the dark still night, they could hear the Kentucky River flowing on their left. The normally soothing sound of the rushing water did little to calm William’s nerves. His mind spun with both hope and fear. Hope that Kelly would agree to return to Boonesborough with them. And fear that she wouldn’t.
Or that harm had already befallen her and her father.
Waves of affection swept through him in ways that alternately thrilled and frightened him. He needed to find Kelly and somehow convince her to come back to Boonesborough to marry him. He loved her. He wanted her to be his wife. As he’d lain awake last night unable to sleep, he’d finally understood that she was the first women he ever truly loved and now with a fierce resolve he wanted only her.
The thought of losing her, or never having the chance to show her that love, frightened him as nothing else ever had.
Kelly, stay safe until I reach you.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find the lass soon,” Bear said, almost as though he had read William’s thoughts.
“We’d better!” William called back. He muttered an oath beneath his breath, swearing that if Kelly’s father had hurt her, the man wouldn’t live to regret it.
Because he’d be dead.
“Stay alert,” Sam cautioned.
Now William worried in earnest. “I wish we had left last night.”
“As I said, she needed some time alone with her father. And if we had followed them last night, and McGuffin had laid a hand on Kelly, you would have been tempted to kill him. I know you, and you would not have let the man get away with hurting her. And if you slayed the girl’s father, that would end any chance you have with her. Better to wait until the light of day, when heads are clearer and cooler.”
“My head may be clearer, but it’s not cooler,” William said, his temper heating his words. “You’re right. I would kill him if I had too. Especially if he’s hurt her.”
“Did Boone say when he was leavin’ Boonesborough?” Bear asked.
“Today. He’ll probably be right behind us,” William answered.
“That might come in handy if we encounter Indians,” Bear said.
They rode as fast as they dared without wearing the horses out too soon. By sunrise, their mounts covered several miles and they were well south of the fort. Sam and Bear both started looking for the tracks of the two horses and finally Sam spotted Ginger’s print in some moist earth.
They followed the tracks for some time and then to William’s surprise, they heard McGuffin galloping his mount toward them. Where was Kelly? Was she hurt? God, please no. A deep, unaccustomed fear gripped his heart.
Kelly’s father tugged up on his reins as he reached them, his brows drawn and his face twisted in an angry frown. “What did you do with my daughter, you son-of-a-bitch?” he shouted at William.
The man’s tone and blasphemous language infuriated William, but he would not release his anger. At least not yet. “Where’s Kelly?” he demanded.
“Tell me where she is,” McGuffin repeated, his eyes flashing disdain.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Sam barked. “She was with you!”
“She’s gone. I know you took her. She wouldn’t have taken off in the darkness by herself. Stop this pretense and tell me where she is!” McGuffin looked ready to kill. Bristling with anger, he sat there, tall in the saddle, his expression accusing.
“Mister McGuffin, we were on our way to try to convince Kelly to return with us,” William explained, using up what was left of his scant patience entirely. Worry tore at his insides.
“I don’t believe you. Where did you hide her?” McGuffin eyed him reprovingly.
“We don’t have her! But I do want to know where she is. We need to figure that out right now,” William barked, his breath burning hot in his throat.
“Where did ye last see the lass, man?” Bear asked McGuffin.
“We made camp a few miles back. I fell asleep soon afterwards. When I awoke this morning, she was gone, along with her mare and bag,” he sputtered, bristling with indignation.
William’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. He stared at McGuffin, trying to assess if the man was telling the truth. Had he done something to Kelly to punish her for leaving? Was he doing this to cover up? He wouldn’t put it past the miserable man.
“Were there any other tracks?” Sam asked, his voice taut and low.
“I don’t know. I didn’t look.”
That response sent Sam’s dander up. “That was nothing short of idiotic,” Sam declared. His brother’s face hardened with outrage.
McGuffin’s black eyes burned with fury as he glared back at Sam. “I was so sure you three took her, I just saddled my horse and took off coming this way,” McGuffin answered.
Bear stared at the man, his glower so hot William wouldn’t be surprised if McGuffin burst into flames. “Ach man, as ye can plainly see, we didna take her!”
McGuffin’s expression grew worried, as though he just now realized Kelly was actually missing.
William’s anger, escalating by the second, gave him little tolerance for the man or the situation. “This is getting us nowhere. How far down the road was your campsite?” he demanded.
“Fifteen minutes at a hard ride,” McGuffin answered.
“Then ride hard and take us back there. Now!” William ordered.
McGuffin turned his mount south again and took off at a run. William, Sam, and Bear followed closely behind.
If she wasn’t with her father, where was she? Had she set out on her own? Although risky, he actually hoped that was the case. It was better than the alternative—that someone had taken her. Another thought twisted his gut with alarm. Had Indians taken her?
His heart hammered as thunderously as the horses’ hooves.
Kelly could barely hang on to the saddle she was so tired. Only mounting fear kept her relatively alert. “Who are you?” she demanded. “And what do you want with me?” She had asked these questions several times, but so far the man refused to answer her. His silence only added to her uneasiness.
Sometime during the night, they had crossed the Kentucky River at a low water crossing, and then Harpes headed northwest. She remembered that Sam had said that the road across the river heading north led to Lexington. Why was Harpes going there?
“I’ve already given you my name, but my family name is Robinson. And, young lady, I seek only to rescue you from that despicable man you called your father.”
“Rescue me?” Kelly asked in stunned disbelief. “I never asked to be rescu
ed!”
“I realize that. But the circumstances made it abundantly clear you needed rescuing. The man is a brut and a drunk.”
“How do you know that?” She couldn’t deny the truth of his words.
“Because I was camped nearby and heard you yelling. I raced through the woods, thinking you needed help and overhead you arguing with the nasty man.”
“That still doesn’t give you the right to take me against my will.” She was furious, but somewhat relieved. At least the man seemed to have honorable motives.
“Sometimes someone who is abused is unable to free themselves from their tormentor. I sensed that you would be that way.”
“You know nothing about me.”
“I know that your father said some exceptionally cruel things to you and seemed on the verge of violence. It was all I could do to remain hidden. But I knew he’d pass out soon. When he did, I went back to my camp and tried to sleep for a few hours. But I was so concerned for your safety, I couldn’t sleep and decided you needed help. That’s when I showed up at your camp.”
She gave him a hostile stare. “I demand that we turn back to Boonesborough.”
He just smiled back at her. “I think not. If we did, that horrible man would find you again and you’d become his slave. I despise fathers who use their children for nothing more than workhorses. You are too smart and too beautiful a young woman to be yoked to someone as disgusting as your father. What is your name?”
An unwelcome flush crept up her neck and cheeks. He thinks I’m beautiful. She was embarrassed at how much that pleased her. But he was the first man to ever say something like that to her.
“Kelly. Kelly McGuffin,” she finally answered. She was proud of her McGuffin name. Although her father definitely had problems because of alcohol, he had once been a good man and her mother told her that he came from an honorable and noble Scottish family.
“Kelly. I have plans for you. You need not worry.”
“What plans?” she asked warily. A warning voice whispered inside her head.
“We’ll discuss those when we reach Lexington. But to put your mind at ease, I am a man of means and want to provide you with an education.”
“I am already well-schooled. I’ll have you know I can read and write quite well.”
“I am pleased to learn that. However, there’s more to an education than reading and writing. Who taught you to read and write?”
“My mother.”
“She is an educated woman?”
“Was. She’s dead now. She came from a fine northern Virginia family. Her father owned a tobacco plantation.”
“Did he? Well, I’m delighted that she taught you to read. And sorry for her that she wound up with such an appalling brut. If she looked anything like you, she could have had her pick of Virginia gentlemen.”
If truth be told, she was sorry too. What would her life been like if her mother had married a fine Virginia gentleman? Someone who treated them both well? Kept them both safe in a big fine home. What would it have been like to become a young woman in a home full of life and love? She hadn’t felt love from her father in a very long time.
This man seemed more interested in her welfare than her father ever was. But he was a stranger. As he rode beside her, she was conscious of his continued scrutiny. His gaze started to roam freely over her entire body. She became even more uneasy and was suddenly anxious to escape from this mysterious man. As she pondered her situation, Kelly’s head ached with worry and her face grew hot.
Growing more and more uncomfortable, she shifted in the saddle and chewed on her bottom lip.
She could not trust this man. Even if she could trust him, did she want to? What she wanted to do was turn her horse and run away, but his more powerful stallion would easily catch up to her mare. And the man looked stout. Any effort to bolt would be wasted.
Besides, alone, deep in the wilds of these hills and woods, there were all sorts of potential dangers. From bears and mountain lions to Indians and outlaws. Leaving might mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Logic dampened the last traces of her desire to flee.
She gazed at him in despair. “Please, take me back. I have friends in Boonesborough who will protect me and help me to avoid my father.”
“You’ve already escaped him.”
She closed her eyes, her heart aching because he was right. She was glad she was away from her father and did not have to face him this morning. He was probably still asleep, and hadn’t even noticed that she was gone.
She tried to hide her inner sadness from Harpes’ probing gaze.
But without her father, what would she do? Despite her own attraction to William, he had only acted as a good friend or brother toward her. He obviously didn’t intend to court her or to marry her. If he had, wouldn’t he have made his intentions known by now? She couldn’t blame him for not wanting her. Her mother once told her that gentlemen want to marry unsullied young ladies. And she was far from a pure maiden. William even saw her entirely unclothed with Ben Jack and his brother. The sight probably repulsed him and made it difficult now for him to think of her romantically. She held out little hope that William could ever return her affections.
She looked away from Harpes, off into the darkness of the forest, as she swallowed her disappointment.
Did she have any other options? She didn’t want to live with Sam and Catherine, they were newlyweds. And Stephen and Jane already had plenty of responsibilities with two daughters and another child due any day. She didn’t want to be a burden to any of them. Even William.
Especially William.
She wished William would want to be with her because he loved and desired her. Because he felt about her as she did him. Not because he pitied her. Her heart tightened with conflicting emotions, some sweet, as she remembered both his gentle promise to help her heal, and her growing attraction to William. And emotions of regret, that he had never shown anything more than brotherly concern for her and she might never know what his love would feel like.
She faced an uncertain future to say the least. Maybe going to Lexington was for the best. She could find another job there and not be dependent on anyone. Maybe there she would have a chance to heal—to rid herself of the incessant shame she felt. She could start a new life, a completely fresh life, in a place where no one would know what had happened to her. The thought gave her a strange numbed comfort.
“All right. I’ll agree to continue on with you.” But just as soon as she spoke the words aloud, she felt oddly unsettled.
William! A single hot tear slipped down her cheek and she quickly swiped at it with her knuckle.
“You need to rest awhile,” he said kindly. “We’ve been riding for a couple of hours. We’ll stop at the next creek and make camp.”
She just shook her head, afraid her voice would betray her distress.
They dismounted as soon as they reached a narrow stream and let the horses water. Kelly gulped water down her own parched throat and washed her face and hands. Studying her reflection in the moon-gilded water, she wondered if the man really did find her beautiful. Right now, she felt anything but. Her eyes felt swollen with fatigue, her hair was a frazzled mess, her clothing wrinkled. She dipped her hands into the water again and splashed her face. The cool water felt good against her pounding forehead.
But it would take more than cool water to quench the pain of her aching heart.
CHAPTER 9
His partner Belle would be forever indebted to him. It had been awhile since Harpes had acquired one as innocent and lovely as Kelly. And eventually the young woman would also be grateful to him for rescuing her from the clutches of her father. The man didn’t deserve a daughter like Kelly.
He could hardly wait to get her fixed up and have her see her reflection in the beautiful mirror that hung in the home’s parlor. The mirror was among the home’s many fine furnishings. Belle had insisted on the best of everything for Lexington’s most orderly of ‘disorderly’ house
s. Rich velvet drapes, the latest fashionable furniture, cut crystal oil lamps, and, of course, the richest food and finest drinks.
Belle also insisted on the best in female companionship for her clientele—some of the most powerful men in the community and even surrounding states. Her clients often wanted someone new. And he was all too happy to keep Belle supplied with fresh young women and teach the young ladies how to please a man. Almost without exception, they were ignorant of the skills needed for their profession. But he was an excellent teacher.
For his efforts, he got half of Belle’s considerable profits and as much time as he desired with his pick of the whores.
Kelly was perfect.
He’d recognized her potential at once. Her beauty was delicate, her lips a rosy flower. They had few blondes at the brothel and none with Kelly’s exquisite young figure. She was probably still a virgin too. Yes, he would certainly sample her beauty close up and teach her a few things, just as soon as he could get her into a big luxurious bed. He was not about to soil his fine clothing and pick up ticks and fleas by taking her now. And, he really needed to keep his wits about him in case there were natives roaming about. He’d always managed to trade or talk his way out of Indian problems. In fact, he carried folded silk cloth and pearls in his saddle bags for just that purpose. Fortunately, Indians were honorable and honored their trades.
The sweet thing probably didn’t even know what a brothel was. It would be an education all right. For the first few days, Belle clandestinely kept new arrivals drugged with her carefully controlled doses. After that, nearly all of the women he’d cherry-picked for the house chose to stay in order to continue taking the drugs. They enjoyed the fine food and beautiful clothing as well. And for women who were alone in the world or had little family, Belle’s home offered some degree of protection.
It was the perfect set-up. In Lexington, the city readily acknowledged the women’s work as a profession, alongside physicians and attorneys. Especially accepted, were houses like Belle’s, whose clients were among the citizenry’s elite.
Whispering Hills of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 3) Page 7