Captive Pride

by Bobbi Smith

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Though Matthew appeared outwardly relaxed as he shared a late dinner with Faith and Ruth at the Red Lion, in actuality, he was nervous and on edge. When he and Noah had parted after turning in Radcliffe’s hired thugs, they had agreed to meet at the inn by ten o’clock to dine. Now, however, it was well past midnight, and Noah had still not arrived.

  Worries assailed Matthew. Had Noah encountered some kind of trouble with Radcliffe, or had something happened with the Pride that had demanded his immediate attention? Matt longed to know but realized it would be foolhardy for him to rush down to the wharf in search of him.

  “Matthew?” Faith, intuitively aware of his very real distress, reached out to touch his hand.

  Matt glanced up at her as he brought his thoughts to bear on the present. “Yes?”

  “Shall we go now, or do you think we should wait for him a little longer?” she asked, her own concern for Noah reflecting in the depths of her blue-green eyes.

  At her gentle prod, he realized that they had long since finished their meal and that there was no reason to linger any longer. “It is getting late…. I suppose we should be going….” Matt began.

  “I think so,” Ruth agreed.

  As Matthew rose from his seat and moved to assist Faith and Ruth with their wraps, a man came rushing into the taproom and hurried to join the men at the bar. He was welcomed warmly by his friends and immediately began to relate some bit of news to them that caused quite a furor among those gathered there. His thoughts still on Noah, Matt paid scant attention to the man until he heard Radcliffe’s name being bandied about.

  “That can’t be true!” Someone doubted his story.

  “It’s true, I tell you!” the man declared vehemently to the others as the conversation grew excited at the bar. “I just heard it myself!”

  “Come on, Gerald,” another sneered. “I don’t believe it!”

  “Lord Geoffrey Radcliffe is dead! He was shot! Murdered tonight in his very own home!” the man insisted unwaveringly as he assumed a most pompous pose. He felt himself to be most consequential since he was bearing such important news, and he could hardly wait to relate the rest of the information he’d learned to his eager comrades.

  Matt froze at the news, and his eyes suddenly glowed fervidly as his features grew strained and pale.

  “Matthew?” Faith and Ruth, too, had overheard the conversation, and Faith glanced concernedly from her husband to the group of men.

  He gave an abrupt shake of his head to silence them as he strained to hear all that was being said.

  “Do they know who did it, Gerald?” someone else asked.

  “They most certainly do. The authorities arrested him right on the spot. They caught him with the murder weapon in hand,” Gerald informed them.

  “Who was it?”

  Gerald’s expression reflected his delight in delivering the next bit of information. “The murderer is none other than Lord Noah Kincade.”

  “Lord Kincade?” A chorus of voices echoed the name in stunned surprise.

  Matthew had almost sensed what Gerald’s answer would be, and as he heard him pronounce Noah’s name, a gut-wrenching pain seared through him. Without conscious thought, knowing only that he had to get away from the inn as quickly as possible without attracting any undue attention, he hurriedly escorted Faith and Ruth outside into the cold darkness of the December night. It wasn’t until they were safely ensconced in a hired conveyance and on their way home that he spoke.

  “As soon as I drop you at the house, I’m going to find Noah.”

  “Shall I send word to Ben?”

  “There’s no reason. What happened at Radcliffe’s had nothing to do with Ben and the others. It was private and personal,” he explained, and then suddenly a curse erupted from him as he felt close to violence. “Damn! What the hell happened between Noah and Geoffrey tonight?”

  “The only way you’ll find out is to go to him,” Faith urged. “I’m sure he’s innocent. Noah would never kill someone like that.”

  At her naive belief that Noah was incapable of savagery, the vivid, bitter memories of Noah’s deadly duel with James Radcliffe surged into mind.

  “I pray to God you’re right,” Matt ground out, hoping against hope that Noah was innocent, and believing deep in his heart that he was. For, though his brother had been discovered with the murder weapon in his hand, Matt knew for a fact that Noah had gone to Radcliffe’s unarmed. If anyone had introduced guns into their confrontation, it had been Geoffrey.

  “I know I am,” Faith told him solemnly. “He’ll probably be freed by morning. Just wait and see.”

  Despite Faith’s hopeful encouragement, Matt felt that all was not as simple as it seemed. The situation must have looked very incriminating for Noah to have been arrested on the spot, and he wondered if there had been any witnesses to the shooting.

  “Mother and I will be waiting up for you,” Faith said supportively as the carriage drew to a stop in front of her small house.

  “I don’t know how long I’ll be….” he said distractedly as he climbed out and helped his wife and mother-in-law down.

  “Don’t worry about us. Just go to Noah and help him.” Faith kissed him softly before going inside.

  Matt strode back to the carriage and climbed in, ordering the driver, “To the jail, and fast.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  It was just after one in the morning when Matthew stormed into the jail and demanded to see Noah.

  The jailer, a burly, mean-looking man, eyed Matthew disinterestedly before replying with only the barest essence of civility, “There’s no visiting allowed this time of night.”

  “That’s ridiculous! I’m Lord Matthew Kincade, and I’ve just received word that my brother has been arrested. I demand to see him so I can find out about all these trumped-up charges,” Matt declared indignantly, calling upon his most imperious manner.

  “Lord Kincade’s brother, eh?” The guard sized him up more critically, judging his worth. “Well, I suppose I could bend the rules for a nobleman…for a price.” He added the latter under his breath.

  Disgustedly, Matthew tossed the man several coins and then watched as the jailer tested each coin for value.

  “I don’t suppose it would do much harm to let you in for a few minutes.” He gave Matt a sly grin as he pocketed the money and then crossed the room to take the keys to the cells down from the hook on the wall.

  “Thank you,” Matthew replied stoically, wanting more than anything to knock the guard’s smile right off his fat, smirking face.

  After checking Matt for possible hidden weapons, the jailer took up a lamp and led him through a narrow passage to the back of the building. Unlocking a heavy barred door, he shoved it wide to allow Matt to pass through.

  “Five minutes. No more. I’ll be waiting right out here.”

  “You’ve been most kind.” Matt gave him a pained smile as he stepped into Noah’s private hell.

  Noah was lying on the cot in his cell when he heard footsteps coming down the hall toward him. He knew the hour to be late and could only wonder at the reason for the disturbance, since the guard had told him that he would be allowed no contact with anyone until the following day. The sound of Matthew’s voice filled him with hope, and when the door swung open, he rose quickly from the squalid bed to greet his brother.

  “Matthew!” They regarded each other in stricken silence for just an instant before embracing.

  “What happened?” Matt asked worriedly when they broke apart. He regarded his brother seriously and read in Noah’s troubled gaze all the strain and anxiety he was keeping carefully under control. “We waited at the inn for hours….”

  “I know. I’m sorry, but they wouldn’t allow me to send any messages tonight. How did you find out?”

  “We accidentally overheard some men talking about Radcliffe’s death and your arrest. Are you all right?”

  “I’ll be fine once I get out of here,”
Noah told him wearily as he began to pace the tiny cell. “I’ve demanded to be taken before the magistrate. If everything goes well, I’ll plead my case tomorrow afternoon and then be released.”

  “I don’t understand how any of this happened.” Matt shook his head in confusion. “The rumor was that you had a gun…?”

  Noah nodded, his distress with the whole situation reflected in his expression. “I did, but it was Geoffrey’s. He’d just gotten word of James’s death and was convinced that I’d murdered him. He had the gun and was ready to use it. I fought him for it, and it went off while we were struggling.”

  “Weren’t there any servants around?”

  “Oh, yes. His faithful man, Bartley, was there. He’d refused to let me in initially, so I made the mistake of pushing my way past him. Geoffrey sent him for the authorities, and by the time he got back, the fight was over. He told the constable that I’d broken into the house, and then when they found me holding the gun, standing over him…” Noah rubbed the back of his neck in a weary, almost defeated, motion.

  “Did you tell the arresting officer that it was self-defense?”

  “Yes, but with Bartley standing there claiming it was the opposite…well, my argument didn’t seem very persuasive.”

  “You’ll be out tomorrow.” Matt tried to sound confident.

  “I hope so. If not, the Radcliffes will certainly have had their revenge, won’t they?”

  “Time’s up!” the guard shouted in an obnoxiously loud voice, abruptly interrupting their conversation.

  “I’ll be at your arraignment,” Matt promised solemnly.

  “I’ll see you then.”

  The jailer was standing at the door grinning evilly as Matthew gave Noah one last reassuring look and then departed. Alone once again, Noah stretched out on the hardness of the cot and stared into the rank darkness of his cell. He’d been through many difficult times lately, but none had been as precarious as the position in which he now found himself. Still, he was Lord Noah Kincade, and that should count for something. Hopefully, justice would be served. Yet even as he tried to envision his own release, he knew the fact of Bartley’s testimony weighed heavily against him. It would not be a simple matter to prove his innocence. Though Geoffrey hadn’t planned his revenge this way, Noah wasn’t at all sure he would be able to escape the dead man’s devious clutches.

  Miserably, he tossed on the hardness of the bed, seeking the blissful mindlessness of sleep, but the solace of rest would not come. Instead his thoughts were restless, dwelling first on Geoffrey’s death, then the earlier attack upon himself and Matthew, and finally, on the conversation they’d had shortly before they’d left the Pride. Unbidden, CC slipped into his consciousness as he remembered Matt’s point-blank questioning of his feelings for her. With a muttered curse, he swung his long legs off the uncomfortable cot and sat up. Bracing his elbows on his knees, he rested his head in his hands, his spirits sinking lower by the minute.

  CC. Noah swore silently as his wayward thoughts centered on her. It was bad enough that he couldn’t sleep for the memory of his encounter with Geoffrey, but to be tormented by images of CC was almost more than he could bear. Still, despite his desire not to think of her, her image floated through his mind—CC as he’d first seen her when she’d blushed so furiously, caught in the act of censuring English aristocrats…CC dressed in her boyish garb, and their first passionate encounter…CC in his arms in the gazebo, surrendering to the power of their mutual attraction for each other.

  The memory of their lovemaking sent a surge of desire through him and drove him to his feet. In agitation, Noah began to pace the cell. He loved CC more than he’d ever loved another woman, but as he had told Matt earlier, he knew there was no hope for their future. Matt had declared that he was sure that she cared for him, but Noah knew that any affection she might have harbored for him had been killed by his blunt brutality to her when she’d come to him in his room.

  Noah shook his head slowly in the sad acknowledgment that he had indeed lost her, and in that instant, all his other losses paled in significance. He had thought that money was what he needed to make him feel whole again, but he recognized now that CC’s love was the only thing that would restore him. Determinedly, Noah vowed to himself that he would tell her how he felt once he was cleared of the charges against him. He knew she would be totally justified in laughing in his face, but he also knew he had to make the attempt, for the thought of a life without her was just too painful to even consider.

  “Mr. Demorest?” Gilbert interrupted Edward and CC as they breakfasted together.

  “Yes, Gilbert? What is it?” Edward asked.

  “There’s a boy here with a message for you. He says it’s urgent, sir.”

  Edward gave his daughter a regretful glance as he lay his napkin beside his plate. “I’m sorry, my dear. I was looking forward to a leisurely breakfast with you this morning. I’ll rejoin you just as quickly as I can.”

  “Of course, Father,” CC replied, trying not to let her nervousness show as she wondered what news the messenger was bringing.

  She glanced quickly at the clock on the mantelpiece. It was a little after 10:00 A.M., and CC knew that enough time had elapsed for the “theft” on board the Sea Pride to have been discovered and reported to the necessary port authorities, her father being one. With shaking hands, she lifted the delicate china cup and took a sip of the hot tea, hoping it would soothe her jangled nerves.

  Thoughts of the excitement the night before returned, and CC drew a deep sigh of relief. The raid on the Sea Pride had come off successfully, and all involved had agreed that Noah’s plan had been a stroke of genius.

  A small smile curved her lips as she thought of Matthew’s firm declaration that Noah did indeed love her. The smile soon faded, though, as she realized the possible danger Noah could be facing this very instant. Matthew had promised that he would relay any word of the duel to her, and the fact that she’d heard nothing from him left her slightly unnerved. Had they fought yet, or had they managed to avoid such a deadly confrontation? Determined to find out exactly what had happened, she vowed to seek out Noah as soon as she could and to tell him that she still loved him. She hoped that all Matthew had revealed about Noah’s feelings for her was true. A faint doubt threatened, but she pushed it firmly aside. According to Matthew, Noah loved her, and she loved Noah—that was all that mattered.

  The seeming resolution of her situation left her feeling oddly pleased, and she took another drink of her tea. It was then that CC realized she’d been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t sweetened the steaming brew. The bitterness of it caused her to grimace, and she was reaching for the sugar bowl just as the sound of her father’s voice boomed through the house.

  “Lord Kincade?”

  CC went immediately tense at his tone. Though she could make out no more of the conversation, she assumed that he had just been told of the rebels’ actions the night before. Forcing herself to relax and assume an innocent demeanor, she waited for him to return. At the sound of the front door closing and footsteps coming back her way, she glanced up.

  “Is there a problem with Lord Kincade? I heard you mention his name….” CC asked coolly as she casually spooned a small amount of sugar into her tea. Expecting him to tell her of the outrageous rebel raid, CC was totally unprepared for his reply.

  “Yes…I don’t know how to tell you this delicately, but Noah Kincade has been arrested and charged with murder.”

  CC’s spoon dropped from her benumbed fingers and clattered noisily against the china saucer. “What did you say?”

  “The message I just received was from Winthrop. Noah Kincade was arrested late last night for the murder of Geoffrey Radcliffe.”

  “Oh my God!” she gasped, blanching at the news. How could this have happened? Noah would never have murdered Geoffrey in cold blood. It had to have been a fair fight!

  Thinking her upset was due to the indelicacy of the news he’d just given her,
Edward came to put a supportive arm about her shoulders. “Now, now, dear.”

  “I can’t believe it, Father. What happened?” CC finally managed, struggling to bring her desperate fear for Noah under control.

  “All I know from Harley’s note is that Kincade broke into Geoffrey’s home and shot him. The constable found him with the murder weapon in his hand. There could be no mistake.”

  “But it’s ridiculous! Noah Kincade is hardly the type to kill anyone so barbarically.” CC wanted to protest his incarceration more vehemently, but she knew she had to temper her reaction lest she accidentally reveal too much.

  “I don’t know,” Edward said thoughtfully as he moved to rejoin her at the table. “Considering all that happened at Winthrop’s the other night…perhaps there was some truth to Geoffrey’s charges after all, especially taking into account the one other piece of information Harley supplied that I think is particularly relevant.”

  “Oh? What?” CC struggled to keep her expression reflecting only mild interest.

  “It seems that we’ve all been laboring under the wrong impression of the Kincades.”

  “How so?” She lifted her cup to her lips as casually as possible, hoping that her father wouldn’t notice how badly she was trembling.

  “Well, according to some new information Harley just received, the Kincade family has lost its fortune. It appears they’re in dire financial straits.”

  CC pretended to be shocked by the news. “But, Father, how can that be?”

  “It seems the family’s fortune was lost to gambling debts incurred by the father,” he supplied.

  “That doesnt necessarily mean Noah and Matthew are doing anything illegal,” CC pointed out.

  “The fact that they’ve lost their money doesn’t, it’s true; however, it would make a connection with the dissidents much more plausible. The rebels, I’m sure, would pay a fine price for war materials, and that is what Kincade’s shipping, you know. Maybe he is involved with them after all. Maybe Geoffrey was right in his accusations the other night, and maybe, just maybe, Kincade went there to silence him.”