Saving His Runaway Bride (Dark Embrace Book 2)

by Sue Lyndon

  I stand frozen as the well-dressed man looks at me. Around us, the other twelve slavers remain in a circle with weapons drawn, apparently not trusting this stranger who’s appeared.

  “What is your name, girl?”

  “Nora. My name is Nora.” It doesn’t occur to me to lie to the well-dressed man. Perhaps he’s here to rescue me on behalf of my family. I can only hope.

  “I’ll take her.”

  My breath catches in my lungs. He’ll take me? I hug myself as I’m thrust forward into the stranger’s arms, but I don’t attempt to escape his firm hold. I used the last of my energy fighting the slaver in the wagon.

  Now I stand the captive of another man, feeling like a shell of my former self, weak and compliant after days of cold and near starvation, not to mention the slavers’ constant threats of punishment should any of us misbehave.

  The well-dressed man passes a small black bag to the slaver who’s just released me. The coins inside clink together. Guilt assails me. It sounds like my stepfather’s entire life savings, including the dowries he’s saved for me and my stepsisters, is in that purse.

  I don’t know which option is worse—that my family is now destitute because of me, or that the well-dressed man has simply purchased me as his slave. But he’s inquired specifically about the girl caught outside of Gerrardsville, so it must be the former.

  “A pleasure doing business with you, sir,” one of the slavers says. The rest of them climb back on the wagon or their horses. I hear the flick of a whip, and then the horses take off, pounding up the mountain in a cloud of dust.

  I keep my gaze on my feet, afraid to meet the well-dressed man’s eyes. I’m so ashamed to have caused my family so much trouble.

  “Those girls are to be auctioned tomorrow. I am glad I found you in time, Nora.” He grasps my chin and forces me to stare into his dark-brown depths.

  He’s the handsomest man I’ve ever met, with tanned skin, dark hair, wide, sensual lips, and a prominent square jaw. For a moment, my throat dries up, and I can’t swallow, let alone speak.

  When I finally find my voice, I say, “Thank you for finding me, sir. I am most grateful, and I am anxious to return to my family in Gerrardsville.”

  His thick, dark brows draw together. Behind him, a horse whinnies and stomps. My eyes widen at the sight of four other men on horseback. I haven’t noticed them until now. He hasn’t come alone. Good God, my stepfather has probably borrowed money to finance this search party.

  “How many days until we reach Gerrardsville from here?” I ask.

  “We aren’t going to Gerrardsville, Nora. I’ll send word to your family that you are safe, however.”

  Confusion spreads through me, along with a sickening worry. The intense, serious gleam in this man’s eyes unnerves me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

  “But I thought you were sent by my family. I thought…” Oh God. Who is this man? What does he want with me?

  “We are headed for Marystown, Nora. To your new home with your new husband.”

  “Husband?”

  He guides me toward the only vacant horse. After assisting me into the saddle, he swings up behind me and presses his body close to mine. His nearness frightens me, but, at the same time, I long to lean back into his warmth.

  His lips brush my ear. “My name is Luke Holsten. The man you were promised to.”

  In my alarm, I tense and try to slip to the ground, but he wraps his arms around me securely. His tone is harsh, unforgiving.

  “We will reach Marystown in the late afternoon tomorrow if we ride straight through the night. I suggest you behave yourself, little Nora. You don’t want to add to the punishment you already have coming.”

  Chapter Three

  LUKE

  A profound sense of relief washes through me to finally have Nora safe in my arms. That relief soon turns to anger though. How could she have been so foolish?

  Thank God she’s unharmed. I rarely pray, but I’ve been praying nonstop these past few days. When I arrived in Gerrardsville to find her missing, I had to force myself not to think the worst—that I would discover Nora lifeless on the side of the road. I glared at any of my men who raised doubts that we’d find her alive and well, silencing them with a dark look.

  I swallow hard and try to calm the rage pumping through my veins. When we arrive back in Marystown, there will be a reckoning between us.

  NORA

  “Wait, please. The other girls.” I gulp at the thought of what will happen to them after tomorrow’s auction.

  “What about them?” Luke snaps, urging his horse down the curving path.

  “They don’t deserve this. Isn’t there something you can do? Please, I beg you.”

  “What would you have me do, Nora? Buy them all myself and bring them into my home as servants?”

  “Yes!” My heart thumps against my rib cage, and my hands tremble as I clutch my cloak. I can’t in good conscience let those poor girls end up auctioned to someone who might beat them, or worse. Slaves don’t have any rights. Luke will be a kinder master to them than any man who buys them off the auction block. Surely my stepfather wouldn’t have promised me to a horribly cruel man, no matter how wealthy, and now I feel guilty all over again for having run off.

  “You have a lot of nerve, little runaway, to ask such a thing of me after the stunt you pulled.”

  “Please. I’ll do anything. I’ll…I’ll obey you and try my best to please you, sir. I know it was wrong to run away, and surely I deserve to be punished. I won’t fight you. I will submit to whatever punishment you give me.” I try to sound brave. He’s mentioned I have a punishment coming anyway.

  If my stepfather found me in Cousin Neville’s compound, he would have thrashed me for running off. Though I tremble at the thought of enduring a spanking or a whipping from Luke, I’m prepared to make amends for the trouble I’ve caused.

  Luke remains silent for a while. I hold my breath, praying he’ll help the girls. The wind gusts upon the mountain with an eerie howl that has me leaning back into my husband-to-be. Despite the tension radiating from him, his arms are a welcome refuge compared to the back of the slavers’ wagon.

  “Jesus Christ,” he hisses, then pulls his horse to a halt. “I despise slavers and would have killed them all, but they outnumber us, and I’ll not risk any harm coming to you.” After another string of curses, he barks instructions over his shoulder to his men, ordering them to follow the wagon and buy the rest of the girls. He withdraws a purse similar, though larger, to the one he used to purchase my freedom and tosses it at the nearest man.

  They take off in a flash, riding hard up the dirt path in search of the wagon. Luke’s arms constrict around me as he adjusts his grip on the reins. I stare at his black leather gloves and try to think of something to say, but it feels awkward to strike up a conversation with the man I’ve tried to escape marrying.

  “How did you find me?” I manage to ask.

  “We received reports of slavers in the area and suspected they would be headed this way. The mountain towns are the most barbaric settlements around.” His voice hardens. “Do you have any idea the kind of life you would’ve lived had you been sold at auction, Nora?”

  My face heats with shame, and I lower my head further. “I’ve an idea, and I thank you for finding me, sir.”

  In a flash of movement, he weaves his gloved fingers through my hair and jerks my gaze to his. “You would have been starved, beaten bloody, raped, bred with other slaves, and eventually worked to death.” His hold strengthens, and I wince, and as quickly as he’s grabbed me, he releases my hair and rearranges me in his arms with the semblance of a gentleman.

  I know he spoke the truth about what would’ve happened to me, and relief floods me to have been rescued, even if my rescuer intends to punish me later.

  While we await the men’s return, Luke gives me a pair of soft warm gloves, then feeds me bits of dried meat and gives me a canteen of cold water. His kindness
moves me, and soon I feel much better, having something in my system besides stale bread for the first time in days.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Do you want more?”

  “No, thank you. I’m full now.”

  He withdraws a handkerchief from his jacket and dabs at my face where a rivulet of water has rolled down. His gentle touch makes me want to cry. After what I’ve done, I don’t deserve any gentleness. My tears soon follow, and, damn him, he wipes those away, too.

  “Shh, Nora. You’re safe now. Don’t cry.”

  “I’m so sorry for running away. I never imagined slavers would catch me. I’d only meant to hide out at my cousin’s compound for a few days, until the date of our wedding passed.” I sniffle. “I am selfish and foolish.”

  His arms tighten around me briefly, then he tugs the hood of my cloak around my face, warming me further. “You did a selfish and foolish thing, Nora, but that doesn’t mean you are a selfish or foolish person. I happen to know you are a very lovely girl with a good heart; you only made a bad decision. You’ll be punished for your disobedience, but you will also be forgiven, little one.”

  A harsh gust of wind descends from the sky, and he turns his horse to face the opposite direction and shields me from the cold with his body.

  The heaviness of my guilt almost has me looking forward to my punishment. I fear the pain and the humiliation of being chastised, but oh how I wish for the forgiveness he’d promised.

  The moment Luke’s men return, each with a frightened looking girl seated in front of him, we ride hard through the countryside for Marystown.

  Hours later, we pause for a quick meal and to water the horses, during which time I try to reassure the girls that Luke will be a fair master. Of course, convincing them of this is rather difficult when my intended keeps shooting me displeased looks.

  How can I blame him? He has a lot of reasons to be upset with me. The cancellation of our very public wedding ceremony has likely caused him embarrassment, he has undoubtedly taken offense to my rejection of him, and the trouble and expense of tracking me down has combined with the rest to put him in a serious mood.

  As Marystown comes into sight, I count the days in my head to calculate the date. The tenth of February. I vaguely wonder if the people of Marystown celebrate Valentine’s Day, or if Luke has even heard of it.

  Perhaps I can manage a gift to surprise my new husband in honor of the holiday. Perhaps such a gesture can move him to forgive me for all the grief I’ve caused him. We certainly aren’t starting our marriage out on a cordial note.

  The houses in Marystown are more modern than Gerrardsville. Larger, too. The streets are cleaner, the solar lamps more abundant, and the people are dressed in quality clothing. Many of those walking past the shops appear fashionable, dressed like the richest in Gerrardsville. The place holds more color, too, with many of the houses painted in bright shades of red, blue, yellow, and pure white. Massive greenhouses dominate the far end of the town, looming clear domes brimming with greenery. My breath catches at the sights surrounding me. I can’t wait to go exploring.

  “Your friends will be freed, Nora. I don’t keep slaves, but they are welcome to stay at our estate and work as paid servants.”

  Warmth spreads through my chest at his words. Tears burn in my eyes. Please let him be a kind husband. Please don’t let him hate me forever. I swallow hard and turn to peer into his dark, unfathomable gaze. “Thank you, sir.”

  An odd look briefly crosses his face before a young boy rushes up to take the reins from Luke. The boy guides the horse through the gates of a resplendent courtyard then Luke swings down from the mount and assists me to the ground.

  Unused to riding horses, my legs and bottom ache, and I wobble momentarily. Luke catches me, wrapping an arm around my waist and ushering me into his mansion. He walks so fast, I barely have time to glimpse the outside of his massive estate.

  To my dismay, he passes me off to a maid with orders to bathe me and see that I rest for a few hours. He also whispers something in her ear that makes her blush. Too tired to argue, I follow the red-faced maid upstairs to a rustic but beautifully decorated master bedroom, where I luxuriate in a claw foot tub that has real running water, just as Ella promised.

  Though welcoming, the maid speaks little as she helps me wash my hair and scrub away the dust from the road. My family has never retained servants and I feel awkward, not knowing how to interact with her or any of the many servants I’d seen bustling around the mansion on my way upstairs. I suppose I will learn. After all, this grand brick mansion is my new home.

  Had I not run away, Luke and I would’ve married in Gerrardsville before traveling to Marystown. He had been scheduled to arrive three days prior to our nuptials, and I’d run off a mere two days before I would’ve met him.

  I desperately wish to mend the rift between us. Flutters rise in my stomach at the thought of tonight. We haven’t had a wedding ceremony yet. Will he take me before we speak our vows? Are we to have a quick, private ceremony, or does he wish to plan a public one?

  Rumors spread like wildfire from village to village. The traders who travel between settlements like to talk, and I have no doubt every last person in Marystown knows I attempted to escape marriage to Luke Holsten.

  He’s the wealthiest resident of this town. Everyone probably thinks I’m mad to have run away. But if Luke is so desirable a husband, why hasn’t he already found a match here in Marystown? How on God’s green Earth did my stepfather convince Luke to marry me?

  This last thought plays over and over in my mind, and my nervousness over the impending evening makes my breaths come faster and my legs tremble in the water.

  When I announce I’m ready for bed, the maid gives me a mortified look and dips into a nervous curtsey beside the claw foot tub.

  “Begging your pardon, my lady, but Master Holsten wishes me to shave you for your wedding night.” She swallows hard and turns tomato red. “Your privates, that is, my lady. He wishes you completely bare below the waist.”

  I open my mouth to protest, but then I remember my promise to obey Luke in exchange for his rescue of the other girls. A flush heating my cheeks, I watch as the maid gathers a small razor and a container of shaving cream. She pauses before the tub and nods at the edge where she’s placed a folded towel.

  “It will be easier if you sit on the towel, my lady, and spread your legs.”

  I feel an odd mixture of humiliation and arousal as the maid works the razor over my nether hairs. It isn’t her touch that has me aching but the idea that Luke has ordered her to shave me, and the knowledge that I will be so bare and vulnerable before him when he claims me as his wife. Or when he undresses me for punishment. When I imagine him meting out discipline, I picture myself with my skirts thrown up over my back and my underthings yanked down to my ankles.

  Mercifully, the maid is quick and has my privates, as well as my legs and underarms, shaved smooth in about five minutes. Once out of the bath, I dress in a long, white nightgown constructed of thick silk, soft but warm and with ruffles adorning the neckline and the ends of the sleeves. I’ve never owned a garment so lovely.

  As I move toward the bed at the maid’s urging, waves of heat from the fireplace waft against my ankles. After spending days in the freezing cold, I revel in the warmth.

  Sleep claims me the second my head hits the soft pillow. Traveling through the night on horseback has left me exhausted, and, by the time I awake hours later, night has fallen.

  I move to the window and stare out, unsure if Luke wishes for me to leave the room. Staying put until he summons me or comes to speak with me himself seems like the smartest course of action, so I remain in the room, curled up in a large chair near the window. The faint glow of solar street lights blanket the village below, and stars sparkle in the vast dark sky.

  Just two days ago, I was headed for my doom on the mountain. If Luke hadn’t shown up in time, I would have already been auctioned off, along with the res
t of the girls he’d rescued from certain misery.

  I peer around the room, my gaze moving from the crackling fire to the sturdy pieces of furniture and the artwork hanging on the walls. The room smells like Luke, with a faint hint of smoke. It’s as if he’s surrounding me even in his absence. I didn’t bother asking the maid if this is his room; I already knew the answer.

  A tray of fruit, crackers, and cheese has been left on a nearby table, but I leave it untouched. My stomach has twisted into so many knots, I don’t know if I will ever be able to eat again.

  Though anxious about our next encounter, I wish to see Luke again as soon as possible. If he will only arrive and get my punishment over with, the punishment he’s promised me, perhaps we can move on and get to know one another. But how long will it take him to forgive me?

  I’ve always dreamed of a happy marriage. Now that I’m here in Marystown with my fate sealed, I will do anything to build one with Luke. With my family and friends in Gerrardsville, I need to make a new life for myself here. Start a family of my own and make new friends.

  The door creaks open, and my breath freezes in my chest. I face the entryway on trembling legs. Luke strides in and locks the door behind him. His strong presence fills the space, making it harder to breath.

  I focus on inhaling and exhaling slowly in an attempt to calm my nerves. He’s wearing a dark three-piece suit, much more formal attire than he was wearing when he found me on the mountain. He also appears freshly shaven. I wonder if he cleaned up in this room while I was sleeping.

  “You look well rested, Nora.”

  “Th-thank you for your hospitality.”

  “This is your home now, too. You are to be my wife.”

  “Our wedding ceremony?” My tongue feels heavy in my mouth. “When will it take place?”

  His eyes darken. “Tomorrow morning. It will be a small affair in the parlor downstairs with only the priest and the required number of witnesses present, likely my butler and one of the maids.” He crosses his arms and glares at me, the sort of glare a parent directs at a recalcitrant child. “I arrived in Gerrardsville to find your family’s household in chaos, your stepsisters and mother fretting over your disappearance, and your stepfather trying desperately to locate you. As your family began to fear the worst, we had to cancel the wedding. I promised your stepfather I would find you, and I did. I’ve dispatched a messenger to inform your family of your whereabouts so they can cease worrying about you.”