“You, filthy varmint.” She wrenched herself free. “Brave aren’t you when you’re fighting me? Twenty of you couldn’t catch Johnny Valentine or Billy. They’re too smart for the likes of you.”
“Watch your mouth,” the man snarled.
George fought them all the way, kicking and biting. She could not win against them, that was a certainty, but she wasn’t giving in without a show of resistance.
“Little wild cat!” One of them screamed his rage as she raked his face with her nails.
They dragged her kicking and struggling outside. Dumping her roughly on a horse, they tied her hands and feet together so she was trussed up like a Christmas turkey. The night was so black, as they rode away, she could barely make out the dim shapes of the mounted men in front of her.
An owl hooted close by. When a coyote howled mournfully from not far away she tasted real fear for the first time in her life. It rose like bile in her throat until she almost gagged on it. What was to stop these men violating her before she was handed over to the sheriff?
What had become of Billy? He must have made a clean getaway, otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered with her. It wasn’t Billy they wanted, but Johnny. And I’m going to be used as bait. Once he knew she had been captured, he would risk everything to save her.
The cords binding her wrists and feet were so tight they cut into her flesh. They would have done it on purpose to add to her misery. No one spoke and this terrible silence made her feel desperately afraid.
Chapter Nine
Marcus lay sprawled out on a chair in his room. It had been a most satisfactory day. Miss Olivia Fitzgibbon was quite attractive and had been a pleasing companion. It was flattering that she attentively hung on his every word. A man’s spirits lifted when his companion made it so obvious, she liked and admired him, especially after the beating his pride had taken from Georgina.
He scowled when he thought of her snub. It hurt more than he was prepared to admit, even to himself. Thank goodness she wasn’t with child. It couldn’t have been his as they had never got further than a few passionate kisses. Damn this place, he thought savagely as the sound of men’s raised voices interrupted his reflection. It was almost midnight. Who would be calling on the Colonel at this hour of the night? Standing right under my window, too? It was just too much.
About to poke his head out the open window to tell them to go about their business more quietly, he froze at the words drifting up to him.
“Yeah, did she put up a fight, little wild cat. A night in the cells will cool her temper down. Look at the scratches she put on my face.”
“Your wife might have something to say about them,” someone else said with a snicker.
“Yeah, she was fiery all right. Johnny Valentine will risk everything to rescue his woman.”
They were talking about Georgina. Quickly Marcus dragged on the boots he had so carelessly kicked off less than an hour ago, and wearing only his shirt and trousers he left his room and hurried downstairs, taking the steps two at a time.
A light still burned in his uncle’s study. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw a man letting himself out the front door. The Colonel, a big florid faced man, had never appealed to him, and he disliked the thought they were related, even if it was only by marriage.
“What was all that commotion outside?” he asked.
“Ah, good news, good news.” His uncle gleefully rubbed his pudgy hands together. “Johnny Valentine is as good as dead.”
“Who’s the girl I overheard those men speaking about? Was it Georgina?”
“What if it was?”
Marcus felt an overwhelming desire to reach out and punch him about his fat jowls. “What have they done to her?”
“She’s in a jail cell where she belongs. You had the effrontery to bring her here and insult my sweet little Kathryn.”
Marcus glared at him. “Exactly where is she and what do they intend doing?”
“She’s in the town jail sharing a cell with drunks and other vermin.” He chortled, causing his fat jowls to wobble.
“You allowed them to put a young girl in with men?”
“Yes, fine idea, one of the deputies thought of it. He came out to make sure I agreed.”
“You couldn’t, I mean you wouldn’t condone such a thing. It’s immoral.”
“Of course, I would when it concerns white trash; besides, once Johnny Valentine gets to hear about his woman being held in the cells with all those brutes having their way with her...”
Marcus waited to hear no more. He felt murderous at the thought of Georgina being put anywhere near common criminals. Striding angrily out of the house, he slammed the door, not caring whether he woke the whole household or not. He strode over to the stables and banged at the door until he woke up a stable hand.
“Saddle my horse quickly.”
The sleepy youth blinked at him. “Come on, boy, saddle my horse and be quick about it.” Marcus did not even try to hide his fury. Within minutes, he was mounted and galloping out of the yard.
The night was as black as a deep hole, but the starlight eerily illuminated the road. He started at a gallop, spurring the horse to even greater effort until the powerful grey was running flat out. When the outskirts of town came into view he still did not slacken his pace, and they thundered down the main street.
Marcus dismounted, tied his horse to the hitching rail, and banged and thumped at the heavy wooden door of the jail, until a yawning man opened it.
“Colonel Stanton sent me. I must see the man in charge.”
“You’ll have to wait until morning we don’t allow visitors here at night.”
“Visitors?” Marcus stifled a curse. He felt like knocking this oaf down but restrained himself with difficulty. Instead, he took out his money purse, which he had fortunately left in his pocket, and it did not take long to bribe the man into letting him in.
He followed the man into another room and strode up to the thin middle-aged deputy who sat behind a paper-strewn desk.
“Did your men bring in a girl tonight?”
“You mean Johnny Valentine’s woman?”
“Yes. Where is she?”
“Safely locked away.”
“I want her released at once.” Marcus pulled himself up to his six-feet-one-inch height and glowered at the other man.
“I have strict instructions.”
“I don’t care about your instructions. Do you know who I am?”
“Colonel Stanton’s nephew.”
“Exactly, now are you going to do as I ask and release this girl?”
“I can’t. It would be more than my job’s worth, the sheriff said...”
“Forget the sheriff. My father happens to be Lord Lindquist and believe me, he has friends in high places both here and in England. I demand you release her.” He thumped his clenched fist on the desk. “Immediately.”
“I can’t let her go until the sheriff says so.”
“Look, I can make it worth your while.” Marcus suddenly felt desperate in the face of this stubborn idiot. Who did he think he was?
“It’s not my idea keeping the girl here; it’s highly irregular, but what can I do?” He shrugged his shoulders in resignation.
“Let her out.”
“I can’t, I’ve been given my instructions. I’m only here tonight because someone took ill. I’m a married man with a daughter about the same age myself, but I’ve got my orders.”
“You have a daughter of your own, yet you condone this, this, disgusting treatment? Putting a young girl in with criminals. You should be flogged.”
“I feel bad about it, but I’ve got my orders. The sheriff will be here sometime tomorrow. I can’t release her until he gets back.”
“How can you have it on your conscience, a young girl like that? Have you any idea what those animals might do to her?”
“I know, I know.” The man rose from his desk to pace nervously about the room. “Pity the boy escaped, th
ey mightn’t have worried about her then, or at least he could have seen nothing happened. I can’t release her, much and all as I’d like to. I tried to get them to put her into the other cell on her own, but I was powerless to do anything except protest.”
Marcus clenched his hand into a first. “Will you put me in the cell with her?”
“You in a cell?”
“Yes, you can do that surely?” The two men faced each other and the older man’s gaze fell away first.
“You’re volunteering to spend a night in jail?” he asked, as if he could not believe any sane person would do such a ridiculous thing.
“Yes, can you arrange it?” Still the man hesitated. “How would you feel if your daughter was in this position? The girl’s not a criminal; you know that.”
“Do you have any weapons?” the man asked. Marcus felt a great urge to shake this imbecile until his teeth rattled.
“No. If you wish to search me, go ahead. You have not heard the last of this outrage.”
“Give me your word as a gentleman that you have nothing concealed on your person, which could be used as a weapon.”
“I just said so, didn’t I?”
“Your word, Lindquist.”
“I give you my word I have no weapons. Satisfied?”
“I’ll have someone escort you to the cell. Are you sure you want to do this?”
Marcus ignored him, and within a few minutes was being escorted by two men to the cells.
“Have a pleasant night, M’lord,” one of them mocked him, while the other pushed a huge key into the lock.
The smell of unwashed bodies assaulted his nostrils straight away. Before he had a chance to do more than peer inside, a shove sent him hurtling into the cell. The door clanged shut behind him. He stumbled against someone lying on the floor, and a string of abuse, the like of which you wouldn’t hear in an army barrack, filled his ears.
He blinked, trying to accustom his eyes to the semi darkness. The only light came from a feeble glow filtering through a small barred window high up in the door.
“Where’s the girl?”
Three men shared the cell. He spoke to the shadow of a big hulking fellow who reeked of whisky. The vile smell of unwashed bodies sickened him and he clenched his teeth to stop from retching.
“She’s in the corner over there.”
“If any of you have touched her, I’ll kill you. Understand?” Marcus threatened.
“We haven’t done nothing to her, no man in here would harm Johnny Valentine’s woman.”
Marcus pushed his way passed them and there was a muttered curse as he stepped on someone’s leg. What sort of men ran this vile place? What decent person would put a young girl in with vermin like this?
“Georgina.” He made out her silhouette huddled in a corner. “Georgina.” He knelt beside her.
“Marcus, you came to get me out?” She collapsed against him and he held her close as huge sobs shook her slender frame.
“It’s alright. I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”
“I want to go home. Take me away from this horrible place.”
“In the morning, Georgina.”
“No, now. I can’t bear it any longer. It’s so dark and those men...”
“Did they touch you?” Her sobbing started to subside as he held her trembling body close to his own to infuse hers with warmth.
“Take me home.”
“I can’t, not tonight. In the morning.”
“Don’t leave me, Marcus, I’m frightened.”
“I don’t intend leaving you, I’ll spend the night here, too. Why do you think I got them to put me in here if it wasn’t to be with you?”
She cuddled up to him, her damp face nuzzling into his throat.
“I’ve been out of my mind thinking of you being incarcerated here with these vile creatures. Whatever happened?”
Slowly, between small hiccoughing sobs she told him, and he swore savagely under his breath. Someone would pay for this. He spoke to her softly, explaining how he had learnt of her being brought here, and the sound of his voice soothed her.
“Hold me, Marcus. You don’t hate me anymore?”
“I’ve never hated you, Georgina. I shouldn’t have spoken to you as I did. Try to sleep; the night will pass more quickly if you do.”
He stretched out beside her on the cold floor. No bed or blankets, not even straw, a wild beast should not be treated in such a manner.
“Hold me tight, I’m frightened.”
“I know.” Any wonder, he thought savagely, ignoring the lurid comments from one of the men. Fortunately, Georgina gave no sign of having heard his offensive remarks.
“Can’t you shut up? Some of us want to sleep,” someone complained in a rough, guttural voice.
“Did they touch you, Georgina?” He held her close against the length of his body.
“The men in here didn’t do anything because a couple of them know Johnny.” She shuddered. “Those hired guns wanted to...”
“I can guess what they wanted. Did anyone actually touch you?” he asked frantically, feeling sick to his stomach at what might have befallen her.
“No, they were going to, only the big man in the corner said if Johnny found out he would kill anyone who hurt me.”
Not only Johnny Valentine. I’d have ripped them apart with my bare hands.
He held her close, feeling relief as she started to calm down. Suddenly he noticed several pairs of beady eyes staring at them. There were rats in here. Thankfully, she could not see them as her face was still buried in the hollow of his throat.
“Thank you for coming here, Marcus.” Her voice sounded muffled and he could feel her breath on his bare skin. “I thought you hated me.”
“Why?”
“Because of what happened by the creek when I slapped you. I saw you with the pretty lady at the race meeting, too.”
“Were you jealous, Georgina?”
“Yes, I hated it because you were laughing and being nice to her.”
“I was coming over to see you, but you snubbed me. When Valentine turned up I nearly went mad with jealousy.”
She cuddled closer to him, her firm young breasts thrusting against his chest. She wore no undergarments, just a thin cotton shirt, and against his silk one they might both have been naked.
“Oh, Georgina.” He groaned the words against her throat, using his hands to keep her body pressed up hard against him.
“You’re so warm, I’m not frightened anymore.” She wriggled herself into a more comfortable position until her body fitted snugly into the contours of his, and Marcus loathed himself for the sudden urgent rush of desire this movement aroused.
“Go to sleep, my love.”
“What’s that noise?”
“I don’t know,” he lied, glaring at the three sets of beady eyes surveying them. “Just a mouse, it’s nothing to worry about.”
“Is it rats?”
He sensed her rising panic. “No, it’s a couple of mice.” He kept her face buried in his chest. She had been through so much the sight of those rats might push her to the brink of sanity.
“There’s nothing there, my darling.” He rocked her gently. “Go to sleep, I won’t let anything hurt you. Did I ever tell you about England? You would like it; the countryside is very pretty.” He spoke softly so their fellow cells mates would not overhear.
“I’ve been to the Court of St. James, that’s where certain specially selected people get presented to Royalty. You should see the ladies in their court dresses, all made of silk, such vibrant colors. The train is the most impressive part of their whole outfit. It might be made of satin and would be fastened around the waist. They’re several yards long sometimes, trimmed with lace and lined with silk. Some trains are worked in pure gold. In their hair, the ladies wear feathers, diamonds or even pearls.”
“What do the men wear?”
“Well, let me think. They might wear, say a claret colored court coat, knee b
reeches, long white silk stockings and shoes with gilt buckles.”
She giggled slightly. “Did you dress up like that?”
“Yes, I was presented at St. James Court on a couple of occasions a few years back.” He felt the tension leaving her body so he kept on talking. Telling her about his boyhood, his school days at Eton, holidays he had taken to Paris and Rome, and his time as an officer in the Cavalry. Anything to blot out the horrible scratching noise.
The floor felt hard, deathly cold. He reached out a hand and found the walls damp and slimy to his touch. What a revolting place. If only his friends could see him now. It seemed a lifetime since he was in England among his own fashionable set.
Strangely, even the thought of Sylvia caused him no pain now. In fact, he had trouble bringing her features to mind. As for that episode which had brought him such disgrace, he wondered how he could have been so stupid as to allow himself to be caught in such a compromising position.
It would be a long night. The other prisoners were snoring and snorting away in the corner. One man with a shocking cough, sounded as if he was full of consumption. It was a good thing he was here to protect Georgina. Judging by what these men had said, they would not have molested her themselves, but those hired guns were capable of anything
They wouldn’t dare harm her now he was here. In the morning, the Colonel would ensure their release. His uncle didn’t feel kindly disposed toward him now, because he hadn’t offered to wed Kathryn. It was the stigma on the family name he would be worrying about. I won’t be leaving without Georgina. They could not charge her as she had committed no crime, or none he knew of, anyway.
It was a harsh life out here, yet strangely fascinating, he reflected, resting his chin on her hair. She stirred restlessly and he hugged her closer. She looked so fragile, almost wraithlike yet she had inner strength and a ton of courage.
In the dark filth of the cell, for the first time in his life he took a good look at himself, and the picture proved anything but impressive. On reflection, he realized he had spent his life surrounded by spoilt pampered people, who over-indulged themselves at every opportunity without so much as a thought for those less fortunate.
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