Falling for Her Captor
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‘No... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean...’ she began, but he turned and walked off without a word.
‘That was unkind, Lady Aline,’ Duncan said reprovingly.
He was sitting by the cart and Aline had not noticed his presence. Her cheeks flamed as she stared after the departing Captain, shame at her words flooding over her. He had been friendly, and for no good reason she had rebuffed his attempts.
Duncan came to stand by her side. ‘I know you’d not think it, given the way you’ve met him, but he’s an honourable man and plays the hand he’s been dealt as best he can,’ he said. ‘In fact, my advice is that you’ll have an easier time in the citadel with him on your side.’
The thought of everything that implied hit Aline like a fist to the chest. ‘I didn’t ask for advice, Duncan,’ Aline said sharply, biting down the fear, ‘and I don’t need anyone to protect me.’
Duncan folded his arms and stared at her. ‘The advice was freely given, my lady, and don’t be foolish— everyone needs allies.’
Aline stared at the Captain, now pacing back and forth next to the cart like a restless animal. His dark hair was swept back off his face and three days’ growth of beard lent him a rakish air. His expression was belligerent and his reaction stung her unreasonably. So what if his smile caused her throat to tighten? He was rude, bad-tempered and seemed to have no awareness of how to behave towards a lady.
‘Trust him? I doubt it very much!’ she muttered under her breath, wrapping her arms tightly about herself.
By late morning they’d reached the foot of the low mountains that acted as a natural border between the provinces. The road became a steep uneven track, which made for slow progress. As Sir Hugh had predicted, the single carthorse struggled to pull the cart, and the other two were hitched to the front to help, Sir Hugh muttering about how such a task was beneath Bayliss. The travellers loaded themselves up with as much baggage as they could carry and pressed on.
Aline walked between Jack and Sir Hugh, determined to keep up with the pace the men were marching at. Her dress caused her to stumble on more than one occasion, which added to her misery.
‘Lady Aline—wait.’
Aline was lost in thoughts of home, and the voice made her jump. Sir Hugh had not addressed her directly since her joke had misfired. He was still clearly offended as he had spurned all her attempts to make conversation.
‘Let me,’ he said.
He lifted the pack Aline had been carrying and hefted it with ease onto his back, along with his own.
Aline started to speak, but he cut her off curtly. ‘Don’t thank me. I want to reach our destination before midnight and we won’t if you hold us up.’
He strode on ahead, leaving her standing.
‘I wasn’t going to thank you,’ Aline called after him. ‘I was going to tell you not to treat me as though I am incapable!’
He turned back to look at her and cocked his head. ‘Then we can all walk faster, my lady.’
His lips curled into a smile and Aline could not tell if it was mocking or not. She stalked past him with her head high and a flounce of her skirts. After that Aline caught him looking at her more than once with something in his expression that she could not identify.
The temperature increased hourly. They’d reached the high point by mid-afternoon, but as they began their descent down through the pass it became uncomfortably hot. The travellers were all irritable and bickering at the slightest provocation when they came upon a tarn, deep and clear, set into an outcrop on the hill. The pool looked so invitingly cool that Aline longed to dive in.
Clearly Aline was not the only one who found the water calling to her, because with Sir Hugh’s consent the men stripped off their shirts and boots and plunged into the water. Aline stood by the cart, enviously watching.
Duncan waded to Sir Hugh. The men had a brief exchange, then Duncan climbed onto the bank and escorted Aline down to the water, suggesting she swim, too. She had a brief internal battle about the appropriateness of undressing in front of her captors and almost refused.
‘We’ll close our eyes while you get in!’ Jack yelled good-heartedly.
Aline laughed, her resolve wavering. She glanced at Sir Hugh, but he had turned away and was wading to the middle of the lake in confident strides. In the end the overpowering heat and the need to wash away the grime of the past three days won out over modesty. She discarded her boots and thick stockings and then, turning her back on the swimmers, unlaced her bodice and slipped out of the torn and filthy dress. She quickly waded into the shallows in her undershift.
Ah, the water was wonderful! Revelling in the sensation of the cool water around her body, she unwound her hair from its braid. Closing her eyes, she lay back and floated. For the first time in days she felt peaceful, forgetting her captivity and the man who waited at the end of the journey.
* * *
Sir Hugh stood waist-deep in the tarn, watching his prisoner as she lay in the water. Her pale hair drifted around her like a cloud of smoke and her face was serene. It had been an impulse to let the men cool off and a risk to allow Lady Aline to do the same. But then, what harm could it do? The journey had been difficult and she seemed exhausted—a marked contrast to the spirited woman who had so fiercely fought him. Since that first escape attempt she had caused no difficulties, and the likelihood of her attempting anything reckless was slight.
Though he would have denied it utterly, if questioned, he had developed a grudging respect for the woman. Most fine ladies—and if it came to that some men he could name—would have crumbled in such circumstances, but she remained unafraid. Even her swipe at his position had shown spirit.
His mind drifted back to his first sight of her, lying barely conscious and helpless against the odious bastard he’d dragged off her. His fists clenched in anger as he remembered the obscene propositions the groom had made regarding the unconscious woman. Hugh’s temper had flared, and when the brute had lunged at him with the knife he had lashed out. The blow he’d delivered had sent the groom’s head back against a tree trunk with a crack of the neck, his body falling lifeless to the floor. Seeing it again in his mind’s eye, he knew he had been right not to trouble her with those particular details.
Aline was standing now, with her back to him, running her fingers through her dripping hair. Hugh could not tear his eyes away from her. The fabric of her shift clung to her slim form, outlining the contours beneath, yet temptingly veiling them. It had been weeks since he was last with a woman, and he was shocked at the way his heart leaped as he imagined his lips travelling down the slender curve of her spine. The memory of their struggle on the forest floor was vivid. He felt himself stirring at the thought of her body held fast against him, not fighting to escape but with desire matching his own.
She’s not for you, he told himself sharply.
He dived under the water and swam a few strokes, hoping the chill would bring him to his senses. Surfacing, he threw his head back to shake the water from his eyes. A ripple of surprise coursed through him as he saw Aline was watching him intently. For a moment they held each other’s gaze. A deep blush began to spread across Aline’s creamy throat and she glanced away hurriedly. This was too much! Could the woman see inside his very thoughts?
Feeling unexpectedly self-conscious, Hugh strode to where Aline stood and grasped her tightly by the arm.
‘Out!’ he commanded. ‘We move on in ten minutes.’
She made no protest as he hauled her back to the cart. He left her stroking Bayliss while her shift dried in the heat and strode back to the water’s edge. He sent Duncan over with Aline’s clothes, unable to look at her himself.
‘Just keep your head down,’ he heard Duncan advise her. ‘Whatever is eating him will pass soon enough.’
Hugh pulled on his boots roughly, refusing to think about the tears that had brimmed in Aline’s grey eyes. He insisted that they must get through the mountains and down to a more sheltered area before they stopped for the night. ‘The weather is closing in and I have no desire to get caught in a storm without cover,’ he snapped.
They travelled silently after that. Aline walked the other side of Jack and kept her eyes fixed on the path, which suited Hugh fine. Once they were on flatter ground, and Bayliss and the mare were unhitched from the cart, he brusquely ordered her into the cart and they sped on their way.
The sun had set by the time they stopped in the shelter of a high rock face. It was still not far enough, but the horses were beginning to stumble on the loose ground. Duncan went to gather wood for the fire, and Jack began preparing dinner. Hugh made some unnecessary adjustments to Bayliss’s bridle and saddle, checked the contents of the seat box and kicked the wheels of the cart before he finally admitted to himself there were no more pretexts for ignoring Aline.
‘Will you come out, please, my lady?’
There was no response. Hugh cleared his throat and stopped himself in the act of smoothing his hair back. He was about to stalk off when Aline climbed through the curtains. The sight stopped him in his tracks. Her hair was free over her shoulders and she had changed into the blue dress. It was too loose, but Aline had gathered it at the waist with the belt and the billowing folds hinted invitingly at the contours beneath. The wide neckline revealed the delicate hollow where neck met collarbone, soft and oh, so tantalising.
Hugh’s scalp prickled and his stomach flipped. He knew he was staring, and that she was waiting.
‘Lady Aline,’ he began hesitantly, feeling as awkward as a youth propositioning his first bar wench, ‘I ask forgiveness for my behaviour earlier. I was rude and it was unwarranted.’
Before Aline could speak a soft whimper of terror broke the silence. They exchanged a glance of alarm. Hugh took Aline by the arm and pulled her round the corner after him.
They both stopped short at the sight before them. Jack had been skinning and boning a brace of rabbits and the scent of blood had attracted a wolf. The animal must have been starving and desperate, because the rangy beast had crept closer into the camp and had now backed Jack against the wall of rock. It paced back and forth in front of him, snarling. Whenever the boy made a move it snapped its teeth and pawed the dirt.
‘Get back inside,’ Sir Hugh ordered Aline. He pushed her towards the cart before turning to Jack. ‘Throw it the bloody rabbit!’ he ordered.
The boy was frozen to the spot. He stood holding the carcass as if in a trance, not even aware of the crossbow that lay on the log next to him. The animal was confused by the shout and turned; emitting a low growl, as if unable to decide which man seemed the most likely threat. It turned back to Jack and bared its teeth, transferring its weight as though preparing to attack.
Sir Hugh took his dagger out of its sheath and with a roar crossed the ground between them. He made a feint at the animal. It turned and tensed, then leaped forwards, hitting him square in the chest and sending him flailing painfully to the ground.
Chapter Six
Above all else there was the smell: an intensely sweet stench of blood and rotting meat. Then there was the heat: the wolf’s breath, wet and overpowering on his face. A small part of Hugh’s mind was amazed that it had registered such an irrelevant detail at such a time, as though his mind was storing up memories while it still had the chance. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, almost obliterating the shouts of alarm and the whinnying of horses that seemed to come from a great distance. The wolf snarled and snapped viciously at his face, its weight pinning him down. Claws scratched at his torso through the thin shirt and he felt searing pain.
Hugh covered his face with his left arm, the leather sleeve of his greatcoat offering some protection. With his right hand he swiped out blindly with the dagger. The animal’s fur was too thick to penetrate and the blade had little more effect than a feather. Enraged, the wolf shook its head with a force that knocked the dagger from the man’s grasp. Hugh dug his heels into the ground and twisted his body, his hand reaching desperately towards where the dagger lay but falling short. The creature lunged down at him again with a snarl, its grey muzzle wrinkled and teeth bared. Hugh felt a dull pain rip across his chest and he bellowed with shock and anger.
The pain was not yet intense; he knew that would come later—if he survived the attack. He was dimly aware of wetness down the side of his neck, which he knew instinctively must be his blood. At the scent of the blood the beast raised its head and gave a deep, triumphant howl. Waves of panic coursed through Hugh’s body. He abandoned his hunt for the dagger and pushed his hands against the animal’s chest with the strength he had left. His arms felt heavy and he could barely make his fingers work as they brushed through the wiry fur. The edges of the world became a grey blur. A thought passed through his mind: What a stupid way to die.
He closed his eyes, bracing himself for a final assault.
No pain came. Instead he felt heaviness as the animal slumped onto him. It twitched frantically, then lay still. A moment passed as Hugh’s brain caught up with the sensations he was feeling. He opened his eyes and craned his neck. The wolf was lying across his body, a crossbow bolt protruding from one eye. Spittle and blood dripped from its open jaws. He raised himself up onto his right elbow but it gave way immediately and he felt the first true pulse of agony course through his body.
Hugh collapsed back onto the dirt, his head spinning, and turned to look in the direction the bolt had come from. Instead of Duncan or Jack, as he was expecting, Aline stood white-faced, with the crossbow reloaded and now aimed menacingly at his heart.
This was the final straw, and a wordless exclamation of disbelief burst from Hugh’s aching lungs. He closed his eyes, blood loss and pain making him light-headed and hysteria in danger of consuming him. In a moment of clarity he was struck by the absurdity of the situation. His own men were next to useless in a crisis and a woman, his prisoner, who for some reason had saved his life, was now threatening to end it.
* * *
Despite Sir Hugh’s order Aline had stayed outside the cart. She had watched transfixed with horror as the wolf attacked.
Jack had still been frozen to the spot, his earlier whimpers replaced by a keening cry of, ‘No...no...no...no...no!’
Hugh’s shriek of pain had broken the trance they’d both been under. At the same time as Jack picked up his boning knife Aline had snatched the crossbow from where it had been lying. Breathing slowly to steady her nerve, she’d taken careful aim and fired. With trembling fingers she’d slid another bolt into place and wound back the string, but there had been no need. Her aim had been true and the beast lay dead.
Now she stood stiffly, holding the weapon at arm’s length, uncertain what to do. A noise behind her made her jump. She turned her head, though she kept the bow aimed at the man on the ground. Duncan had returned at the commotion and stood red-faced and panting at the edge of the clearing, his short sword drawn. Jack stood with his knife outstretched, still holding his rabbit, trembling and close to tears.
Aline stared at the Captain, who now lay laughing uncontrollably under the body of the wolf. For a moment she considered the likely outcome if she did shoot him. She walked slowly towards him, still holding the crossbow at chest height. Sir Hugh’s face changed as she stood over him, doubt and possibly fear in his eyes, his hysteria over as quickly as it had arisen. His chest rose and fell heavily, the muscles straining with exertion.
‘What will you do now, my lady?’ he asked, his voice hoarse and slurred. ‘What purpose would it serve to kill me? Even if my men don’t execute you immediately, how long do you think you would last on your own in the wilds?’
Aline looked deep into the eyes of the man who had captured and humiliated her. With her sweetest smile she aimed her bow and pulled the trigger.
The bolt thrummed close to the Captain’s head and stuck in the ground by his ear. Aline had the satisfaction of seeing him jerk in alarm. She lowered the bow and held out a hand; he took it, grunting as she helped him up.
No sooner was he on his feet than his legs buckled underneath him and he slumped forwards with a groan. Aline caught him in her arms. but could barely support his weight. She let the crossbow fall and awkwardly lowered the man to the ground. She cradled his head in her lap as Jack and Duncan rushed forwards to haul the body of the wolf away to the edge of the clearing.
‘Get some torches lit,’ Sir Hugh ordered weakly, ‘and bring one over here. I need to see how bad this is.’
A warm stickiness was starting to soak through Aline’s bodice. She tensed, alarmed at how clammy her dress felt. Sir Hugh had been such a short time in her arms before he fell. The man’s injury must be serious if the blood was soaking through his clothing so quickly!
Duncan brought a torch and cautiously peeled back the Captain’s coat and tunic, both now crimson and sticky. Duncan swore, Jack made retching sounds, and Aline blanched as the flickering light revealed the terrible state he was in.
There were scratches covering his torso, but these were nothing in comparison to those on his chest. Where the wolf had razed him with its claws the wound was shallow, but long. It stretched from his shoulder to finish just over his heart, three ragged gashes in all. The Captain pressed his good hand tightly down to try and slow the blood oozing out. From the controlled sound of his breathing Aline could tell he was fighting hard to remain alert, but she knew he could pass out at any moment.
‘Get one of those bottles of whisky quickly and start a fire, Jack,’ Duncan rasped. ‘I’m going to have to cauterise that before he dies from the loss of blood.’
Sir Hugh let out a deep, wordless moan of protest and closed his eyes.
‘What can I do to help?’ Aline asked.
‘Hold him. Comfort him as best as you can, my lady,’ Duncan said kindly. ‘I don’t know if you understand what is going to happen here, but I have to seal the wound. Be warned: when the knife touches he’ll be in terrible pain—more than he is in now. You’ll have to be ready. Can you do that?’
Aline nodded dumbly. Sir Hugh began to shake, whether from the knowledge of what he faced or from loss of blood Aline was uncertain. She reached down and smoothed his matted hair back from his face with a trembling hand, then stroked his face gently. She made vague shushing sounds, as though she was comforting an injured animal or a child.
Jack ran across with the bottle of whisky and a leather strap from the carthorse’s halter and wrapped it around a thick twig. Duncan picked up the fallen dagger and poured some of the liquor over the blade, then took it to the fire. He balanced it in the flames, his face solemn as he prepared for his task. When he was satisfied the blade was hot enough he nodded to Jack, who held the bottle for Sir Hugh to drink from, then tipped more of the liquid over the injured shoulder and chest.
Sir Hugh swore as the sharp spirit flowed over his injury. Again Jack gave him the bottle, and Hugh took a couple of deep gulps. As an afterthought Jack took a swig, passed it to Duncan, and then to Aline, who took a hesitant drink, glad to feel the sharp warmth in her stomach.
Duncan carried the dagger over and knelt astride his captain. He nodded his head and Jack pushed the leather-wrapped wood between Sir Hugh’s teeth, then leaned across his legs to restrain him. Aline laced her fingers through Sir Hugh’s, noting with alarm how cold they felt. She moved his hand away from the wound and gave a reassuring squeeze, which he answered almost imperceptibly with one of his own.
‘Ready, lad—my lady?’ Duncan asked. ‘I’m going to count to three, then I’ll do it. One...two...’
Without waiting for the third count Duncan pressed the knife against the largest laceration on the Captain’s chest. He held it for a couple of seconds, then quickly removed it. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, assaulting Aline’s senses. Sir Hugh bit down on the wood but could not prevent himself from letting out a groan, more animal than human, deep in his throat as his skin blistered.
His hand gave a spasm and his fingers squeezed Aline’s so tightly she cried out. His body jerked, then fell still as he collapsed into a deep faint. Bile rose in Aline’s throat and she let out an anguished sob, while Jack leaned away and vomited loudly. Duncan removed the wood from the unconscious man’s mouth and inspected his handiwork, then smiled grimly at a job well done.
‘You both did well. Two more to go,’ he told them. ‘I need to reheat the blade. Too cool and it won’t seal the edges.’
‘You can’t do that again!’ Aline blurted out. ‘He’ll never survive another shock like that!’
‘I don’t have a choice,’ Duncan told her gently. ‘If I don’t then the blood loss will end him anyway. How else can I close the wounds?’
Aline looked down at the unconscious man, his face pale and drawn, knowing the old man was right. Then from nowhere a memory surfaced of a visiting doctor from across the seas. He had amazed the whole court when he’d sewn together a deep cut in the leg of her grandfather’s favourite horse.
She looked up with bright eyes and asked, ‘Do you have a needle?’
She explained her idea to Duncan, who spat out a loud protest. Aline’s angry retort was cut short by the slight movement of the head in her lap. Sir Hugh gave a guttural sigh and opened his eyes to see his soldier and his prisoner staring at each other angrily.
‘Is it over?’ he whispered huskily through cracked lips.
‘Hardly started,’ Duncan raged. ‘This madwoman wants to sew you together like—like a tapestry!’
Again Aline explained her plan, ignoring the snorts from the old soldier behind her. Sir Hugh lay silently as she spoke, all the while looking up at Aline.
‘Please, let me try?’ she asked.
Sir Hugh held her gaze for what felt like hours before nodding slowly.
‘I’m going to need warm water and clean cloths,’ Aline ordered.
Jack hastened to fill the pot and set it onto the fire. Duncan walked to the cart and pulled a leather roll out of a box, grumbling all the while under his breath, then returned bearing a selection of needles and tools.
Leaving Sir Hugh lying alone, Aline retrieved her old dress from the cart. As rapidly as she could she cut it into strips with the dagger, unpicking the thread that decorated the bodice. She returned to where Duncan and Jack had positioned her patient. They had moved him against the cartwheel and sat either side, supporting his weight. With a lurching heart Aline saw that the only way she could reach the wound was to kneel astride the reclining man.
She gathered her skirts and moved as carefully as she could into position. She reached a timid hand to his smooth chest, feeling for the torn flesh.
Sir Hugh managed to smile weakly despite the pain. ‘There are some advantages to being mauled, I see.’
‘You flatter yourself, Captain,’ Aline said in a voice lighter than she felt. ‘I prefer my companions to be less bloodstained!’
The man’s face darkened as he obviously recalled when he had said something similar and he looked away.
Aline’s slim fingers probed the area where the skin was torn. She noted with relief that the blood no longer flowed so quickly. She had sounded more confident than she felt when describing the procedure; now, faced with actually doing it, she was beginning to lose her nerve.
‘This is going to need a lot of stitches and it needs to be well cleaned. Are you sure you want me to do this?’ she asked cautiously.