A Regency Christmas My Love (4 page)

Chapter Five

    Vicky was in shock.  She had never been around anything like this in her life. She was starting to suspect that Mister Crawley did a lot of illegal things and worse.  She tried to keep her wits about her.  She had to get away; somehow, she must get away.  She stopped her crying and washed her face in the bowl provided.  She had to think.  The windows were barred but even if they weren’t she was on the third floor.  Her thoughts turned to finding a weapon.  She found a rather large lamp and decided to bash the first man’s head in that came through the door.  She needed a chair to climb up on and there was none.  Vicky paced the room and ran her hands through her skirts to dry them.  There had to be a way.  She was not a quitter.

     Creighton lost his hold on reality when he saw Crawley slap her and when Crawley cut the straps to her dress.  One of the Bow Street Runners had to hold him in his seat.  He was beside himself.  How could this man be allowed to live?  Creighton won the bid easily but he had to stay hidden so Vicky didn’t see him.  She would give the game away.  She was too frightened to think rationally.  He paid Crawley and signaled for the law to come closer as he ascended the steps to get to Vicky.  As soon as he had her, they were to go out the back door and run to a carriage waiting for them.  He strolled up the back stairs and wondered what he could say to Vicky to calm her enough so that she would be able to walk to the carriage.  It was going to be rough on her.  He was left at a door at the end of the hall.  A large bulky man stood guard still.  Creighton would have to shoot him when he came out.  He knocked on the door but heard nothing inside.  Poor girl, she had probably already feinted in fright.  He opened the door and put his head inside the door.  A large lamp struck him on the top of his head and Creighton went down.  The guard laughed and shoved Creighton’s barely conscious form into the room.  Another vase was headed for his head when he looked up into her perfect purple eyes and smiled goofily.

      He was sitting on the floor in a dazed state.  Vicky looked at him with large amazed eyes.  She stooped in mid strike and bent down to him.  His head had a large lump on it already.  Had she killed her rescuer?

     “Creighton, is that you?  What are you doing here?  Oh, I know bidding on me.  Well, you won’t get anything.  I’ll tear your eyes out first.  I’ll have you know I am a Lady and I would rather die than submit to your carnal lusts.  I am going to find something in here with which to kill you.”  Vicky scrambled around the room in a huff searching.

      Creighton smiled again, a goofy lopsided one this time and she realized he was not getting up.  Maybe she hit him too hard.  He did look very pitiful.  All men looked pitiful when they were down but just let him get up and see what he would do.  He would not have his wicked way with her not now not ever. She crossed her arms across her chest.

      “Oh no, you don’t I will see you dead first.” She tapped her toe at him.

      “Vicky…I have come…I have come…I came to rescue you darling.” He almost blacked out again but shook his head. Vicky slapped him and paced across the room.

      “Sure you did and 10,000 pounds means nothing to you. I bet you knew this all along.  Maybe you are a part of it. I should have known.”  She was tapping her foot and searching for another weapon with her eyes.

     “No…Vicky…no…I came to rescue you. I have brought the Bow Street Runners and Constable Harris and many others.  It is a very bad place you are in.  Who is this Mister Crawley to you?”  He raised his black eyebrow in question.  Vicky slumped down to him.

      “He said my father owed him money.  He bankrupted my father and the estate and then he was selling me. I think he is the one who hurt my parents. He said he was going to keep me after…after…?”  Vicky broke on a sob.  She stopped herself.  She would not let herself succumb to tears again.  She turned and looked at Creighton still sitting on the floor with his back to the door. He looked kind of lopsided.  Vicky bent her head to the side and stared at him. 

      “What did you say? Creighton, are you going to just sit there or what?”

      Creighton tried to pull himself up off the floor.  He dragged on the mantle of a sophisticated aristocrat.  H turned to her and said,

     “Sweetheart, we have to get out of here.  You know I would never be a part of harming you, don’t you? I thought we meant more to each other.”   He tried to rise again and slid a little again.  He was still quite dizzy.

      “We just met Mister Creighton and I have no need for fairy tales.  I need to find a way to escape.”  Vicky was searching around the room again.

      “I have come to rescue you.”  He lunged for the door and almost fell again.

     “Well, a fine rescuer you are.  We are still inside the belly of the whale.”  She was getting worried about her rescuer.  He was hurt and she had done it.

      “Oh Creighton, why did you let me hit you on the head.  You are not standing very straight.” Vicky tried to prop him up but he just was not standing very straight.

        “I know…let me shoot the man and we will run down the back stairs like I planned.”   

     “Now, how can you do that?  You cannot even get off the floor.” She smiled at him.

     “I am trying but you must consider that it is not my fault. You are the one that hit me with the lamp, which is destroyed I might add.”  He looked at the rubble of the lamp.

      “I was trying to escape the man who wanted my body.” She took his arm.

     “Well, that didn’t happen.” He touched her cheek and caressed it.

     “See! There, I knew it.  You have designs on my body, don’t you?  Admit it.”

      “Yes, Vicky I do, but I assure you mine are honorable.  Look I just paid 10,000 pounds to rescue you so let us stop arguing and get the bloody hell out of here.”

     “Oh, sure now your are cursing me. Just like a man to throw dirty language around when things don’t go exactly like you want them to.” Her eyes shot sparks at him.

“I am not cursing you, darling. Please fix your dress and let us leave these apartments.  We have to be at the back of the house in five minutes to get into our carriage.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so?  Where is that gun you said you had?”  “It is right here.  Ah…Vicky…no you can’t.” She grabbed the gun and went to the door before he could reach it. She opened it a crack and cocked the gun.

     “Blam”  “All right, I guess you can. Can you help me down the stairs?  My head is still swimming.” He would be staggering down the hall leaning on her all the way.

    “Yes, put your arms around my neck and we are on our way.  I am sorry to hurt the man but I have my virtue to protect.”  She stepped over the man and hurried down the hall to the stairs.  They were down the stairs just in time.  A mob of men rushed toward her room and the Bow Street Runners were shooting at anyone that moved.  They made it to the carriage and he fell head first into the bottom of it. He turned over and looked at her with a stupid grin. She grabbed his legs and pushed them around to the opposite seat to his back and slammed the door to the carriage as she stepped inside.  They took off at a speedy clip. She was furious at him for still laying on the carriage floor.  Then she grew worried and then angry again.  Finally, she realized they were away from danger.

      “Oh thank God I am out of that place.  Do I still have my room at the hotel?”

       “No, I am afraid it has been over two days and I was preoccupied with trying to find you and rescue you.  I was frantic Vicky.  I could not stand the thought that I had lost you.”  He tired to raise himself from the carriage and finally took her hand to manage. He was amazed he could focus his eyes.  His head still swam.  Vicky was feeling better he could see her grow more courageous by the second.  She sat straighter too.

      “I was terribly frightened until I decided it would do me no good.  I had to fight for myself.  Did you see me spit in his eye?”

      “I did.”    Creighton could not stop his laughter barreling out of him but he grabbed his head.  “I thought you most brave but I was afraid Vicky.  I was so afraid for you.  I wanted to storm the place but the Constable said it would be better if I bid on you and got you alone.  I was frantic to get out of that place.”  Vicky smiled at him for the first time.

     “I appreciate you rescuing me but what am I going to do?  I have no clothes and I have no money.”  She shook her head and some of her pins flew over the carriage.

     “I had your belongings taken to my townhouse.  I want to talk to you. Vicky…I think…I am sure…I love you.  Won’t you consent to marry me?  I promise to be the best husband alive.”  He swallowed hard and dug his fingers into his ebony locks.

      “I don’t know you Creighton.  How could you…mumhum?”  He had her on his lap kissing her silly.  She struggled and pushed at his chest with all her strength. Finally she relaxed against him and his heart sang.  He deepened the kiss and pried her lips open by touching her chin with his thumb.  Just a little pressure right there and yes. Then he slanted across her mouth and took it fully.  He was in heaven.  He could taste honey and ginger bread.  “You taste so wonderful.  I cannot imagine ever kissing anyone else. She was only inches away from his strong body smelling his sandal wood scent; hunger blossomed deep in her abdomen warm and insistent.  Everything within her seemed to soften yearning toward him.

     ” Please marry me darling.  I have plenty of money and houses for you to stay in.  You could have your pick.”  He searched her purple eyes for answers.

     “How can you have so much?”  She gasped at him from between kisses.

     “I am an Earl and my father is a Duke, who sees that I am well loaded.  He hates to lose a farthing so he would not part with any of his money.” 

     “I suppose you will rub it in that my father gambled.  I really never knew him to do so but I guess he did.  At least that was what I was told.”

     “I don’t believe he did Vicky.  This Mister Crawley is a very bad man that loves to swindle people.  I do believe he might have been responsible for all your troubles.”

    “Do not talk about him any more.  I cannot abide thinking about him and what might have happened to me.  Thank you Creighton for helping me.  I appreciate it more than you could know.” 

     “Oh, think nothing of it, just marry me and we can live happily ever after.  I need you Vicky, please think about it?”  His mouth came down on hers and he kissed her long and hard with his arms imprinting her soft flesh with his body.  She held back for a minute still angry and uncertain then her arms went around him clinging to him with all her strength.  She kissed him back her mouth pliant and hungry luxuriating in the taste and scent of him filling her senses.  She pulled away to stop her head from spinning and to get her breath.  She looked into his eyes, the light crystal of them searching her own.

      “Of course, I will think about it but let us not rush.  I need a bath, food, and a bed alone.  Please can I have that?”  She searched his face and squeezed his hand.

      “Yes, of course.  We will be at my town house in about twenty minutes.  Just relax, sweetness.  It will be all right.”

      “How will that be all right? I do not want to be alone with you.” Her eyes widened in alarm.  She turned away from him.

       “Darling, I had your maid brought from the hotel and my mother, sister and father are in residence.  Will that be adequate for you my Lady?”

     Vicky smiled up at him.

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Chapter Six

Vicky woke up the next morning and stretched out on a cloud of bliss.  Her feather bed was the most delicious thing she had ever slept in.  It was pure heaven.  It was nice to just look at the sunshine filtering between the beautiful red velvet drapes and have not a worry in her head.  It was so wonderful to have someone that cared about her too and she knew in her heart that Creighton did care. Why else would he have cared enough to search for her and rescue her from a madman?  He was the best of men. 

     What was that delicious aroma coming up the stairs?  It smelled like roast turkey and gingerbread scones.  It was Christmas Eve.  Oh, a wave of grief struck her fiercely in the middle of her chest.  She had almost forgot that this would be her first Christmas alone.  How could all this have happened so quickly?  She could not understand it all.  She turned back to the bed her good mood forgotten and sobbed into her pillow.  There was a knock at her door.  Vicky wiped her tears away with the heel of her hands and said,     

     “Come in.”  A very redheaded maid bustled into the room.  She searched for dust and lit the fireplace.  Then she turned to Vicky.  “Is there anything I can get for you miss?  I can help you get dressed.  Your gowns are all hung in the wardrobe and your slippers are in the closet.  I put your unmentionables in this big drawer.  I will be glad to help you.  I have hot water coming for your bath.”  She smiled at her and said, “I am Betsy, I was the maid that his Lordship brought for you that day you was kidnapped.  He was most distressed.  Would you like your bath now as they are bringing it in now.”