Damien's Destiny (20 page)

Toria always insisted upon grooming Dolly herself. She spent more time than necessary brushing and combing the beautiful mare. Damien found both solace and pleasure in this act showing she so much enjoyed his present to her. He found even more pleasure watching her ride Dolly. Toria in her bright blue riding habit, her burnished hair caught back loosely and flowing down her back and mounted on the gleaming black mare was a beautiful sight. He loved it when the ribbon fell off, as it often did.

This morning he waited until she’d gone to the stables and then he went to his study to catch up on the latest report from the ministry. It had just been delivered by messenger, a fact alarming in itself. He read it with growing concern. Smuggling of goods into England was to be expected, as the activity brought riches to the people of the coast. What he didn’t like was the information the outgoing cargo seemed to be white slaves.

He studied the report for a long while, as his frown grew deeper. The Minister still requested him to stay away from the hut in the nearby woods until he received notice. If the government Revenuers suspected activity there, they evidently wanted no help.

He didn’t like any of this. Not one bit.

He steepled his hands and sat back in his chair, waiting for the sounds of Toria speaking to Stephens as she re-entered the house. He hadn’t heard her yet. Of course she probably would come in through the kitchen since it was closer to the stables.

Should he go down there and wait? She should be back by now, shouldn’t she?

Chapter Seventeen

Toria leaned her forehead against Dolly’s smooth flank. She’d done her usual thorough job of grooming the mare. It was one of the more satisfactory parts of her day. She liked being alone except for Timmy, the young stable boy and could dream about Damien as much as she wished. Not that dreaming about him was strange. He was seldom out of her thoughts. She wondered once again how she could approach him and ask him to make love to her again. She desired him more every day. His courtesy, his gentleness toward her and all those he cared and felt responsible for. She’d loved him for a very long time. She’d also known it for some time. If only she could be sure the hateful baron would stay out of her subconscious she’d go to him this instant.

“Timmy, I’m through now. You can lead Dolly back to her stall.”

She stood and then stopped. Two burly and rather poorly dressed men appeared in front of her, the bigger one holding a very frightened Timmy with both arms twisted behind his back.

“Is this the little sod you’re calling, miss? Won’t we do instead?”

The largest one’s bright red hair was matted and dirty, as he guffawed and cuffed the boy.

The smaller one actually looked to be the meaner of the two.

“Let me hold him, Red. I can stop his trying to run away.”

Red shook his head. “Naw, you’re too rough. I keep telling you we need him to carry the message to his master his doxy has gone riding with us.”

Toria gasped. “Don’t be silly, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Oh, yes you are, Miss Pretty. We’ll let this lad go right after you get on that fine horse of yours and promise you’ll come with us.”

She opened her mouth but got only a small scream out before the smaller one stepped forward and flung his arm around her neck, choking off any sound she might make and almost her breathing.

He looked down at her white face and laughed. “I hope the boss passes you around after he’s through with you. You’re a purty piece. Now listen, girl. I’ve got this knife, see?”

He waved a vicious-looking curved blade in front of her.

“No, I’m not going to carve you up. That’s not my orders. But I will use it on your horse’s hind legs. We’ve been watching you and you seem right fond of her. Do you know what hamstringing a horse does to it?”

He saw her pale and he loosened his hold enough for her to speak.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“I thought you might. They suffer terrible pain and can never walk again. That is if I don’t slip and cut so deep your Dolly bleeds to death.”

Both watched with grim satisfaction as she grew even whiter.

“Where do you want me to go?”

Red chortled. “Why, to see the baron, of course. He’s waiting for you at the hut. Now I’ll throw you on your horse. We hear you’re a good rider. You can ride bareback. Or do you want me to cripple Dolly?”

Toria looked as if she might faint and the man holding her set her free. He quickly put a bridle and reins on Dolly and then tossed Toria up on Dolly’s back.

Red let go of Timmy and then took some rope out of his pocket and tied the boy loosely to the door of the stall.

“After you work your way loose go find your sod of a master. Tell him if he wants to come after his lady-love we’ll be waiting for him.”

“You didn’t tie him very tight, Red.”

“Naw, I wasn’t supposed to, Tom. Just enough to give us a head start. The earl will be right after us, as he’s supposed to.”

In despair, Toria nearly started to weep and then stopped herself. They were using her as a decoy for Damien. She’d promised Damien never to leave the property. But if she didn’t go willingly they’d hamstring Dolly and then carry her forcibly away. She really had no choice, although her heart ached at her broken promise. Surely Damien with his generous soul would forgive her. She settled down to trying to think how she should best conduct herself once she faced the baron. She’d known before they told her he was the one she’d find waiting.

Nor was she surprised when they headed west and confirmed they were on the way to the hut.

She nearly lost her composure when they passed the slaughtered guard at the Tregaron boundary. She shut her eyes but not before she’d seen the gashed and bloody throat.

As they cantered past the border she made one resolve. The baron could rape her again, as long as he spared Damien.

Damien was a powerful man, a mage, but he might hesitate to use his powers if he thought her in danger. She’d better concentrate on what she could do to protect Damien, just in case he refused to protect himself in trying to save her. He was such a wonderful man, always thinking of others. She mustn’t let anything happen to him because of his desire to protect the whole world.

And in helping Damien she’d soon show the baron she was no longer the cringing victim she’d once been.

She threw back her head. She and Damien together could certainly conquer the evil baron. Somehow, some way.

* * * * *

Just as Damien rose from his chair to go seek Toria, Stephens burst into the room. Not at all the usual thing from his staid butler and Damien’s senses immediately alerted him to a deeper state of alarm. Something had happened to Toria.

He forced himself to stand still behind his desk.

“Stephens, what is it? I know it’s bad, so tell me quickly.”

“I’m not sure, my lord but Timmy the stable boy is here in a rare state, shaking and trembling. He won’t talk to anyone but you.”

“Show him in, Stephens.” Damien’s voice was controlled and steady but his very insides were in turmoil. Toria was in serious trouble. Damnation, why hadn’t he gone to the stables with her?

Because she not only needed, but almost demanded, some privacy. His love had grown from a shrinking and violated girl to an independent woman who set her own limits as to whom she admitted to her inner space. While he applauded her growth, he faulted himself for whatever had happened to her. He should have been more vigilant, knowing the baron would never give up in his demented quest.

He had no doubt she was in dire need of help.

Well, she’d have his every bit of his help as soon as he could gather his scattered senses. And as soon as he found out exactly what the trouble was.

A very distraught Timmy rushed in and practically threw himself at Damien. He barely stopped in front of Damien, shaking with the effort to get himself under control. In spite of himself, Damien felt intrigued at his display of emotion. This was a very shy lad who scarcely raised his eyes when his employer came to the stables, although he’d always been prompt and efficient in carrying out Damien’s requests. But then Damien had long known Toria had captured the devotion of his entire staff.

He gently took Timmy by the shoulders and forced him to sit.

“Stephens, bring us a glass of water. And some cake.”

“Cake, my lord?”

“Yes, cake and hurry. This boy is dangerously near going into shock. I’m afraid to give him wine so something sweet will have to do.”

He turned to Timmy. “Let’s have it, Timmy. I know Miss Toria is in danger.”

Timmy told the story in a quavering voice.

“They wanted me to come tell you, milord. They forced Miss Toria to mount Dolly.”

“And just how did they force her, Timmy?”

The deadly intent in his suddenly very quiet voice would have terrified anyone, let alone someone as apprehensive as Timmy. Timmy didn’t understand his master was fighting for control in order to refrain from smashing his fist into a wall.

“Milord, please don’t be mad at Miss Toria. She couldn’t do nothin’ else, milord. They threatened to hamstring Dolly. They took her away, both of them laughing the whole time. They called each other ‘Tom’and ‘Red’.”

Damien felt a wave of anger blacker than any he’d before experienced. He’d been in many dangerous situations but nothing ever enraged him like the news Toria had been coerced to leave Tregaron by such a dastardly method. He’d known it would take a lot for Toria to break her word to him and this confirmation darkened his face and tightened his fists.

Timmy shrank back in his chair, so terrified Damien forced himself to a semblance of sanity.

“I could never be angry with Miss Toria, Timmy. Certainly not over something like this when she was doing her best.”

He strode over to the doorway. “I’ll have Araby saddled at once. You deserve my gratitude, Timmy. Sit here for awhile and eat your cake. Thank you so much for your defense of Miss Toria. You’re a brave, faithful lad.”

He strode off to put on his riding boots and then hurried to the stables. He didn’t even ask if Timmy knew where she’d been taken. He knew only too well. He realized Toria was a decoy to lure him but there was no alternative to going immediately to try to rescue her.

The stable master had Araby saddled and ready and Damien hastily mounted. He barely heard Simmons’ apologies that he’d been exercising a new horse in the training corral when the villains slipped in.

“Which direction did they head, Simmons?”

“Toward the vacant land, milord. I came back to the stables after exercising that new mare in time to see Miss Toria and two mean-looking men ride off in a hurry. I should have tried to stop them, milord. I didn’t think fast enough.”

Damien didn’t have time to console the man, just nodded and vaulted onto Araby. This was so obviously a trap, one they made sure he’d walk into. His mage’s mind told him they were in the hut and he wouldn’t be far behind. Still he had to shutter his mind from thinking of what they could be doing to her in the short time they’d be alone with her.

The sight of the slaughtered guard added to his fury but again he turned his mind to concentrating on Toria.

He considered and then discarded the idea of appearing as the old earl, or even as another character except himself when he entered the hut. Perhaps being a weak old man would disconcert Heath. He decided it just wouldn’t do, since the baron looked forward to subduing Toria and forcing Damien to watch. He might take his frustration out on Toria if Damien himself did not appear. He could read the baron’s evil mind enough to be fairly sure of that.

He only prayed Heath would wait for him before touching her. Surely she was safe until he arrived. What happened then would be up to him.

He had not the slightest doubt it was the baron waiting for him. The part of him able to look into the future when necessary had shown Heath looking triumphant. But nothing else. He couldn’t see Toria. He didn’t often try to use his mage’s inheritance by foreseeing, feeling it diminished his own power as a man. And now when he wanted immediate knowledge his prescience wasn’t working.

For some reason he couldn’t picture what was happening to Toria. His normal powers must be muddled by his deep love for her. And his gut-wrenching, soul-shaking fear for the girl he loved.

* * * * *

He nearly lost control when he walked into the hut. As he’d ridden up, the sight of a saddleless Dolly tied to a tree angered him. But seeing Toria, held cruelly on both arms by two thugs, nearly broke his constraint.

Tom and Red, Timmy had said. They were certainly easy to identify. Red’s matted hair was a shade of red-orange and he seemed the bigger and more dangerous of the two. Although he discerned a more disturbing meanness in Tom. He didn’t acknowledge Toria by more than one glance but the glimpse of terror in her eyes was enough to force him to use all his control to keep from snarling like a wolf and launching himself at Heath. He had a real problem here. Attacking the thugs would leave Heath free to wreak damage and vice-versa. He’d better slow down and think instead of letting passion take over his mind.