Lady Vixen (69 page)

It
was
odd. Edward Markham was with Nicole, but not at her invitation, or
even pleasure. He had indeed put into effect his plan to abduct her—and luck
seemed to be on his side.

The
hiring of the carriage had been done with a minimum of effort. Even the weather
smiled on him, the afternoon being a lovely fall symphony of crisp biting air
and gold and scarlet leaves. Nicole did come to the park escorted only by
Galena and exultantly Edward had watched them disappear down one of the many
pleasant walks in the park. From his vantage point just outside the park he
waited impatiently for Nicole to complete her walk, refusing to think of the
dismal possibility that she might join friends in the park.

Nicole
took a longer stroll than usual, her thoughts on Christopher and the scene in
the library. The brisk walk cleared her head somewhat and released a portion of
her pent-up frustration and unhappiness.

She
was glad, she told herself fiercely, that Christopher was leaving. It was best.
With him gone, with no possibility of seeing him, knowing he was on the other
side of the world, and more than likely with a number of new female conquests,
she would at last be free of this silly, lingering emotion she had for him.

It
was Galena who finally curtailed the walk. Galena did not like walking and
thought her mistress mad to walk when she could ride, and after suffering in
silence for quite some time, she finally said to Nicole, "Miss Nicole,
don't you think we should start home now? It's almost five o'clock and you did
not make arrangements for anyone to meet us with a carriage."

"I
suppose you're right, Galena. Very well, home we will go."

Shortly
thereafter they reached the main gate to Brighton Park and started the long
walk to the house on Kings Road. They had not walked but a few steps when
Nicole was genuinely thrown off balance by Edward's distracted and distressed
air as he almost literally ran up to her.

"My
dear!" he cried affectingly. "I have such dreadful news! I do not
know how to tell you! But they felt it best if you heard it from one of your
own family."

Nicole
blanched, her first thought being of Christopher. The topaz eyes nearly black
with apprehension, she clutched Edward's arm in a painful grip. "What is
it? Tell me, damn you! What is it?"

"Lord
Saxon!" Edward said dramatically. "He is dead! Not but a short while
ago he suffered a fatal stroke. Come, they need you! Hurry!"

In
something like shock Nicole numbly let Edward hustle her across the busy street
into the waiting coach. Such was her very real sorrow and anguish that she paid
no heed to the fact that Galena had been left standing dazedly in front of the
park, nor spared a thought as to why the inhabitants at Kings Road had thought
him the best person to break the news to her.

Nearly
paralyzed by the staggering news, Nicole, as Edward had counted on, paid very
little attention as to where they were going. Blindly she stared out the coach
window; at first she did not realize that they were traveling swiftly in the
wrong direction.

Edward
watched her covertly from his seat on the other side of the carriage. Now, dear
cuz, you won't fob me off! he thought maliciously. In two days' time or less we
will be married—sooner than that you will no longer be the innocent virgin you
are now. I'll see to that! He smiled a very nasty smile as he contemplated the
pleasures that would soon be his. Time enough to break her to his will, he
thought with satisfaction, and a spiteful expression crossed his face.

Nicole
saw that expression and it woke her instantly to several things—Galena was not
with her; they should have reached Kings Road some minutes ago; and finally
sitting up and taking a quick reconnaissance of the passing scenery, she
realized in a flash that they were not even traveling in the right direction.
They were heading north!

Slowly
she sank back against the seat, her face smooth and bland; stemming the furious
flood of anger that was boiling in her veins, her brain was functioning at an
almost-frenzied pace. Edward had obviously duped her and bitterly she cursed
her own stupidity. She should have suspected him to try such a trick sooner or
later— it was so like him, she thought contemptuously. He must plan on a Gretna
Green marriage . . . unless he had murder on his mind. She could not totally
discount that possibility, and Nicole regarded him with consideration. No, she
decided finally, not murder—he was too cowardly for that! But even cowards will
murder if driven too far, she reminded herself uncomfortably, and Edward must
be desperate indeed to have undertaken such a rash scheme.

Suddenly
she frowned. Not so rash if Lord Saxon had truly suffered a fatal stroke. It
would be hours before anyone would even have a moment to spare for her, to
wonder at her continued absence. Had Edward cleverly seized upon a tragic event
to serve his own needs? It was a frightful thought, and all the fear and sorrow
she had felt when he had first given her the news of Lord Saxon's death came
rushing back.

"Edward,"
she said at last, "I know we are not going to Lord Saxon's. I gather we
are eloping to Gretna Green. But tell me the truth, is Lord Saxon truly dead or
did you merely say that to get me into this coach?"

Edward
had expected all sorts of recriminations from his cousin. He certainly hadn't
planned on her calm demeanor, nor on any real concern about Lord Saxon. And
because it caught him unprepared, he told the truth. "To my knowledge Lord
Saxon enjoys his usual robust health."

At
Nicole's look of scorn he added defensively, "Well, I had to tell you
something that would shake you, throw you off stride. What else was I to
do?"

"You
spineless jellyfish!" she spat contemptuously. "What else could you
do? I'll tell you what else you could do—you could order this carriage stopped
immediately, and I will pretend this distasteful episode never transpired. You
may have me in your power at the moment, but I'll tell you this, cuz," she
drawled the word cuttingly, "nothing will make me marry you! You are going
to look rather silly when I refuse to repeat the wedding vows."

With
an ugly expression in the blue eyes Edward snarled, "I wouldn't talk quite
so bravely if I were you! By the time we reach Gretna Green, you will be more
than happy to marry me . . . especially since by that that time you may well be
carrying my child! Certainly I shall have done my part to insure that it is so.
I am taking no chances, cuz, of being thwarted, so don't look for help from the
Saxons! Unless they overtake us within the next few hours, which isn't likely,
they will be of no use to you. Not even Lord Saxon would stand behind you once
he realized that you were a maid no longer and that there was the possibility
of a child."

Bitterly
Nicole choked down the furious words that clogged her throat, not wishing to
infuriate him into action—not yet. Edward was a fool if he thought he could get
away with this madness. She would never marry him! Never! And he would not find
raping her easy. But even if he succeeded, even if she were to become pregnant,
she would never marry him. She would face the scandal, the gossip, the
disgrace, and somehow she would rid herself of the unborn child.

"Nothing
to say, my dear?" Edward jeered, his words breaking into her thoughts.

Nicole
shrugged, not willing to open hostilities until she had decided precisely what
she meant to do. Almost indifferently she said, "What is there to say? You
have obviously thought of everything."

"So
I have," Edward agreed complacently. "So I have. And you are very
wise to see the folly in being obstructive. The whole affair will be much less
of an ordeal to you if you cooperate." With an egotistical smirk on his
lips he added boastingly, "I am said to be quite, quite competent in the
art of lovemaking, and I am sure you will more greatly appreciate my skill if
you do not fight me. There are, you know, several women who would gladly trade
places with you."

"Oh,
really?" Nicole returned noncommittally, and surreptitiously she glanced
around the carriage, searching for some object that could be used as a weapon.
By pitting her own strength against Edward's, she might gain some minutes'
respite, and there was the outside chance that she could prove the victor in a
test of wills between them, but she wouldn't disdain something that would put
the odds more in her favor.

At
first there appeared to be nothing she could use. The carriage was empty except
for them; whatever baggage Edward had packed was strapped outside to the roof.
Her reticule lay on the seat beside her, but she quickly discounted it—there
was nothing in it that could help her. Biting her lips, she took one last
desperate glance around the carriage and then she saw it! Edward's malacca
cane! The sword cane! Hungrily her eyes caressed the slim deadly object lying
so innocently on the seat beside him.

Nicole
had never felt so alone and helpless in her entire life, and as the miles
passed and the fading late afternoon sunlight gave way to the silvery glow of
the moon, she grew more frustrated and angry. She was not frightened, nor did
she fear Edward, but with every passing hour she realized that time was running
out for her—that soon her cousin would make good his threat and force his
unwanted attentions upon her. She shuddered as she imagined the feel of his
hands roaming freely over her body and his mouth ravishing hers.

As
if guessing her thoughts, Edward smiled at her in the dim gloom of the
carriage. "Nervous, my dear?" he asked blandly. "Don't worry,
you have a few more minutes before my baser instincts take over."

Her
mouth dry, Nicole inquired levelly, "What are you waiting for? More
moonlight in which to view your performance?"

"Now
that is a possibility! But no, you are wrong. There is a particularly narrow
and curving stretch of road coming up, and I would not like to be swung about
this way and that at a most crucial moment. You'll appreciate my consideration
when you see what I mean."

Weary
of hiding her contempt and anger, of pretending a resignation she didn't feel,
Nicole snorted derisively, "I doubt you have ever considered anyone in
your entire selfish life!" Almost conversationally she went on, "You
know, Edward, you are endangering that life by what you are doing. Do you think
that a marriage will stop one of the Saxons from calling you out?" She
gave a gay little laugh at Edward's sudden look of uncertainty. It was
obviously a point he had not considered. There was a mocking cat-yellow gleam
in her topaz eyes as she continued slowly, savoringly, "Let's see. First
there is Lord Saxon himself—still quite handy with a pistol from all accounts.
And then there is Robert. Robert should be quite good with the swords, don't
you think? And as for Christopher, well, I have heard it said that he is very
good with both!" Her voice unexpectedly harsh with loathing, she spat,
"Do you really think they will let you get away with it? Especially if
they overtake us?"

Edward
laughed nervously. "Oh, don't be ridiculous! None of them are foolish
enough or care enough about you to challenge me to a duel. And no one is going
to overtake us!"

At
that moment, as if to disprove his words, the coach gave a sudden vicious sway,
hurtling Edward against the door and sending Nicole clutching for one of the
leather handholds. They had no chance to recover before there was another sharp
lurch that sent Edward cursing and sliding across the floor of the coach, while
Nicole, clinging tightly to the handhold, was barely able to keep from tumbling
into the aisle. Seeing that her cousin was taken up with regaining his balance,
she wasted not a moment, but swiftly bent down and snatched up the cane that
had bounced onto the floor near her feet. In a trice it was concealed in the folds
of her pelisse.

The
coach, after an ominous grinding of the wheels and one bone-shaking bump, came
to an abrupt halt at an uneasy awkward angle. Outside Nicole could hear the
coachman shouting to the postilion in an agitated voice, and Edward, finally righting
himself, flung open the door. The coach was at an odd slant, forcing him to
climb up to climb out. Safe at last on the ground outside, he demanded in a
furious tone, "What the hell is going on!"

There
was an exchange of voices, all of which Nicole listened intently. Apparently
there had been an unexpectedly deep rut in the road, and swerving to miss it,
the coach had inadvertently swung off into the roadside ditch. One of the back
wheels was off the road, firmly embedded in the loose dirt.

Nicole
smiled to herself in the empty coach. She had no idea if any of the Saxons were
even in pursuit, but any delay was to her advantage. She rather thought that
help would be on the way though, for Galena was bound to return to Kings Road,
expecting her to be there with Edward—and Lord Saxon dead! When it was
discovered that Lord Saxon was still very much alive, the alarm would be
sounded and someone—her heart leaped crazily in her breast, when she thought of
Christopher's dark, angry face—someone was certain to realize what had
happened. They were on the main road heading north, the most direct route to
Scotland, and it was the first avenue any rescue would take.

As
the minutes passed and the men worked to free the trapped coach, her spirits
rose. Edward, from the sounds of it, was not endearing himself to the coachmen
as he shouted and cursed their unsuccessful attempts to get the coach back onto
the road. Glancing about the moonlit countryside, she wished fervently her door
were not jammed. Perhaps, she thought, hopeful, they would have to remain here
all night. Now wouldn't that be a fitting outcome to Edward's dastardly plot!
But her hopes were dashed, for the next moment the coach lurched violently; the
wheel spun madly for a second, then sprang free of the dirt. Rocking wildly,
the heavy vehicle reeled triumphantly onto the road.