Chapter 15
Storm’s blue eyes blazed when she entered the small cell and caught sight of the lad. He lay on his side curled in a ball, his arms tight to his chest, his knees meeting his elbows. Bits of straw strewn on the floor provided bedding. It stuck to his worn, soiled clothes and to his brown hair.
The stench of neglect permeated the thick air, and Storm raised her sleeve to her nostrils. She hurried to the lad’s side, and he cringed and tried to move away.
“I’m here to free you,” she whispered and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.
He peeked from beneath his folded arms, then raised his face. “I prayed you’d come for me. Every night I prayed.”
Storm’s heart ached. She had heard those words time and again from prisoners she had freed, and all she could think about was the prisoners who had prayed and whom she had failed to rescue.
“I need you to do as I say.”
“I will, whatever it is I will do it.” He uncurled himself, groaning with every move.
“Wait,” Storm urged. “Do nothing yet.”
He nodded and stilled, relief in his tear-filled eyes.
“What is your name?” she asked, taking his hand and gently stretching out his thin arm.
“Henry Doddle,” he said and reached his other hand out to her.
Storm tenderly rubbed the lad’s stiff and injured limbs before she asked him to stand. She took stock of his bruises and determined that while he had been beaten badly, he suffered no broken bones.
“We’ll be setting a fast pace, Henry—”
“I’ll keep up,” he said adamantly.
Storm patted his shoulder. “You are a brave lad.”
Burke suddenly appeared at her side. “Does he require help?”
“I can walk on my own,” Henry insisted.
“Good,” Burke said. “Then let’s get going.”
Storm went with the lad, leaving Burke to carry out the remainder of their plan.
He was to devise a dummy of sorts to serve as a decoy.
Philip had determined that the soldiers barely paid heed to the lad.
If they thought him asleep, it would provide more time for their escape.
They could place a good distance between them and Mewers before the lad’s absence was realized.
Storm wanted out of the area as fast as possible, knowing that the Earl of Henwood would be furious when he discovered a prisoner had escaped. It would mean his reputation, since he boasted loudly about his impregnable prison cells. He would surely have his soldiers out hunting down the culprits.
“We don’t rest,” she ordered as they set a fast pace for home.
“The lad doesn’t look fit enough to make it,” Burke said from behind her.
“The men will carry him if necessary,” Storm said, “Now be silent and keep up.”
It was a relief when night finally came, for it was only then they stopped. No fire was allowed though the night air held a good chill. Storm saw to it that Henry was fed and a blanket wrapped snugly around him. The poor lad was asleep in no time.
Storm assigned the men to guard the perimeter. Tanin disappeared into the woods, his post being the most important. After all had been arranged, she settled down to take the first watch.
“Sleep, I’ll take guard,” Burke offered, leaning against the large boulder she perched on.
“The first watch is always mine.”
“Don’t trust anyone?” he teased.
She didn’t find him funny. “A good leader knows when her men need rest.”
“And a good leader knows when to rest herself.”
“True enough,” she agreed, “but I’m not tired.”
Burke braced his hands on the boulder and hefted himself up to sit next to her. “I don’t understand how you can exist on such little rest.”
Storm shrugged and attempted to ignore her sudden need to cuddle next to him. She blamed her impulsive desire on the chilly night, convincing herself that she sought his closeness to warm her, chase away her chill and nothing more.
“It’s been my life. Little rest, much work.”
“No time for fun or laughter?” Burke asked.
“Afraid not. My day begins before sunup and lasts long past sunset.”
“Even when you were married?”
“Daniel and I had our moments. Even though our farm was small, there was still much work to be done. The landlord fees were high and climbed each year. We barely had food one winter, but we survived.” She was silent for a moment, and then whispered. “We were always there for each other—always.”
“You need a day of fun,” Burke said firmly.
“That sounds like an order,” Storm said, glad to have her thoughts diverted. Her heart forever ached when she thought of her husband.
“Does it have to be?”
No, it didn’t really need to be. It would be lovely to spend a fun day with the brash American. She could forget all her cares and pretend, if only for a few hours, that life was normal and she was happy.
She shook her head. It was a foolish thought. She had no time for fun.
“You shook your head, therefore I’m going to have to make it an order.”
“An order?” She laughed.
He shook a finger at her. “I’m warning you. You had better take me seriously, or one day soon, I’m going to capture you—no, I’m going to rescue you for a fun day.”
The idea appealed to her, spending a day without worry, without plans, without having to lead and make decisions.
“You can try,” she challenged, and secretly wished that he might just do as he warned.
“I won’t just try,” he assured her. “I will be successful in my rescue and you will have a fun day, even if you attempt not to.”
“You will force fun on me.”
He leaned into her. “I will torture you with it.”
She doubted he would need to torture. She enjoyed his company and would find spending time with him pleasing, perhaps much too pleasing. Since for the moment she thoroughly favored the warmth of his body seeping into hers.
“You’d have to capture me, and being the king’s men are unable to do that, it’s doubtful you could.” She hoped he didn’t hear the regret in her voice.
He laughed and leaned his face next to hers. “You failed to realize one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m an arrogant American who believes he can accomplish anything, therefore, I can do what the king’s men can’t.”
“You truly believe you can capture me?” she asked with a grin.
“Rescue,” he corrected. “I’d always rescue you. No matter where you are. I promise you that.”
His tenacious pledge caused a chill to race through her.
“You cannot promise me that,” she insisted, moving away from him to the edge of the boulder.
He followed. “I most certainly can.”
“You must not. I need your word on it.”
“I will do no such thing,” he snapped.
She had given these same such orders to each person in her group and it had never disturbed her as it did now. She felt an ache within her that she didn’t understand as she relayed her orders to him.
“It is understood that if I am captured, the group will not attempt to rescue me.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Burke said empathically.
“You don’t understand.”
“Enlighten me.”
She sighed to release her own frustration. Why did it disturb her so to say to him what she had said countless times before?
“If caught, I would be taken to Weighton, an impregnable prison. Anyone attempting to rescue me would surely be caught and killed. I will not have that on my account. There will be no rescue.”
“Your men agreed to this?”
He sounded annoyed and she attempted to explain, “You must understand—”
“Never would I understand your men leaving you to rot or be tortured in a prison, impregnable or not. I would give my life trying to save you.”
Storm jumped off the boulder and turned to face him, her hands firmly planted on her slim waist. “You will do no such thing.”
Burke joined her on the ground, standing near nose to nose. “You’d be in prison, you’d have no say in the matter.”
“Which is why I have given orders now, so my men would know exactly what to do.”
“Abandon you.”
“No. They would save their own lives.”
“You never leave a comrade behind, not when you have fought side by side with each other. It just isn’t done,” Burke insisted.
“It is if your leader orders it so,” she claimed.
He put his nose to hers. “Your men can do as they wish, but if you’re caught while I’m here with the group, then I will rescue you. Count on it.”
She stepped away from him and groaned. “You are the most frustrating man.”
Burke walked over to her. “And you’re not the most frustrating woman?”
Storm was about to argue when she suddenly changed her mind, walked over to him, stood on her toes, threw her arms around his neck, and planted a kiss on his lips that shocked both of them.
She leaned against him, needing to feel his strength, needing his warmth, needing his closeness. He wrapped his arms around her waist and obliged her desire, yanking her up against him.
She pressed her chest hard against his while she commanded the kiss, drinking as deeply as she could of him.
She couldn’t get enough of him, and even when she surfaced to take a breath, she nibbled at his lips before delving in for more.
She relished the play of their tongues, teasing, sparring and tasting.
It was a kiss of hunger long denied, and she felt as if she would never get her fill.
A rustle of branches tore them apart and had both reaching for the weapons strapped to their sides. It took a moment to realize that no one was about, the sound probably caused by a nocturnal animal making its way through the woods.
“I’ve neglected my watch,” Storm said and scrambled on top of the boulder in an effort to put a distance between them, or else she feared she would kiss him again.
“I’ll join you,” he said, ready to hoist himself up.
“No,” she said curtly.
He remained where he was staring up at her. “Why?”
She thought to lie, but what good would it do? “I cannot have you near me right now.”
“Why?” he asked again.
“You distract me.”
“As you do me,” he said.
She smiled softly. “Then it is better I sit here alone.”
He looked ready to object, then shook his head. “I suppose you are right.”
“For once we agree,” she said, laughing softly.
“I leave reluctantly,” he said, turning away.
“I let you go reluctantly,” she said to her surprise.
He turned around. “Be warned, I will have a day of fun—and more—with you.”