Chapter 8

ISAAC MADE IT DOWN to the apothecary short of breath. He scanned the area. Flung open various shop doors one after the other. No Hope.

Then he looked up and paid attention to the sounds of a carriage rumbling out of the village. She had to be in there. It was nearly out of sight. He had to go now.

Realizing he would need a horse to catch them, he wildly looked around. Seeing a rider dismount, he rushed over.

"Did you see who was in that carriage?"

"Can't say I did, sorry sir."

"It's Your Grace."

Shock crossed the man's face.

"Apologies."

"You didn't see anything?" Isaac tried again.

"Two men and a lady. I think she was wearing a blue dress."

It was Hope. Relief flooded through him. At least he knew where she was. There was no time to formulate a plan. He needed to chase after her. He couldn't lose sight of her.

"I need your horse."

"So do I," the man replied. "This is an award-winning horse. I've got trophies lined up on my shelves thanks to this one."

"What good are more trophies when the one woman who matters needs me?" Isaac's words shook through himself like an earthquake. The plates of his heart shifted, but he couldn't reflect on it in the moment.

"I need your horse now," he practically shouted. A duke never shouted. But right now he was not a duke. He was a man desperate to protect. "That woman is in trouble. You have my word that I"ll return your horse here as soon as I can."

When he offered the man money, all feeble protests ceased.

Isaac galloped after the carriage under cloud-streaked skies.

As he approached, he saw that the carriage had come to a standstill at the top of a small incline in the road. Slowing his breaths, he cautiously edged closer. Without seeing inside or ahead of the carriage, he had no way of knowing why they had stopped.

His horse whinnied. Looking down, he saw an apple roll under foot. The horse promptly snatched it up and ate it.

What the hell?

Isaac left the saddle and dropped the reins, intending for the horse to stay where he was. He crept up the bank of the hill. Closing in on the carriage, he stayed to the side closest to the trees. When he reached the crest of the hill, he saw a most peculiar sight. An apple cart turned over blocking the road. The carriage couldn't pass over the split wood and rolling apples everywhere. A disheveled, and overly perspiring man stood in the middle of it, shouting at another man who was clearly the cart owner, for he was chomping on one of his apples, looking unperturbed.

"These things happen," the cart owner shrugged. Chomp. Another bite. "Here, try one. They're delicious."

"I don't want a sodding apple. I want you to clear up this mess. Now."

The insouciant man shrugged again. "Can't fix the split pieces of wood now, can I?"

"Remove it from the road then, will you?"

The cart owner reached for a piece with one hand while holding onto his apple. He tossed the piece to the side. Aiming, poorly, for the grassy shoulder of the road.

"Ow! You imbecile," the sweaty man bellowed, rubbing his shin.

This was his chance. Isaac tapped on the carriage door, praying that there would only be one other thug involved, if any.

Nothing happened. He tapped again. "Hope," he hissed as loudly as he dared.

No answer. He tugged on the door, and it burst open.

There laid Hope, eyes closed, body limp against the squabs.

Oh God! Had they killed her? Isaac bounded up into the carriage. Immediately he reached for her wrist, desperate to sense a pulse. Nothing. His hands trembled.

"Hope?" He cupped her face. "Hope, answer me."

She was unconscious. Was she gone? He pressed a finger to her throat, searching again. But his own pulse was wildly thumping through his veins and he couldn't discern if she had a pulse. It didn't matter. He needed to get her out of here.

He dragged her body over his shoulder and hopped out of the carriage.

His horse was plodding toward him. He wasn't about to ask questions. He had a chance to get her out of there while the two men were still arguing.

As gently as he could, he laid her across the horse. His next decision was whether to mete out punishment on the ruffian or quickly get Hope to safety. It was impossible to know if he had time to spare to beat the man to a pulp.

"Hey! What the devil do you think you're doing?" The sweaty man turned his shouting to Isaac.

The decision made for him, Isaac left Hope's side and marched over to the kidnapper. Of all things, the ruffian bent down, scooped up a handful of apples, and began throwing them at Isaac.

"What the—?"

An apple almost struck his shoulder, but he dodged it.

"Give ‘er back!" the man screamed. "I gotta get my money from The Rider for that girl."

"The Rider?" Isaac assumed the ruffian was referencing the handsome man on the horse. He would have to find out more later, since The Rider was gone, and the ruffian was unlikely to casually give up more information. It was enough for now that he was foiling the ransom plan and keeping her safe.

"Never mind him. You'll have to kill me to get me to talk."

Isaac didn't bother unpacking the illogic of that statement.

"Give me the girl!" he shouted again.

"She's mine. You can't have her. You don't even deserve to look at her."

"Give ‘er back or I'll make you."

"With apples?"

Isaac had gained on the man, only a few yards away now.

"No, with this." The man finally pulled out a pistol, shaking it at Isaac's chest.

That stopped him in his tracks. But before he could evaluate his options, he watched as the apple cart owner drew a wooden plank up into the air and landed a heavy blow against the ruffian's head.

The pistol dropped and Isaac stepped up swinging a right hook into the man's jaw. He sunk to the ground.

"Tie him up and have him taken in, will you? The man tried to kidnap my woman. I've got to get her to safety."

"Aye, will do." The apple cart owner took another bite of his gleaming red fruit. "Take one for the road." He tossed one to Isaac.

And that's when Issac noticed the snowfall. It was coming down in droves. He ran to his horse and swung up into the saddle where Hope lay. Pulling her upright, he cradled her against his frame. Her head bobbed against his shoulder.

And then he felt a soft breath against his neck. Shivers ran up and down his spine. He blinked hard. Snow was falling on his face. A small warm flake melted down his cheek.

He still had to get them to safety.

By the time he arrived back in the village, the snow was so thick he couldn't see through it, and Hope was shivering from the cold, wearing only a light pelisse.

There was no time to take her home, so he carried her into the inn. Making eye contact with the tavern owner, he said, "I need a physician. Is there one close?"

The owner canted his head to the right.

"I'm a doctor," an elderly man sipping tea piped up. "What can I do for you?"

Isaac raised his arms a bit, showing off the bundle he was carrying.

With a click of his tongue, the physician said, "Right. Well, then. Let's go."

It didn't take long for him to check her body.

"Must have been knocked out by something. Haven't seen the likes of this before. You sure she didn't take something herself? Laudanum? Opium?"

"No. I'm sure," Isaac glared at the man. "Someone just tried to kidnap her."

"Hmm…"

And then Isaac could see the skepticism in his eyes. "How long before my wife wakes up?"

"Can't say…" The physician prodded Hope with his finger. "Never seen this before." He poked her again.

"If that's all you're going to do, I can certainly take it from here. I'd say thank you, but I'm not sure why."

The doctor clicked his tongue. "I'll be on my way. Got to walk home before I get snowed in here. These flurries don't look like they're about to quit any time soon." He made it to the door and turned back. "One more thing. Order yourself some food. And don't shake your head at me. You may look calm, but I can see you're rattled. It's not easy to think of basic needs like food at a time like this, but you'll be needing your strength to take care of her. And when she wakes up, she'll be needing some sustenance."

"Fine. Have them send up a maid, will you?"

"Will do." The man nodded and quit the room.

Within minutes a maid had appeared and Isaac ordered food, beverages, and clean water to be brought up.

Hope lay on the bed soundly while Isaac peered out the window. A vertical blanket of snow greeted him. It was about time it finally came, but of all the days, of course, it had to be now.

They weren't going anywhere in this weather. They had to settle in for the night. And what a long night it was going to be knowing he wouldn't sleep until he saw her eyes flutter open.

Spending the night together, even if nothing happened, would ruin her. He gripped his hair. No one would offer to marry her after this. Her reputation would be dismantled by the gossip. The scandal would be too destructive for even the great Ashbourne name to combat.

The last two days he had been bracing himself for Hope's overbearing, over nurturing ways, yet here he was being that instead.

Well, he could be the one to take care of her, couldn't he? It wasn't so bad.

With that resolved, he sat down to eat the warm food that had just been brought in, praying she would be able to join him soon. Little did he know he would be more thankful that those prayers went unanswered.