Bobbi Smith - Captive Pride

Cornered and seeing no way out, she answered truthfully. “Yes.”

“For God’s sake, CC!” he thundered. “No decent, self-respecting woman would go to a jail unescorted. It’s unheard of! You’ve disgraced yourself and me!”

“I hardly think that I’ve disgraced you, Father,” CC managed calmly, not bothering to deny any of his claims.

“My dear, you made a spectacle of yourself visiting that man in jail! He murdered Lord Radcliffe, and Lord knows what else he’s done! I don’t understand how you could do such a thing! I want you to go to your room and stay there.”

“Father!” She came to her feet in protest. “You can’t do this to me!”

“I most certainly can, and I just did. Go to your room and stay there until I’ve had time to calm down. If you don’t, I swear, CC, I just might throttle you!”

CC’s eyes widened at his threat. She had never provoked her father to such anger before, and she knew she’d better do as he said. “Yes, sir.” Quickly and quietly, she left the study and hurried upstairs to seek refuge in her own chamber.

Edward watched her until she had disappeared up the stairs, and then he sat down heavily at his desk. Elbows resting on the desktop, Edward leaned forward to rest his head in his hands. He thought it extremely odd that CC had gone to the jail to visit Kincade. She had always claimed her dislike for him, and he wondered at her real reason for going. He was determined to find out, but first he knew he had to get his anger under control. Once he knew he could face her without losing his temper, he would try to get to the bottom of her scandalous behavior.

Things looked decidedly black, and Matthew was more worried than he’d ever been at any other time in his life. Noah was in dire trouble, and if he wanted to save him, there was only one course of action open to him. Since leaving the arraignment, he had combed the city trying to locate Ryan Graves. It wasn’t until near sundown that he finally caught up with him in the taproom of the Green Dragon.

“Ryan! I need to speak with you right away…privately,” Matt said as he approached the table where Ryan was sitting with two men Matt didn’t recognize.

“Of course, Matthew,” Ryan stood up and, after excusing himself from his other companions, directed Matt to a table in a deserted corner of the room. “What is it? Is there a problem?”

“You haven’t heard?” Matt was stunned as he sat down opposite Ryan.

“Heard? Heard what? I traveled with our shipment today and only just returned,” he explained quickly, wondering what he’d missed during his time away.

“Noah’s been arrested and charged with murder!”

Ryan looked genuinely stunned by the news. “What? When did this happen? And who is he supposed to have killed?”

“He was arrested last night,” Matt stated. “He’d gone to face down Geoffrey Radcliffe over a personal grievance, and evidently things got out of hand. Radcliffe threatened him with a pistol, they fought over it, and it went off. The authorities found Noah standing over Geoffrey with the gun in his hand.”

“Were there any witnesses?”

“Oh, yes, there were witnesses,” he went on disgustedly. “Radcliffe’s servant has given testimony that Noah forced his way into the house and threatened Radcliffe. He also stated that Radcliffe sent him for help because he was afraid of Noah.”

“Has he been arraigned?”

“Yes, earlier today, but the magistrate refused to release him. It doesn’t look good, Ryan. It doesn’t look good at all. Not only do they have the servant’s testimony, they also found out about the fight Noah had with Geoffrey at a party the other night. Because of that argument, in which Noah defended our cause, they’ve accused him of being involved with us.”

Their gazes were solemn as they met across the table, and Ryan asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“Noah will get no justice in that court. I’ve already seen it in action. I’ve got to get him out of there!” Matt insisted. “You once said that if I ever needed your help…”

“And I meant it, Matthew. Let me see what I can arrange. I’ll send you word at home as soon as I come up with something.” His pledge was in earnest. “Stay there and wait until you hear from me.”

“Thank you, Ryan.”

“Matthew, if you’re going to accept my assistance, then things have to be done my way!” Ryan argued as he met with Matt several hours later at the Green Dragon.

Matt scowled blackly at the rebel leader. “But he’s my brother! I want to help!”

“The best way you can help Noah is by staying completely out of it. Once he’s been freed, just who do you think the authorities are going to question? You’ve already told me that they brought up the subject of your marriage to Faith during the arraignment. You have to be able to prove your innocence, so it’s important that you know none of the arrangements.”

Matt looked suitably chastened as he realized he would be the prime suspect.

“Now, do you want us to do it or not?” Ryan demanded curtly. Time was of the essence. If they were to get Noah Kincade out of jail tonight, he had to set his plan in motion soon.

Matt knew Ryan was right, but he found it irritating that he couldn’t help Noah escape. He nodded his agreement. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Nothing; at least, nothing for right now. Once we’ve got him out of jail and safely in hiding, I’ll arrange for a meeting between the two of you. Until then you know nothing, so act like it. Carry on with your usual activities.”

“All right,” he answered grimly as he thought of how long the next few hours were going to seem while he waited for word that Noah was free and safely away.

“Good.” Ryan stood up, anxious to be about his mission.

“If anything happens…you’ll let me know?”

“Nothing’s going to happen,” he told Matt firmly.

“How can you be so sure?”

Ryan’s smile was enigmatic. “Not all those working at the jail are the king’s men.”

With that he was gone, and Matthew was left alone to worry and wait.

“Kincade!”

The voice outside his window was little more than a hoarse whisper, and at first Noah thought he’d imagined it.

“Kincade!” It was slightly louder the second time. Realizing that it was real and not a figment of his imagination, he quickly got up from the cot and peered out into the darkness of the Boston night.

“Who is it?” he called back in hushed tones.

“Never mind who it is, just be ready!”

Noah was puzzled. “Ready for what?”

“We’re getting you out of there!”

Stunned, his emotions in turmoil at the thought of being rescued from jail, he quickly lay back down on the cot and pretended nothing had happened. The thought of being broken out did not sit well with Noah, for he knew he was innocent of the charges against him. He felt that by fleeing, he would be admitting his guilt. Still, Noah realized that if he stayed and was convicted at his trial, he would be just as innocent, but he would also be dead. It didn’t take Noah much time to decide to go along with his rescuers. Whoever they were, they were risking everything to help him, and he was going to do all he could to make sure they didn’t fail.

Noah didn’t know how his liberators managed it, but shortly after he’d been warned, a major ruckus broke out in the street in front of the jail. As the guard on duty went out to attempt to quell the violence, a man he’d never seen before rushed down the hall to his cell and unlocked the door.

“Who are you?” Noah asked as the man pushed the barred door wide and offered him his freedom.