Bobbi Smith - Captive Pride

Noah listened intently. He was slowly coming to understand the legitimacy of the colonists’ complaints, but was still determined not to become involved. It was none of his business what the government did with the tea. He was no colonist. He had no ties to this city. He was only concerned with his own affairs, and right now they were complicated enough.

“Perhaps things will be coming to a head sooner than we think…”

“Regrettable, but it looks unavoidable.”

It was near noon when Matt made his way through the winding maze of streets that was Boston, and his expression was serious as he debated the wisdom of the decision he’d made that morning. The night just passed had been a restless one as he’d tried to sort out his feelings. As dawn had repossessed the city, he’d felt a driving need to see Faith again. Matt tried to convince himself that he was only going to find out if she’d reported the attack to the proper authorities, but in truth-a truth he was trying to avoid acknowledging-he really wanted to see her one more time.

Finally arriving at the address he knew to be Faith’s, Matt stood hesitantly before the modest wooden home. He was convinced that she despised him and he didn’t blame her, for he knew he’d been completely out of line when he’d kissed her. It had been an impulsive gesture on his part, but after the trauma she’d suffered at the hands of the soldiers, he realized that it had been the worst possible thing he could have done. He had frightened her, and that had been the last thing he’d wanted to do.

Girding himself to face her now after all this time, Matt finally, grudgingly, acknowledged to himself that he was only using the report of the attack as an excuse to see her again. Faith had been in his thoughts almost continually since she’d raced from his room that day. The fact that her memory had haunted him during the Demorests’ fancy ball last night had shown him just how much he truly cared about Faith. She had made an indelible impression on him, and he had to be with her one more time to apologize for his boldness and to ask her forgiveness. Ready at last, he approached the door and knocked, then stepped slightly back as he waited for someone to answer.

Concentrating on her stitchery, Faith sat by the window at the back of the house to take advantage of the brightness of the day. Her father’s death had left her mother with only a small monthly stipend, and so it was necessary for them to take in sewing in order to supplement their income and keep food on the table.

Faith had been working doubly hard lately, for she felt that she owed Lord Kincade the money for the doctor’s visit to care for her mother. Thanks to him, her mother was back to good health again and she was determined to repay him for his timely help.

She sighed as she thought of the handsome young lord who’d rescued her from a fate worse than death. He had been kind and considerate even when he’d kissed her. Mesmerized by the memory, a faraway look shadowed her eyes, and Faith paused in her work, touching a hand to the softness of her lips. Matthew Kincade had been so perfect…her knight in shining armor…

Tears stung her eyes as she realized that it was all a silly dream. Their meeting had been a quirk of destiny. They lived in two very different, very separate worlds, and they would never meet again. Irritated by her girlish fantasies, Faith began to sew again in earnest, deliberately forcing all thoughts of Matthew from her mind. It wasn’t smart to moon over things you could never have, for she understood all too well that there was much in the world beyond her reach. Usually Faith could accept that and be happy, but somehow those few hours in Matthew’s company had disturbed her serenity. She needed to completely erase even the slightest thought of him if she was ever going to be inwardly content again.

The knock at the door surprised her but did not frighten her. It was not unusual for garments to be dropped off at their little house at all hours of the day, and so she set aside her work and quickly went to answer it.

“Yes?” She opened the door wide, expecting to find someone delivering sewing, and instead was faced with Lord Matthew Kincade in the flesh. Her aquamarine eyes widened, and she swallowed convulsively as she stared up at him.

To Matt she looked more beautiful than he remembered, but when he noticed her stunned expression, his spirits fell. He immediately assumed that he’d made a big mistake in coming. She looked so shocked that he wanted to quickly put her fears to rest.

“Faith…Miss Hammond,” he quickly corrected. “I know you weren’t expecting to see me again, but I thought it was important that I come to you and apologize.”

“Apologize?” Faith blinked in confusion as she wondered why he thought he owed her an apology. She should be the one apologizing to him. He had done so much for her, and she had run away.

“I wanted to tell you that I was sorry, and I also wanted to check to make sure you were doing all right.”

“I’m fine, thanks to you, and so is Mother. Please, won’t you come in?” she invited, still trying to figure out why he was sorry. He had saved her, fed her, cared for her. He’d been wonderful!

Her unexpected invitation was more than he’d hoped for, and he quickly agreed, “I’d like that.”

Faith led the way into the small sitting room. Sparsely furnished, it contained only a threadbare sofa and chair and two mismatched tables. Faith realized it was hardly what an English nobleman was used to, but at this moment she didn’t care. He was here! She didn’t know why he had come, but she wasn’t about to question her good fortune. She was just thrilled to see him.

“Have a seat. Would you like some tea?”

“No, thank you,” he declined as he sat down on the worn but comfortable sofa. “Is your mother here? I’d like to meet her.”

“She had to go out for a little while, but I expect her back soon.” Faith knew it wasn’t quite proper to entertain a gentleman totally unchaperoned, but she couldn’t send Matthew away.

“Good. Perhaps I’ll still be here when she returns.” His cool smile was at distinct odds with his nervousness.

“Mother would like that. I’ve spoken of you and-”

“You did?” He was surprised. He had expected that she would only want to forget him.

Faith wondered why he sounded so amazed. “Of course. I told her how wonderful you were when you rescued me and how…” She suddenly realized she was revealing too much about her feelings for him, and she blushed deeply, beautifully.

Matt knew a spark of hope that maybe he’d been completely wrong about all that had happened between them. “You mean you weren’t angry with me?”

“Angry?” Her aquamarine eyes were wide and questioning. “I don’t understand. Angry about what?”

“I came here today to apologize for upsetting you the way I did…”

“Upsetting me?” Her puzzlement was real as she drank in the glorious sight of him. He was every bit as gorgeous as she’d remembered him to be…tall and broad-shouldered with black hair and the most extraordinary blue eyes she’d ever seen. Faith was having difficulty keeping her expression from reflecting her joy at seeing him again.

Matt had known this wasn’t going to be easy, and it wasn’t. “I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you as I did.”

“How could you think you’d taken advantage of me? You were the one who saved me.”

“I shouldn’t have kissed you, Faith. I should have realized how the whole ordeal had upset you. After all that had happened to you, it was outrageous of me to be so forward. I only hope you’ll accept my apology and forgive me for my momentary indiscretion. It won’t happen again,” he assured her.