Page 55 of A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance
“Where is she?” William shouted as he leapt from his horse and pulled out the pistol, aiming it at Lord Canton. His two footmen and driver turned to see what the commotion was about, and once they saw the pistol, they turned and fled.
“Come back, you cowards!” Lord Canton bellowed. But his attention was quickly brought back to William as he stepped forward, the pistol still in his hand.
“Release Caroline, or I will take your life,” William said then, eager to make this man suffer for all the sorrow he had caused.
“You don’t have the guts to do it, William Ryan. That’s right, Caroline let it slip who you really are,” Lord Canton hissed with delight. “And once we are married, I shall have the papers announce your true background.”
“You are not taking her anywhere. Your carriage is lodged in the earth and your servants have abandoned you. Now, for the last time, release Caroline to me,” William said as he cocked back the firing pin of the pistol and aimed it as Lord Canton’s torso.
“People will want to know why you killed an earl, William. No matter the fact that you are knighted, the people will want justice for my death.”
“Your death is imminent, Lord Canton. The King already knows what you’ve done, the people you’ve hired to privateer, and the dozens of ships you’ve played a hand in destroying.” Lord Canton’s eyes went wide at William’s words, even causing him to take several steps back towards the carriage.
“You know nothing of what you speak,” Lord Canton stammered, rainwater running down his face like a river.
“I know everything about you, Charles. I used every penny of your money to ensure I not only knew who you were, but also your business dealings. I made a fortune for myself through business and became a hero to the English after joining the Navy. I’ve spent the last three years ensuring that you’d never get the opportunity to be with Caroline. And the best part was that you had no idea.”
The fear in Lord Canton’s eyes soon turned to rage as they narrowed at William. The man let out a terrifying yell as he raised his hands over his head and ran towards William, causing him to stagger back and fire his pistol at the last second. The sound of the gun firing pierced the air, causing Lord Canton to halt and grow quiet. Eventually, both men looked down at Lord Canton’s stomach, where a large, red stain was forming. A moment later, Lord Canton sagged to his knees and ended up face-first in the mud.
When Lord Canton didn’t move a muscle, William pocketed the pistol and walked around him, quickly opening the carriage door to find Caroline huddled in the corner. He reached his hand out towards her, saying her name softly till she felt safe enough to move towards him. It was then that he realized that her ankles and wrists were bound.
“Oh, William! I was so frightened,” she wept as he stepped up into the carriage and started to work on the cords binding her.
“I know, my love. I can only imagine what you’ve been through,” William said as he pulled the cords off of her wrists, then her ankles. “Let’s get you home.”
Carefully, William helped Caroline out of the carriage. She was awfully weak and the skin where the cords had been tied was rubbed raw. William wished he had a cloak for Caroline or at least some boots, though he had nothing. He picked Caroline up in his arms and carried her through the rain to his horse. Once she was up in the saddle, he mounted himself, having Caroline ride in front of him so he could shield her body from the rain with his own.
Returning back to Lord Murphy’s estate took the rest of the day. William prayed that the skies would clear and the rain would go away, but even when he finally made it to where he was going, the rain still continued to pour from the heavens.
Coming to a stop in front of the house, William heard all sorts of commotion as he dismounted and helped Caroline down. She felt so frail in his arms. He turned and headed towards the front door as it was already being opened. The Murphys stood in the entry, their mouths all opened as William hurried inside with Caroline.
“She needs a warm bath and dry clothes,” William said as he approached.
“My God, what happened?” Lady Murphy cried.
“Not now, woman. Do as the man asks,” Lord Murphy said in a soft, yet firm tone. Lady Murphy hurried down the hallway, calling after someone who William could only assume was the housekeeper.
“Come, let’s get her to her room,” Lord Murphy said, gesturing towards the staircase. Though William felt exhausted, he carried Caroline’s limp body all the way up the stairs, as she seemed to faint in his arms. Miss Gwendolen was close by, opening the door for William so he could enter Caroline’s bedchamber. William prayed that he wasn’t too late and that Caroline would not fall gravely ill.
Chapter 28
Caroline felt a terrible fire coursing all through her body. She shivered, yet felt like she was submerged in a pot of boiling water. Feeling too weak to even move or say anything, she allowed the hands and arms around her to guide her this way and that.
Only after a while did the fire stop and she was wrapped in dry, warm clothing. Caroline tried to focus on her breathing, wondering if she’d ever be able to open her eyes again when they felt so terribly heavy at the moment. She just wanted to see what was happening around her.
Time passed and she figured she was dreaming. Images flashed before her eyes, her body filled with a sensation of fear and dread. She remembered being kidnapped and taken far away with Lord Canton. And then there had been some sort of accident, causing the carriage to come to a shattering halt. Lord Canton had alighted from the carriage in a hurry, trying to find a solution in the rain. Caroline had taken the time to hide and start thinking of a way to escape. It was the sound of a gun firing that had really caused Caroline to fear for her life.
The images came and went through her mind, her body feeling as though it was being tossed back and forth like a ship sailing during a terrible storm. She pleaded with whomever would hear her to help her resurface and see the light of the sun once more. She needed relief from the agony and pain that washed over her body. And, more than anything, she wanted to be with William again.
In the distance, beyond all the pain, she heard a voice. At first, she thought she had imagined it. But after a time, the voice grew stronger and louder. She could hear her name being said over and over again, and the more she listened, the more she realized that it was William’s voice she was hearing.
“Come back to me, Caroline. You need to fight this fever and come back to me,” his voiced pleaded. She felt a warm presence in her left hand and realized that someone was holding it. Curious to see for herself, she managed to open her eyes and finally look.
There, sitting in a chair next to her bed, sat William. He was bent over the bed, his elbows in the covers as both hands held her left hand. Tears were evident on his face as his head was bowed over her, his words never stopping as he continued to plead.
“No more crying,” Caroline whispered, her mouth dry as the sand on the beach. Her voice was just loud enough for William to hear as he quickly raised his head and looked into her eyes. He appeared surprised and had to blink the tears out of his eyes to see that she truly was awake and looking at him.
“I’ve prayed over you ever since we returned to Lord Murphy’s home,” William choked out between his tears. “I was worried your fever would never break and you’d never wake again.”
