AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The girl stepped out from behind the tree, crying out. Noel moved behind another tree to watch.
The guard saw the girl and yelled, “I’ve found her.”
Doyle came upon them and yanked the girl up by the scruff of her shirt, leaving her dangling in the air while his gaze searched the forest. He gave a nod for Noel to run after he found her hiding behind the tree.
“That you have. Take her back to Lady L, and I will look for Ravencroft,” Doyle ordered.
With the threat of them capturing her, Noel ran as if the demons of hell were on her heels. She looked over her shoulder, but no one followed her. However, she wouldn’t feel safe until Ravencroft held her in his warm embrace again. Noel didn’t know where to find him and didn’t want to risk Lady L’s guards capturing her. Nor would Ravencroft want her risking her life for him. So with each foot slipping out from underneath her, she ran to safety.
She swiped at her drenched hair to take notice of the lights in the distance. She cried in relief when the outline of the Duke of Theron’s estate came into view. Noel dropped to the ground in exhaustion after a familiar face appeared before her. Her body shook from the sheer grief of her fear. The terror of her kidnapping overwhelmed her.
“Noel?” Gentle hands picked her up and carried her. She wrapped her arms around Kincaid’s neck and clung to him. Her tears mixed with the raindrops, sliding down her face. “You are safe.” His words were meant to calm her, but they only opened the floodgate of her emotions.
When they reached the parlor, he tried to set her on the sofa, but she whimpered and clung tighter. She never noticed his discomfort or the glances he shot to the side. All she noted was his kindness, a gift she could never repay but would accept because she had reached the haven of her family.
“Noel, honey, why don’t you let Griffen go so he can finish his search?” Gemma Ralston, Noel’s closest friend, urged. Her cousin and Griffen’s wife, Jacqueline, stood by her side, holding out a blanket.
Noel released her hold. “My apologies.”
Kincaid tipped her chin up. “Never apologize to a friend. I am glad you are safe.”
Noel nodded, climbing off his lap. Jacqueline drew the blanket around Noel, and the ladies urged her away.
After her initial fear subsided, Gemma’s words came back to her. “Ravencroft?”
Gemma turned her around. “He is safe, too.”
Noel took a step toward him. He turned his back on her but not before Noel noticed the pain reflected in his gaze. She gasped as she looked at Kincaid, then at Ravencroft. However, before she could explain, Ravencroft stalked away.
“Gregory?” Noel’s voice wavered with uncertainty.
But he never stopped. He followed the rest of the men outdoors. He misunderstood. She needed him to understand how she hadn’t been in her right mind when she allowed Kincaid to comfort her. It meant nothing but a friend’s reassurance. Her breath hitched again and again. She couldn’t breathe. Ravencroft’s heartache drew her under. Finally, her tears burst forth and racked her frame.
She doesn’t remember her friends helping her up the stairs and into a bedchamber. They helped her bathe and wash her hair, then sat before the fire, taking turns brushing her hair after helping her into a gown. Never once did they try to reassure her with false promises. They only held her, offering their love of friendship.
“My apologies, Jacqueline. I never meant . . .”
Jacqueline enfolded Noel’s hands into her own. “As my husband stated, there is no need to apologize amongst friends. Not only are we friends, but we are family, too. Who else to cry out your fears and heartaches to?”
Noel sniffled. “I do not believe Ravencroft holds the same opinion. I fear I have given him doubt.”
“Nonsense. His jealous pride will heal once he realized you weren’t coherent enough to know who even held you,” Gemma reassured her.
“You do not understand. While Lady L held us captive, I tried to spark his interest by telling him about my crush on Kincaid all those years ago.”
Jacqueline winced. “That was not wise, my dear.”
Gemma giggled. “I can only imagine his reaction.”
Noel blushed a fiery red. She might as well finish out her story with them, so they could understand why she had hurt Ravencroft by accepting Kincaid’s affection. “I also might have mentioned how divine I thought Ralston was after I first laid eyes on him. And then how my infatuation changed from Kincaid to Falcone.” Noel winced. “I might have embellished my story about Falcone with mentions of how I dreamed of him offering for my hand in marriage.”
“Oh dear,” Jacqueline muttered. “Now I understand his reaction for what it was. You, my friend, must convince him otherwise.” She paused. “That is, if you want to. Just because Lady Langdale forced you alone with Ravencroft and the gossip mill is spreading its rumors does not mean you have to accept him for your husband. Even if you were engaged before all this mess happened.”
An impish smile spread across Gemma’s cheeks. “Oh, she wants to, dear cousin. Look at the blush spreading across her cheeks.”
Noel lifted her hands to her cheeks, hoping to cool them off. “I love him. There are so many layers to him, hiding his true character. He hides them deep within, where no one can see the honorable gentleman he truly is. It took an unstable lady to keep me hostage for me to discover who Gregory Ravencroft really is. And he is a gentleman who has claimed me, body and soul. I wish to spend the rest of my life showing him how much he deserves my love.”
“You had an enlightening week in the cottage. I told you it held magic,” Gemma gushed.
