Allison didn’t have anything to live for. Foryears she had fantasized aboutcatching scarlet fever or some other deadly disease just to makethe misery end. But death had never come. And her dreams of findingthe perfect man had withered on the vine. Death of her own choosing would bring peace.
Grier might as well have been spitting on thefire for all the good he was doing. A wicked delight overtook her.She’d get her revenge. The flames had ignited everything easilyflammable from the bedding to curtains, and now spread to theshoddy wood floor.
Grier dropped to his knees, coughing. He shother a malicious glare with an undertone of fear. Good. He knewwhat was coming. He closed his eyes and lay on the ground,perhaps accepting his fate. He continued to utter an occasionalcurse until his muttering fellsilent.
Trapped in the corner of the room, shestared with satisfaction atGrier’s body sprawled on the floor. He hadn’t moved for severalminutes.
The crackle of hungry flames and the roaringin her ears consumed her hearing. She coughed, dragging more black smoke into her lungs. With a shakyhand, she took off her white lacyheadband and pressed it to her mouth. Lying on her stomach on thefloor, she eyed her master, willing him to die. Her desperateactions would damn her to Hell. Knowing he was bound there too gaveher satisfaction.
She didn’t know if he was alive or dead, andshe didn’t care.
The acrid smoke seared her nostrils and thebillowing clouds obscured her vision. Her eyes burned. Her throatburned. Her chest burned.
She closed her eyes and prayed forfreedom.
The windowpane broke, glass shards rainingacross the room. A large shadow lumbered over toward her. Was thisthe grim reaper?
“Anyone here?” a male voice called.
Allison tried to respond but she could only cough. The man stepped across thehot glass sprinkled floor, working his way in her direction. Heheld a wet rag to his mouth.
He glanced at the chain on her ankle thenover at her jailor sprawled on the ground unconscious. “Where isthe key?”
Allison blinked at the young black mantowering over her. “Around his neck,” she said in a raspyvoice.
The man retrieved the key and Grier didn’tstir. This stranger unlocked the leg iron, picked her up into hisarms, and carried her out of the cabin.
Stunned, Allison struggled to comprehend whatwas happening. Strong arms cradled her. She rested her head againsthis rippled chest. Only the cotton shirt he wore kept her fromfeeling his skin. Her stomach fluttered with a mix of fear anddelight. For the first time since she was a little girl she felt safe. Closing her eyes, it dawnedon her the dangerousness of such illusion. After all, she didn’tknow him. She couldn’t trust this stranger.
Allison wanted to tell him to put her downand leave her here, but her mouth couldn’t form the words. All herstrength went to the continued function of her heavy lungs.
She wasn’t worth saving. Still, this rescuedher, was a hero.
The ache in her head intensified and sheclosed her eyes. This had to be a dream, a hallucination. Thisstranger seemed to come out of nowhere, but this wasn’t the freedomshe had expected. Or even wanted.
God obviously had other plans for her. Wouldshe learn to like them better?
Chapter 4
GEORGE BARRELED DOWN the street, praying themidwife would be home and not out on some call. After riding intotown and summoning her to deliver both of Emma’s babies, he waswell-acquainted with Mrs. Brown. This wouldn’t be the first timehe’d required her services in the middle of the night. His plannednight ashore had taken a drastic change.
“Miss, miss,” he said, looking down at thewoman in his arms, wearing nothing but a shift made of coarsecotton.
She didn’t respond, didn’t even open hereyes. Just drew in raspy breaths.
He took the basic headband out of her hand,afraid she’d drop it. He’d thought the small shack along thewaterfront likely belonged to a colored family. He hadn’t heard anypleas for help but felt pulled toenter. Thank God he did! He hadn’t expected to find this beauty insuch peril. The sight of the trapped woman spurred his protectiveinstincts and propelled his actions.
Wrapped in his arms, she looked peaceful,like she was sleeping, except for her uneven breathing. Hereyebrows were singed along withbits of her curly hair. How did the fire get so close to her facewhen she was chained in the corner?
It didn’t matter—seeing to her injuries theonly thing important right now. Anxious energy surged through him,making her awkward weight as light as a feather. Pain shot from thebottoms of his feet. The soles of his shoes had not lasted longwalking across hot embers. Wincing, he ignored the burns, gettingcloser to the midwife’s house with each stride.
He turned around the corner, blood hammeringin his ears.
The woman in his arms rolled her head andGeorge exhaled. She hadn’t passed out after all. Practically naked,he saw every curve of her body. She looked closer to Frederick’sage—not too old for him. She wasn’t a large woman, but fleshy inall the right places.
There is something wrong with me. This womancould be dying and I’m lusting after her.
Scolding himself, he ran faster. She neededmedical attention as soon as possible. He hadn’t rescued her onlyto attend her funeral. Fear seized his chest in an icy grip. Hekept running, panting now.
Shifting her over his shoulder, he freed ahand to pound on the midwife’s door.
A roundcolored woman answered, her black hair peppered with streaks ofgray. “Oh my.” Her dark eyeswidened. She waved him inside and lit another lamp. “Whathappened?”
“I rescued her out of a burning house.”
“She does look to be in sorry shape.” Georgefrowned and she added, “But don’t worry, I’ve seen worse.”
George carried her into a small bedroom andgently placed her on the bed. The midwife touched her forehead andneck. Her wrinkled fingers looked black against the woman’s honeybrown skin. “She has a fever. I’ll give her herbs for that andsomething for the inflammation.”
George saw cuts and bruises but he didn’t seeany swelling. He rubbed his chin.
“Her lungs, boy. The smoke irritates thelungs something awful.”
“Oh.”
“Now out with you.” She pointed toward thedoor. “I have to clean her up.”
“Is she
