Stranger in My Arms(70)

Lara shook her head, knowing he would not be of any help, not where Lonsdale was concerned. They had been friends for too long. To men like Hunter and Lonsdale, friendship was more sacred than marriage. A wife, as Hunter had said long ago, was an inevitable necessity. All other women were for recreation. A man’s friends, however, were carefully chosen and cultivated for life.

“You mentioned Lonsdale,” Hunter prodded as Lara remained silent.

“What happened?”

Lara struggled out of his arms. “I don’t want to discuss it,” she said. “You’ll only defend Lonsdale, as you have in the past. Men always side with each other in matters like this.”

“Tell me, Lara.”

“Naomi heard a rumor in the village today that Rachel is ill.

Something about Rachel being injured after a fall down the stairs.

Knowing what I do about my sister and her husband, I am convinced that something much more despicable has happened.”

“It’s only gossip, then. Until it’s confirmed by evidence” “Can you doubt it?” Lara cried. “Lonsdale uses any excuse to vent his temper on my sister. Everyone knows it, but no one dares to interfere. And Rachel will go to the grave before admitting it. She’ll never leave him, or say one word against him.”

“She’s a grown woman, Lara. Leave her to make her own judgments on the matter.”

Lara glared at him. “Rachel is not fit to make decisions about Lonsdale. She believes along with everyone else that a wife is a husband’s property. A man can kick his dog, whip his horse, or beat his wife-it all falls within his rights.” Lara’s eyes welled with fresh, raw tears. “I don’t know how badly he’s hurt Rachel this time, but I think something is tertibly wrong.

I’m not asking you to do anything, as I’m well aware of your friendship with Lonsdale. All I require is that you stand aside while I do what I must.”

“Not when you start pawing through my pistol cabinet.” He caught her as she reached for another mahogany box. “Lara, look at me. I’ll ride to the Lonsdale estate and find out if there’s cause for concern. Will that satisfy you?”

“No,” she said stubbornly. “I want to go, too. And no matter what the state of Rachel’s health, I want her brought here.”

“You’re not making sense,” he said in a hard voice.

“You can’t interfere in a man’s marriage and forcibly remove his wife from her own house.”

“I don’t care about the law. I only care about my sister’s safety.”

“And what do you suggest we do to keep her here when she wants to go home?” he jeered. “Lock her in a room? Chain her to the furniture?”

“Yes!” Lara burst out, though she knew it was illogical. “Yes, anything to keep her away from that monster.”

“You’re not going,” Hunter said grimly. “if Rachel is ill, you’ll only make it worse by distressing her.”

Lara wrenched free of him and went to a gun case, pressing her hands on a cool glass panel and smudging the pristine surface. “You have no brothers or sisters,” she said, swallowing the tears that kept pooling in her throat. “if you did, you would understand how I feel about Rachel. Ever since she was born I’ve wanted to take care of her.” She scrubbed at her stinging eyes. “I remember one time when we were little, and Rachel wanted to climb a large tree in our yard. Even though Papa had forbidden it, I helped Rachel to climb up with me. We were sitting on one of the limbs, swinging our legs, when suddenly she lost her balance and fell. She broke her arm and collarbone when she hit the ground. I was too slow to save her. All I could do was watch her fall through the air, and my stomach flipped over and dropped as if I were the one falling. I would have given anything to put myself in her place. That’s how I feel now, knowing that something terrible is happening to her while all I can do is watch.”

Lara’s chin quivered violently, and she clenched her jaw to keep from crying again.

A long time passed. The room was so still that she might have thought Hunter had left, except that part of his reflection shone in the smudged glass. “I know you can’t do anything,” Lara said stiffly.

“You don’t want to make an enemy of your closest friend, and that’s what will happen if you dare to interfere.”

Hunter gave a curse that raised the hairs on the back of her neck.

“Stay here, damn you,” he said gruffly. “I’ll bring Rachel to you.

She spun around and stared at him in round-eyed amazement. “You will?”

“I swear it,” he said curtly.

Relief swamped her. “Oh, Hunter…”

He shook his head, scowling. “Don’t thank me for doing something I have no damned desire to do.”

“Then why-” “Because it’s bloody obvious you won’t give me a moment’s rest otherwise.” He looked as though he wanted to throttle her.

“Unlike you, I have no overwhelming need to save the world-I’d just like to find a bit of peace for myself. After this little episode, I’d appreciate a few days of not worrying about orphans or old people or otherwise unfortunate creatures. I want an evening or two of privacy.

If that’s not too much to ask.”