Captured by Love (Michigan Brides #3)(48)

“Just because I’m letting you out of your room doesn’t mean you won’t finish your discipline when you return,” Ebenezer said before he stepped aside to let Angelique pass.

Her face was flushed and a loose tendril of hair stuck to her damp forehead. Her eyes were sunken and glassy, and when she looked at Pierre, she didn’t seem to see him.

Pierre’s pulse lurched to a halt. Angelique wasn’t well. What had Ebenezer done to her?

She took several more steps, but then swayed and grabbed the edge of a table to keep from falling.

Pierre darted toward her and reached for her arm. “Are you unwell?”

She didn’t answer except to latch on to him.

“She’s fine,” Ebenezer said. “She’s suffering the effects of her discipline, which is nothing less than what she deserves.”

Pierre crossed with her to the door. Angelique dragged her feet, until Pierre was afraid she would collapse. “No one deserves this kind of treatment!” he shouted at Ebenezer, fighting the urge to rush back across the room and use the man’s protruding belly as a punching bag.

Instead he swooped Angelique up in his arms and settled her gently against his chest. She gave a soft gasp but didn’t protest. He yanked open the door and stepped outside, tossing a glare over his shoulder at Ebenezer. “You can be sure Miss McDouall will hear about your treatment of Angelique. I’m sure she’ll be none too pleased when she discovers how cruel you’ve been.”

He took satisfaction at the anxiety that creased Ebenezer’s forehead before he slammed the door closed with as much force as he could muster.

“Angelique, ma cherie?” He gazed down at her flushed face. “Tell me what’s wrong so that I can help you.”

“I need water,” she whispered through cracked lips.

Pierre knelt, cradling Angelique in his lap, and fumbled at his side for his leather canteen. He unplugged the spout and brought it to her lips.

She opened her mouth eagerly for the cool water, and he dribbled it in slowly. For several moments he helped her to drink, until finally she nodded. “That’s better,” she whispered.

“Don’t tell me Ebenezer refused you water for the past two days,” Pierre said as he situated his canteen back at his side, his fingers brushing against his hunting knife. “Because if you do, you’ll force me to walk back in there and stab him.”

She didn’t say anything, but he could see the truth written in her eyes.

The pompous pig had not only deprived her of food but also water. And in the sweltering heat of her attic room she could have died if Pierre hadn’t rescued her when he did.

His muscles tensed, and he uttered a growl. He started to lower her to the ground, knowing he had no choice but to go back to the inn and make sure Ebenezer could never hurt Angelique again.

But her arms snaked around his neck. “No, Pierre. Please don’t do anything rash. Please.”

He shook his head and tried to pry her arms off him. “I’m going to teach that man a lesson he’ll never forget.”

“You’ll only make things worse for me if you do.” Her brown eyes were wide now and the glassy look was gone, replaced with the clarity and openness he loved.

Pierre glowered at the door of the inn.

“I’ll be all right, Pierre. Especially now that I’m with you.”

He stood again, holding her tighter to his chest, refusing to let her go. His body almost ached with the need for vengeance. But the plea on her face made it impossible to say no. “Fine. Then I’m taking you home and cooking you a decent meal.”

She responded with a weak smile.



Angelique rested her cheek against the coarse linen of Pierre’s shirt. “I can walk, Pierre,” she said, but she knew her tone lacked conviction.

“Oh, so you don’t think I’m strong enough to carry you?” His voice had finally lost the fury that had frightened her and made her believe he would stalk back into the inn and kill Ebenezer.

“You’re such a weakling, Pierre.”

He hefted her higher. “You weigh absolutely nothing.” Anger slid back into his tone.

She wound her arms tighter around his neck, trying to block out the torture of the past couple of days when she’d been miserably hot and weak. Her mouth had grown parched, and she’d wavered in and out of consciousness. Of course Ebenezer hadn’t given her any food—he never did. But this had been the first time he’d left her without water too.

She’d never seen him as angry as he’d been when he learned she’d snuck out of the inn. Even though he hadn’t ranted or raved, the sharp anger in his eyes told her she’d gone too far this time, that putting his wife and newborn baby at risk had been unforgivable.

Had he wanted her to die? Was he ready to do away with her after being shackled with her all these years? Especially after Betty’s complaints against her? Angelique had heard every bitter word through the cracks in the floorboards. Betty had begged him to get rid of her, to marry her off as soon as possible.

She shuddered.

“The man’s a beast.” Pierre hugged her closer. “And a lunatic.”

For all Ebenezer’s faults, she couldn’t begrudge the fact that he’d provided for her since her mother’s death. If not for him, she would have been homeless. After mother was gone, Therese had talked about leaving Michilimackinac and going east to live in one of the big cities. But where would they have lived? What kind of work would they have found?