Captive Pride

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Matthew, if you’re going to accept my assistance, then things have to be done my way!” Ryan argued as he met with Matt several hours later at the Green Dragon.

Matt scowled blackly at the rebel leader. “But he’s my brother! I want to help!”

“The best way you can help Noah is by staying completely out of it. Once he’s been freed, just who do you think the authorities are going to question? You’ve already told me that they brought up the subject of your marriage to Faith during the arraignment. You have to be able to prove your i

Matt looked suitably chastened as he realized he would be the prime suspect.

“Now, do you want us to do it or not?” Ryan demanded curtly. Time was of the essence. If they were to get Noah Kincade out of jail tonight, he had to set his plan in motion soon.

Matt knew Ryan was right, but he found it irritating that he couldn’t help Noah escape. He nodded his agreement. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Nothing; at least, nothing for right now. Once we’ve got him out of jail and safely in hiding, I’ll arrange for a meeting between the two of you. Until then you know nothing, so act like it. Carry on with your usual activities.”

“All right,” he answered grimly as he thought of how long the next few hours were going to seem while he waited for word that Noah was free and safely away.

“Good.” Ryan stood up, anxious to be about his mission.

“If anything happens…you’ll let me know?”

“Nothing’s going to happen,” he told Matt firmly.

“How can you be so sure?”

Ryan’s smile was enigmatic. “Not all those working at the jail are the king’s men.”

With that he was gone, and Matthew was left alone to worry and wait.

“Kincade!”

The voice outside his window was little more than a hoarse whisper, and at first Noah thought he’d imagined it.

“Kincade!” It was slightly louder the second time. Realizing that it was real and not a figment of his imagination, he quickly got up from the cot and peered out into the darkness of the Boston night.

“Who is it?” he called back in hushed tones.

“Never mind who it is, just be ready!”

Noah was puzzled. “Ready for what?”

“We’re getting you out of there!”

Stu

Noah didn’t know how his liberators managed it, but shortly after he’d been warned, a major ruckus broke out in the street in front of the jail. As the guard on duty went out to attempt to quell the violence, a man he’d never seen before rushed down the hall to his cell and unlocked the door.

“Who are you?” Noah asked as the man pushed the barred door wide and offered him his freedom.

“A friend,” was his only reply.

Allowing his rescuer to take the lead, Noah followed him out the side door of the building to where two horses were tethered, awaiting them. Mounting up, they fled the scene without being noticed. Fearful of drawing unwanted attention to themselves, they passed through the streets of Boston at a measured pace. When his guide reined in behind a shabby two-story wooden building in a poor section of town near the docks, Noah followed suit.

“Come with me,” the man directed.

Noah was quick to comply and within minutes found himself safely ensconced in a small, windowless room on the second floor. As his rescuer lit a candle, bathing their surroundings in a flickering yellow light, Noah eyed the room curiously, noting that the only furniture was a single bed and a small washstand. “What is this place?”

“It’s one of our secure rendezvous points. You’ll be staying here until we can arrange safe passage for you out of Boston.”

Noah nodded in understanding and then asked, “Who are you?” His companion was tall and slim; his clothing, dark and nondescript as it was, revealed little about the man himself. Noah did not know him-in fact, he had never seen him before-and yet he had just risked his life to save him from almost certain death. Noah was humbled and grateful.

“A friend. My name doesn’t matter,” replied the man. “All that matters is that we get you out of here.”

“Where will I be sent? Where will I be safe?”

“Either Philadelphia or New York; it just depends on how hard they look for you.”

“Thank you,” Noah told him solemnly. “I was begi

“Well, it’s not over yet by any means, but with any luck at all, you’ll soon be free. For right now, you just stay in this room. We’ll bring you everything you need.”

“I will,” he promised as the man started from the room.

“Graves will arrange for you to visit with your brother as soon as possible, but the authorities will no doubt suspect him first, so it may be a while.”

The man’s mention of Ryan Graves confirmed Noah’s suspicion that Matthew and the rebels were the ones behind his rescue. “Will you tell Graves that I’m very grateful for his help?”

“You helped us. We’re just returning the support.” He put Noah more at ease. “You know, our country could use more men like you…”

“Your country?”

The man smiled. “We’ll be free of this British tyra

“Thanks.”

They clasped hands, and then his rescuer departed, leaving Noah alone with his thoughts.

“Americans…” Noah frowned as he said the word softly to himself, and he remembered the first time he’d heard the term used. It had been at Winthrop’s ball. That night he had had a different opinion of the rebels, but now…

Shrugging out of his coat, Noah tossed it aside and moved to the bed. He stretched out upon it and was pleased to find that its comfort was a vast improvement over the hard cot he’d had in his cell. Folding his arms beneath his head, he stared up at the ceiling. His thoughts were confused as he realized that he was now a hunted man. Noah knew he would never be able to return to England and could no longer plan on restoring his wealth and position. A month ago that possibility would have devastated him, but now, to his surprise, the pain was less than he’d expected.

As Noah pondered the bleakness of his future, CC crept into his thoughts. His heart ached as he remembered her, warm and willing, in his arms. How perfect they had been together! He had hoped to win his freedom in court and then face her with the truth of his feelings, but now he knew any chance of ever being with her was lost. Despite CC’s involvement with the rebels, she was still her father’s daughter. Even if she had meant it when she’d told him she loved him, Noah knew it would be impossible to ask her to marry him now, for he had nothing to offer her-no home, no security, no future. From this point on, his life would be only danger and intrigue, and who knew how or when it would all end? His only hope was to trust in Graves to get him safely out of town. Beyond that…well, he decided wearily, he would deal with it later.