Song of the Heart - Alexa Aston Page 0,96

the stained pillow.

He strode to the window and leaned out. He searched for a moment and then yelled, “Boy! Boy!”

A youth of about ten ran to the base of the building and looked up. “Yes, my lord?”

Garrett tossed him a coin. “Fetch a doctor here at once. There’ll be another piece for you when you return.”

The boy took off running.

Garrett came and sat on the bed next to Madeleine. “I’ll take you far from Henri de Picassaret. I give you my promise. You need never see him again.”

*

“My lord! Come to the window.” The boy had returned, hollering for Garrett.

He went to the window and saw the boy was alone.

“No one would come, my lord. They’re scared or they didn’t believe me that a real lord had need of them. The waterfront is a bad place.” He tipped his hat to Garrett. “But I thank you for the coin all the same.”

Garrett cursed softly to himself. He went back to Madeleine and took her hand. “Sweetheart, we must leave now. I’ll do my best not to jar you.”

He wrapped the cloak around her, the same cloak that had warmed her what seemed like a lifetime ago. He slipped his arms underneath her and eased her from the bed. He had some idea of how she suffered. Ryker had beaten him many times before Garrett had finally stood up to him. He still remembered the deep aches, not only in his body, but in his bruised spirit. He would commit himself to nursing Madeleine back to good health, both in body and soul.

He picked his way carefully through the unpaved street, headed toward the waterfront. Madeleine had passed out in his arms. Garrett spied Raleigh and moved in his direction.

The harbormaster hurried to him. “What’s this?” He gaped at Madeleine.

“I need a cart. Fast. I must get her from this place. See to it.”

The man ran off on bowed legs. Within five minutes, he’d returned, leading Ebony. His horse had been hitched to a small cart. Garrett climbed awkwardly with Madeleine in his arms into the cart’s bed. He’d thought to place her down but the cart had no blanket. Not even a bed of straw. Instead, he kept her in his arms.

“Drive me, Raleigh. I can’t leave her.”

Raleigh gazed at Madeleine with sympathy. “Where to, Lord Montayne?”

Garrett quickly instructed him as Raleigh climbed up into the driver’s seat and flicked Ebony’s reins lightly.

He closed his eyes. Just let her live, God. Let her live. The prayer became a chant in his mind, its rhythm soothing him.

“Fornicator!” A devil-like shriek pierced the air.

Garrett’s eyes flew open as the cart came to a jarring halt. Henri de Picassaret stood blocking Ebony’s path, his eyes wild.

“You snake! You debaucher of God’s laws!” He pointed at Madeleine. “She—my wife—will pay every day of her life for falling to temptation. You English swine, with your courtly manner and seducing smiles. To think I almost gave you my land.”

Madeleine stirred and moaned softly.

Garrett rotated her face away from Henri, who frothed at the mouth as if he were rabid. He restrained himself from jumping out of the cart. His first duty was to protect Madeleine. He would deal with her husband in time.

“Drive through him if you have to, Raleigh, but get us from this place,” Garrett ordered.

Raleigh tried to turn Ebony but de Picassaret grabbed at the reins. The horse snorted and whipped his head about but the Frenchman held him firmly. He shook his finger at Garrett.

“You filthy English lecher. I will punish you in God’s name as I have punished her.”

He could stand it no longer. The thought of this madman’s repeated beatings of Madeleine raged through his head. He would tear the man’s limbs from his body.

As gently as he could, he placed Madeleine down.

She clutched his arm. “No,” she whispered.

“Yes,” he returned firmly.

He leaped from the cart, his body shaking with pent-up fury. “You’re nothing but a spineless bastard, de Picassaret. You beat those too helpless to defend themselves, you worthless scum.”

In a blurred motion, he rushed toward the comte, his fist smashing directly into the Frenchman’s nose. The crack could be heard over the shouts of the crowd that quickly gathered around them, cheering on the bloodshed.

His enemy slumped for a moment and then let out a ferocious cry, slamming his fists into Garrett’s ears. Garrett reeled from the strength of the fierce blow. The Frenchman cackled with glee over the pain he’d inflicted, his eyes lighting up with sick