Dancing with the Devil

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

Barnaby had been gone a long while. Audrey's hope that the man in the wagon had been Irish coming to save her with Ance in tow was beginning to fade. Then again, hadn't she herself wanted Ance to stay far from here? She did. She didn't want him here. She didn't want him to die for her. She wanted him to take Penelope and raise her, care for her and leave Audrey to whatever fate she was in store for. As long as Penelope was safe and sound nothing else in the world mattered. 

Audrey's chin fell to her chest and she was about to give in to the sleep that was fighting to claim her when she heard a scraping sound on the other side of the heavy wooden door to the room that was her prison. Knowing it was Barnaby or one of his associates Audrey tensed and tried to prepare herself for whatever they had in store for her. 

The door swung open and Audrey frowned. There was a shadowed figure in the entryway but they carried no light and it was impossible to make out any details about them. Why would Barnaby or one of the other men come down into the dark cellars without a light? 

The figure stepped through the door and their head thudded against the wooden beam. A low growl filled the room. A growl that Audrey recognized. Her heart leapt into her throat. 

"Ance?" she whispered, her voice cracking and her throat burning from so long without use. 

"Audrey?" Ance's voice was a welcome sound. No matter how selfless Audrey had tried to be in wishing he would stay away, she felt an undeniable relief at his presence. 

A match flared to life and she saw him. He looked dirty and tired and there was something dark down the front of his clothes which Audrey thought might be blood but he was there, he was whole and his deep blue eyes were staring straight at her. 

"Damn woman you look like hell," he muttered as he strode forward and tossed the dying match to the ground. Suddenly he was on his knees and his arms were around her as he buried his head in her neck. "Damnation woman, I'm sorry they got you... have they hurt you, lady?" 

Audrey shook her head and cursed the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "No... they've just kept me tied," she assured him, her voice a mere whisper which was all she could manage. "Ance, Penelope.. Please tell me you found Penelope...." 

Ance lifted his head and his large hands tenderly cupped her cheeks. "She's just fine, Audrey. I got her out of there and she's.....she's in a safe place." 

"With who?" 

"Irish's mom," Ance replied, sounding sheepish. 

Audrey had questions but now wasn't the time. "Ance we have to get out of here... Barnaby planned on selling me in the morning to some Indians..." 

"You aren't getting sold to anyone, Audrey," Ance vowed, that possessive tone his voice washing over her and causing her to tremble. Damn this man did things to her that no other man had ever done. "Now Irish has Barnaby and his men busy sipping elixirs and eating dinner. I killed the only two men keeping watch outside. The plan is to get you out of the fort and then come back in and kill them all." 

"That's a lot of killing, Ance..." Audrey replied, chewing her dry, cracked lip. 

"And it's going to be done," Ance assured her. "As long as any of these men are still breathing air they're a danger to Penny and I won't let them live." 

Audrey knew he was right. As much as the thought of so much death and blood made her soul hurt, there truly was no other way. Barnaby and these men had made their beds and now it would seem Ance was going to see that they lie in them permanently.