QUINCY WOKE IN a panic. He reached over and quickly realized Victoria wasn’t in bed with him. “Rebel?” Nothing. He sat up and climbed from the bed. The clock said it was just past four, so he grabbed a pair of pants and put them on then walked to the window. Rocky was pacing the yard. “Why is that damned horse out?”

Rocky, apparently agitated, ran in circles and let out a whinny as he threw his head. Quincy quickly put the rest of his clothes on and ran down the stairs.

“Rocky?” he called, and the horse came running. “What are you doing out of your stall? Where’s Victoria?” Quincy shook his head. “Why am I talking to you as if you understand me and will actually answer?”

Rocky didn’t have a halter on, but he followed Quincy back to the barn. However, when Quinn tried to coax him further, Rocky refused to go back in. Quincy walked deeper into the interior and saw a stack of sugar cubes scattered, as though dropped in motion. His heart sank. He knew immediately something was wrong.

He heard a groan from the corner of the barn and found Robbie crumpled in the straw by the tack room. Quincy coaxed him awake and squeezed his arms. “Where’s Victoria?”

“I don’t know, sir. I was puttin’ away a bridle and I got hit with somethin’... hard.”

Quincy helped him stand. “All right. Let’s get you to the house... Nanny will attend to you.” Quincy half carried the young groom to the back of the house and once Nanny took over, Quincy rushed up the stairs two at a time. He went to his brother’s room and shook him awake. “Jake! Jake! Wake up.”

Jake opened his eyes in confusion. “Quinn? What the hell?”

“Victoria’s missing.”

“What?” he said sleepily. “She’s probably downstairs somewhere or out in the barn with Rocky.”

“Rocky’s in the front yard, not in his stall. He refuses to go back in, and there are discarded sugar cubes all over the barn floor. Someone knocked Robbie out, and Victoria is not in the house, Jake. She’s missing. Now get your ass out of bed and help me!”

Jacob quickly got up and dressed, then they moved down the hall, bumping into Vincent.

“What’s wrong, boys?”

“Victoria’s missing,” Quincy said. “Rocky is out in the front yard, but she’s not with him.”

“Well, let’s find her then.”

Quincy nodded. “I’ll saddle a couple of horses, and Jake and I will see if we can pick up a trail.”

“I’ll try and use my influence and get a message to Chris,” his father offered. “You boys go and I’ll take care of everything here.”

Quincy decided to take Rocky, and Jake went to get his horse. They were saddled and off within minutes, but Quinn had no idea which way to go.

“It’s times like this, I really wish Sam and Crow were here,” Quincy said with a sigh.

“They’re close enough to get here, Quinn,” Jacob pointed out. “I bet they’d come. We could wire them in the morning.”

“How, Jake? The telegraph offices are controlled by the Union, and I don’t have the authority to request one, let alone ensure one gets sent.” Quincy swore. “I have to find her. She could be hurt.”

“I understand that, but it’s still dark and we have no tracking skills. What if we’re going the wrong way? Father will figure something out.”

Quincy swept his gaze over the horizon. “What if he can’t?”

Jacob pulled his horse to a stop. “Why don’t we do a quick search and see what we can find.”

“Shit!”

“Come on. Let’s head west and see what we come up with.”

Jacob led Quincy away from the house, but Rocky reared and fought the bit, refusing to move. “Rocky, damn it. I can’t find her if you’re not going to let me ride you.”

He turned the horse east, back toward the house, and Rocky calmed immediately.

“Maybe they took her east and Rocky knows it,” Jacob said.

“He’s a horse, Jake, not a hunting dog.”

Jacob shrugged. “Well, let’s go east and see what Rocky the non-hunting dog does.”

“This is pointless,” Quincy said, but followed Jake anyway.

Making their way around the house, they passed the smokehouse and cornfields and then Rocky picked up the pace, almost as if he knew where they might be going.

“So, they took her east,” Jacob observed.

Quincy’s head darted in every direction. “Yes, but where?” They rode in what Quincy felt like circles, and he grew more and more frantic by the minute.

“Quinn, we’ve been out here for an hour. Let’s head back to the house.”

Quincy nodded but hated the thought of stopping. He was scared to death.

* * *

Victoria’s head pounded, and she felt nauseous. She heard herself groan, but it was almost as though she were outside of her own body. Someone wrapped arms around her and lifted her.

“Shhh. Sweet love, you’re safe now.”

She knew that voice.

Why do I know that voice?

A shiver went up her spine.

“Victoria, wake up now. I have everything prepared for you.”

She groaned again but didn’t open her eyes. “My head hurts,” she whispered.

“I am so very sorry I had to use the medicine to rescue you from him, but it was the only way,” he said. “You have been difficult to get close to.”

“What are you talking about?” She opened her eyes to find herself looking into the face of Bartholomew Grey.

“I went back to the barn a few times and then on the train. But you were always with him and I couldn’t get close enough. And of course, your damned horse.”

She realized quickly why Rocky had been so agitated. Bart must have been close by and Rocky knew it. “I don’t understand.”

“You were always guarded,” he whispered in frustration. “I am sorry it took so long for me to get you away from them, but you were imprisoned by them.” Bart stroked her cheek and she cringed. “Now, sweet love, how about a kiss?”

She tried to push him away. “Get your hands off me!” she screamed as she flung herself off the bed. Instantly dizzy, she felt him pull her into his embrace to steady her. Her skin crawled.

“No, Victoria. We are together now. You don’t need to be frightened. I got you away from him.”

“Who did you get me away from?”

“Quincy Butler,” he said quite matter-of-fact.

“Why would you want to take me away from the man I love?”

“You don’t love him, dearest,” he said. “He’s the man who stole you from me.”

“No, he’s my husband! The man I love.”

“No, Victoria. He is the man who made you think that,” he patronized.

“He’s the man I love, you idiot!” She tried to push him away. “Not you!”

He slapped her across the face and she tasted blood at the corner of her mouth.

“No, Victoria! You will love me! And I will be your husband.”

“I will never love you. You’re a disgusting excuse for a human being. Quincy is the only man I will ever love!”

He hit her again, and this time it was hard enough to knock her onto the floor. Whimpering as she touched her lip, she felt the instant swelling and drew back as he rushed to her side.

“Oh, my sweet love. I am so very sorry. But, you must see what you made me do? You really mustn’t upset me. I don’t want to hurt you. I love you.” He lifted her to her feet and set her on the bed.

“What do you want with me?”

“Want with you?”

“Yes! Why did you drug and kidnap me?”

“You make it sound so sinister.”

She watched him pace the floor his hands shaking at his sides. “It is sinister.”

“It isn’t, sweet love,” he said, a look of confusion on his face. “We’re going to be married.”

She shook her head. “You’re insane. We will never be married. I’m in love with Quincy.”

“No, you’ll see,” he said slowly. “You will soon forget him, after you marry me.”

“We’re not going to get married, dumbass. I am already married!”

“You won’t be for long.”

Victoria swallowed. “I will always be married to Quincy. He is the man I love. A real man.”

He grasped her arms and pulled her up from the bed. “You need to learn some manners toward your fiancé.” She spat in his face and he slapped her again before grabbing her arms again. “That wasn’t polite, Victoria,” he admonished. “Quincy will die slower for that.”

Victoria gasped.

“Surprised?” He squeezed her harder. “The plan is in motion as we speak. He will die, sweet love, and I will ensure it is slowly.”

She tried to pull away. “You’re hurting me.”

“Stop making me hurt you, Victoria.” He walked her over to the kitchen table and held a chair for her. “Come and sit down, dearest. We will eat together.”

She shook her head. “No.”

“You are not listening to me,” he warned. “Come and sit down.”

“No.”

“Don’t make me hurt you, Victoria. I want complete obedience from my future wife.”

Victoria swallowed. “I won’t be your wife. I will always be Quincy’s.”

“We will be married, sweet love. You can count on that.”

“I will never marry you.”

He patted the back of the chair. “Of course you will.”

“It. Will. Never. Happen.”

Bart closed the distance between them. “Victoria. You will marry me. You will have no one and will require protection.”

Victoria laughed. “You think you can kill Quincy?” she mocked. “You couldn’t even stand up straight after he hit you!”

He slapped her again.

She refused to make a sound as she glared at him.

“Victoria, why do you vex me so? I don’t like to hurt you, but you must learn.” He pulled her to the table and forced her in the chair.

Victoria felt her anger get the better of her. Granted, she was in an extraordinary amount of pain, but more than anything, she just wanted to kill the guy. She had to figure something out and quickly. She had no idea where she was or if Quincy was on his way.

“Let’s have some breakfast, shall we? Then I’ll show you around our temporary home.”

She shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

“Would you like the tour now, then?” He didn’t let her answer as he pulled her up from the chair and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“Get your hands off me,” she ordered.

“Here I am trying to help you and you can’t seem to get down off your high horse.” Puffing his chest out as he took an exaggerated breath, he crooned, “Now, come with me and I’ll show you the bedroom. It’s my favorite room.” Dragging her across the room to a door in the west corner, he opened it, and she truly thought she might throw up.

“What did you do?” she asked in abject horror.

“Isn’t it wonderful?”

Looking around the room, she felt bile in her throat. Her nightgown, stolen during the cabin ransacking, was lying across the bed. A blue and white quilt covered the mattress and was folded down to reveal the stolen bloody sheet. “It’s disgusting.”

“You don’t like it?” he asked as his face dropped. “I don’t understand. It’s all of your things. Your beautiful nightgown. I even have some of your personal garments, packed neatly in the bureau. They’re like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I can’t wait for you to wear them for me. If you don’t like it, we can change it. Anything you like. I’ll make it right.”

“It’s disgusting!” she screamed.

Bart paced, apparently confused by her reaction. His hands shook as he ran them through his hair. “It is? It can’t be, Victoria. It’s all of your things.”

“It’s disgusting because none of this is yours! I can’t believe you took that sheet. You’re insane!”

He frowned. “The sheet will prove that only I have had you.”

“But you haven’t had me.”

“I will.”

“No! You won’t. You will never have me! Quincy is the only man who will!” she yelled and then punched him.

Running from the room and toward the front door, she realized she just wasn’t fast enough. He caught her and slammed her against the wall, knocking the breath right out of her. “You can’t get out, Victoria. The doors are locked and I have the only key.”

Despite the lack of air in her lungs, she fought. She kicked and screamed until she had nothing left. Bart dragged her back to the bed by her hair and tied her to the posts.

“Victoria, sweet love. Will you never learn? You are not going anywhere.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She gagged.

Clapping his hands in mad glee, he let out a strange giggle. “I have another surprise for you. One I’m very excited about it.” She turned her head away from him, but he gripped her chin and forced her head back to look at him. “I bought you another horse. I know how much you like your big black one, but I took the liberty of purchasing one after that nasty poisoning incident.”

Victoria looked at him in horror. “How did you know about that?”

“Me? Oh, I fed him the poison,” he said as he stroked her cheek. “It didn’t quite go as planned, however. I wasn’t expecting him to live.” Victoria screamed and thrashed her legs in an effort to kick him again. He held her down. “Shhh. Sweet love. I have a new one for you. She’s a very sweet mare. Not a beast like that Rocky. Much more appropriate.”

He drew his finger down her neck and slipped the first two buttons on her blouse. “Exquisite,” he said as slid his finger over the mound of a breast.

“Get your disgusting hands off me, you pig!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Sweet love. I have seen all of this before.”

“What are you talking about?”

“At the lake. You were so beautiful in your undergarments, I had an enjoyable time watching you as you and your friends swam.”

“You watched us?” she asked in revulsion.

“They’re pretty, your friends. Not nearly as beautiful as you, of course. I would never betray you by thinking that.” He sighed. “You’ll be mine before you know it.” He stood and moved around the room. “Now, I think you should get some rest. I’ll check on you in a little while.”

Bart pulled the comforter over her and then left the room, closing the door tightly behind him. She heard the key turn in the door and checked her bindings, but knew there would be no way for her to escape.

Everything hit her all at once. Tears leaked down her temples as she realized she was really and truly caught and in an incredible amount of pain. She couldn’t move and was at the mercy of a mad man. Sending up a silent prayer for Quincy to find her, she succumbed to the lingering effects of the chloroform and slept.