Ransom

[Lovely]

September 21, Year 1
hours before dawn
follows: House guests


The same night after Adams lost his wife in the card game, Andrea showed up at the gate of the sheriff's house, in a torn and bloodied dress, looking for Sam. "Please hurry." She explained that once Ev finally let Adams out of the cell to go home and sleep, he ended up at Tessa's. He did go home but instead of finding his wife waiting obediently for him to rough her up, his house was empty, it seems that made him quite angry. After finding more to drink Adams paid a visit to Tessa's.. did some damge to the girls in his fit of anger. The two who got the brunt of his wrath were Tess and Angel. Since he lost his wife, Angel was his next obsession.. so he went after her. He'd left Tessa's house and the girsl in rough condition if Andrea was any indication of how the others were. She had a cut up aound her eyebrow and her lip, some bruises.. she'd gotten the least of his attention. There was a pause and she told them the rest. "Adams took Angel.. he wanted his wife, but didn't know where she was, swore the sherriff was keeping him from her and had hidden her.. and that we knew where.." She paused and licked lightly at her cut lip. "He wants her.. his wife.. in exchange for Angel." Andrea left with Sam to go back to Tessa's and see to the girls, leaving Aeilandra and Rory to discuss the ransom.

Rory said and outright 'no' to the terms of the ransom and that there would be no such exchange.

Aeil smacked his arm.

"What?.. shush.. this is going to work out just fine.. stop it."

"DO you know what he is probably doing to that girl right now??"

"Do you know Angel?"

"No.. but I know him."

"What? What about Angel?" Doyle asks, coming in, eating again.

Aeilandra looks like she is going to be ill. "Rory.. I would not wish the things he did to me, on someone I hated... much less that girl.. no one deserves.. " She folded in on herself a bit, looking out the window. "You're never the same after something like that.." Her voice was soft.

"Someone wanna tell me what she's jawin' about? Ror?"

"Stop talking, Doyle. It's Adams... apparently took one of the girls from Tess's place... cuz of the bet."

"No no no... wait, you didn't just say some girl. I heard you say Angel. He took Angel?"

"I.. I have to go.. at least.. if I go.. I can make sure.. she makes it out in one piece." Her knuckles were turning white as she gripped the sleeves of her shirt and she trembled. "Just pray I make it before she's done irreversible harm."

Rory tried to calm her. "You're not going, Aeilandra. You can't. Even if you do go, he's not letting her go without more help. You probably know that already. He wants to keep what he gets regardless of who or how or what. Let Everitt handle this with the bo...," he looked up as the door slammed closed. Doyle was gone.

"I know.. But I can't just.." She began to protest and jumped as the door slammed, her hand going to Rory's arm, instinctively. "What if he hurts her? .. He doesn't take no for an answer.. about anything."

"I know that," he snarled. "You're not going. Now I have to go and stop Doyle before he does something stupid that might get her hurt worse. Promise me you'll stay here?"

[Lovely]

When Doyle arrived at Adam's house, the man was gone though he'd left his hostage behind. Realizing he wasn't home, Doyle rushed in to find Angel face down on the bed in Adam's room. His first instinct was to simply scoop her up but he discovered her wrists were tied tightly to the bed posts. For a moment he considered carrying her out, bed and all but quickly realized that was a silly idea and leaned down to untie her.

As soon as she was freed, Angel rolled to her side and pushed herself up. She yanked the cloth gag from her mouth and wrapped her arms around Doyle, in her rush and thankfulness she knocked him backwards. Her face was streaked with tears and her clothes all but torn off, she clung to him, barely noticing that they had landed on the floor. "Doyle.. I'm so happy you're here."

He looked at her and the mess, and suddenly the fury let go and he could feel and see... and hurt. He'd hit his head on the floor, but that didn't matter. He felt her in his hands and saw the marks and scratches and he ached for her. "Angel?"

"Doyle.." She whimpered his name and clung tighter to him, she was bruised, scratched, and scared. Adam's had retrieved his cane and a few of the raised red marks on her skin were from that. "Don't.. don't let him touch me again.."

He shook his head, "No, no I won't. Are... are you alright... I mean.. did he... ?"

She was shaking like a leaf, she slumped against his shoulder. "Did he.. what?"

"Did.. nevermind. I'm just hopin' for his sake he didn't lay a hand on nothin' nobody not married to you should ever ... c'mon and let's get you out and home 'fore he comes back."'

"No.. he.. he didn't.. do that, what I think you're meanin'.. he didn't." She shook her head, tilting her face to look at Doyle. "He'll know right where to find me.. if you take me back to Tessa's." She sniffed, wiping at her cheeks and trying to be much braver than she felt at the moment.

"S'why you're not going to your home. You're comin' to my home, if that's alright. Show him not to mess with a Carlisle if he done ain't learnt that yet."

"Your home.. Oh Doyle.. I couldn't put you out like that.. 'sides, what would your family think.. bringing a girl like me back there?" She spoke softly, her expression showing how touched she was that he cared so much. Her trembling fingers smoothed over his cheek and she gave him a small smile, even though it stung the cut on her lip to do so.

"A sweet smiling, busted up little cowpoke in need of a warm bed and a little care? They'll think they need to bust me up for not getting you there sooner," he smiled. "It'll be fine. One thing about how a Carlisle thinks.. is they don't care what nobody else thinks."

She laughed through the tears that slipped down her cheeks. "Doyle.. you are the sweetest.." She kissed his lips very gently. "Thank you.. feel safer with you already."

He glanced over her again and realized, blushing fiercely, that she needed something to cover up in. He sat up and helped her to her feet, trying not to gawk, though she was very pretty beneath the tatters of what was left. "Um... Miss Angel, I think you need to put this on," he said, trying to keep his eyes closed as he slipped out of his shirt to hand to her.

[Lovely]

"Doyle." She whispered, reaching to take the shirt from his hand. "Don't turn away.. please.. I already feel dirty.. ashamed.. " She gently squeezed his hand as hers came away with his shirt.

"Ain't polite," he said, looking toward her, but still at the floor. "You're not dirty... you're right pretty and I..." He felt the heat in his face like he had irons in his hands.

"I wasn't raised in polite society.. I know.. what he was aiming to do to me.. he was just takin his time.." She licked her lips and leaned to his ear. "He hurt me.. it hurts a lot and I need your help, getting this off.. without making it hurt more." She motioned to the torn clothes, Adams had drawn blood in a few places and the cloth was stuck where it dried. "I trust you.. not to hurt me."

He nodded and turned slowly, still quite red and a little light headed. "I'd never hurt you, Angel," he said softly, not even calling her 'miss' but like a friend he'd always known. "Let's get this on you and get out. He'll be back here any minute, stinkin' drunk and riled as a pole cat in a dog fight." He said pulling the shirt open then realizing how badly hurt she was. The man would have to do without his sheets, too, Doyle decided, letting the shirt drop as he moved to strip the bed that was striped and dotted from every injury he'd caused her. He swallowed hard, trying not to be ill with the fury and the ache, holding the sheet out to wrap her in.

Her breath was uneven and she looked from his face to the sheet and then stepped to him as if going into his embrace. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this." Her eyes cast to the floor, she longed to curl into his strong arms and be protected and safe, to comforted until she could forget this had ever happened. "Take me home." She whispered, looking up at his eyes.

He curled the sheet around her and gave her the edges to hold and adjust as she needed for comfort. "No sorries. Ain't nothin' you did to bring this on, no how," he said, leaning to return her earlier kiss gently. "Yes, ma'am. Home. C'mon, now."

"Doyle?! Doyle!" The voice was Rory's coming from the ground below, sounding somewhere between a yell and a hoarse whisper. He was trying not to call the whole town to the door, knowing Adams was surely on his way back.

His kiss was a tiny glimpse of everything wonderful in the world. If she hadn't been so tired and sore, she would have stood there kissing him for days. Her brow furrowed and her head turned towards the voice. "We best get.. gettin'.. " She said softly, giving him a shy smile, her fingers curled around the edges of the sheet and she pulled it up to her chin. She took a slow step towards the door, feeling the hurt that would keep her limping for awhile.

"That's Rory," he said, moving to glance out the window, though he couldn't see much in the dark. He shuffled back to the door, seeing her limp and shook his head. "No. No, no no... not like that. You come up here. We'll be here til next week and you'll use up all your strength. Hop on up here, l'il filly," he said gently, offering to scoop her up and carry her.

[Lovely]

"Make me feel like one of those princesses with the dashing knight come to rescue, like in the stories." She turned a little so he could scoop her more easily, her head rested to his shoulder and she tried to hide the wince. "Doyle, " She asked with a soft smile. "Will you kiss me when everything doesn't hurt so much?"

He winced in return with apology in his eyes for hitting the sore spots, though he wasn't sure there was any that weren't. He paused at her question and smiled, "I think I might."

"I think I'd like it if you did." Angel closed her eyes and let Doyle carry her out. Though her injuries caused her pain, being in his strong arms seemed to relax and soothe her. She felt the slight breeze on her as they went out the door and she took in a breath of the air that seemed so much different now. Her toussled blonde locks were lifted off her neck by the light wind, it felt so good and she snuggled against Doyle's chest.

Aeil had tried to follow Rory, but he put her over his shoulder and set her back in the house, not wanting to risk her getting near Adams and him getting ahold of her.

Doyle would have kicked the door down, but being more polite, considering the hour and that he had no mind to repair the thing, he set Angel down on the step and pushed the door in quietly, giving her the option of slowly stepping in herself if she were more comfortable that way. He stretched his arms and watched around the hillside, seeing Rory come up behind them a moment later.

Rory gave him a look and wave to get his behind and hers inside and right quick. If Adams was half the dog he was, he'd be on their scent in no time and standing in the open was not where he wanted to be. He moved up the steps, quickly following them in.

Aeilandra waited, fretting terribly in the kitchen, watching the windows and the door while they were gone. Her fingers were a bit red and her skirt wrinkled, from twisting the fabric in worry. Her head snapped up as the door opened, the young blonde stepped, slowly and obviously painfully into the room, the poor thing looked about scared of her own shadow. Aeilandra noticed the rusty stains in the sheet that covered the girl and how she tried to shink back into the wall. She understood just how the girl must be feeling having experienced such degradation many times. Her heart broke to think of anyone else suffering her fate. Though the color had drained from her face upon glimpsing Angel's condition, the relief was evident upon seeing Rory walk through the door behind Doyle.

He moved out of Rory's way, more concerned about keeping Angel off her feet as much as possible, certain that the sting ran as deep and painful as it looked. "Rory, I'm... I'd like to take her upstairs... if that's alright? Ain't nothin' improper... just to help her wash up some."

Rory turned with a smile. "Doyle, you sound like you want to slip her under your pillow for the tooth fairy. Please, get her upstairs and find her some clothes. Maybe Elizabeth or... Aeilandra? You're still up? Are you alright?"

[Lovely]

Angel curled the sheet more tightly around her, her bare shoulders were exposed as it dipped lower in the back and she brought it higher in the front. Tipping her face down and bringing the sheet to her chin as if she were hiding in it. Her eyes darted from each of the three in the room, most often coming back to Doyle staying longest on him as well. She hadn't spoken a word since he'd carried her from Adam's room and she remained silent now.

Aeilandra nodded as Rory spoke. "Of course.. I can fetch her something of mine.. " She turned with an apolegetic smile to Rory as he questioned her still being awake. "I was worried, waiting for you to get back all right." She explained softly, looking away as if she'd done something wrong. It was hard for her not to act as though everything she did was wrong and though her behavior was different she still expected and waited to be punished for doing something wrong.

He didn't wait for any more permission that that and the look in Angel's eyes that she was ready to be out of the spectacle. "Much obliged ma'am if you would.. maybe.. a bath... I mean, I wouldn't feel right, no how, but I'm not far away, if that's alright Miss Angel?"

"Get a bath started then and then get her a warm place to sleep. She's not going back to Te...."

"Not going back to Tessa's... not tonight. Not for a while," he insisted, the gleam in his eye red with fury still. "With me... she's stayin' with me.. I decided. Think what you want... but... I think that's best."

Aeilandra raised a brow as Doyle informed Rory of his decision, she didn't say a word though and simply moved off to her tasks. She stopped to check the water pots on the stove, they were still very warm, and then scurried off to find something from the few clothes she had, for the girl to wear. Something loose and soft would do best, so not to rub against her abraisions.

Angel's eyes went wide and she shook her head at the suggestion of a bath.. with Aeilandra to help her. The other woman had scurried off already, when Angel swallowed the lump back from her throat and found a little voice to speak up. "N..n-no.. thank you." She shook her head again, keepig her face down and away. "If it's all the same..I'd rather not..It's late.. I don't want to trouble her." In truth she didn't want her, or anyone else to see the full extent of what Adams had done to her. It was shameful enough standing there wrapped in the sheet, but at least she and most of her injuries were covered.

"You sure, Miss Angel? Probably do a world o' good to ...," his hands motioned, looking for a word and not finding it. "Alright, then. Rory, would you mind lettin' her know. I'm gonna get her up to rest... get myself up to rest. You all should too. Not much more to be done tonight."

"I'll let her know. Miss Angel, if you need anything... at all, you don't be afraid to ask. That door is always open, comin' or goin' and you're right welcome at our table... right Doyle?" He spoke with direct sincerity to her and offered his brother a wink, reminding him to invite her to supper. Pa would want to meet her and see how she wrapped that boy up into the knot he was in.

Her cheeks burned with the blush that pinked her cheeks at Doyle's words or rather his loss of words. He was probably right, but she was just too ashamed to deal with it right now. She didn't look at Rory more than to shift her eyes briefly, her head still tilted down. "Th-thank you." She murmured softly, biting her lip a little. "You're very kind."

[Lovely]

Everitt had stopped on the stair, listening and doubled back. He'd seen all he needed to and more than enough at that. His first thoughts strayed back to the woman in his own bed and what Kingswill might have similarly done to her. Everitt's stomach churned at the thought and prompted him to return to Elizabeth's side. What he had to say and do about Adams could wait for sunrise.

"Doyle, get the lady upstairs. She'll catch her death in the draft," Rory nudged gently as he moved off to the kitchen, then to the room to find Aeil and set her worry to rest.

He blushed a little again. "Sorry. Keepin' you waitin' here all on stage. I know what that's like, 'cept I don't hear any giggling whispers right now." He grinned gently, pursing his lips and wanting to scream at Adams for what he'd done so loud that the city might hear him. His fury stayed in the clouds in his eyes and he ran a fingertip under her chin. "You ready? I'm sure you need some good sleep. I'm sure I do about now. Don't lose my temper much, but it takes my wind out when I do."

Her face lifted at the feel of his finger under her chin, bringing her eyes to his. A bit of a smile touched her lips as the rest of the world melted away for a moment, looking into his eyes and there was only him for a breath. "Yes." She said softly, her eyes slowly drifting over his face. "You're very calm, for someone who has lost their temper." There was a definate admiration in her eyes for the man, for one who could be so angry yet remain so gentle with her. He said he'd lost his temper, but he'd not yelled or busted up the place or struck her.. it kind of baffled her a little, but endeared him to her that much more.

"You didn't see me go tearin' out like a tornado, thinking every sinful hurtful thing on that man... still thinkin', but... a little more distracted now is all," he said, his fingers moving back on cool skin to her neck, drawn closer to her eyes. He reached around her to either side, pulling the sheet up her shoulder and glancing deeper into that gaze.

Her eyes fluttered slightly at his touch on her neck, opening to gaze warmly into his again. "Nothing wrong with thinkin'.. but you didn't go wrecking the place or taking it out on no one.. You handle it real well.. not all crazy losing your temper like lots of fellas would." She smiled a little more, clutching the sheet to keep it up where he'd brought it over her shoulders. "I like that about you.. you're not like some other men are. You have much more here and here." Her voice was soft and genuine in affection as she shifted the sheet to point first to her temple to indicate his mind and then down to her chest to mean his heart.

He chuckled and she'd feel it softly under her fingers. "That's my Pa's doin'. He says don't matter what all you do, but accept the consequence. I didn't have no mind to be hammerin' and fixin' his place up, or fixin' him up, either when I got done. More important things on my mind to spend time on." He nodded that he was ready to take her up if she was ready to be carried like his princess.

"Then your Pa must be a very decent man.. he raised a fine son with a good head on his shoulders." Angel shifted as his nod, turning to make it easier once again for him to scoop her up. "You'll spoil a girl this way." She teased softly as he lifted her, feeling less shy and timid now that it was just the two of them again.

Once she was in his arms again, but not racing across town, he noted how light and small she was against the burl of his arms and neatly she curled against him as if she were meant to be there. "If you let me spoil ya, then yes'm, I will," he insisted again, lofting her up the stairs, lighter than air. At his door he paused. "You sure you don't mind.. I didn't give you no say, but didn't want Rory making up my mind or yours, neither. It's only a small room and not terribly handsome, but it's clean."