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ALEX FROZE AS HE SAW Rachel on the other side of the window. There was just enough light from the candle beside her to see her face but not enough to see where Deckland was. There was no possibility that Deckland had left her alone, so he had to be in there somewhere, waiting for Alex. As the hired hack rolled away, leaving Alex to face his enemy, her face was the one thing he needed to see.
"Deckland!" Alex yelled out for the man. "I came here for you and I’m alone. Show yourself. "
A voice came from the door of the office. "Where are your friends? The club owner and the fancy one with cane?"
"I came alone."
"You always were a fool." Deckland stepped out far enough to be seen in the moonlight. "Did you think you would be enough to take her from me? We both know I'm the more devious one."
"You don't need her, so just let her go."
"I'm not going to do that. Not until I get my money back."
“It was left behind at the club. I can get it for you, but I will need to show her father that she's unharmed first."
Deckland laughed. "You left it behind? How exactly did you think you were going to get me to let her go? The goodness of my heart?"
Alex didn't want to explain how he had panicked when he saw Rachel getting into the carriage. He had grabbed the first hack he could to follow them. It didn't take long for him to realize where they were headed, but he didn't think about what would happen once they got there. All his mind could focus on was getting to Rachel before Deckland could hurt her.
"You have me; you don't need her now." Alex held his hands up in a gesture of compliance. "I can take you to get the money. Even more of it if you need it."
"Appealing to my greed. That's the first smart move you made." Deckland was close now, within reach, but Alex knew he would only have once chance to get him. If he missed, Rachel could die.
"Tell me how much you want and I can get it. I just need proof that she's unharmed first."
Deckland was thinking about it while Alex looked over his shoulder at where Rachel was sitting inside the office. She wasn't restrained, but she couldn’t escape without risking that Deckland might hurt them both. She sat there, watching the two of them from the other side of that window.
"What kind of proof?" Deckland asked. "I won't let you take her along."
"A note, then. She can write a note to her father to prove she is alive."
"Very well. Wait here." Deckland started to turn, but then looked back at him. "If you try to best me I will slit her throat where you can watch."
From where he stood Alex could see Deckland approaching Rachel and finding a piece of paper from the desk. He shoved a pen into her hand, but she shook her head in refusal. Deckland smacked her across the face, and Alex almost ran in. He caught her eye and she shook her head. She didn't fight anymore, but wrote something quickly on the piece of paper.
"You married a woman with a fiery temper." Deckland said, smiling as he brought the paper to Alex as he stood in the street. "I can only imagine how she might be in the bedroom. Perhaps that is how I will pass the time while you are getting my money."
That comment was taking things too far and Alex could no longer pretend to play nice. As Deckland reached out to give him the paper Alex grabbed him by the arm, pulling him forward and twisting the arm behind Deckland's back. He felt the sting of his earlier wound and it only fueled his anger more.
Deckland struggled, trying to reach inside his coat for the knife, but Alex had a firm grip on him making it difficult to move. Finally, he calmed down, huffing air out between his teeth.
"What are you doing? Don't you care about her safety?" Deckland asked between breathes.
"I'm guaranteeing her safety."
"You think so? You think I left her in there alone?"
Through the glass, Alex watched as another man appeared, one that he hadn't seen in there before. Rachel showed nothing to indicate she was aware the man was there. She was focused on watching Alex on the outside of the shop. The mysterious man held up a knife to catch the glint of the candle light. It was enough to make Alex loosen his grip and Deckland got free. He didn't hesitate to turn the tables on Alex, swinging an arm out to punch him in the man's ribs. The blow landed in the same place where Alex had been stabbed, knocking the wind out of him. The pain was sharp and searing.
"I tried to warn you not to do something like that, but you didn't listen." Deckland pulled him in close to whisper in his ear. "Now I'm going to have to kill that beautiful wife of yours while you bleed to death."
Deckland pulled Alex toward the building while he struggled to stay on his feet. The warm blood was flowing again and soaking through his shirt even though he pressed his hands there in an attempt to stop it. He was badly hurt and didn't know what he could do to help Rachel like this.
"Boss." The other man inside the office said as they entered.
Rachel was being silent as he held her by the back of her head. Her eyes were wide and wet with tears. She was biting her lip which kept her from calling out to him.
"Change of plans. We are going to be leaving sooner than expected. Please go make sure the boat is ready." Deckland spoke quickly and decisively.
The burly man grunted something before letting Rachel go and disappearing out the back. The distance between them didn't stop him from noticing the way she trembled in her seat. He reached out for her but in his weakened state, he only stumbled and fell to his knees in front of her.
"Look at what an adorable couple you are." Deckland commented as he circled around the pair. "I would almost think you had genuine feelings for each other."
Rachel slid from her seat to kneel on the floor with him, placing her cool hands on his face. Alex closed his eyes, savoring the soothing feel of it. When he opened them, he stared into the warm, dark depths of her gaze. He wished he had the strength to tell her how much she meant to him, but his lips wouldn't move.
"How could you?" Rachel yelled at Deckland. "You have killed him."
"No, I stabbed him. The blood loss will kill him."
"You bastard!"
Deckland just laughed. Rachel started to move, to attack the man, but Alex placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her. He knew first-hand what Deckland was capable of. He wanted to get Rachel out of the office as quickly as possible and he needed her to remain calm in order to do that. Attacking Deckland would do them no good at this point.
"It wasn't my first plan, but Alex decided he didn't want to go get my money. He made me do that to him."
Alex could see how angry Rachel was by the bright flush in her cheeks. He remembered how often he had caused that reaction in her. Softly he squeezed her shoulder, reminding her that she wasn’t alone and reassuring her that he was still alive. He didn’t know how much longer he was going to be able to hang on, but for her he would struggle for his life.
"It wasn't enough for you to take everything from him the first time, but now you want his life as well? What kind of monster are you?" Rachel turned to stare at Alex while speaking to Deckland.
"I wish I had taken his life then. If I had, he wouldn't have married you and you wouldn't be in this unfortunate situation."
Rachel was gazing at him with such concern and the wetness of tears in her eyes. Seeing her in such pain made his stomach clench. It made his own pain worsen.
"Let her go." Alex said, his voice sounded breathless.
"I'm sorry, but I can't risk her alerting the authorities before I am able to make my escape. It seems you two are going to have to remain here until I am safely away."
"Fine, then just go." Rachel said.
Deckland just laughed. "Do you think I'm a fool? I know that you will follow me, and I know a lock wouldn't be enough to stop you. Considering where you work, I don't doubt you are able to pick a lock."
"You can't tie him up like this. He's bleeding to death."
"I'm not going to tie you up. I'm just going to make sure that you can't leave."
Alex didn’t like the way that sounded and the look on Deckland’s face was worse. Rachel wasn’t frightened and as Decklnad moved closer she spat at him. With a growl Deckland grabbed for her, pulling her up to stand in front of him. He shook her hard enough to make her head wobble.
“Think you’re going to save him? Get the best of me like you did before?” Deckland’s face was red and mottled. “I’m afraid you’re not in your precious card room now. You are just a weak little women out here.”
He shouldn’t have said that. Rachel went from being compliant to furious. Alex saw her lean her head back then smash her forehead into Deckland’s face.
“Bitch!” Deckland was yelling now. “I should slit your throat and let you die in front of him.”
It looked like he was going to do just that, pulling the knife out again. Only he slid the blade across one of her cheeks, leaving a bright red like on the soft skin. Then he threw her to the ground beside Alex. She showed no sign of fear as she touched the blood on her face but Alex was frightened enough for them both.
"You had to make this difficult by trying to fight." Deckland removed a bottle from the drawer of the desk, and when he pulled the cork, Alex could smell strong spirits from it. "Alex used to be much more compliant to deal with. Now I'm going to have to make things messy."
Deckland poured the spirits from the bottle all over the desk behind them. The smell was so strong Rachel choked on it and coughed. Alex tried to think ahead of the villain, but his mind was too busy trying to not let him die from the stab wound. He didn't understand what was happening until Deckland picked up the candle.
"I hate to run like this, but now I have no choice. I'm afraid you won't be able to follow since you will be trying to escape the fire. Best of luck." Deckland held out the flame and released it before leaving out the back door, closing it and locking it with a loud click.
Alex reached for the candle, attempting to catch it before it hit the desk and ignoring his pain, but was it too late. The old piece of wood lit up with flames. The room was small and full of old, dried furniture so that the fire spread around quickly. Alex was too weak to stand on his own, but Rachel could, and he urged her to run by pushing her in the direction of the door. Instead, the stubborn woman was trying to help him to his feet while the fire moved past them and toward the door.
"Go." He managed to get the one word past his lips.
"Not without you." she replied, wiping her forehead with her hand and leaving a mark of dirt across it.
Alex could see that their small window of escape was closing and the fire had spread too far for them to get around. Smoke was filling the air and both of them were coughing against it. It wouldn't be much longer before they succumbed to the fire and perished. Alex felt Rachel drop his weight, and through the smoke, watched as she grabbed the chair she had been in.
"Get back!" she called to him, just before she threw the chair at the large glass window.
The glass shattered and Alex felt the air being sucked out from behind him. Hot air moved across his face, almost burning his skin. Rachel was there, lifting him with all the strength she could, and he put all of his energy into helping with the escape. As he leaned on her and they moved through the broken window, he wondered if any other woman who could have done what she did. The answer was no.
"Can you breathe?" That was the first question she asked as she laid him on the ground away from the fire.
He couldn't speak, but he nodded and looked up at her. There were tears in her eyes and streaks of them down her cheeks. He reached up without thinking and touched her face. That made her give a watery smile, and she leaned in to kiss him. These might be his last moments of life, and there was nothing he would rather be doing in them.
"Alex!"
He heard someone calling his name in the distance. Looking up he found Thomas, Gerald, and Mitchum running toward him from Thomas's carriage. His head was beginning to get dizzy and he couldn't raise himself as they approached.
"What happened?" Thomas asked.
Thomas knelt beside Alex, using his cane as a guide. He pressed his hands against him, looking for injuries, and he found the stab wound. Thomas pulled his hand back, sticky with warm blood.
“We were being held in that building by Deckland. He set fire to it before running away and we barely managed to get out alive.” Rachel let the words rush out. “Alex was stabbed at the club but the wound has gotten worse. I’m afraid he’s lost too much blood.”
"Go get the doctor." Thomas told Gerald. "Take my carriage so he knows I sent you. You must hurry."
Gerald hesitated, looking at Rachel with an intense gaze.
"Father, go!"
Alex had never heard her call Gerald “father” before, and the man looked just as surprised by it. He nodded and left, Mitchum remained behind to assist. Thomas got up from his knees and dusted off his hands.
"Did Deckland go out this way?" he asked Rachel.
"No, he lit the place and then went out the back. He told his man to get the boat ready."
"I imagine he is planning to run." Thomas looked grim. "There are too many places along the river for him to be. We don't have time to search it all."
Alex knew exactly where the boat in question would be because he had used the same dock more than once in his wilder years. He raised his arm, pointing in the direction Deckland would have gone but Thomas wouldn't be able to see that.
"I think Lord Andrews wishes us to go south of here to look." Rachel saw what he was trying to tell them.
"I don't want to leave you two alone."
"Go. We will be fine. Just stop that man before he hurts anyone else.”
Rachel's face was flushed and covered in dirt mixed with blood, but her voice was firm and calm. Alex felt completely safe with her. He nodded to Mitchum that he wanted them to go. Once the two men were gone, Alex and Rachel were alone again.
Watching Rachel as his eyes grew heavy, Alex realized that he wanted to tell her how he felt before he lost the chance to. He tried to get his lips to work or his throat to produce sound, but nothing came out. He tried to reach out to her but his arm was limp at his side.
"Don't struggle." Rachel said, her cool palm wiping his hair away from his eyes. "You don't need to tell me anything right now. Just wait until the doctor comes and save your strength."
He didn't know how long it would take Gerald to return, but it could be longer than he had. If he couldn't tell her the truth in his heart, then he was going to memorize her face and take that image with him. That was the last thing he remembered before the darkness swallowed him up.