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A SMALL FLICKER OF light shone in the distance. Tension eased from Alex’s body at the sight of it. The agonizing scream of a woman pierced the air, sending shivers down his spine. He answered the scream with a guttural roar of pain and blazing hot rage. They would feel every ounce of pain they caused Soleil ten times over.
He spurred his horse into a reckless gallop. The stallion’s chest heaved under the strain of the faster pace after their journey thus far, but Alex pushed him hard.
Alex listened for another scream, but he heard nothing. What if they had killed her? Fear gripped his heart. His clammy, sweat-slicked hands made it hard to hold the reins as the stallion careened through the darkness toward the cabin. Alex said a silent prayer that Soleil would not be dead when he found her.
Alex leapt from the horse before it had even stopped in front of the cabin. His heart pounded in his ears like the rapid beat of a tribal drum. He sprinted up to the tiny porch and burst through the door.
His vision clouded with murderous rage at the sight that greeted him. Soleil hung from the ceiling, arms bound by a chain, her head hanging limp as if in supplication. Her hair blocked her face from his view.
Vivian sprang from the chair she had occupied, backing away from him. He had been so focused on Soleil he hadn’t noticed her until she moved.
Eyes wide, hands held high in surrender, her body trembled with fear under his vicious scrutiny. "Alex, I... I...” she stammered, “I did this for you. I wanted...”
Her words were cut short by Alex’s open hand striking her across the face. Vivian stumbled backward as her hand flew to her reddening cheek.
Alex felt more beast than man in that moment, and was relieved he had been able to restrain his hand from becoming a fist. He had never raised a hand to a woman in his life. Vivian had been like a mother to him, which made her betrayal even harder to bear. "None of what you have done was for me. If you truly cared for me as you claim, you never would have struck at the woman who is my heart. You are to never set foot on my property from this day forward. If I see you again, I will not be so kind as to let you live."
As Alex spoke each word, he knew at the core of his existence that he meant each one of them.
As he glared down at Vivian, a door at the side of the cabin opened and a man entered carrying a bucket of water. The man looked from Alex to Vivian and immediately readied himself to attack. He threw the bucket at Alex's face and charged him.
Alex lifted his arms to deflect the bucket, leaving himself open as his attacker took him low in the midsection. They fell to the floor with the man on top of Alex.
As the man lifted his fist to punch, Alex flipped them, landing two punches to the man's face. The man bucked his hips, throwing Alex off him and quickly scrambling to his feet.
Alex stayed on the floor, clipping the man’s feet from underneath him. The man fell back and hit his head against a wooden block. He lay unmoving on the ground.
Not caring if his attacker was dead or alive, Alex quickly got up and pulled the key ring from the man's belt. He unlocked the chains around Soleil's ankles, holding onto her as he unlocked the chains around her wrists.
She fell limply into his arms. He held her tightly to him. Shallow breaths passed through her lips, ruffling his shirt. He thanked God she was alive, and tried to coax her awake. "Soleil, please open your eyes for me. Please."
Her eyes remained closed, but she made a sound barely above a whisper. She repeated the whisper again. Alex bent his ear to her lips. He listened harder as she repeated the words over and over.
"S'il vous plaît, pas plus."
Alex did not understand her words, but was glad she was able to speak at all. He gathered her in his arms and ran from the cabin without a second look back at Vivian, who still stood frozen, holding her face in shock.
It was hard mounting his horse with Soleil in his arms, but he managed and began the journey back the way he had come. He could not push the horse as fast as he had coming, but he kept him moving at a quick clip.
Instead of returning to his home, he guided the horse in the direction of Doctor Smith's house. It was late and he would probably be in bed, but Alex couldn't wait until the morning. There was so much blood, and he needed to know that Soleil was going to be okay.
Soleil remained semiconscious for the entire ride. Every so often Alex heard her whisper something in French, but could not understand what she said. When he finally arrived at the doctor's house, he dismounted, cradling Soleil in his arms as if she might break.
He ran up the porch steps and pounded on the door with his foot. A few minutes later a light appeared inside. The door opened to reveal a short, middle-aged man in his early fifties who appeared completely undisturbed by the intrusion.
Before Alex could even speak, the man stepped to the side and said, "Come in. Take her to the first door on the left."
Alex did as instructed. When he entered the room, it was plainly decorated with cream walls, a few chairs, and a small bed in the middle.
He laid Soleil in the bed facing him on her side, and pulled up a chair next to her. He looked down at her bloody and bruised body, hating himself. He had left her alone and vulnerable so he could go to a gala with another woman and socialize with people he hardly cared for. It was his fault she was in this bed.
The doctor came into the room with a tray of bottles, bandages, and medical instruments. He walked around the bed to the side opposite of Alex. He placed the tray on the side table and pulled up a chair. Alex watched as the doctor brushed Soleil's hair over her shoulder and parted the cut fabric of her dress to have full access to her wounded back.
He reached for a bottle and cloth from the tray and looked up at Alex. "I need you to hold her hands. I have to clean the wounds, and this will probably hurt her."
Alex did as the doctor requested, cursing himself that she would have to endure even more pain. As the doctor poured the liquid over her back, Soleil's face contorted in pain until she was finally torn from her unconsciousness.
She scanned the room, her eyes unseeing and wild and filled with abject terror. She snatched her hands from Alex's and tried to rise from the bed, shouting, "Laissez-moi! Ne me touchez pas!"
Alex held her down, which only made her fight more. "Soleil, calm down. You are safe. It is Alex. I'm here with you. You are safe."
Her eyes focused on Alex's face and confusion began to give way to recognition. She allowed him to lay her back down without protest. "Alex? Where am I?"
Alex stroked her un-bruised cheek and tried to keep his voice even and calm. "I brought you to a doctor. All is well."
Soleil looked over her shoulder into the smiling face of Dr. Smith.
"Hello, my dear. It seems you have been through a very rough night, and I am going to help you get better."
Soleil nodded and turned back to Alex. She allowed her head to melt into the bed’s soft mattress before she gave into the pain, both physical and emotional, and wept. "I thought I would never see you again. Where is Hope?"
Alex rubbed her arm and held her hand again, offering what little comfort he could. "I will never let that happen. She is safe at home with Miss Eliza."
Dr. Smith resumed his work, wiping the blood from her back. She lay still for the most part, occasionally wincing in pain.
"The worst is over,” the doctor said in a calming voice. “A few stitches and you will be fine. Alex, if you don't mind, would you step out while I finish up? It should not take long, but you look like you could use some air."
Alex hesitated, not wanting to leave Soleil's side.
She squeezed his hand in reassurance. "I am sure I am in good hands."
Alex rose from his seat and walked to the door. He could not bring himself to speak with all the emotions clogging his throat. Once outside the room with the door closed behind him, Alex leaned against the wall and sank to the floor. Knowing that Soleil was going to be all right, he finally gave in to the storm of emotions flooding through him and laid his head in his hands and wept.
~*~
TWENTY MINUTES LATER, the doctor emerged from the room.
Alex wiped the tears from his face and rose to his feet. "Is she all right?"
The doctor placed a comforting hand on Alex's shoulder. "She is doing excellently. The amount of blood made the wounds look worse than they were. She only needed a few stitches and bandages for the rest. She is sleeping, if you would like to go in."
Alex shook the man's hand. "Thank you, doctor. And the reason..."
"That is none of my concern. I am here to heal those in need. I have known you since you were a young boy, and know you have a kind heart and would do her no harm. Now, I am going to salvage what little of the night remains. You are more than welcome to stay with her for the remainder of the evening. I will check on you in the morning, and if all is well, I will have my carriage take you home."
Alex thanked the doctor again and entered Soleil's room. The sheets had been changed and she now wore a soft, white sleeping gown. She still lay on her side and looked peaceful sleeping with her head on her folded hands.
Alex took off his boots and climbed into the bed beside her, cradling her head to his chest. The tip of her head rested just below his chin, and he could feel her warm breath on his neck. Holding her in his arms, he whispered into her ear, "I love you with every fiber of my being. I promise I'll never let you be hurt again. I will handle this entire situation. No harm will threaten you or Hope ever again.”
~*~
AFTER A FINAL EXAMINATION by Dr. Smith, Soleil was given clearance to travel home. Alex took the doctor’s offer to use his carriage to ease the strain of the journey on her wounds. He was eager to get Soleil in bed and resting again.
During the entire ride home Alex held Soleil in his lap, cradling her in his arms as if she were a delicate piece of china. The doctor’s care instructions ran repeatedly through Alex’s mind, afraid as he was of forgetting even the tiniest detail. He would need to change her bandages later that evening, and he wanted to make it as painless a process as possible.
Alex looked down into Soleil's sleeping face. She had been in and out of sleep the entire ride. She usually only stirred when the carriage hit a bump in the road and disturbed her wounds.
He stroked the top of her head. He still couldn't believe that he had been blessed with such a gift. He did not deserve this amazing woman, but he would spend the rest of his life trying to be worthy.
As they neared the house, Alex saw a ripple in the curtains on the front window. A few moments later, Hope ran out the front door. She stood on the front steps, bouncing with pent-up energy.
As soon as the carriage pulled to a stop she was at the door, trying to pull it open. "Maman! Maman! Are you there?"
"Stand back, little one, so I can open the door. Then you can see your maman," Alex said with a gentle tone.
Hope quickly did as instructed, and Alex opened the carriage door and emerged carrying Soleil.
"Maman! Are you hurt?"
Soleil stirred at the sound of her daughter’s voice. She reached out a shaky hand for Hope to hold. "I am fine, mon amour."
"You are hurt. Your face is hurt," Hope said, assessing her mother.
"Nothing that won't heal in time."
Hope shifted her uncertain gaze from Soleil to Alex. "Why is Maman hurt, Papa?"
Soleil opened her mouth to speak and shift the focus of Hope’s question. "Hope, I..."
"No, it is fine,” Alex interrupted, cutting off Soleil’s response. “I will answer her question."
Accusation and pain radiated from the little girl’s eyes as her gaze met Alex’s. He would never harm a single hair on Soleil’s head, but he understood her doubt after seeing her mother roughly handled at the hands of another man.
"You know Miss Vivian?"
"The mean lady who wanted to hurt me and Maman?"
Alex nodded his head. "Well, Miss Vivian was mad at your maman and me, so she wanted to punish us."
"Were you naughty?"
"In Miss Vivian's mind we were. You see, some people think I shouldn't love your maman because she has darker skin than mine. But I love both you and your maman with all my heart."
"What is wrong with her skin?" Hope gazed appraisingly between Soleil, Alex, and herself.
"To me there is nothing wrong with it. In fact, I think it one of the most beautiful things about her. Some people, however, don't think the way I do. But it is my job and your job to love everyone equally, no matter the color of their skin. And perhaps one day everyone else will also realize that there is nothing wrong with darker skin. Can you do that with me?"
Hope vigorously nodded.
"Good. Now let's get your maman inside."
Soleil watched the entire exchange between the two most important people in her life, and was struck speechless. The care Alex took in explaining everything to Hope touched the deepest part of her heart and soul. She would love this man until the day she died, with every fiber of her being. Even the tenderness he showed her as he walked with her into the house pulled at her heart strings.
When they made it to her room, Soleil was elated to be able to finally lay in her bed. The small interaction with Hope had nearly drained all her energy.
Hope climbed into the bed next to her mother and lay beside her with her small hand over her mother's heart.
“If you need anything, I will not be far,” Alex said as he kissed each of them on the forehead.
Soleil was so exhausted, all she could do was make a small mewling noise in the back of her throat in response. Her eyes drifted closed before Alex had even left the room.