Love Sneaked In (Montgomery Family Trilogy) (40 page)

Sanderford gently pushed her back down on the bed, pulled the covers over her and said with more force, “Helen, it’s
me
, Henry, your brother. Please just lie down and try to go to sleep. You need to allow whatever they gave you to wear off. Come on, sweetheart, go to sleep.”

“Henry? Where…where’s Matthew? I need him.
Please
go get him for me. I want my husband. Is he here? Why didn’t he bid for me?
Please
find Matthew for me.” Helen started crying and rubbing herself all over the bed. She again kicked off the covers as she writhed in agony.

Sanderford ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Matthew’s downstairs. I’ll see if I can sneak him up here, but it won’t be easy. I’m sure that Madame Lucille is having this room watched.”

Sanderford went to the door and opened it. As he looked around, he saw a huge, roughly dressed man standing at the end of the hall with his back turned. He sneaked up on him, took a wall sconce off the wall, and knocked him out. He carefully made his way back downstairs. He caught Matthew’s eyes and motioned for him to come upstairs.

Matthew casually made his way around to the stairs and slipped up them without being seen. Sanderford led him to the room where Helen was and opened the door. They both entered the room, and when Helen saw Matthew, she started to cry even harder. She jumped out of bed and ran into his arms.

Helen looked at Matthew and cried, “Matthew…I’ve been so scared. Where are my babies? They took them away and told me that they were taking them to a…a baby farm. Please tell me my babies are all right!”

Matthew held her in his arms and gently rubbed her back. “Our sons are fine. I found them before they were ever taken there. The wet nurse is taking care of them, and they’re thriving. I’ve been so worried about you. We’ve been searching for weeks trying to find you. We even hired a Bow Street Runner to help us. Are you all right? Old Maude told us that you had been beaten, but that she had treated your wounds.”

Helen’s voice shook. “It was awful. A man named Louis abducted me. He grabbed me from my bed, and before I had a chance to scream, he knocked me out. I woke up in an abandoned cottage, and my babies were gone! He gagged me and tied me up for the entire trip. I didn’t know where he was taking me, and my breasts ached from not having the babies to feed. Now my milk has dried up, and I won’t be able to nurse our sons!” Helen buried her head against Matthew’s chest and sobbed.

Sanderford stopped Helen before she could finish her story. “Helen, I’m sorry. I know you need to talk about what’s happened, but we need to figure out how to get you out of here right now. That man I knocked out will regain consciousness soon, so we need to act fast. Do you know of any way to get out of this building, other than the front stairs?”

“Yes, we can go down the back stairs and out the servant’s entrance,” Helen explained. “That’s how they brought me in.”

Sanderford nodded. “I saw the back stairs. Let me just check to see if the coast is clear.”

Just as soon as he left the room, Helen started rubbing herself all over Matthew. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her breast. “Please, Matthew, I
need
you so badly. My body’s on fire, and it’s painful.
Please
make love to me.”

Matthew tried to calm her down. “My darling, you’ll need to wait just a little while. I’ll give you relief soon. Just bear with me a little while longer, and I’ll take care of you.”

Sanderford came back into the room and motioned for Matthew and Helen to follow him. He looked so embarrassed when he saw Helen rubbing herself all over Matthew. Matthew gave him a strained look, but nodded his head in agreement that they would follow. Sanderford led them down the back stairs and tried the door. It was locked.

Turning to Matthew, Sanderford said, “We need to find something to pry this door open. Collingswood, go down that hall and see if you can find anything. I’ll protect Helen.”

Matthew went down the hall until he came to a closed door. He slowly opened it and saw that it was a storage closet. Rummaging around, he found a long metal pipe that had a sharp point on the end. He picked it up hurried back down the hall. Before he turned the corner, someone grabbed him from behind and started choking him.

Matthew swung the pipe, hitting the man on the side of his head. The blow took his assailant by surprise, and Matthew was able to break loose. He turned around and hit the man squarely on the jaw, and he fell to the floor. Matthew checked to make sure the man was unconscious before hurrying back to Sanderford and Helen. When he got back to them, he went to work on the door. Once they had the door open, they slipped out into an alley that ran beside the building. They cautiously made their way toward the street.

Just as they were getting ready to turn the corner that would lead them to the carriage, a man burst out of the door and started running toward them. Matthew still had the pipe in his hand, so he swung it at the man. This time the man was ready and blocked it. He grabbed Matthew by the neck and started choking him. Bringing his arms up between the man’s arms, Matthew broke his hold. He punched the man in the gut. His blow was answered by a solid punch to his jaw.

Matthew saw stars and felt sure he was going to pass out. He held on and took another swing at the man. This time his fist connected with the man’s jaw. He heard something crack, so he knew he had broken it. The man fell down, and this time Matthew didn’t check to see if the man was unconscious or not, he just took off running toward the carriage.

Sanderford already had Helen inside, so Matthew jumped in. He told the coachman to take off. “Sanderford, wait! Peter’s still in there. I’ve got to go back and get him. That man isn’t going to stay down long. Madame knows Peter and the others were with us and may try to detain them.”

Sanderford had the coachman stop once they turned the corner. “You can’t go back in there looking like that. We’ll get the door attendant to get him and the others for us. I gave him enough of a bribe that I’m sure he’ll do it. Wait right here, and I’ll take care of it. If anyone starts to come at you, tell the coachman to go on, and I’ll find my own way back to Sanderford House.”

Matthew pulled Helen close and gently kissed her forehead. “Darling, I was so scared you were lost to me forever. I’m never going to let you out of my sight again!”

Lifting her face, Matthew kissed her, and Helen passionately returned his kiss. She couldn’t get close enough. She was still rubbing herself against him at every opportunity. “Please, Matthew. I need you so badly! My body aches with desire!”

Matthew did his best to sooth her. He gently stroked her back and shoulders as he rained kisses all over her face. “My love, we have to stop. Your brother will be back with Peter any minute. We’ll be home soon. I’ll take care of you when we get there.”

The door opened, and Sanderford and Peter got into the carriage. Sanderford told the coachman to take them back to Sanderford House. Matthew held Helen in his arms. whispering softly in Helen’s ear to try to calm her. Soon they arrived back at the house. Looking pleadingly at Sanderford, seeking his understanding, Matthew swept Helen up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to their rooms. Just as soon as he got the door closed, Helen grabbed him and started tearing off his clothing.

“Please, Matthew! I need you right now. Please help me.” Picking her up, he carried her to his bed. He pushed up her skirts and found her sweet spot. Pulling her bottom to the edge of the bed, he surged home. It was the most indescribably wonderful feeling in the world. Helen was writhing as he stroked in and out of her tight passage.

And to think that he had almost lost her…

Matthew watched her face flush with passion. Helen was panting as she splintered into a thousand pieces, the most powerful climax flinging her over the precipice into bliss. A husky sound rose in his throat as he filled her sweet passage with his seed. Falling to the side, he pulled her close as Helen sighed with contentment.

Soon, poor Helen was writhing and twisting as passion took her over again. Matthew loved her over and over again, until she finally fell into a deep sleep. Matthew watched Helen as she slept. He quietly prayed to God, thanking him for returning Helen to him, then fell into the most restful sleep he’d had since Helen had been taken.

Helen and Matthew slept until well past noon the next day. Matthew woke up first and lay there just looking at Helen. Her beautiful face was covered with cosmetics, but she still looked lovely to him. She was sweetly smiling in her sleep, so she must be having pleasant dreams. Helen snuggled up close to him, and he put his arms around her. It was as if they couldn’t get close enough to each other. Matthew knew that once she woke up, he’d have to tell her what he suspected about Cecilia, and he was afraid of her reaction.

After all…it was his fault she’d been taken.

Chapter 25

May 1821

Matthew watched as Helen began to wake up. She sighed and stretched. When she saw Matthew, she smiled. “Oh, thank goodness! It wasn’t just a dream! I really am safe!”

Matthew pulled her close. “Yes, darling, you’re safe and sound, and I’m never letting you go again. I’m so sorry you were abducted. I never should have left you and our sons alone.”

Helen looked up at him. “Matthew, you had to go to your sister. I hope she’s all right. I assumed she must be, since Peter was with you last night. I’m sorry I acted the wanton, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. Madame put something in my wine.”

“I wanted you as much as you wanted me, and besides, that must have been a powerful potion she gave you. The note was a forgery. Margaret isn’t, nor has she ever been, with child. They were shocked when I showed up and told them why I was there.”

“Tell me how you were able to find our sons so quickly?”

“Wells got in touch with the magistrate just as soon as they realized that you and the babies were missing. Someone had seen the two men with our sons. It was easy to pick up their trail, because they weren’t trying to cover their tracks at all. We found them just before Chard, Somerset.”

“Thank goodness you found them in time. I’ve been so worried about them. What happened when you confronted the men?”

Helen snuggled close as he continued with his story. “Peter and I quickly stopped them and got our sons away from them. One of the men got away, but I was able to capture the other. He told me that the man who hired him was taking you to London, and that he was going to sell you to a brothel. That’s why we began searching all the brothels in town.”

Helen looked puzzled. “The man who took me was named Louis, but I’d never seen him before. He never told me why he had taken me, but he alluded to someone else being behind it. I still don’t know who wanted me abducted. Have you been able to figure out who was behind this?”

Matthew lowered his head.

Oh God, he didn’t want to tell her.

She was going to hate him.

“God, I’m so sorry. It was my fault you were taken. Please don’t hate me…but I suspect Cecilia was the one who ordered you to be taken. Only we think that you were supposed to be killed—not abducted.”

Helen gasped. “Do you really think that was the plan? I think you’re right about Cecilia being behind this. She’s the only one that has a grudge against me.”

Gently stroking Helen’s shoulder, Matthew continued his tale. “The Bow Street Runner believed your abduction was tied to those accidents you had, and since it was my former mistress, she probably thought that if you and our sons were dead, that I would go back to her. Helen, I was so stupid. If I had just broken up with her before I came to London, none of this would have happened. I’ll understand if you do hate me. I deserve it.”

Helen looked at Matthew and stroked his cheek, touching the day’s growth of beard on his handsome face. “Matthew, I don’t hate you, but we can’t prove that Cecilia is the one who ordered everything. We’ll have to find Louis and get him to talk. That’s the only way we’ll get the proof.”

“I’ll find him. Then we’ll have the proof that she was behind this,” Matthew vehemently exclaimed, with great determination in his voice. “I’ll see her severely punished for what she has done!”

“I know you will. I had quite a bit of time to think while I was at that brothel,” Helen explained, “I realized that it wouldn’t have made any difference if you had broken it off with her before you came to London. She would have hated anyone you married, because she’s deranged. In her mind, it was my fault you broke up with her, and if I were dead, then you would come back to her. I’ve forgiven you because…I…I love you.”

Matthew felt a lump in his throat and tears filled his eyes. “I don’t deserve your love. You’re the most understanding and forgiving woman in the world. I love you deeply with every breath I take. When you were abducted, I finally understood why my father acted the way he did when my mother died, because I knew that if you were taken from me, a piece of me would have died also. I promise to love you for all eternity, Helen.”

Gathering Helen into his arms, he tenderly kissed her. Helen put her arms around his neck, and reached up, running her fingers through his silky hair as passion took over. He deepened their kiss and ran his hand gently over her breast. Kissing her neck, he nibbled his way down to her swollen breast. He took her turgid nipple into his mouth and gently sucked.

Matthew felt spirals of heat rush through his flesh and coil in his loins. Trailing kisses over her belly, he buried his face between her pretty thighs. Helen writhed and moaned as he licked her little bud, inhaling her sweet essence. Glancing up at Helen through heavy lidded eyes, he watched as she drifted into luscious, building pleasure.

Helen arched upward as incredible, thrilling waves broke over her, and she claimed her release. Feeling all-powerful, Matthew crawled up her beautiful body, and as he kissed her, he thrust deeply into her. His thrusts grew deeper and faster as passion took him to that place where true lovers find total bliss.