Mr. Fuller

"I hope that wasn't some sort of perverse game you two were playing Lady Marlton." Charlotte recognized Mr. Fuller's deep voice immediately; her abductor was in her bedroom standing just feet from where she lay spread prone on her bed with her blankets push aside and her nightgown pushed up to her underarms. "Even if it was, my Lady I won't apologize for ending it; this is no gentleman despite his fine horses and clothing and you are much better off without him." Charlotte couldn't agree more with Mr. Fuller's assessment of Jason Worthington, but at the moment she was preoccupied with pulling her gown back to her hips and the bedding over her legs. To her surprise the unlikely savior had the grace to turn his attention to Jason's limp body as she frantically tried to regain some small token of dignity.

After Charlotte's abduction and what she was able to discover about Black Brand's hideout, Mr. Fuller should have been fleeing as far from this shire and the armed men who were intent on his capture. Instead he was here, in her bedroom exactly when she needed a savior the most. How could it be that not one, but two men wound up in her bedroom in the middle of the night without any sort of invitation on her part?! She almost expected to find Lieutenant Easton longing by the door waiting for his turn with her as she lay on the bed.

"That was no game, Mr. Fuller." She winced slightly as she realized that she had just let Black Brand know that she had deduced his identity. "Mr. Worthington is a drunkard and a braggart and I thank-you for your timely, if most improper, appearance in my rooms."

Randy found himself chuckling at how quickly Lady Charlotte had recovered her sensibilities. Less than a minute ago this so-called gentleman had been forcing himself on her, and if had interpreted the man's last comment correctly was not only intending to **** her, but to take her in as painful a manner as he could. Now, this same remarkable young woman was admonishing him for the impropriety of climbing into her chamber through her window.

"Shall I leave him there, then?" He asked, pointing to Jason's half dressed muddy form lying on the floor. Randy recognized the well dressed gentleman who had been vocal in his pursuit of Black Brand. From the thickets at the top of Rainbow Falls Randy had watched this gentleman along with Marlton Major Talbot and fifty or so redcoats storm his home and set fire to those belongings of his that he did not have time to carry away. He had considered trying end his feud with Lord Marlton once and for by putting a ball through his heart, but shooting downward at a man in the dusk at a distance of over fifty paces was a dicey shot at best. Instead he had watched the hunters fan out to find him for the next several hours. In these woods that he knew so well, and under the cover of darkness all the advantages were with him.

Randy had shadowed Marlton and his party as they blundered through the woods searching with until they finally gave up and left the troop of infantrymen to continue searching while they made their way back to Marlton Manor. He had hoped to get a better shot, but he could not keep up with the mounted men. Instead he decided to surprise Lord Marlton in his estate, only to hear part of the vile exchange between Miss Marlton and her suitor.

This was not the nighttime visit he had hoped for when he climbed the walls of Marlton Manor, but thank God he had arrived when he did. Randy moved back to the open window and offered one final piece of advise before leaving. "You should inform your father or Major Talbot at once of this scoundrel's attack." To Randy's surprise Lady Marlton shook her head vehemently when he suggested alerting the proper authorities.

"No! I can't!" For the first time since he met Miss Charlotte Randy saw what looked like fear in her eyes. "If my father finds Jason in my room, then he'll have the excuse he needs to demand our marriage." She glanced at the door in alarm, and suddenly rose from the bed, swiftly crossed the room and locked the door as silently as she could before turning back to face him. "I wouldn't be surprised to find him pounding on my door in a few minutes so he can catch Jason and myself in that most delicate situation."

"Do you understand?" Lady Charlotte walked back to where Worthington lay **** on the floor by Randy's feet and looked down at the prone body. "I wouldn't be surprised if it was my father who encouraged Jason to do this in the first place."