Taken By Storm Part 27

"We need more information," she advised, attempting to calm his agitation while understanding it. He was

a man who took decisive action, but more thought was called for in this situation, and besides, she didn't want to see him imprisoned, especially not by the Earl of Balford.

"Which we can learn from her," he said with a wave of his hand.

"I don't think that is a wise course of action. Foreigners asking too many questions aren't well received.

What we need to do is piece together what we already know and add to it. Then we can make a better judgment call."

Burke stripped off his waistcoat and rolled up his sleeves. "What do we have?"

Storm's glance gently fell over Burke. He was so very different from her Daniel in features, but alike when it came to protecting her. Burke had certainly taken a firm stance on that when he had stepped in

front of the man with the whip. He had made it clear that no one would hurt her and he had done so with confidence.

At that very moment when he had stepped around her, blocked her from harm, she realized that he

would do anything to keep her safe, even placing his own life in jeopardy.

"Storm?"

She stared up at him as he stroked her arms.

"Are you all right? You looked to have drifted away."

His tender touch sent a tingle through her. It spread a warm heat throughout every part of her body,

warning that pa.s.sion was close behind.

She stepped away from him. "I'm fine. Lost in thought is all."

"Good thoughts?"

His crooked smile warned that her answer could prove to sidetrack them from their present

conversation. While her body alerted her to its readiness, her mind cautioned that the matter of his brother needed attention now.

"Your brother's name was finally mentioned, so it tells us that he has been or may still be in the area."

"You're right. This is the first time someone actually has mentioned him by name." Burke rubbed his chin. "Peter mentioned that I resembled the prisoner and Lady Alaina spoke of my resemblance to Cullen. That means the two very well could be one. Cullen must be the man being held prisoner by the Earl of Balford."

"Did you notice the tears in Lady Alaina's eyes when she spoke Cullen's name?"

"Yes, I did," Burke admitted anxiously. "She's obviously upset by his imprisonment. Perhaps they were friends." Storm shook her head slowly. "There's only one reason a woman would shed tears when speaking of a man."

"And that is?"

"Love."

Burke dropped down into the chair. "Something invaluable was stolen from the earl, isn't that what we

were told?"

Storm sat on the cus.h.i.+oned stool beside Burke. "His daughter's heart was stolen. She must have fallen inlove with Cullen, a man beneath her station.""But why imprison him? Why not just s.h.i.+p him off to another country?""I don't know, but keep your distance from the Earl of Balford until we can figure this out.""Why?" Burke asked. "I could offer to take Cullen back to America with me and his problem would be solved."

"Would you leave the woman you loved if presented with such an offer?"

Storm grew uneasy with the way his dark eyes rested on her, holding firm as if they refused to let go.

"Never!"

"Then I think we can safely a.s.sume that your brother would have an identical response. If he and Lady

Alaina truly love each other, one is not going to let the other go. They will fight for their love, and the only victor in this battle will be the Earl of Balford."

"You're sure of that?"

"Believe me. I know the earl well."

Burke's eyes narrowed. "Lady Alaina thought you looked familiar as well. Why is that?"

Storm clenched her hands as that storm-ravaged night came back to her in full force. Before she could find her voice, Burke stood, took her hands in his, and gently guided her to the chair. Then he sat on a stool he pulled in front of her.

"Tell me, Storm."

He squeezed her hand, offering comfort and courage, and she began her story.

"My husband, Daniel, and I had a small plot of land. We were happy, content in our own world, with

ourselves. Then one day the landlord claimed that half of our land did not belong to us. The land he proposed to rob us of was ready for harvest and would have provided us with sufficient food for the coming winter and enough to pay our tenant rent."

She took a breath, and she was relieved that Burke kept hold of her hands. His touch was warm and so very comforting.

"Naturally, Daniel protested, but the landlord had him imprisoned for a ridiculous charge. Fees for his imprisonment mounted, and without the harvest to sell at market, I was penniless."

She choked on her words and the memories they evoked.

"Take your time," Burke encouraged.

"The landlord took pleasure in making his prisoners suffer and more so if the family did not provide him with extra coins." Tears welled in her eyes and she sniffed them back. She had cried endlessly then; she didn't want to cry anymore. It did her no good, served no purpose, and hadn't brought her husband back to her.

"I watched my Daniel grow thinner and thinner from hunger, the little food I snuck to him not sufficient to maintain his abused body."

"Was there no one who could help you?"

"Tanin," she said on a tear and wiped it away. "His Ellie had been imprisoned simply because the landlord had taken a fancy to her, and he was not about to let her spend one night in that cell."

"He helped you?"

"I found out his intentions to free his wife and asked if I could join him." She choked on her laughter. "He thought me a fool. What could a pint-sized woman do?"

"I guess he found out fast enough," Burke said with a grin.

"I did surprise him, freeing his Ellie with ease and then..." She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried without success to quell the vivid memories that rushed through her mind. "Daniel took his last breath in my arms." Storm bit at her lip to stop it from quivering. "His-" She choked back the sobs that wanted to rip from her throat. "His last words to me were-" She paused to regain control. "'I knew you'd come for me. I knew you wouldn't let me die here.'"

Tears flooded her eyes but she contained them. "Tanin carried Daniel out of the prison and into the woods. He carried Daniel all the way to the ruins of the old church and he helped me bury him there. A fitting place to say good-bye, since it was our second anniversary."

"I'm so very sorry," Burke said.

"If I had been a day or two sooner, perhaps I could have saved him. I would have tended him day and night until he was well. I would have never left his side. I would have-"

"Shhh, Storm," Burke said, placing his hand gently on her cheek. "You did what you could."

"I didn't do enough. I let my husband die." Tears rolled down her cheek, and before she could wipe them away, Burke stopped her and gently eased them off her face with his thumb.

"You did all that you possibly could and Daniel knew that. He told you so himself before he died."

"He didn't have to die."

"No, he didn't, but it wasn't your fault that he did. It was the landlord's greed and brutality that killed Daniel," Burke said. "Tanin has told me as much many times and though I know it is so, it doesn't help ease the pain in my heart."

A knock at the cabin door broke them apart, and Burke bid the caller to enter.

"Supper will be ready shortly, sir," Douglas said. "May I see to preparing the cabin?"

"I could use some fresh air," Storm said and grabbed her bonnet and jacket.

Twilight was claiming the horizon as Storm emerged on the deck of the s.h.i.+p. She wanted a brief distance

between her and Burke, but he would have none of that, reaching out and hooking her arm in his."You don't run from me, Storm. It's your memories that chase you."She grew annoyed and tried to yank her arm free, but his grip was too strong."Get mad if you wish, but you're not going anywhere. You'll stay here beside me.""Is that a command?""Must it be? I offer my friends.h.i.+p, my concern, my empathy for your plight. I do not wish to see you go off alone to suffer your memories. Share them with me so that your pain is eased."

No one had so bluntly offered such friends.h.i.+p to her. Her men cared for and respected her, but none

dared speak so boldly to her. Burke spoke his mind and made no excuses for it. He wore his honesty as boldly as he spoke it, and, strangely enough, his direct manner comforted her.

"I have not shared memories of my husband with anyone since his death."

"Then I say it is about time you do. It is good for the soul to release its burden now and again, and I

daresay your burden has been a heavy one to bear."

The twilight glistened off his dark brown eyes and highlighted the few wrinkles that fanned the corners of

his eyes. She favored the thin lines, for they spoke of a man who had weathered the elements and survived, a man strong in nature and conviction.

"Daniel would have liked you." Her remark surprised her for it was the truth.

"I believe I would have liked Daniel. Tell me more of him."

Storm had shared laughter and tears with Burke by the time they returned to the cabin for supper. He

had been right-speaking of her husband had served as a catharsis for her, finally allowing her to shed

some of her pent-up pain.

She was enthralled by the lavish display that had been prepared. Pewter plates and goblets dressed a table draped in fine white linen while a white china tureen was the centerpiece of the table. The smell of fresh fish stew permeated the air along with freshly baked bread, and an array of cheeses and fruits.