Forever, Victoria by Dorothy Garlock

Author:Dorothy Garlock [Garlock, Dorothy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, General, Fiction, Historical, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9780759522688
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2001-04-12T06:23:55+00:00

* * *

Nellie floated back out of the black cloud that enveloped her. From somewhere in her subconscious, she grasped the fact she was lying on the floor and that her mouth hurt. As awareness returned so did terror. She put her hand to her mouth, then looked at it numbly. Blood! Panic came roaring in to take possession of her. The man! She looked around frantically as she pushed herself off the floor. Where was he? Oh, dear God, please let me get out of here before he comes back! With a startled cry she staggered to the door and out to the porch.

“Ruby! Ruby!” she stumbled and fell off the back step, landing hard on her knees. “Ruby!” she screamed. She picked herself up, made it to the rail fence and fell again. Shaking her head, she got to her feet and tried to run. She had taken only two steps when a pair of strong arms enfolded her.

Sobbing hysterically, she clung desperately to the man before her. Her face was ghostly white amid the masses of dark hair. She darted fearful glances back toward the house.

Between sobs she choked out snatches of words. “A . . . man! There’s . . . a man. He . . . gra-grabbed . . .” She raised her tearstained face and looked up into a serious face and troubled blue eyes.

“Nellie! What happened? What man?”

Tears streamed down her face and mingled with the blood on her lips. She had clutched Sage around the waist and couldn’t let go. She buried her face against his chest, wracked once more with wild, terrified sobs.

Sage had seen her run from the house, fall down and run again. Before he could reach her she had fallen the second time. He scarcely remembered running to her. But now he held her and stroked her hair.

“What man, Nellie? Who did this to you?” A primitive rage was building in him.

“He . . . was in the . . . house!” Nellie struggled to bring some semblance of order to her words. Two strong arms were holding her against a broad chest. She was safe here!

Sage began to pull away from her. “You’re all right, now. I’ll go see—”

“No! Please!” The ordeal had sapped the strength from her and her legs began to crumble.

Sage bent and picked her up in his arms. Her head fell back against his shoulder. He carried her toward Ruby’s cabin, bewildered, enraged, acutely conscious of how frail and delicate the girl he carried in his arms was.

Ruby and Dora saw him coming and hurried to meet him.

“What’s the matter with Nellie? Is she sick again?” Dora reached Sage first. “What’re you carryin’ her for? Can’t she walk?”

“Land sakes, Sage! What in tarnation’s happened?” Ruby was out of breath from hurrying, shocked at seeing Sage coming across the yard with Nellie in his arms. She noted the cold fury—killing fury—on his face and her heart took a frightened leap.

“I don’t know, but look at her face.

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