“Yes, sir, my lord!” Waddington hopped to do his bidding as Matt hurried down the hall to his room.

With some difficulty, Matt finally managed to get the door to his room open, and then crossed the room to lay his lovely burden upon the softness of his bed. Matt carefully removed his coat from about her slim body and then covered her with a blanket to save her any embarrassment should she awaken. He lit his lamp and drew a chair up to the bedside to await the doctor’s arrival. It seemed an eternity before a knock came at his door.

“I’ve sent one of the kitchen boys for the doctor,” the innkeeper informed Matt when he answered.

“And the authorities?” Matt demanded sharply, blocking the innkeeper’s entrance into his room. For some reason, he felt the need to protect the woman from prying eyes.

“He’ll be getting them, too, on the way back,” the innkeeper assured him, trying to catch a glimpse of the female the nobleman had tucked into his bed. All he had seen when Matt had carried her through the dimly lighted taproom had been a tumble of raven hair. “What happened?”

“I had gone out for a walk…couldn’t sleep…and I heard her scream. There were two regulars…”

“Did you see them up close?” he asked with great interest.

“No, I only caught a glimpse of the backs of their uniforms as they ran off.” Matt glanced back toward the girl. “We’ll know more once she comes around. Send the doctor up as soon as he arrives.”

“Will you be needing anything else?”

“Bring some hot water and whatever else you think the physician will require,” he directed.

“I’ll be back.” Waddington tried to get one last look at the woman before scurrying away.

Matt returned to his seat beside the bed, taking the time now to study the woman he’d rescued. Her hair was a rich, lustrous ebony and it curled softly about her face and her exquisite features. Her nose was small, her mouth soft and inviting. He wondered what color her eyes were as he noted the long, dark lashes that fanned out across her pale cheeks. Only the ugly contusion on her forehead marred the perfection of her loveliness.

What circumstances had led her to be in such dire straits? What had she been doing out on the streets of Boston during the middle of the night? Was she a barmaid on her way home from work or a strumpet out looking for business? Matt found himself frowning as he considered both possibilities, and he took up her hand in his, finding with some satisfaction that it was soft and uncallused. Whatever she was, this woman was not a barmaid, for the hands of women employed in that line of work were invariably chapped and work-reddened. The possibility that she was a strumpet occurred to him again, and he dismissed it as ridiculous. Had she been plying her trade, she certainly wouldn’t have screamed at the soldier’s advances; more than likely she would have encouraged them. No, he decided. Her reasons for being out in the night alone were a mystery, and they would remain a mystery until she could explain herself.

Matt leaned forward, almost willing her to awaken, as he whispered in a husky voice, “Who are you?”

But there was no answer to his question as the beauty’s eyes remained closed and her hand remained unmoving in his. Without conscious thought, Matt lifted it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss in her palm.

“Whoever you are,” he swore quietly to himself, “you’re mine from now on, and I swear no one will ever hurt you again.”

He remained vigilant, not leaving her side until he heard the doctor and Waddington approaching. Then he rushed from the bedside to open the door. “She’s in here, Doctor.”

The physician, a short, balding man, bustled into the room. “I’m Dr. Spalding,” he introduced himself.

Matt again blocked the innkeeper’s entrance. “I’ll call you if we need you.”

Spalding was frowning as he looked from the young Englishman to the prone form of a girl. “What happened, young man?”

“She was attacked on the street by two British regulars. My arrival frightened the two men off. I don’t know how badly she’s injured. I brought her directly back here and then had Waddington send for you.”

“Has she regained consciousness at all?”

“No. She’s been like this since I found her.”

The doctor nodded as he approached the bed.

“Do you recognize her, Dr. Spalding?”

“No, can’t say as I do.” The doctor took her pulse and then examined her forehead. “I’ll need to do a more extensive examination, and I’d like you to step from the room, please.”

Matt hesitated, not wanting to leave her alone, but common sense won out. “I’ll be right out in the hall.”

“Fine.”

As Matt went outside, he found two serving girls coming down the hall with heated water and supplies for the physician, and he admitted them to the room.

Noah, roused by all the commotion, emerged from his room just as the servants headed back downstairs. “Matthew?” The graveness of the younger man’s expression troubled him.

Matt glanced up as Noah came to join him. “Noah…”

“What is it? What happened?” He looked worriedly toward the closed door to his room.

“After I left you earlier, I couldn’t sleep, so I went out for a walk.”

“Yes…so?” he prodded impatiently.

“There were two soldiers abusing a girl in one of the back alleys. I managed to frighten them off, but the girl was injured. I brought her back here and had Waddington summon the doctor. He’s with her now…” Matt glanced solemnly at the portal.

“How badly was she injured?” Noah wondered at Matt’s foolhardiness in charging into an unknown, dangerous situation unarmed, but he knew, as a gentleman of honor, he could have done no less. He was proud of him

“I don’t know. She’s unconscious. She has a bad bruise on her brow, and they’d…” Revulsion raged through him at the thought of the vile men tearing her clothing from her and assaulting her while she lay helpless beneath them. He said a silent prayer, hoping that he had arrived in time to save her virtue. Noah’s hand on his shoulder comforted him as he imagined her terror, and Matt knew a sudden, driving need to be back by her side.

“Lord Kincade?” Waddington called from the foot of the stairs.

Matt and Noah exchanged glances as they hurried to see what the innkeeper wanted. “Yes?”

“The constable has arrived…”

Matt nodded and went down to meet him. “I’m Lord Matthew Kincade.”

“Jeremy Roberts.” The constable, a tall, thin, harried-looking man, introduced himself. “Waddington here tells me that you had some trouble tonight?”

“I was out for a late walk and came across a young woman being assaulted by two British regulars. The soldiers fled, but not before they’d injured the girl. I brought her back here. She’s in my room, and the doctor is with her now.”

“I see. Would you be able to identify the soldiers were you to see them again?” he questioned.

“No,” he replied, his tone deadly. “The cowards ran when they heard me coming, and I only got a look at their backs.”

“I’m afraid there’s not much for me to do then, other than to notify the young woman’s family. Do you know her name?”

“She hasn’t regained consciousness yet. I’m sure when she does, she’ll be able to give you a full accounting of the incident.”

“I see,” Roberts nodded. “Then I shall check back with you first thing in the morning. Perhaps by then we’ll have more information to go on.”

“Indeed.”

After the constable had gone, Matt and Noah sat together in the empty taproom. Though Noah tried to initiate a conversation, Matt was too concerned about his mysterious lady’s condition to carry on a decent discussion. He responded in distracted, monosyllabic answers to all of his brother’s questions. Noah finally gave up the attempt, and they remained in silent vigil, awaiting the physician’s reappearance and his prognosis for the injured girl’s recovery.