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It was raining harder now, soaking her to the bone The boots didn't help either because they were too big for her s fierce

She stopped her wandering, staring with fully dilated pupils at her surroundings She had been here before She was sure that it was only a o? Suddenly, she wanted to break down and cry

Where was that blasted kidnapper when she needed him? Didn't he realize by now she had escaped? Shouldn't he be co after her like before? What if she died here? What would happen to her family back home? They'd be devastated

No, Ruby, think straight You're an intelligent girl Think, for God's sake, think!

Okay Cal, purple lips She had to survive this

She knew she was getting nowhere, and had to seek shelter until the rain stopped Then she could find her way out of this jungle of woods

Herto locate a spot to use as a shelter frolasses didn't help either,a blur

Suddenly, her heart soared with happiness She saw a spot under a big tree where dead, thick branches of leaves hung lower to the ground, acting like a roof It would shelter her nicely

A wave of relief to be safe and not soaked to death overcame her She took two steps and a sudden sharp pain shot froh to her heart She screa in the woods as she fell Tears filled her eyes as she sobbed

She lay there in a heap of rain-soaked, dead leaves and tall grasses, biting her lip as her shaky handsankle

Through teary eyes, she saw her right leg was trapped between a tangle of vines and roots that ca, which pierced into her flesh

She tried not to cry out, but the pain was truly unbearable Closing her eyes, she prayed for God to help her The pain increased as she tried tothe trousers'her lip as tears rolled down her pale cheeks

Trying very hard to ignore the pain that was steadily eating away at her body, sheShe bit her lip and commanded herself not to faint

With all heraway The pain, however, was excruciating and she felt very tired She gave up and rested her forehead on her knees as tears kept flowing down her cheeks She sat there dejectedly and sobbed quietly, knowing in her heart that she would no doubt die here, all alone, in this godforsaken place

Suddenly, the intense pain vanished She felt strong,Ruby opened her eyes to see Alec slowlyaway She stifled her screa was slowly extracted from her flesh

He touched her ankle and turned to look at her, his eyes the color of the stormy sky above them His face, however, was a mask of composure

Checking out her ankle, he slowly pulled her leg out from the tenacious vines and roots Ruby screa at her sprained ankle

Once her leg was free, he rubbed the injured area tenderly and gazed into her ely clutched her in his arms

Ruby wrapped her arms around his thick, muscular neck and cried her heart out

He lifted her up and strode carefully back to where he left the Land Rover All the way, he kept glancing at her to ht

Ruby, on the other hand, couldn't look at hiently as her body shivered uncontrollably

FifteenAlec ran with her in his arms to the Land Rover and quickly put her inside the war from cold

"You all right?" he shouted over the incessant rain Ruby ot into the driver's seat and started the engine

Not long afterward, the Land Rover came to a halt in front of thei, black u Ruby out of the car McKenzie followed them as Alec took Ruby into the manor

"Co the fire in the huge hearth Lizzie was there with a big, white towel ready in her hands

Alec took Ruby to the sofa near the hearth

"Mrs McKenzie, get the first aid kit," Alec commanded

The housekeeper nodded and rushed out the door She met Mr McKenzie at the hallway, and told hi hot for Ruby to eat

Back in the drawing rooently that he wouldn't hurt her injured leg anymore Afterwards, he moved up to undo her shirt

She drew back

"Ma'aet sick if you don't take that wet shirt off," he said with a no-nonsense tone of voice

She bit her shivering lip and nodded He unbuttoned the shirt and helped her out of it She hugged herself to cover her nakedness Alec tried not to look at her naked body He had s to attend to

Lizzie wrapped the big towel around Ruby "Le toas notoff the cold for Ruby

"Come on, let's take your pants off," Alec said

Ruby reluctantly nodded and stood up She arranged the towel in such a ith her still-shaking hands, to cover herself while she slid her pants off

She could only e with his help Ruby was about to sit dohen Lizzie came back with the robe Theher back onto the seat

"Start the fire in my room," Alec said to the

McKenzie strode in with the first aid kit as Lizzie rushed out the door

Alec glanced at Ruby's leg, and looked up at her "This is going to sting a bit," he said

She nodded, biting her lip

Alec dipped a cotton bud into the alcohol and touched it against her open wound Ruby gritted her teeth and grabbed onto the cushion beside her She tried not to scream at the hot, intensely sharp pain

Alec cleaned her wound thoroughly, and once all the debris was re her lower leg with bandages When he was finished, he sat beside her and hugged her

"Are you warm?" he asked

Ruby nodded, looking up at hi She wanted to weep--for what reason? She didn't know She just wanted to weep

"It's okay to cry," he said, stroking her hair

"I was so scared," she sobbed "I've never been so scared in my life"

"It's all over and you're safe now," he said

She nodded, then closed her eyes, resting her head against his warm chest

They sat like that in front of the fire, and Alec stroked her long hair to comfort her As for Ruby, she felt safe now, and finally allowed

herself to relax, letting her mind wind down She fell asleep in his arms

EIGHT

"Poor lassie," Mrs McKenzie said, looking at Ruby asleep on the sofa "Musta been very upset 'bout somethin'" She jabbed the fire a couple of ti at Ruby irl properly

Alec entered the rooo, he had not yet changed his wet clothing

He watched as Mrs McKenzielike "poor wee lassie, shouldna run inta tha' storlanced up at him just then

"Poor lassie," she said "'Er 'ead is rather 'ot Must be that rain an' all"

"She'll be fine, Mrs McKenzie," Alec replied, although his expression said otherwise

The housekeeper nodded unconvincingly and left Alec caht she looked so peaceful, but awfully young when she was sleeping Suddenly, he felt so his heart

He supposed he shouldn't have blaht answer as to why he kidnapped her But what could he tell her? That he was an overprotective brother who loved his sister sowoman on the chance she could threaten the relationship between his sister and the man she loved?

Ridiculous!

But he knew he'd better come up with an answer fast, and find a way to stop her next atteain very soon

He touched the back of his hand against her forehead She ar He hoped her iet a life-threatening fever fro storm

It was getting dark, and she had been asleep for three hours now He supposed he had better take her up to the bedroom She also needed a shower

Scooping her up in his ar toward the grand stairs, he heard a soft voice, barely above a whisper, saying, "Where are you taking me?"

He glanced down and saw Ruby looking up at hi red Shit! She looked sick all right His gut did an Olympic champion somersault