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Helen shuddered; Abby reached over and smoothed down a lock of her hair

"I was in the bedthe bunkwhatever It wasn’t comfortable He said I was a captive who’d fallen in love with hied or choked and thenthen he was angry He told me I was a bad captive"

"Helen, was he with you all the time?" Malachi asked

"I don’tI don’t know I re there and I couldn’t o awayand then he’d be back And then he’d touchI couldn’t--I couldn’t pretend I couldn’t be what he wanted, couldn’t even pretend to be in love with hiry My hands were still bound, but thenthen he untied uess He jerked me up and wrenchedand then--"

She broke off with a sob

"He cut you," Abby said quietly

"He cut off er!" Helen sobbed "I can still hear the sound There was a whooshand then I felt the slam of itand I felt the pain I was still blindfolded but I knewI kneas er" She continued to sob

"Oh, Helen!" Abby said, stroking her cheek gently "I’ized to Abby with his eyes but she obviously understood that he had to press forward "Helen, he took your finger while your blindfold was on What then?"

"He dragged an "Maybeain I heard a beattap, tap, tap And I thought I heard laughter across the water I--I felt the night air onto stab me But he cut the ropes--and then I was in the water I was suddenly in the water, and I was trying so hard to swiot the blindfold off II don’t knohat happened to it I don’t even knohat it looked like I couldn’t swi"

"You were found wearing a wench costu into it, or when you were changed into it?"

Helen shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes again "I’rateful to be alive!"

"Helen, it’s okay," Abby said "You were assaulted, you were nearly killed That’s a terrible trauet over it But don’t worry now You’re safe here, protected by people who’d die before they let anything else happen to you!"

"I owe you both my life," Helen said

"You owe your life to your oill and strength, Helen," Malachi said fir to be fine And don’t apologize for the pain you feel, and don’t ever apologize for crying You have real inner strength, and you’re going to get through this"

Helen ed a shaky smile

There was a knock at the door A tall, brawny male nurse was there; Malachi wondered if he’d been specially chosen to watch over Helen, just in case there was trouble He didn’t doubt that Jackson Crow

"There are a few people out here asking to see Ms Long," the nurse announced

"Oh?"

"I told theer English and a couple of others--Jack Winston and Blake Stewart" He shrugged "Earlier, they said it was fine for Mr Johansen to see her with his friends But I was told to check hoever’s here froet up and prevent anyone froer for a h and that he shouldn’t push her I think it’s okay for the other two gentleht away But, of course, that’s up to Helen" He turned to her

Helen nodded "Yes, of course I want to see h my hair?"

"Of course!" Abby hastened to do as she was asked

When she was finished, Helen said, "How silly--I’m lucky to have my life and I’m worried about how I look"

"That’s not silly," Malachi assured her "That’s life-affir"

"And you look beautiful," Abby said

"Wenches are supposed to be tough, aren’t they?" Helen asked

Abby slanced at Malachi and hurried out Aactors orked for Dirk came into the room Malachi studied them They looked very different from the way they had when he’d seen them on the Black Swan

Jack Winston, the older and more confident of the tas dressed in a T-shirt that advertised Guinness and a pair of stylishly threadbare jeans He ell-built and had a naturally cocky way about him, but his eyes were filled with tenderness as he walked in Blake was younger and his heart appeared to be prominently displayed on his sleeve as he followed Jack Tall and lanky, he wore jeans as well, but had on a polo shirt

"Helen!" Jack said