Free Emily's Vow by Betty Bolte Page B

dreaded hearing the rest of the story. She always pictured Frank as gentle, but first she'd seen him calmly threaten to kill a soldier, and now this. He'd grown harder than he used to be. Tougher in ways he had never been before.
    "He assisted with the whipping, as I did," her father said. "As we have been pretending to be 'sworn' loyalists, we were afforded the opportunity to punish the brutes."
    "The bastards deserved it," Frank said softly behind her.
    "I never believed that you were a loyalist." Emily blinked at Frank then lowered her head, pondering the mix of relief and comfort surging through her at the revelation of this side of her father and Frank.
    Men could be cruel to each other, but the idea simply did not relate to the men in her own life. However, the incident explained Frank's concern much more clearly than anything else revealed today. His participation in the punishment of villains such as those men reassured her of his position on ravishment. Still, despite the newly revealed risk, she must be permitted out of her own house in order to keep her sanity. Even if it meant walking with Frank at her side.
    Swallowing hard at the horrific images in her mind, she took her father's hands. "But surely you don't believe that would happen on the streets of Charles Town? The women here are not poor country folk without any sense, after all."
    "Perhaps not," her father acknowledged. "Yet I already lost my wife and one daughter, and my three sons are out there somewhere." He waved one hand in the direction of the still-shuttered windows. Tears threatened as he looked at her. "I won't lose you, too."
    Emily hugged him fiercely, awed at the telltale glistening of his eyes. She rested her head against his heart, as she had all her life. The reassuring rhythm of its steady beat calmed her.
    Frank coughed, and she stiffened, pulling away from her father. She looked into her father's eyes, saw his concern and love. Standing on her tiptoes, she quickly kissed his cheek. Turning to Frank, she raised her eyebrows in a silent question.
    "You have no control over whether the British or loyalists harm you, my dear." Frank rose from his seat and joined them. Crossing his arms over his chest, he cocked his head as he regarded her silently. "They are stronger than you and grow more desperate each day."
    "They've never bothered me. Not really," she added quickly and forced a smile to her face, intertwining her fingers together in front of her.
    Frank arched an eyebrow at her allusion to the previous evening's events but kept silent. Jasmine hurried into the room, bobbing a curtsy to Emily's father as she handed him his cloak then slipped from the room once more. Emily longed to follow Jasmine, but she must face the situation before her. She must stand on her own now and for her future.
    "They wouldn't dare hurt me." She squared her shoulders to present a confident appearance. She turned to her father and smiled. "I am a lady, after all."
    "If you honor me, you shall do as I say. You must know that officers do not always behave as gentlemen. You must be circumspect with your behavior. But..." Her father hesitated, his eyes on Frank for a long moment before letting out a heavy sigh as Frank inclined his head in apparent agreement to a silent question. Her father shook his head slowly. He held up one admonishing finger at Emily. "Very well. I prefer you stay inside, away from any chance of harm, but because I love you I shall relent this time. But do not leave the house without my knowledge and Frank as your escort, understood?"
    "Yes, sir." Emily held her tongue with an effort.
    Worry lurked in Frank's steady appraisal of her. No, 'twas not possible. He surely didn't care about her. He only came back because of his sense of duty. She simply reminded him of his dutiful promise to Elizabeth. Emily resented the need for Frank to escort her anywhere. Not only was he a man, but he was, well, Frank . And she didn't want to feel his heat and