She drew in a sharp breath. He was naked and he didn't appear to be aware of it. He walked to a lamp and lit it. He turned to face her and at that moment, Samuel, Mary, Emile, Coco, James, and several other house slaves burst into the room. Coco promptly fainted. Emile caught her, luckily, and set her on Ryder's bed. "She's pregnant," he said and shrugged.
Ryder smiled and raised his hand. "It's all right. Thomas is the one on the floor. He came to kill me. At least I was first on his list. Sophie saved me."
"Ryder," Emile said on a strained laugh. "I'm delighted it's over and both of you are all right. Sophie saved you? She always was a daring girl, and anyone to attack someone dear to her got the brunt of her fury. But, my dear fellow, you are quite naked. This is the second time you've been thusly unattired."
"So I am," Ryder said, bemused. He walked over to a chair and shrugged into a dressing gown. "It's so bloody hot, you know. Sophie, are you all right?"
She still hadn't said a word. In fact, she hadn't moved an inch. He walked to her and gently touched his fingertips to her cheek. "Are you all right?"
"Sophie!"
It was Jeremy and he shoved and pushed his way into the room and ran clumsily to his sister.
She came alive then and held him against her. She stroked his tousled hair, saying very softly and calmly, "I'm fine, love, just fine, and so is Ryder. Thomas, however, isn't. That's grand, isn't it, Jeremy? No more villains to hurt us or anyone else. No more villains at all."
"Unfortunately the world abounds with villains," Ryder said. "But there is now one less. Emile, why don't the two of us tie this one up and take him to the mangrove swamp and leave him there for the crocodiles. I surely do like that notion."
"I do too," Emile said.
"We must notify Sherman Cole," Samuel said. "Surely now he will believe that Thomas murdered Burgess."
"I suppose you're right," Ryder said on a mournful sigh. "Perhaps Emile and I can take him into Montego Bay. Perhaps we can have a slight accident on the way, by the—"
"Mangrove swamp," Emile said, grinning.
"It's the middle of the night," Ryder said. "Let's tie him up and stuff him in some dark closet. Is there anyplace secure here, Samuel?"
"Yes, the icehouse."
Within five minutes Thomas was securely bound and carried out to the icehouse, a guard set over him. Finally Ryder's bedchamber was empty again but for Sophie and Jeremy. He was still holding her, clutching at her really, for she was all that was left of his world.
Ryder didn't think, he merely dropped to his haunches and said quietly, "It's all right, Jeremy. Truly. Sophie's safe. Now, my lad, why don't your sister and I take you back to bed?"
"A glass of milk first, Jeremy?"
The boy shook his head. "No, I'd throw it UP-This was scary, Sophie, too scary. I'm tired of being scared."
"Me too, love, me too."
"I as well," Ryder said and ruffled the boy's hair when he stared at him, disbelieving.
It took a good thirty minutes to settle Jeremy. They both remained with him until he fell asleep. Ryder followed Sophie back to her bedchamber.
"Come outside and let's sit a while. Like Jeremy, I'm too excited to sleep just yet."
They sat in two wicker chairs, enveloped in silence, the terror fading slowly, very slowly.
"Thank you, Sophie."
"You're welcome."
"How did you know?"
"I just heard an odd sound, one that didn't belong to the night, and it woke me up. I saw this shadow and followed it. Then I knew it was Thomas and he was here to kill you."
"You reacted very quickly," Ryder said, and he sounded a bit annoyed. "I have never known a female to act so quickly and so competently. You didn't hesitate. You didn't swoon and give a pathetic little yell. You screamed your head off. You even had your weapon with you."
"As you recall, I had used that same pitcher before. I knew it was sound. You were tangled in the netting. What was I supposed to do? Let him gut you like a trapped fish? Also, a delicate feminine little whimper wouldn't have accomplished much. Besides, I was next and then possibly Jeremy."