The House That Jack Built by Robert Asprin & Linda Evans

How long she lay rigid on the rumpled bedspread, Goldie wasn’t sure. She couldn’t see a clock from her angle. Pain and fright began taking their toll of her strength. She was nearly unconscious when the sound of footsteps jolted her back to full awareness. Oh, God, he’s back, he’s going to hack me to pieces . . .

The Ripper smiled down at her. “You’ve done very well, my dear. Now, then, show me how to operate the devices in your kitchen. I could use a cup of tea.”

“I’m in pain,” Goldie whimpered. “I can’t feel my feet and hands and my eye is swelling shut.”

He frowned slightly, then pulled loose her bonds. He examined her ankles and wrists, then traced the extent of the bruising along her face with surprising gentleness. “Mmm . . . A bit swollen and there will be a bad bruise, I fear, but you’re in no danger of losing the eye. Beg pardon for handling you so roughly. Have you an icebox?”

Goldie stared, trying to comprehend the shift of attitude. “What?”

“An icebox. You need a cold compress to bring down the swelling. And a tincture of laudanum would ease the discomfort. I fear I left my medical bag in London.”

Goldie managed to whisper, “I don’t keep any laudanum. You need a prescription for something like that. There’s ice in the freezer. In the kitchen.”

He tied her to the bed again, although less tightly than before and he wrapped her wrists and ankles first with scarves from her closet to keep the skin from chafing, then headed for the kitchen. She heard rummaging sounds as he searched through cabinets and finally tried the freezer door. “Ah . . . What an ingenious device! How is it powered, I wonder?” She heard the clink and rattle of ice cubes, then the hush of running water. A moment later, he was back in the bedroom, carrying a wet towel packed with ice cubes. He laid it carefully against her face, stroked her hair back from her cheeks and tested her pulse. “You’ve suffered a shock, dear lady. We really must bring the pain level down.”