Page 29 of Enslaved to the Seduction of a Lady
Chapter Twelve
“Luke, are you here?”
He smiled when he heard her voice, his back to the door.
“I’m always here for you, My Lady,” he said, then he turned to face her, a big grin on his face. But when he saw her, he froze.
“Oh, My Lady, I…” He felt his cheeks flush and he closed his eyes, cursing himself for both being foolish enough to speak without checking and then for blushing like a maiden.
“It’s all right, Luke,” Alison said, laughing a little.
“I—” He didn’t know what to say. His eyes darted from Alison to Lady Teresa and back again.
Surely she knows how dangerous it is to bring her here?
“Really, Mr. Jones,” Teresa said, taking a confident step forward. “It’s all right. You have no reason to be concerned.”
“Alison?” he asked, looking at her with panic in his eyes. His heart thumped against his chest, terrified that this was the moment he would be thrown from the household for daring to think he could rise above his station with the Duke’s eldest daughter. “What’s going on?”
“I told you I would fight for our love,” she said. “And the first step to doing just that was to tell Teresa all about us. Shall we take a seat on the benches outside?”
“If anyone questions it,” Teresa said, “I shall tell them I am asking you about horse-riding lessons. As you know, I did not have much of an opportunity for that during my formative years.”
“Goodness,” Alison said, turning to her sister in happy surprise. Luke watched, bemused. “I hadn’t even thought of that, you poor thing! Teresa, riding is one of life’s biggest pleasures. Learning is of the utmost importance. If you have not had much of an opportunity to do so, then we really must put that right.”
“Well then,” Teresa said with a definitive nod. “We shall not be lying if we tell anyone that is what we are talking about, will we?”
“Not entirely, anyhow,” Alison said, chuckling.
Luke could not stop staring open-mouthed at the pair. The knot of tension in his stomach had loosened a little, seeing their easy chatter.
“Would someone mind explaining to me what is going on?” Luke asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Luke,” Alison said, turning her eyes to him. He felt himself melt into them again, the blue so warm and full of love, but that didn’t stop the worry. “Let’s go to the benches and I will tell you all that has happened.”
“I’ll never say no to a rest in the sunshine,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. To the side of the stables, on a small patch of gravel among the lengths of grass, sat four wrought-iron benches arranged in a square.
It was one of the few places in the grounds that both the nobles and the servants used to gather—although separately, of course. It was near enough to the stables to be a meeting point, and it was hidden enough from the main house to be used for secretrendezvous.
The gravel square was simple enough, plain and with little decoration but for the ornately cast benches. Teresa and Alison sat on one bench together, close enough to be touching. They seemed almost giggly together, like schoolgirls. Luke sat on the bench perpendicular to theirs, the one from which he could see the entrance to the stables and thus, anyone approaching.
“Luke, I am sorry if this has come as a bit of a surprise to you,” Alison said, turning to face him. “I suppose I should have given you a little warning.”
“You know me, My Lady,” he said, “I do love a surprise when you’re involved. Although a chance to pick the hay from my hair before being introduced to your sister would have been nice.” He laughed to show her that he was joking, but he pulled few strands of pale hay from his dark hair all the same.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen quite so suddenly,” Alison said. “But once I started telling Teresa about us, I couldn’t help but suggest she came to meet you properly.”
“And it’s a pleasure, Mr. Jones,” Lady Teresa said, smiling at him and nodding as she hovered behind Alison.
He had, of course, seen Lady Teresa around the grounds of the estate, and he had even had brief dealings with her when hitching and unhitching her carriage. But they had never properly met, on a level that seemed almost equal nor with the friendly smile she offered him now.
She has a kind heart, like her sister.
“And you, Lady Teresa. It is a pleasure to have you staying with us, here at Salsbury Manor.”
“Luke,” Alison said, resting her elbows on her knees so that she leaned forward, closer to him. “I have told Teresa about our love. She understands both how we feel, and our dilemma.”
“Thank you, Lady Teresa,” he said, looking warmly at her. He was grateful that at least somebody understood their predicament.
