Page 45 of Enslaved to the Seduction of a Lady
“C’mon Champ,” he whispered into the horse’s ear. “We’re going to get you moving before the sun gets too hot.”
They made their way to the oval patch of sand, surrounded by a low white fence, not far behind the stables. There were removable obstacles stacked up at the sides that Luke sometimes laid out to put the horses through their paces and push them to their limits. But that morning he only intended to give Champ a little sunlight and get his legs moving after a stiff night indoors.
As he walked the horse slowly around the oval, building up pace after each round, he laughed to himself at how well everything was going. He had never allowed himself to hope that Alison would one day be his, but now it seemed that all his dreams were coming true.
He was curious about how Alison would go about convincing her parents to let them marry, but he had complete faith in her. He couldn’t imagine them ever saying yes, but she and Teresa seemed so certain that it would be possible, and so he held onto that hope with a closed fist.
All will work out for the best.
The day passed, as Luke predicted, pleasantly and without reproach. The banter between the men in the stables kept Luke in good cheer, even though he was surprised not to have heard from Alison yet. He wouldn’t let himself fret until he knew for certain something was wrong.
The horses had been cleaned and fed, the stables mucked out, and all but one of them exercised. The rest of the men had gone off in search of their early evening meal, but Luke wanted to ensure the horses had all had their chance at a run before he left them.
“C’mon then, Scout,” he muttered. “Last but not least. And the sun’s not so hot now, so it’ll be better for you, boy.”
“He can’t answer you, you know,” Alison said, and Luke whipped around in surprise.
“Alison!”
He dropped Scout’s rope and leapt from the bay, then rushed over and pulled her into a quick embrace, not caring for the sweat that soaked his clothes or his disheveled black hair. He pulled back quickly, holding her away from him and looking into her eyes, before he dropped his arms and looked around to ensure nobody noticed.
He was so relieved to see her, so grateful that she had come to visit. He had, despite what he had told himself, been worried about her all day, and worried about how the conversation with her parents went. He grinned wildly at her, but she said nothing, merely swaying on the spot, her eyes drooping with sadness.
“You’ve been crying,” he said, seeing for the first time the red rings around her eyes.
His happiness melted away in a fraction of a second, so quickly he barely noticed it. In place of his happy heart was a dull thud against his ribs. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry.
“Yes,” she said eventually, her voice barely more than a croak. “It has not been the best of days.”
“Come,” he said, beckoning her forward. “Sit with me. The men won’t be back for a while. There is little for them to do tonight, anyhow. We have time to sit and talk.”
She nodded sadly and then followed him back to their hidden spot on the hay, where she had fallen asleep in his arms only hours before.
“Tell me all about it,” he said once they were sat. He opened his arms for her to lean into him, but she hesitated.
“I don’t know that I should get too close,” she said. “Someone might see. I had to sneak out as it was.”
“All right,” he said, smiling, although inside his heart felt as though it had been torn in two. “So what happened?”
“They were mortified when I told them. More than I could ever have imagined.”
She didn’t look at him when she spoke, simply looked down at her hands as she pulled her fingers anxiously.
“We knew it would be difficult,” he said softly, trying to catch her eye.
She sighed—long and slow and full of sadness—and he wanted more than anything to hold her tight and make it all go away.
“I’m starting to think it is impossible,” she said, and he held his breath. “At least, where they are concerned.”
“I…” He ran his hands through his hair and laid back, looking up at the roof of the stables, misery and panic coursing through him. “I don’t know what to say.”
She turned to face him fully, then, and her words came out in a long stream.
“They have arranged my marriage already. To a gentleman of nobility. They say he is a better match. They were to tell me today. He is rich and titled, but he is a horrid man.”
She shivered and he reached out for her hand, clasping it tightly in his.
“The Earl of Belmont?” he asked softly. She looked at him curiously.
