Page 50 of Enslaved to the Seduction of a Lady
Chapter Eighteen
Alison brooded for the days following her argument with Luke, unable to brighten herself up no matter what she did. They hadn’t spoken in the two days since, and that felt so much worse than the argument they had had. She couldn’t find him anywhere, and she had no idea what had happened to him and so, she fell into a spiral of doubt and self-pity.
“Do you think Father has sent him away without telling us?” she asked Teresa.
They sat on a bench at the back of the house, shaded by the eaves and looking out over the lawns. Although the day was dry, the sky was gray and miserable, just like Alison’s heart. She felt as though she had lost the love of her life, and soon she was about to lose Teresa, too, for she had to return to her own home, her own life.
“No,” Teresa said, shaking her head, “no, I’m sure he wouldn’t do that. Would he?”
But Teresa looked uncertain, and Alison chewed her lip as she watched the gardener trim the topiary in the far distance, his body seeming so small against the vastness of the lawns.
Teresa bounced baby Benjamin on her lap, cooing at him and pulling funny faces. He gargled in reply, his chubby cheeks red with youth and bunched up in delight. He was a happy baby, but his joy was at odds with the roiling dread Alison felt in her stomach.
“I don’t know,” Alison said. “If they are desperate enough, they could easily send him away, I suppose.”
Teresa turned to look at her, but Alison didn’t look back. She couldn’t. She took a deep breath, letting it slowly out of her mouth, forcing herself to stay calm.
“Then let’s not make them desperate,” Teresa said, her voice a calm influence in Alison’s stormy mind. “Let them believe you are going along with their plan, until we can come up with our own. If they think you’re willing to marry the Earl of Belmont, then they will have no need to worry—and no reason to rid themselves of a perfectly good groom.”
“Do you mean I should pretend that I don’t love Luke?”
“To Mother and Father, yes. For the time being, anyhow. Let them think you’ve realized your folly and that you aremending your ways, as Father would put it.”
Alison nodded but she didn’t reply. It felt too much like betrayal to act as Teresa suggested, but she couldn’t deny the logic of it.
The baby giggled; Alison sighed. Teresa resumed her cooing.
“I just wish I knew where he was,” Alison said.
“I take it you’ve looked in the stables,” Teresa asked, the silly grin she gave Benjamin not quite in keeping with the seriousness of her tone.
“Yes,” Alison said, almost hissing—not in annoyance at her sister, but in frustration at the situation.
“And you asked after him?” Teresa looked at Alison again but again, Alison did not look at her.
“No. I…” Alison closed her mouth and furrowed her brow. She didn’t know why she hadn’t asked after him, other than it raising suspicion.
“Perhaps that would be a good idea,” Teresa said, and then in a cooing voice, “I know, you’re such a beautiful boy, aren’t you?”
Alison couldn’t help but chuckle, despite her misery and yearning. It was hard to take her sister seriously when she had Benjamin on her lap. She would inevitably descend into nonsense noises and ridiculous expressions.
“But don’t you think people will start talking, if I ask after him?” Alison asked.
Teresa shrugged. “Maybe. But my guess is that they’re already talking. You know what servants are like when it comes to gossip, and what with Luke disappearing—”
Alison put her head in her hands and groaned. “This is not good,” she said, her words muffled by her palms.
“But,” Teresa continued, nodding her head, “In order to prevent any further talk, you could tell them you’re following up on our previous conversation, about my riding lessons. Say it’s a surprise for me, or something.”
Alison raised her head and thought for a moment, letting the idea wash over her.
“That’s not a bad idea,” she said eventually, nodding her appreciation. She turned abruptly to Teresa. “I’m going to miss you, when you return home.”
“Oh, you silly thing,” Teresa said, although her eyes told Alison she felt the same. “I’m not far away, and you know you can visit me whenever you wish. Lentingdale Manor is as much your home as it is mine.”
“I’m not sure David will see it like that,” Alison laughed. “I imagine he’ll be very glad to have his wife back.”
“Of that,” Teresa said, eyebrows raised, “I have no doubt. He is already talking about another baby.”
