Page 51 of Enslaved to the Seduction of a Lady
“A girl would be just perfect this time,” Alison said, but as she smiled, she felt a deep sadness in her.
Will my baby be of the Earl or the groom?
“I really don’t think Father would have sent Luke away,” Teresa said, suddenly returning to their previous conversation, seeing the pain on Alison’s face. Alison suspected Teresa was not entirely certain herself. “He wouldn’t have—not without saying something. I know he’s worried, but he thinks Luke will obey him no matter what, and Luke is an excellent groomsman.”
Alison made a noncommittal noise, somewhere between a whine and a sigh.
“Really,” Teresa said, eyeing her again. “We’ll find a way out of this predicament. I will do everything in my power to ensure you are not married to that Earl, and you have a happy marriage with the love of your life. But, I warn you, Alison. For now, at least, you must pretend to Mother and Father, or they will feel they have to act.”
“I will do what is required,” Alison said. “Even if that means changing everything.”
“What does that mean?” Teresa asked, narrowing her eyes at her sister.
“Well,” Alison said, finally looking at Teresa. “If Father wishes to prevent my marriage to Luke, I shall have to find another way.”
“Another way?”
Alison could hear the panic in Teresa’s voice, but Alison simply took a deep breath and smiled. She had thought long and hard about this and she knew that if this was their only option, she would take it. She would fight for their love, no matter what it meant for their lifestyle.
“We shall marry at Gretna Green, if Father refuses my wishes.”
“But Alison,” Teresa began, fearful and breathless. “If you go against his wishes, Father will never—”
“I don’t care. I will live the rest of my life on the run, if need be. Iwillbe with Luke.”
Teresa watched Alison in silence, Alison again staring directly in front of her. Her jaw was set with determination.
“I understand,” Teresa said quietly, and Alison could hear in her voice that she did. “But, promise me, Alison. Consider this carefully, and only do it as a last resort.”
“I promise,” Alison said softly, taking hold of Teresa’s hand and squeezing it. “I’m so glad we found you, Teresa. You are the perfect sister.”
Once Teresa had left, bundling little Benjamin into the coach before she herself climbed it, Alison decided to take her sister’s advice and seek out Luke once more. It was not like him to disappear, and she was concerned.
She meandered her way to the stables. As much as she wanted to find Luke, she didn’t want to get there too soon, only to receive bad news. When she finally arrived, she saw the stable hands working hard, although without Luke’s direction it seemed less efficient, less organized. She sighed.
“M’Lady,” Joe said as she walked in. “Come for a ride?”
“No, actually,” Alison said, feeling a warmth in her cheeks and hoping she wasn’t blushing. “I am looking for Mr. Jones. Is he here?”
She was careful not to say his name, not to show herself as overly familiar with him, even though it would be perfectly reasonable for her to know his name.
“Luke? Aw, it’s a terrible thing, My Lady. Awfully sad.”
Alison gasped. A hand flew to her chest and her face crumpled. “What is it?” she asked, her words pouring quickly out of her. “What’s happened?”
“It’s the old man, ‘ain’t it?” Joe replied, shaking his head. “Awful sad. We all knew he was in for it one of these days, but still comes as a shock, ya know.”
Alison had never before spoken to Joe and yet he seemed eager to chat, as though excited to finally have a chance to talk to a lady. He held himself very straight and proud.
“The old man?” Alison was confused for a moment, before it hit her. “Jack!”
“That’s ‘im. Passed over, ‘e ‘as, two days previous.”
“Oh, poor Luke,” Alison cried before realizing what she had said.
“Aye. Taking a few days off, to mourn, like. He’ll be back soon enough. Anything I can ‘elp you with, My Lady? I can get old Bessy saddled up for you, if that’s what you’re wanting?”
“No,” Alison said, shaking her head fiercely. “No, I think I’ll… Oh!” Her words were flustered and nonsensical, and she didn’t quite know where to look.
“Are you all right there, M’Lady?” Joe asked, approaching her cautiously as he might a frightened horse.
“Yes,” she said, backing away and offering him a weak smile. “I’m quite all right. I wanted only to talk to him of riding lessons for my sister. But now—”
“News of any death hits us hard, ey?” Joe said, looking at her sympathetically. “Reminds us of our own mortality.”
“Yes, that’s exactly it,” Alison said, then spun around and darted out of the stables and around the back of the building.
She leaned heavily against the back wall, the tall grass that clung to the edges of the building tickling her legs. Her breath heaved in her chest and she cursed herself.
She was relieved—she couldn’t deny that—but still, she was devastated in ways she could not explain. She barely knew Jack, but she knew how much Luke loved him. She knew how much pain he would be in, and that twisted at her own heart.
