Page 88 of Enslaved to the Seduction of a Lady
“And why would anyone want to do that?” Mary asked, incredulous.
Jenny glanced at Luke and he widened his eyes, silently begging her not to mention Alison. She ignored him.
“It might have something to do with Luke’s… involvement with the Duke’s daughter,” she said.
“Ah,” Mary said, nodding her head in understanding, “poor girl’s reputation damaged, is it?”
“No,” Luke said quickly. “It’s nothing like that. We want to marry.”
“But the Duke does not agree to Luke being a suitor,” Jenny added.
“And why would he?” Mary asked. “The daughter of a Duke and a groom? Whoever ‘eard of such a thing!”
“Well, regardless of how everyone may feel about me and Alison,” Luke said, “I am sure that has nothing to do with it.”
“What makes you so sure?” Jenny asked, turning to face him, wooden spoon raised in the air. “Why would itnot?”
“Because he’s had plenty of time to deal with that,” Luke said. “And I don’t believe the Duke would need to set me up for a crime I didn’t commit.”
“He’s right,” Mary said, cocking her head to one side. “If the Duke wanted ‘im out, ‘e’d say so. None of this faffin’ about.”
Jenny sighed. “I suppose you’re right,” she said, turning her attention back to the food. She laid the spoon in the pot, then turned and took three bowls from the shelf, laying them out on the rickety old table.
“But if it wasn’t him,” Luke said, “then who?”
“And why?” Jenny asked. She took the pot from the flame and divided the meal between the three bowls, then placed one in front of each of them.
“Don’t really matter,” Mary said. “Do it?” She picked up her spoon and gazed hungrily into the bowl.
“Of course it matters,” Luke said. “I need to clear my name.”
“Nope,” Mary said, digging her spoon into the liver and onions and raising it to eye level, her face a picture of anticipation. She shoveled it into her mouth and moaned with delight.
“Good?” Jenny asked.
“Best meal I’ve ‘ad in years,” Mary said. “And all the better since I didn’t ‘ave to cook it.”
“It’s the least we could do,” Jenny said.
“As I was saying,” Mary continued, her now soiled spoon pointing at Luke. “Don’t matter who did it nor why. All that matters is that you’ve paid the price. What you gotta do now—the pair of ya—is find a way to move on.”
“I think she’s right,” Jenny said, looking sadly at Luke. “I can’t imagine the Duke will ever hear you out.”
“Exactly,” Mary said, and slurped more food into her mouth.
Luke shook his head, unconvinced. He was certain that, if he could find the culprit, he could right all these wrongs.
It was later, by candlelight and long after Mary and Jenny had put their heads down to rest, that Luke scratched a note to Alison on a scrap of parchment he had found upon his leaving, using the tip of a knife as a makeshift quill. He stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth in concentration, conjuring up the letters Alison had taught him, and forcing them to make the words he required.
Dearest Alison,
If you beleeve me and still want to go, meet me at midnight tomorow by the big oak at the end of the cobled road.
Love always,
Luke
