The Lady and the Earl (34 page)

“No, please stop,” she whimper
ed
in her sleep as she tried to thrash about.  Connor rush
ed
to her side to sooth her back to sleep before she could hurt herself further.  Finally, in the early morning hours,
both
Allana and Connor slept soundly. 

He dreamt of America and of no worries.  He dreamt of Lilly’s plantation and of his beautiful Sophia standing by his side.  She was the most beautiful woman to him, and his heart ached to hold her once again.  She spoke to him in her soft, silky voice that stirred desires within.  She was calling to him now, motioning for him to come to her.
 
Connor.
 
Connor.

“
Master Connor?  Please w
ake up, Master Connor.” 
I
t was
only
Martha, and it brought
Connor
back to the dismal reality of last night.

He blinked several times, forcing himself to wake.

“
Sir
, I a
m sorry to wake you, but you must come downstairs at once,” she said nervously.

He yawned. 
“Why?  What
’
s
happening?”  He was still
groggy from his dream. 

Allana moaned next to him.  She was waking too.

“I—we don’t know what to do. 
Lord
Cunn
ingham has just arrived, and he i
s asking questions,” Martha confessed.

Connor was suddenly quite awake. 
“Why would he be asking questions?  Did somebody say something to him?”

“Well, you see, he took his horse to the stables an
d saw Lancelot’s condition.  He i
s concerned for Miss Allana.”  She looked apologetically at Connor like it was her fault
Declan
had seen Lancelot. 
The mention of
Declan’s
name pulled Allana from her sleep.

“Oh, Connor.
  He can
not
know.  You cannot
tell him anything.  Please
don’t
tell him,” she pleaded
. 
Her voice
sounded
a
l
most as
terrible
this morning as
it
had
last night.  She tried to sit up and fell back with a cry of pain.

“Stay where you are, Allana,” Connor ordered.
 
“
The doctor said you have to rest as much as possible for the next few days.  You have broken ribs that w
ill no
t mend if you try to get up.” 

“Please, do
no
t tell him, Connor,” she pleaded again.  Apparently she was
un
concerned
about
her condition.  She was more concerned
about
Declan
finding out what had happened to her.

“Allana, I think he has a right to know.  It
will not change anything, I’
m certain of it.”  Connor didn’t like the idea of lying to
Declan
.  He wanted to tell him everything that had happened last night instead of the lie they had created.

“No, Connor.  He cannot know.  I couldn’t bear it if he knew.”  The tears started falling again.  “It
’
s too humiliating.  I could
n’t
face him again,” she sobbed then moaned from the pain of it. 

Connor’s heart broke.  He couldn’t bear her tears.
 
“It
won’t
matter to him, Pet,” Connor pleaded. 

She shook her head. 

“Very well,” he relented.  “I will do as you ask.” 

“What will you tell him
?” she
asked as she
gradually calmed
.  She was breathing shallowly, taking in sharp, short breaths to avoid pain.

Connor told her the story their father had created.  She relaxed as the fear subsided, finally breathing normally. 

Connor sighed. 
“I must
see to him.
  Try and get some more rest.  Martha, make sure she doesn’t move,” he ordered.

“Yes, Master Connor.”

Connor rose and kissed Allana on the forehead before exiting her chambers. 

Declan
was found pacing in the sitting room.  As soon as Connor entered the room, he turned to him, looking for answers.

“What happened last night?”
Declan
demanded.  “Nobody will talk to me.  Is Allana all right?
 
Connor, I’ve seen Lancelot
.  When I asked
Fredric what happened, he refused to say anything.  And then when I inquired of Allana, the boy grew so angry I knew something had happened to her.  Everyone is too solemn this morning. 
Something unpleasant happened, and I demand to know what it was.” 

Connor reluctantly rehearsed to
Declan
the lie they had created.  He hoped it would satisfy
Declan
’s
question
s
, but deep down he wished it wouldn’t.  He wanted to tell
him
the truth.

“It was dark, I
don’t
know exactly how it happened, but somehow Lancelot slipped, and
they fell down a small cliff face.  Both sustained severe injuries.  Lancelot, as you have seen, has several deep cuts and scratches.  It took
Dalon
quite a while to calm him and dress his wounds.  Allana, I think, got the brunt of the fall.  Lancelot must have rolled over her.  She has broken ribs, and she’s bruised all over.  The doctor said she would
make a full
recovery
with the proper rest and care, but she looks terrible.  Her face is almost unrecognizable with the swelling and bruis
ing
, and any movement causes her pain.  It
has
been
quite
traumatic for everyone.” 

“Why would she go riding
in the dark
?”
Declan
asked in exasperation.
“Could she not wait for the sun to rise?”
  

“I really do
not
know,” Connor replied.  “
Perhaps she could
n’t
sleep.”

“She could have been killed.” 
Declan
ran his fingers worriedly through his hair.  “May I see her?” 

The look on
hi
s face was
desperate
.  He was worried.  Connor
was at a loss for words.
  Should he let
Declan
see Allana?  Would she want him to see her in the condition she was in?  Then Connor remembered the bruises on Allana’s neck.  Those would give the lie away for certain.

“I
don’t
believe that would be
wise
.  She was finally sleeping sou
ndly when I left her, and I do
n’
t think we should wake her
.  This is the first time she’
s been able to relax, and I feel your presence would deter that,” Connor said apologetically.

“I understand.  I was
simply
hoping to see her before I left,”
Declan
answered sadly.

“
Of course, y
ou’re leaving for London today,” Connor said, feeling relieved that
Declan
wouldn’t be around for the next few weeks.  Now he wouldn’t have to worry about trying to keep
Declan
away while the bruises on Allana’s neck mended.

Declan
nodded solemnly.  “If you will permit me, I would like to at least leave a short
note for her before I go.”

Connor nodded and waited for
Declan
to write what seemed like a very long letter instead.  When he was finished, he handed it to Connor. 

“I may not make it back until the week before the wedding.  My secretary is making the necessary wedding arrangements as we speak
.  I
f you need anything, you
may
contact him.  He will also know how to get in touch with me if needed.”

“Thank you,
Declan
.  Take care on your journey, and we will see you when you return.” 

Declan
no
dded.  “Until I return, then,” h
e said before turning to go. 
“One more thing, Connor.”

“Yes?” Connor responded.

“Take care of her.” 

“I will, my friend.  That I promise.” 

Lucas returned to his home after
leaving
Allana.  He had never let his rage interfere with
The Game
before, but Allana wasn’t some ordinary conquest.  He wanted her in every way possible, which meant by his side for the rest of his life, to have and to hold whenever he wanted.  Normally, had it been any other conquest, he would have ignored what
he’d
seen transpire in the garden along with her engagement to the Earl, continuing to pursue her until he conquered.  But he couldn’t ignore those things with Allana; sh
e belonged to him.  Earl or no e
arl, she would always be his, or she would be no one’s.  Tonight’s actions were to make her realize that.  He always got what he wanted, and he wanted her.  They were meant for each other.  If she couldn’t
see that, then he would have to force her to see. 

A part of him felt guilt
, though,
for what
he’d
done to her
.  He had never hurt a woman so brutally.  He wouldn’t have either had she just succumb to him.  Why
did she have
to fight so?  He shook his head. 
Her spirit is what made her impossible to give up.  He would still have her.
  Things were
simply
a little more complicated than usual. 

He schemed for days after his attack on her, trying to develop the perfect plan to bring her back to him.  On the third day of locking himself away, it finally came to him.  He would force her into submission by making the man she was to marry reject her, and when
Declan
did reject her, along with every other eligible
suitor
, Lucas would be the only one left for her.  She would practically beg him to take her back.  It was too perfect, and he already had the means to pull off this malicious plan. 

First Luc
as would plant a seed, a small
seed to grow and poison everyone around
Declan
.  Lucas would plant this seed among the local servants first.  Gossip spread quickly among them.  It had only been a few days since he visited Allana, and he had already heard about her supposed fall down a ravine.  In fact, it was that lie which gave him this very plan.  That lie would help him spin his own lies, eventually leading Allana back to him because no one would dare refute them. 

After he planted the seed with the servants, he would move the seed to London and let it grow there.  He knew
Declan
had gone there on business; thus, the Earl was bound to hear the lies, severing any trust or love he might have for Allana.  It was all too easy and wicked. 

Lucas smiled as he thought of Allana by his side again.  If all went well, she would be his in a matter of weeks.  If not, it would be a matter of months, but he would still have her.  He just needed to plant the seed first. 

He was eating breakfast when the opportunity to plant that seed finally presented itself.  The beautiful Maggie Whiting entered the dining room to clear his breakfast plate. 

“Are you done,
my Lord
?” she
asked, motioning to his breakfast.  He nodded in reply, watching her
purposefully. 
As she reached down to take his tray, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him.  Her protests lasted only seconds before she gave in to him.  She was in love with him, and he took advantage of her love every chance he could.  
She’d
been the most recent
woman
, besides Allana, who had resisted him the longest.  She believed in love and saving herself for the one man she would someday marry.  But in the end,
he’d
manipulated
her into believing he was that man, and now he bedded her whenever it pleased him.  She was too smitten with him to refuse, willingly doing anything to keep him. 

He kissed her gently.  “Come upstairs with me, my love.  I need you.”