The Lady and the Earl

by Clark, Diedre

  If Allana wasn’t so embarrassed at being caught nearly kissing a man in a private corner of the stables, she might have shot the boy a very dark look. As it was, the look and the scolding she wanted to give would have to wait. “Of course not.” She braved a look at Lord Cunningham and found him simply staring at her. His eyes were beautiful!

  “What time tomorrow, Allana?” he reiterated.

  “Midmorning. I like to go midmorning.”

  “I will be here after breakfast. I simply hope you will be as cordial to me then as you have been in the past.”

  “Of course I will. Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked in confusion.

  He shook his head. “It was a pleasure as always, Allana.” He tipped his hat to her before turning to Fredric. “You are a very clever lad,” he said. He pulled a coin from his pocket and flipped it to him. “Thank you for readying my horse.” And with that he slipped from sight.

  Allana was still trying to catch her breath. She glanced down at twelve-year-old Fredric and scowled.

  “What?” the boy asked innocently.

  “You know what.” She placed her hands on her hips.

  “I can’t say that I do.”

  “Freddy, you are a little devil. You interrupted on purpose,” Allana accused. The boy flushed red, and Allana laughed in delight. “As good as a confession.”

  “He was taking advantage. I could not allow it,” Fredric defended.

  “Well then, I know who to come to if I ever need a knight in shining armor.” She smiled and found him smiling in return. The poor boy was smitten with her and had come to her rescue. What else could she say? “Come to the kitchen with me, and I will persuade Cook to give you a pastry.”

  His eyes lit up, but he hesitated. “I should get back to my chores,” he said.

  “Then I shall get you one and bring it to you,” Allana said. She walked to him and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you. You were wise to interrupt.” She hadn’t wanted the interruption, but deep down she thought it was for the best. She shouldn’t become attached to a man who would come to realize he did not want her. Declan Cunningham would never be hers.

  Chapter 15

  “What!” Allana screeched in a panic. “You did what! How could you!” She began to breathe heavily. Hadn’t she said Declan would never be hers? Apparently, she was wrong. He would be, but this was not the way she wanted it to happen.

  “Allana, you can scream all you wish. It’s going to happen. In six weeks it’s going to happen. It would be sooner, but he has to go to London next week on business,” her father explained calmly. “It’s high time you married, and since you cannot seem to settle on a suitor, I am picking him for you.”

  She looked at her father horror stricken. “In six weeks? But that’s so soon. I don’t even know him,” she finished in a whisper.

  “It’s already settled,” her father argued.

  “He is a good man, Allana,” Connor said, coming to her side comfortingly.

  Lilly burst through the study door suddenly, concern on her face. “What is going on here?” she demanded. “I heard shouting.”

  Allana pointed at her father and Connor. “They are forcing me to marry.”

  Lilly’s jaw dropped in shock. “Marcus, is this true?”

  Lord Tananguard shifted uncomfortably. “Yes, but—”

  “How could you, Marcus? Why would you do such a thing?”

  Lord Tananguard suddenly looked uncertain.

  “Who is it, and why?” Lilly asked as calmly as possible.

  “Lord Cunningham,” Connor replied.

  Lilly raised her eyebrows in surprise. She was the sole person who knew of Allana’s infatuation with Lord Cunningham.

  “And because it provides security to everyone including your unborn child. If she marries him, your child will get Tananguard, girl or boy. This is your home now, Lilly. You will never have to leave it unless you wish to.”

  A look of understanding replaced Lilly’s look of surprise. She sighed. “You two seem to have thought of everything. However, there is one thing you forgot. Allana’s happiness,” Lilly said quietly.

  It was Lord Tananguard’s turn to sigh. “My dear Lilly. You do complicate things.” He studied Allana a moment, struggling within himself. “Allana, it would be a good match, but Lilly is right. If you refuse, I will not force you to accept this marriage.”

  Connor stared at his father in surprise. “But Father—”

  “I,” Allana began to say at the same time Connor tried to speak.

  He stopped his words and stared at her, eyes wide and pleading.

  Allana almost smiled, but resisted. Instead she said, “Lord Cunningham is a good man, and I do find his company pleasant. If it benefits everyone so much, how can I be selfish and refuse?” Besides, it was Lord Cunningham! She was going to marry Lord Cunningham! She really only made such a fuss for the principle of the situation. It only made sense to fight the marriage even though she wanted it. Someone had to put Connor and her father in their places for going behind her back to arrange it. “I will do it. I will marry him

  Chapter 16

  Allana waited nervously for Declan to arrive. She’d thought about hiding in her room all day instead of meeting him for their scheduled ride. But she knew she would have to face him eventually. She might as well make it somewhere she was comfortable, and what better place than riding atop Lancelot. If things got complicated, she could make a break for it. Lancelot could outrun Lord Cunningham’s horse, couldn’t he? She fidgeted nervously. No wonder she’d had a restless night. She was too anxious about today and her upcoming wedding. She still couldn’t grasp the fact she was to be married to Lord Declan Cunningham, the one man she thought farthest from her reach.

  She thought of their conversation yesterday and blushed. Now it was obvious why he’d been so concerned for her. He knew she was to be his wife. She felt her freedom slipping away as she pictured him forcing her to have escorts everywhere she went. No, she wouldn’t allow it. If he thought he could control her, he was in for a surprise.

  The thud of horse’s hooves on the dirt road warned her of an approaching rider. She was sitting on a log staring darkly at a smooth, out-of-place stone in front of her as she thought. Nervously, she glanced up at the sound, expecting to see her Earl, and glowered. Anger surfaced as her eyes fell on Lucas.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked darkly.

  “It’s nice to see you again too,” Lucas said sarcastically. “I returned early. I decided it was not good to be away from you too long.”

  “Lucas, there is nothing left for us,” Allana said in exasperation, standing so she wouldn’t feel so small under his scrutinizing gaze.

  “No, you’re wrong, Allana. We can and we will work through this hardship,” he stated calmly.

  “No, we will not.” He was infuriating. How could he believe she would come meekly back to him?

  “Allana, I am not giving up. Why are you?”

  Lucas looked bewildered, and that made Allana feel bewildered. She sighed, doing her best to stay calm. “I do not love you, Lucas,” she said simply.

  “What does love have to do with anything? We are too perfect for each other to worry about love. There is an attraction between us that goes beyond love. I know you’ve felt it.” She blushed uncomfortably. “See? You would not be blushing if you hadn’t.”

  “I do not feel it anymore, Lucas. And I haven’t for some time now, especially after seeing you with that woman,” Allana said with distaste.

  “Are you still fuming about that? Honestly, Allana. It’s what men do. Ask your brother,” Lucas said dryly.

  “Say what you will Lucas, but it wasn’t right, and I will not be yours because of it. Now if you will excuse me, I am waiting for someone,” she replied. Connor was like Lucas? No, he couldn’t be. Was Declan the same? No, stop it, she scolded herself. Lucas was just saying these things to cause her doubt.

  “Oh? Who?” Lucas asked casually.

&nb
sp; Allana didn’t answer.

  “I think you’re lying to make me jealous.”

  “Jealous! Why would I want to make you jealous?” Allana asked incredulously.

  “To get even with me for hurting you,” came his smug reply.

  “I’m not trying to make you jealous. I am meeting someone, and here he comes. Will you please leave now?” Allana finished with exasperation.

  Lucas looked at her in disbelief when spotting Cunningham coming their way. “Why you little—”

  * * *

  Lucas was the last person Declan expected to see this morning, and the sight of that man turned Declan’s stomach. Was Allana one of his targets? “Er…Good morning,” Declan said, eyeing Lucas with reservation. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” He looked at Allana this time.

  “No. Lord Hoffman was just leaving. Weren’t you Lucas,” Allana stated.

  “Yes, I suppose I was. It was good to see you again, Allana. Until next time,” he said acidly. He turned his back to her, facing Declan. He urged his horse forward, and as he was passing Declan, he growled beneath his breath, “Don’t get too comfortable with her, Cunningham.”

  Declan frowned, growing rigid. “Is that a threat?” he asked, turning his horse with Lucas’s movements.

  Lucas smiled darkly. “A warning.”

  Declan opened his mouth to retort, anger searing through him, but Lucas spurred his horse to a gallop and was gone. Declan clenched his jaw shut, glaring darkly at Lucas’s back. He took several deep breaths to calm himself before turning to Allana to ask as casually as he could, “What was that about?” Suspicion filled his being. What connection did Allana have to Lucas? Lucas had a disturbing reputation, seducing women simply for pleasure, destroying innocents. Again Declan wondered if Allana might be one of them.

  “Nothing,” Allana said sourly.

  Declan raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question her further. Perhaps, she was not one of Lucas’s victims. Perhaps she was one of the few Lucas could not sway to his bed.

  “Are you ready then?” she asked.

  “Of course,” he replied pleasantly, pushing thoughts of Lucas aside. “Where are you taking me?” He climbed down from Colonel to assist her onto her mount.

  “You will see.” She smiled slyly.

  She mounted her blasted horse without help just as she’d done on the day of the hunt. Declan would never get used to a woman so independent. It pleased him to help in such simple things, but she’d thwarted his help yet again. He shook his head as he mounted Colonel.

  “Are you coming?” she asked, completely unaware of his irritation.

  “Yes, of course. Lead on.”

  She nodded and urged Lancelot back toward Declan’s land.

  They rode mostly in silence, chitchatting about little things. Allana seemed distant this morning as if she wished to be alone with her thoughts. Declan wondered how much she knew. Did she know they were betrothed? Marcus should have told her yester eve. He’d said he would. However, Allana had not broached the subject, and Declan did not feel it was his place to say anything about it lest Marcus hadn’t yet told her.

  Allana guided them almost to the place Declan had found her stranded ten days ago. Then oddly, she changed course. It was as if she planned to take him one place then changed her mind suddenly. It was curious. He had discovered her twice in the general area. The first time was when he mistook her for a thieving young boy, and she so ruthlessly kicked him between the legs. And the second was when he had rescued her from the mud. That one was a much more pleasant memory.

  He wondered why she had led him here again today before suddenly changing course. Perhaps there was somewhere nearby she liked to visit. He stored the information away for further thought, and simply continued to follow. Eventually, she led him to a private inlet off the river.

  “So this is the place?” he asked.

  “One of them, yes.” Allana wouldn’t look at him. She stared straight ahead as though examining the area.

  He contemplated her words. One of them? That meant she had several places she might venture. He didn’t like that, or maybe he did. If she changed course frequently, nobody could hide in wait for her. Then again, if she went missing, he wouldn’t know where to start a search for her.

  “Do you approve?” Allana asked him. She slipped him a clever almost flirtatious look.

  It still baffled Declan how senselessly attracted he was to her. Yesterday in the stables he was ready to kiss her…again. It would have occurred too if it wasn’t for that boy’s interruption. And now he was wondering how he could create another moment like that but without the interruption. He had to start using his brain around her. He couldn’t simply kiss her like he kept trying to do. He couldn’t succumb to those desires just yet. But when she looked at him as she just had, all common sense slipped away. There was a pull to her he could not explain. All he wanted to do was haul her off that horse so he could…Argh! These thoughts were not good. He cleared his throat. “Er…of course. Why?”

  “Oh, since I am to be your wife, I thought you should see some of the places I go.” Allana tilted her head to the side and eyed him matter-of-factly.

  Declan chuckled softly. “Ah, so you do know. I’ve been wondering that. In fact, I’m beginning to think it’s the cause of your melancholy mood.”

  “Truly? Why would you think that? Maybe because our conversation yesterday implied I will not be able to go anywhere without a shadow accompanying me when we are wed,” she said irritably. She scowled at him, or perhaps he should consider it more of a pout.

  He shook his head, smiling. “Would it be so terrible if it was me shadowing you?”

  Her eyes shot open in surprise. There was hope there, and suddenly it was gone. She shook her head and answered quietly and soberly, “No, it would not.”

  Declan’s smile softened. “I’m glad.” Their eyes met, and a current of heat seemed to surge between them. Allana looked away quickly, giving a sigh of…was it despair Declan heard? He sincerely hoped not. Surely she felt that strange current pulling her to him as he had to her. Her eyes said she did, but then why the sad sigh? “Allana, something is bothering you. Please, tell me what it is,” he prodded.

  “I,” she hesitated. “I’m sorry. I do not mean to be such miserable company. This marriage worries me. I hardly know you,” she answered truthfully.

  “Do not apologize. I understand. But these things tend to work out. It could turn out to be quite the adventure. I have never been one to decline a good challenge,” he finished with a grin.

  She eyed him, not looking very pleased with what he’d said. Then she nodded in resignation. “A challenge, of course.” She said it more to herself than Declan. He wondered if she even realized she’d said it aloud.

  He cleared his throat. He should say something more to help ease her mind. “The arrangement isn’t sealed in blood, Allana. You still have a choice.”

  “A choice?”

  “Yes, we have six weeks before our wedding. Four, unfortunately, where I will be away, but the rest we can use to our advantage and get to know each other better. If we change our minds at the end of the six weeks, we can call off the wedding before it’s too late. So you see? If you’re still doubtful, you may change your mind.” He looked at her with reassurance.

  * * *

  Allana nodded, but her mind was whirling. Declan thought she was having doubts? Oh, what little he knew! She would marry him no matter what. Her heart wouldn’t allow her any other choice, but she was afraid it would be broken in the process. He didn’t love her, and there was no guarantee he ever would.

  He continued, “However, I highly doubt I will change my mind, so it will have to be your decision.”

  She frowned at him. “Does my dowry mean so much to you?” she asked stubbornly. Surely that was the only reason he’d agreed to this marriage. She was simply the baggage that would come with it. This was definitely not what she’d ever imagined her life to be. She’d imagin
ed love and happiness from the man she would marry. She never expected to be considered a business arrangement or an obstacle needing to be overcome.

  “Your dowry?” Declan asked with a laugh. His eyes twinkled in delight. “Is that why you think I’m marrying you?”

  “What other reason is there?”

  “Why you, of course,” he said bluntly.

  “Me?” she asked in astonishment.

  He laughed again. “Must I corner you and try to kiss you again to prove it? Apparently my other failed attempts were not enough.”

  “But it’s different now. We’re to be married,” she argued.

  “And how is that different than yesterday? Nothing has changed for me. Believe me when I say your dowry is not the only thing that tempts me.” He eyed her purposefully, causing her heart to quicken and heat to flare all over her body.

  “Oh,” she said weakly.

  He shook his head, a smoky smile still lining his features. “Is that all you have to say?”

  “I…I…,” she shut her mouth. “No…prove it.” Had she really just said that? Her cheeks flushed red as his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

  He chuckled darkly. “Come here, and I will.”

  Allana swallowed hard. She couldn’t move. All she could do was stare at him with wide eyes. Finally, she looked away. What was she thinking? She wasn’t. That was the problem.

  “It seems I’ve called your bluff,” he said with amusement.

  “Or perhaps I’ve called yours,” she said obstinately, still not looking at him.

  He laughed in delight. “Oh Allana, you are…,” and then he sighed in pleasure. He did not say anything further.

  She braved a glance at him and found him looking out over the river, a smug smile on his face. She wondered what he was thinking. He’d said she tempted him. Perhaps he was thinking about her in ways she’d often thought about him. Me in his arms with his lips caressing mine. Her heart quickened and she found herself breathing quite raggedly. Was it possible he wanted her as much as she yearned for him?