Lady Alexis took a deep breath; her heart was hammering so loudly in her chest that she was certain the entire room must be able to hear it. A fleeting glance at the gathered assembly showed that she did not know half the people in attendance; it was not a fact that surprised her, though it added to her anxiety. This was after all, the most talked about wedding of the year. Held in the height of the London Season between the Marquis of Blakely and one of the wealthiest heiresses on the market, it could do nothing except draw attention.
Looking up and meeting her soon to be husband’s eye, he smiled gently at her, and she felt somewhat reassured. It was true that she did not love Lord Dante Delacourt, Seventh Marquis of Blakely, but neither did she despise him. And by marrying so well off, she was securing her family a place in society.
As a result of this union, her sister’s would have far better chances at making successful marriages of their own. Alexis kept repeating all those reasons in her head as she heard the Marquis repeating his vows, her palms sweated, and she had to resist the urge to rub them against the side of her beautiful gown.
If she were honest, she wanted nothing more than to run from the church, but as the eldest daughter, she was to be the sacrificial lamb. Finding her families faces in the packed crowd, they were all beaming at her. Alexis tried to smile back, but found that she could not.
“Do you Lady Alexandra Grant take…?” Here it was, time for Alexis to choke out her own vows. She braced herself to actually say it, but the Priest had trailed off and turned ghostly pale. Alexis was perplexed, looking to her groom she found that his attention was focused on the rear of the church as well, his face an angry red hue.
Craning her neck to see the commotion, Alexis blanched as ten armed men clad in black dominos and long flowing black cloaks strode determinedly up the aisle. The man in the lead stopped mere inches from her fiancé and cocked his pistol, the click echoed ominously throughout the silent church.
“See here young man, this is a place of God…” The Priest fell silent as one of the men stepped forward and aimed his weapon directly at the clergy man’s heart.
“Miss Grant, if you would please come with me?” The man, who was obviously the leader, spoke eloquently like a gentleman, and beside her she felt the Marquis stiffen. How did this man know her name?
“I beg your pardon? I do not think so!” Lady Alexis tried to look unafraid by staring down her nose at the man, not an easy task considering he was far larger than she. The bandit gave a derisive snort and reaching out, grasped the long white beaded sleeve of her wedding gown and yanked her forward. Alexis was thrown off balance and pitched towards the man, falling against the hardness of his body he did not budge an inch though she fell most forcefully.
“I am afraid that was not a request.” He sounded almost regretful, almost. Alexis saw the Marquis still standing completely motionless to her left. He did nothing to try and stop the man and her heart sank. She was being kidnapped, and her fiancé was not lifting a finger to stop it.
She saw her father begin to rise angrily from his seat, the leader following Alexis’s gaze looked to his man, who had just primed his pistol and pointed it at her father, and shook his head. The man released the primed hammer and Alexis saw him instead club her father over the head with the pistol when he charged the masked man.
Alexis cried out in fear for her father even as the large man lifted her easily over his shoulder and carried her struggling and fighting towards the door. She could see his men forming a protective guarded circle of weaponry behind them in case anyone tried to follow, a few people rose angrily from their seats, but the last view Alexis had was of the Marquis still standing at the altar the personification of calm. Fury began to build up insider her, how dare her fiancé not lift a finger to save her!
The masked bandit threw her easily across his saddle a moment before joining her, then spurning his horse into a gallop he took off at breakneck speed, Alexis began to scream bloody murder for someone to rescue her, but soon found she was unable to do both scream and hang on for dear life. Terrified she would be dropped and trampled beneath the massive animal’s hooves; she held on for dear life. They galloped along for what seemed like forever, the houses became shabbier as they came to what was obviously a rough part of London.
There, the man transferred her to a waiting carriage, picking her easily off the saddle though she clung to it for dear life. He deposited her gently onto a rather startlingly luxurious carriage seat. Alexis jumped into action, looking around for anything that could be used as a weapon as soon as the door was shut on her. Digging frantically under the seats she almost crowed in pleasure when her fingers wrapped themselves around a leather riding crop. Hearing the door begin to rattle, Alexis quickly hid the whip inside her skirting.
Gabriel opened the carriage door surveying the very angry looking young woman dressed head to toe in bridal splendor. He had not had time to take a close look at her before, but now that he did he felt as though someone had kicked him in the stomach. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Glossy red hair that had once been perfectly coiffed was now in complete disarray, her pins had come loose, and her hair curled riotously down her back like an avalanche of silk. Gabe felt his mouth go dry.
“What are you staring at?” The woman demanded waspishly, and Gabriel was surprised by the venom in her tone. Not that he could blame her for being a harridan; he had after all just kidnapped her, but the Marquis did not usually prey on women with a back bone. Eying the thunderous look in her unsettling emerald green eyes, Gabriel decided that Evans must not have known her temperament when he had courted her.
“Do you find something funny Sir?” It was then that Gabriel realized he was smiling like a fool. The coach rocked and began moving and Gabriel’s attention was momentarily drawn to the window. “What do you want with me?” She was obviously exasperated, clearly thinking herself kidnapped by a mute. “Damn you, I asked you a question!” She shrieked at him when once again he did not answer. Pulling the whip from behind her skirting she struck him hard and quick across the face, not wasting a split second of the element of surprise, she then tried to lunge over him for the door.
Gabriel was in shock, though he caught her easily; she began flailing and struggling in earnest when she felt his arms like steel bands grasp her mid-section. He had expected the woman to cry quietly in the corner not bloody well pull a whip from her skirt and attack him. He cursed foully as her toe found his shin in a rather blood thirsty kick.
Wresting the whip from her grasp he opened the door and threw it to the rapidly passing cobblestones, breathing heavily from the exertion of keeping his prisoner pinned to his side. “Let me go!” She demanded, panting, as she continued to struggle though she could barely move at all.
“Quit fighting me and I will consider it.” He tried reasoning with her only to receive a blow from the back of her head to his chin; he knew instinctively that she had done it purposely.
“I will never quit fighting you.” She shouted, bravely defying him, she aimed another kick at him; and with a resolute sigh Gabriel knew he had no choice but to tie the little spit fire up.
Alexis was furious, so furious that she forgot to be frightened as any gently bred young lady should surely be. The coach bounced, and she shifted uncomfortably against the ropes that bound her wrists together. Her wrists were tied tightly though not so tight that they cut off her circulation, though it was blasted uncomfortable. She tested the knot but found it too rigid to slip her hand free. Her enemy sat across the coach from her, eying her warily. She needed to catch him off guard; to put him at ease.
Closing her eyes as the idea struck her, she pretended to fall asleep. She heard him snort in disbelief as she promptly squeezed her eyes shut, she knew he d
id not believe her but even still, she had no wish to look at him.
Alexis watched through her lowered lashes as the man settled into his seat, producing a newspaper and calmly began to read it as though he were out for a Sunday driver. Anger stirred her blood at the domestic scene. Why should he be so at ease while she was so uncomfortably tied?
Before she realized what she intended she had thrust out a booted foot and kicked the paper from his hand.
The man turned an angry scowl on her, and Alexis was suddenly very afraid that he might strike her. He did not. Instead, he dug beneath the seat and pulled out another length of rope and began tightly tying her ankles together.
Alexis kicked angrily a few times, but it did no good, tied up as she was. The day dragged on after that; they seemed to stop several times for fresh horses but each time her kidnapper shoved her lace handkerchief into her mouth to silence her cries; only pulling it out after they had once more departed the inn. He did not leave the coach when they stopped; it seemed he had already learned to be leery of what she might unexpectedly do next.
Good, Alexis thought with dark satisfaction; she hoped that she made this experience as uncomfortable for him as it was for her.
It was nearly dark when they stopped once more, this time just as they were about to leave, fresh horses in the traces, the door opened a crack, and someone passed the man a hamper. Alexis could smell the tantalizing scent of food instantly, and her mouth watered, causing her stomach to rumble and cramp uncomfortably.
The masked brigand waited until they were once more on the road before un binding just one of her hands. Keeping her other hand tied safely to the side of the coach; he offered her a large piece of chicken. Alexis stared at the food in his hand a long moment, debating her hunger over taking the chicken and throwing it at his head.
He seemed to sense her inner struggle and offered it patiently once more with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. “You should eat; you will need your strength to try and escape me.” He cajoled causing Alexis to give him a suspicious look before conceding that he had a point, starving herself would do her no good.
Gabriel watched her eat, it was obvious the woman was ravenous; it had been several hours since he had kidnapped her from her wedding and she had probably been too nervous beforehand to eat.
Finding cider, fresh bread, thick slices of cheese and a lemon tart for dessert in the basket Gabriel offered it to her, waiting until she had eaten first one thing before offering her another. She accepted the food voraciously; it was obvious she had taken his advice to heart.
Retying her free hand once she had eaten her fill Gabriel turned to stare out the window, he could sense that she watched him warily; he could also sense that she was exhausted. And soon, despite her best effort to stay awake, and with a little help from the laudanum he had slipped in her cider, she fell into a deep sleep.
Once she was asleep, Gabriel turned back to study her in the dim light of the carriage lantern. She was very beautiful, not at all what he had expected. Her gown was now wrinkled beyond repair though the curvaceous body beneath it was unmistakable. Gabe watched her breasts rise and fall with sleep and felt a distinctive tightening in his loins.
Turning away he felt ashamed of his behavior, ogling her body while she slept. He had after all put her through unspeakable terror this afternoon, staring back out the window he silently willed the horses to go faster.
Alexis awoke suddenly when the coach changed pace; it had apparently slowed down to turn. She glanced around blearily, disorientated for a moment; thin dregs of dawn were filtering in the coach, and Alexis’s heart sank at the greyly illuminated scene before her, it had not been a terrible dream after all.
Pulling futilely on her ropes, she glanced up and found a pair of blue eyes watching her intently. The bandit of the night was gone and beside her sat an English gentleman. He was dressed expensively in a black jacket, red waistcoat and fawn colored breeches. His black Hessians gleamed impressively even in the dim, early morning light. He was a rather attractive gentleman with dark hair that contrasted beautifully with his shockingly blue eyes. Alexis suddenly felt nervous; she was certain that she must look a fright.
Resisting the urge to try to pat her hair into place, she reminded herself that this was surely the same man who had kidnapped her, he was merely unmasked. Glancing at him once more, she studied him carefully and did indeed see the faint outline of a welt upon his cheek where she had struck him with the whip. She felt a fierce sense of satisfaction upon seeing evidence of her handy work.
“You must have questions for me?” The man asked in his cultured aristocratic voice and Alexis jumped, realizing she had been staring at him, lost deep in her own thoughts. Alexis was just forming the questions she wanted to ask when the coach came to a halt. The coachman appeared, giving a quick bow to them both, not even batting an eyelash at her restraints.
“We have arrived My Lord” Alexis stared at the man in shock. Of course, she had noted his aristocratic features, but to know that the man that had kidnapped her was a Peer, it was nearly inconceivable. The man seemed to be able to read her thoughts and sent her a small shrug even as he reached over and untied her bonds.
As soon as she felt the rope fall free Alexis jumped into action, ready to attempt escape once more, but found that she was quite stiff from sitting so long, tied up no less, and nearly fell on her face when she tried out her rubbery legs. Her odious kidnapper caught her easily and not releasing her as a proper gentleman would have done, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her from the carriage.
Alexis began to struggle once more, but the man only held her more firmly. Glancing around she saw that they were in the middle of nowhere with fields that stretched on and on, with only a rather small country home in sight. The man nodded to his coachman, who stood silently waiting.
“Is everything in order here?” He seemed to have almost forgotten that he still held her in his arms; he acted as though she weighed nothing at all. The coachman nodded, careful not to make eye contact with her.
“Then thank you, you may be on your way” The man commanded with an air of authority, the coachman hesitated a moment and her captor looked at him sharply.
“Damn it Henderson, you know she is perfectly safe with me.” Henderson looked sheepish as he once more nodded; climbing up onto the coach, he gathered up his reins and drove off with a crack of his whip.
“Where is he going?” Alexis demanded incredulously, watching the retreating view of the coach.
“Away.” The man said simply before striding over to the cottage, he carried her over the threshold, and only then did he release her. “I could not leave the horses here in case you tried to escape.” Alexis glanced around frantically.
“HELP!” She began to call at the top of her lungs.
“There is no one here but you and I.” The man interrupted her mid bellow and Alexis began to feel truly fearful of just what this man intended.
“Perhaps you should come into the library and allow me to explain?” He held out his arm gallantly, as if they were at some soiree, rather than the deserted home of a kidnapper. Alexis cast an arched eyebrow at his offer before folding her arms stubbornly across her chest. She wanted nothing more than to turn and run in the opposite direction, but she reluctantly followed him as he gave up and led the way to the library. Perhaps it would be best to have a little more information before she attempted another escape.
The library was quite luxurious despite the outwardly dilapidated appearance of the cottage; Alexis chose a chair as far opposite her kidnapper as she could get and folding her hands in her lap; she waited stubbornly for him to begin.
“I feel that given the circumstances, I should introduce myself. My name is Gabriel Pierce.” Alexis stared at him a moment; the name sounded familiar to her, but she could not place it, though it nagged quite insistently at the edges of her conscious, and then suddenly she knew.
She remembered hearing gossip about a
Gabriel Pierce; a long lost Earl, that had just returned from the America’s. He had apparently made his fortune in shipping.
“Why, you are the Earl of Adderly, are you not?” Alexis blurted out stunned, Gabriel nodded.
“You have heard of me?” He asked though it was obviously rhetorical.
“Everyone has heard of you, you’re in all the on dit’s…”
“The Marquis of Evans was my brother in law.” The Earl explained, as if that explained anything.
Alexis frowned at the new information. “Your sister was his first wife?” Her brows knitted in a frown as she tried to understand. “I am afraid that I do not understand, if the two of you are family… then why would you steal his bride? He loved your sister very much; certainly I would never try and replace that affection.”
Gabriel laughed then, though it was a humorless laugh that sent chills down her spine. “Is that what he told you?” He asked, his face darkening in obvious anger.
It had indeed been what Dante had told her, but somehow it did not appear to be the same memories that the Earl had. Alexis hesitated a moment; she truly did not want to get herself in the middle of a family squabble but it seemed that was exactly where she already was. “Surely whatever you think Dante did, does it really justify kidnapping an innocent woman?” She was more than a little angry; the Earl had used her to punish her fiancé, even if he did let her go, she would return to scandal. “I am ruined now, completely ruined because of what you did. Your man knocked my father unconscious with a gun, and you expect me to understand? I expect you to take me home this instant.” Alexis was working herself into a rage now; she could feel the blood begin pouring into her face.
It was the curse of her fiery red hair, a fiery red temper to go with it; her father had always told her. Her sisters were all blonde and even tempered, but Alexis was certain her anger was a better comfort right now than lady like platitudes.
“Even if I wanted to, I cannot… the carriage and the horses are gone, we are here like it or not.” Alexis tried to take a deep calming breath to avoid jumping from her chair and striking him.
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