by Joyce Alec
“My lord!” the coachman exclaimed, looking horrified as he put one arm around Luke’s shoulders. “Oh, my lord! I am so terribly sorry! The carriage in front stopped suddenly and—”
The sound of a scream pierced the air, and Luke shook off the coachman’s hand, trying to get to his feet without falling over. His head was spinning, stars sparkling in his vision as he stumbled forward.
“My lord,” the coachman said again, putting out one hand towards Luke. “You must not. Your head…”
Something ran into his eyes, and Luke wiped it away, looking down to see the red stain on his sleeve. He had hit his head.
“I have to get to her,” he said, the stars slowly beginning to fade as he took another step. “I know that is Lady Elizabeth.”
The coachman fell into step beside him, clearly unwilling to let his master out of his sight, as they moved further along the road. Carriages and horses were everywhere, men muttering and ladies whining as to why there was a delay. However, all Luke heard was that scream.
It had to be Elizabeth.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in his head, Luke rounded the corner, breaking into a run as he moved through the stream of carriages, only to see Lord Parke’s carriage across the street, blocking the way. There was no coachman to be seen, the horses stomping their feet and blowing air out of their noses, as they stood nervously, possibly aware that there was something going on.
Another scream came from within the carriage, and seeing that the curtain was drawn, Luke had no hesitation in reaching for the door handle and pulling it open with such force that it slammed against the side of the carriage.
And then something huge, something heavy, came slamming down on the top of his head. Another scream, the cry of Luke’s coachman, and something that sounded like a gunshot filled his ears as he staggered backwards, blinking furiously. His body grew weak, his mind whirling, as he tried his best to stop himself from fainting.
“Careful, my lord!”
Someone caught Luke as he stumbled, his head aching terribly as he looked straight ahead of him, his vision slowly coming back into focus. By now, there was a great many gentlemen around him, their conversation growing louder and louder as he was helped back toward the carriage.
Managing to see straight, Luke reached the carriage door and saw Lady Elizabeth sitting in her seat, his coachman sitting beside her. She was holding something in her hand, something that was smoking. The coachman slowly took it away from her, as Lady Elizabeth stared horrified at the prone figure of Lord Parke.
“Elizabeth,” Luke whispered, reaching for her hand. “Elizabeth, I have found you.”
Slowly, she turned to look at him, her eyes filling with sudden tears, her skin milk white. Her lips trembled as he reached for her, trying to help her down from the carriage despite the pain in his head.
“Luke,” she whispered, shaking all over as she managed to gently step down from the carriage and into his arms. “Oh, Luke. I shot him.”
“You are safe now,” he said, as firmly as he could, wrapping his arms around her and closing his eyes as relief swept through him. “I am so sorry, Elizabeth, for everything.”
She shook her head and pressed it into his shoulder, ignoring the crowd that surrounded them. Nothing was said for a long time. They just stood together, in the middle of London, finally back where they each belonged.
17
By the time another carriage had been brought for Elizabeth and Lord Mallon, a great hubbub of noise had broken out around them both. It was a relief to climb into the carriage, and even more of a relief to feel Luke’s arms around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. The moment she had seen him, it had felt as though her world had finally come to a dizzying stop, having been frantically spinning around her for the last few minutes.
“Oh, Luke,” she whispered, as he held her tightly. “What will happen to me? Am I to go to prison?”
He smiled gently, looking down at her. “No, my love. You did not kill him.”
A wave of relief crashed over her, her body going limp as tears crept from her eyes. “Thank goodness,” she whispered, suddenly aware of the red streaks of blood running down Luke’s face. “Are you all right?”
“I am more than all right, now that I have you back safely,” he replied, dropping a tender kiss onto her brow. “Parke tried his best to get between us, but it appears you were steadfast in your dedication to me. He had no choice but to try something desperate. I am just glad he did not succeed.”
Tiredness overtook her, and Elizabeth felt her eyes grow heavy. She wanted to stay awake; she wanted to tell him everything that had happened but found that she could not so much as think clearly.
“Rest, my love,” he whispered, as her eyes fluttered closed. “You are safe now. We will speak later, have no fear. But, for the moment, you must sleep.”
When Elizabeth awoke, she found that she was in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. Sitting up carefully, a maid instantly by her side, she discovered that she was feeling a great deal better than she had before and asked for something to eat.
The moment the maid went to procure a tea tray, the countess rushed in, her eyes wide as she saw Elizabeth sitting up.
“Mama,” Elizabeth breathed, hugging her mother tightly as the countess threw her arms about her daughter. “I am quite all right.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” the countess exclaimed, sitting down heavily in the chair next to Elizabeth’s bed. “When Lord Mallon carried you in, I thought the worst.”
“Luke?” Elizabeth asked at once, her stomach tightening. “Is he here? Is he all right?”
Her mother nodded, and relief coursed through Elizabeth’s veins.
“He left here shortly after explaining what had happened, in order to patch himself up and to assure your friend that you had been found. But Elizabeth, there is already a great many rumors spinning around London about you, and I am afraid that your marriage to Lord Mallon must come very soon now. Sooner than you might have expected.”
A small laugh escaped from Elizabeth’s throat, as she patted her mother’s hand. “Mama, I cannot think of anything I would like better.”
Her mother’s eyes widened for a moment before she smiled. “I am so glad that you are all right,” she replied with a small sigh. “I have been so worried for you.”
“It was all Lord Parke’s doing,” Elizabeth said heavily. “I did not guess that he had nefarious intentions towards Luke, nor did I suspect that he was speaking nothing more than lies into my ear. It was foolish of me to continue my acquaintance with him.”
Shaking her head, the countess smiled at her daughter. “No, it was not foolish, my dear. It was quite understandable, given the circumstances. You were lost in a fog, not knowing where your betrothed had gone. If Lord Parke was the only connection to him, then of course you would try to further that acquaintance!”
“I was always true to him,” Elizabeth whispered, half to herself. “I never wanted anything but to discover the truth about where Luke had gone.”
Her mother patted her hand and smiled. “I know that, and I can assure you that he does, too. He said he would return within the hour in the hope that he might speak with you.”
Elizabeth gasped and made to fling back the covers, suddenly desperate to see Lord Mallon, but her mother held the covers in place steadfastly.
“Now, you cannot speak to him when you look like a wraith! Eat first, rest, and then I will help you dress warmly. He has not come yet, and I know he would not want you to do yourself any kind of injury simply to speak to him.” She gave Elizabeth a firm look. “Are you sure you are quite able to rise from your bed?”
“Yes, Mama,” Elizabeth replied at once. “Once I have eaten I know I will be more than able to get up. I have to see him. There is so much to be said.”
The countess’s mouth curved into a smile. “I believe he said almost exactly the same thing.” The door opened, and the maid entered, carrying a small tray. “Now,
eat,” her mother instructed firmly. “And then we shall prepare you to meet your betrothed.”
Nothing but an anxious urgency drove Elizabeth towards the drawing room, desperate to see Luke again. She had been so lost without him. So much time had been spent in confusion and in worry.
Her mother had been called away on an urgent matter and had told Elizabeth that she would be joining them in a few moments. Elizabeth, realizing that her mother was giving her some time with Luke alone, had been more than thankful. Opening the door to the drawing room, she saw him turn towards her from where he stood by the fireplace, and without hesitating, she rushed towards him and threw herself into his arms.
He caught her at once, his strong arms about her waist as she held him tightly, burying her face into his neck. They stood together for some moments, the wounds in her heart slowly beginning to heal.
“My dear Elizabeth,” he whispered in her ear, his head pulling back just a little so that he might look into her eyes. “How much I have missed you.”
She did not wait but lifted her face to his, kissing him lightly. There was a moment of caution on his part, as though he had been surprised at her action, only for him to angle his head and kiss her back again with a great firmness, a greater passion than she had ever experienced.
When his lips left hers, they were both breathing hard, and a tear slipped from the corner of her eye.
“Do not cry, my love,” he whispered, brushing it away with his thumb. “It is all over now.”
“I know,” she replied, with a watery smile. “I have been so confused, so lost, Luke. I did not know where you had gone and thought that Lord Parke might hear from you before I did, and so I kept up our acquaintance. It was not as though he were cruel or the like, he was charmingly amiable.”
Her stomach knotted, as she looked up at him, worried that he might be angry with her for what she had done. However, instead of frowning, he was smiling gently down at her.
“I do not hold you responsible in any way,” he promised, stepping back and taking her hand. “Come now, sit by me.”
Elizabeth, weak with relief, sat next to him and smiled as he kept her hand in his. At that moment, there was such a deep connection between them that she knew this incident would have no bearing on their future together.
“Lord Parke was tasked with taking a note to you,” he began, shaking his head. “My father had experienced an accident in his carriage on the way home, and I was sent for immediately. I thought that Lord Parke would do as I asked, particularly because I knew he was to leave London.” He shook his head, apparently frustrated with himself for being so trusting. “Parke has never done anything like this before, although I knew him not to be wise gentleman. He has debts up to his eyeballs and was required to leave London before his creditors came snapping at his heels—and that is even when I paid some of the creditors what they were due!”
Elizabeth gasped, her eyes wide. “You showed him such kindness, and yet he did not return it?”
“No, he did not,” Luke replied heavily. “He saw an opportunity and took it with both hands. In trying to worm his way into your affections, he sought to discredit me in your eyes in the hope that you might agree to marry him before I returned to London.”
“A foolish plan,” Elizabeth whispered, squeezing his hand. “After what we shared, I could not give you up so easily. I could not think so ill of you.”
The way he smiled at her made her heart quicken, seeing something burning there.
“I am grateful for your belief in me. I know things must have been very trying,” he said quietly. “Lord Parke, it seems, grew frustrated when you spoke to him this afternoon about my imminent return. That is why he tried to physically remove you from my presence. I believe he hoped to force you into matrimony, for your dowry alone would have cleared his debts.”
Shuddering, Elizabeth closed her eyes and tried not to recall just how afraid she had been.
“He did not have a plan,” Luke said heavily. “He was foolish in the least and deserves everything that fell on him.”
“The carriage was going so fast,” Elizabeth whispered, as Luke placed his other hand on top of their joined ones. “I screamed aloud, more than once, and I believe I startled the horses. Somehow, the carriage ended up sitting across the road, blocking everyone else, and I was sure we were about to be thrown from it.”
“It must have been truly awful,” Luke said softly. “I am sorry that you had to endure it.”
Elizabeth remembered how relieved she had been when Luke had opened the door to the carriage. She allowed her gaze to rove to the top of his head where Parke had hit him so cruelly. “Parke then produced a pistol, which he had hidden somewhere in the carriage,” she continued, her voice shaking. “When you opened the door, he did not hesitate, but brought the butt of the pistol down on your head. I think since it only holds one shot, he did not want to waste it on you. For then, there would have been no threat to me.”
“You were extraordinarily brave, my love,” Luke replied, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. “You took the gun from him, I presume?”
“I did not think it was brave, but foolish,” Elizabeth said with a wry, wobbling smile. “But what else could I do? In the shock of it all, Parke simply stared at me as I fumbled with it, trying my best to get a hold of it when it went off. My finger must have slipped on the trigger.”
The sheer horror of that moment engulfed her once again, but before she became lost in it, Luke held her tightly in his arms, murmuring comforting words in her ear.
“You did not kill him,” he reminded her over and over. “A shot to the shoulder, that is all. A flesh wound. No one will come after you for this. You are to be commended for your bravery.”
Not feeling particularly brave in the least, Elizabeth closed her eyes and tried to stop herself from trembling so furiously. Wrapped in Luke’s arms, she felt herself begin to calm, his strength and support surrounding her and chasing the dark memories away.
“There is only one slight problem however,” Luke continued, leaning back and looking into her eyes.
“Oh?”
His smile warmed her heart, her eyes filled with none but him.
“The rumors are now abounding all over town,” he smiled, one hand cupping her chin. “I think we must wed sooner than we thought, if that would be to your liking?”
Elizabeth’s lips curved into a gentle smile, her heart filling with a deep abiding love for the man who held her heart.
“I would marry you tomorrow, Luke,” she said softly. “I do not want to let you go again, not when I came so close to losing you.”
His smile was one of happiness and contentment, looking at her as though she were some kind of precious jewel. “Then as soon as it can be arranged, I shall take you as my bride,” he murmured, leaning towards her again. “I love you, Elizabeth. I do not think I can live another day without you by my side.”
His lips touched hers, and Elizabeth went willingly into his arms. The happiness in her heart chased away any dark remnants of all that had happened. Her future was no longer clouded with fear and doubt. “I love you too, Luke,” she whispered against his mouth. “For as long as we both shall live.”
THE END
An Earl’s Wager
Gentlemen & Brides
An Earl’s Wager
Gentlemen and Brides
Text Copyright © 2018 by Joyce Alec
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.
First printing, 2018
Publisher
Love Light Faith, LLC
400
NW 7th Avenue, Unit 825
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Prologue
London, England
1835
“My dear Hartley!”
George, the Earl of Hartley, laughed aloud and slapped his friend, Viscount Morton, on the back.
“Morton, how good to see you!” he exclaimed, his eyes bright. “I have been looking forward to making your acquaintance again.”
Viscount Morton chuckled, a gleam in his eye. “I know full well why you have been looking forward to returning to London, and it is not my company that has drawn you.”
George attempted to look both shocked and upset, aware that he was failing miserably. “What are you talking about, Morton? I am more than delighted to see you again.”
Lord Morton snorted, rolling his eyes. “You need not pretend, Hartley. You have come to see how many young ladies you can pursue, is that not the case?”
George grinned, unable to hide the truth from his long-time acquaintance. “Indeed, I confess it has been a long, cold winter, and I have been very much looking forward to dancing with some warm bodies again.”
Morton laughed aloud and gestured for the footman to bring them over a drink. “White’s has not been this loud in some time,” he replied with a grin, as the footman offered them both a glass of whisky.
“You have been here over the winter?”
His friend shook his head. “I came for the little Season, but it was rather dull compared to this. Not half as many pretty young ladies and a lot more grimacing mothers and companions.”
George chuckled, sitting back in his seat and letting his heart fill with contentment. “I have missed it, I confess. Of course, there have been the usual responsibilities back at the estate, but they will wait for the time being. I have a very good steward who can take care of most things whilst I am away.”