The Lady and the Earl (7 page)

“Come now, Lucas.  I may look dainty, but I can still ta
k
e care of myself.  Besides, he’
s
too much of a gentleman to do anything disrespectful,” Allana said with a laugh.

Lucas smiled at her.  The words of the
feisty girl
she used to be, but spoken with the poise of a lady.  She was the same, yet she was so different.  The spunk was still there, but it was hidden behind her delicate, graceful manners.  She may possibly turn out to be the best conquest he would ever have.  His smile deepened at that thought.

“And what are you smiling at?”
Allana asked suspiciously.  “Did I say something
amusing
?”

“No, not at all,” Lucas replied still smiling.

“Then why are you smiling like that?” 

“I would tell you, but that would ruin my fun of watching you wonder,” he replied,
giving her a wink.

“Lucas,” she said, frowning slightly.  “Tell me.”

He simply
held his smile
and led
her the
rest of the way to the carriage. 

“Here we are,” he said as he assisted her inside.  Once she was inside, he instructed the driver to take them to Tananguard Manor before climbing in himself.

“Allana, tell me
more of this
getting out of the way
business.  You must elaborate
,” Lucas said as he situated himself in the seat across from Allana.

Her eyes lit up in delight.  “I have you quite curious
,
don’t I?”

He laughed. 
“Yes, actually.”

“Good.  Here is what happened,” and she told him the entire event.
 

Her story was definitely different than the rumors being spread.  However, the end result was still the same. 
Edmund w
as officially out of the game, and Allana was free to pursue.
 

Lucas laughed, shaking his head. 
“Well
then
, that
made my job easier.  It
’
s almost disappointing
.
”

“
Easier?  What do you mean?”
Allana asked curiously.

Lucas
shook his head.  “Perhaps later I will elaborate, but for now, I w
ish to hear all about you.  It’
s been a very long time since I last saw you.”

“It has at that. 
But
will you not
tell me about London first.  What was it like?  What did you do there?”
s
he asked
with excitement
.
 

Lucas smile
d
.  He woul
d have to take her there
someday
.  Until then, he
would tell
her all she wished to know. 

They talked without pause through the ride to Tananguard.  They laughed and teased, and Lucas noticed more than once Allana’s hand reaching out and playfully tapping his knee as she
laughed at something he had said.  It was s
o natural to be with her.  He’
d never felt such a thing with any
other
woman.  But this was Allana
.  She understood him.  Even as a child she understood him.  There was no need for pretense with her.  There was no need to be someone he was not.  He found her company quite refreshing…and her mannerism quite captivating. 

Finally, as they were nearing Tananguard, a lull settled over the two.  They simply stared at each other for a moment.  She batted her eyes gently and looked away. 
Lucas’s
heart ached to hold her in his arms and kiss her.  She was beautiful.  When did this happen?  What had caused it?

“
W
hen did you stop wearing
Connor’s
trousers?”
Lucas
simply
asked.

Allana’s eyes widened in surprise and her cheeks reddened.

Lucas
shook his head.  “I must admit, I never thought I would see the day when Little Lana wore a dress.”

She laughed uneasily, but answered his question still. 
“I was fourteen, and I simply decided it was time I grew up.”

“I se
e.  No reason in particular?” h
e asked. 
Carmon’s assumption was on his mind.  Had Allana changed for him?  Had she finally realized she needed to change in order to catch his attention?  If so, it had definitely worked. 

Allana
laughed
again
, but Lucas could hear
the
tension be
hind
it. 
She was uncomfortable. 
Curious.

“Well, I
suppose
I simply realized no man woul
d ever want a woman in trousers…
or a woman with such
refined
manners as I had.”  S
he
shook
her head
at the thought.  “I
knew I did
n’t
want to become an old maid.
 
So I asked Lilly to help me change my ways.
”
  She shrugged
her shoulders
. 

Even her shrug was dainty. 
Allana truly was quite elegant.  Where had that awkward youth gone?
  He shook the thought off.

“I
a
m certain you would have caught some man’s eye.  You are quite stunning,”
he
admitt
ed
.  Even in trousers this woman would be beautiful, but would she have the poise and elegance
she’d
gained over the past
four
years had she not decided to mak
e the change?  Lucas doubted i
t.  And he doubted he would want her if she lacked any of
the
elegance
she had right then.

*
           *          *

Allana could feel her cheeks redden.  The man was full of flattery tonight.  Did he truly mean it?  Why
wouldn’t he
?

“Thank you,
Lucas,
but I doubt I would have caught
the
…
er
…caught
a respectable gentleman.
”
Allana had almost given Lucas too much information. 
She was about to say she wouldn’t have caught the man she wanted, but Lucas could assume far too much with that comment.
  Besides, it wasn’t necessarily Lucas who came to mind.
 

“We
’
ll never know, now, will we?” h
e asked.
  “So why are you not spoken for?  Edmund was obviously a mistake, but surely
there have been other suitors.”

Goodness, this man did not
dither
, did he? 
“Why are you not wed?” s
he asked in
re
turn.
  She was actually quite curious to know the answer to that one.
 

He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling in amusement.  “I have
n’
t met the right woman.
 
Now your turn.
”

“I have
n’t
m
et the right man,” she answered.  She smiled
sm
ugly
.

He laughed. 
“Truly
?
  O
r are you waiting for someone?”

It was her turn to laugh.  Yes, it was a bit forced considering his question and how
accurate it was, but it was still a laugh.  “And who would I be waiting for?”

“Why, me of course.”  He leaned forward and grasped her hand.  “You do still want me,
don’t you, Allana?” h
e asked, but there was too much knowledge in those eyes.

He knew! 
But how…how could he know she’
d rejected suitor after suitor because of him?  She knew her cheeks were red, betraying her, but she did her best to brush aside his comment.  “
Want you?  Why Lucas, what is a l
ady
to say to such a question?”  She batted her eyelashes delicately
, glancing down as shyly as she could perform. 

“The truth.
  We’
ve known each other far too long for there to be games.” 

“The truth?
  And what would the truth be
?” she
asked carefully.

“You still
wish my hand in marriage,” he stated.  He grinned playfully at her.

She stared at him as his words sank in.
 
Hand in marriage?  Oh no.
He was recalling that horrible moment
she’d
proposed to him
. 
She shook her head in embarrassment as she
laugh
ed
.  “
You
are a terrible tease.  But to answer your question, n
o, I do not.  However, if you choose to court me and ask for m
y hand
in the future, I might accept.”

“Well then.  Allana Tananguard, I wish to court you.  Do you accept
?” he
asked. 

She stared at him, looking for that
teasing light in his eyes or anything that might indicate he was playing with her.  He looked far too
genuine.
  “Are you serious
?” she
asked
in
doubt
.

“Quite.”

“
Really?
”
 

“Are you truly surprised
?” he
asked. 

“I am, actually.  I thought it would take more convincing,” she said truthfully.

“Ah-ha!
  So you have been waiting for me.”  He gleamed in triumph, smiling broadly.

Allana’s eyes widened in horror.
  He was goading her! 
She’d
fallen right into his trap. 
He didn’t truly want to court her.  He was just trying to discover if she was still infatuated with him.

“How could I have fallen for that
…,” she trailed off, shaking her head.  She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.  Color stained her cheeks red, causing her to look down at her lap and brush at an invisible wrinkle.
She tried to recover from the humiliation this caused.  She tried to smile, but it would not come.  She tried to think of something clever and tease him in turn, but
her quick tongue failed her at that moment.  Where was Tananguard Manor when she needed it?  Surely they were almost there.

He leaned toward her and touched her cheek, forcing her to look at him.  “A
llana, I see doubt in your eyes. 
I was quite serious when I said I wanted to court you.  Will you permit me, or are you too upset with me for discovering your secret?”

“
I am upset.  Must you always try to embarras
s me?
” she
asked.

He smiled.  “You are beautiful when you blush.  What better way to make you do so than to tease?  Permit me to court you
,” he repeated
. 
“
If you do not, I will force it upon you.”

“
Force it upon me? 
Honestly Lucas, s
top
teas
ing.”
 

“
I’m not
.  Should I show up on your
doorstep each day to prove I truly wish to court you
?”

“Yes,” she laughed.  “After duping me twice within moments of each other, that will be the only way to convince me.”

“Then it shall be done.  Each day, or as often as I can, I shall be by to court you and woo you with gifts and
beautiful words,” he said dramatically.

She laughed again.  “I suppose we shall see, won’t we.”

The carriage stopped
, and t
he door opened.  “Tananguard Manor, my
Lord
,” the footman
said.

“Damnation.  It appears we are here.”  Lucas looked disappointed.  Perhaps he was more serious
about wanting to court her
than Allana realized.

He
climbed out of the carriage, offering his hand to
her
.  She took it and allowed him to help her out.  He escorted her up the grand stairway and
to the
front
door
s
.