Free The Lady and the Earl by Diedre Clark Page B

had a lull that made her stomach flutter.   She was completely smitten!  
    Focus , Allana, she scolded herself.   Be reasonable!
    “Well ?” he demanded.
    “He…he ’ s mine,” she s tuttered.  He r knees were shaking uncontrollably and her heart was beating so hard she thought it would burst from her ches t.
    Instinct told her to quit staring at him and look away, but she couldn’t seem to bring herself to.  Even in his angry state, she felt she could bask in his presence forever.  Her eyes followed his strong jaw line down to his mouth where they lingered as sh e thought of him kissing her.  She blushed at the thought , wondering where it had come from.  Thoughts like that had never entered her mind before, but then again she’d never met a man who enthralled her like this one.  He was not pretty-handsome like Lucas, rather rugged-handsome with that gruff-looking beard and his strong, masculine presence.  Not to mention his voice .  She couldn’t stop gawking at him .  And then she looked into those eyes, those very blue eyes , and completely lost her heart . 
    “How is this horse yours ?” he asked suspiciously as he took a step toward her. 
    She stared at him in confusion.  He had said something, but what?
    “You stole him, didn’t you,” he accused. 
    That she heard.  “No,” she said in a feeble, barely audible squeak.  She wanted to argue with him and tell him who she was.  She wanted to tell him that Lancelot really did belong to her, but those things she wanted to say wouldn’t come.  Her mind was blank, and her tongue was tied.  She was completely baffled.  What was happening to her?
    She stepped to the side, hoping to get a clear path to Lancelot and simply make a break for it. 
    As though reading her thoughts, he moved swiftly toward her, reaching out and grabbing her muddied arm tightly.   She stared at him in surprise.  He’d been so fast; she could n’ t react. 
    “You a re coming with me,” he stated , pulling her toward his horse. 
    “No, let me go!” s he cried out frantically as she struggled against his strong grip.  His powerful hold on her mind had finally broken. 
    “I’ m taking you back to Westbrook until you tell me who you are and whose horse this truly is,” he said as he struggled to pull her along. 
    She was putting all her weight into trying to pull her arm free. 
    “You’re trying my patience.  Stop fighting me, boy.  You’re coming with me whether you want to or not.”  He grabbed her othe r arm, facing her to him.  “Do n’ t make me— Ah! ” h e cried out in pain , releasing his grip on her and falling to his knees in pain. 
    Allana had kicked him as hard as she could in the groin, causing him to release her on contact and fall to his knees. 
    Finally free, she ran to Lancelot, untied him, and quickly mounted.  She took one last look at the man she knew must be the Earl of Westbrook before spurring Lancelot home. 
     

Chapter 7
     
    “How are you, Lucas?” Connor asked his friend.  Lucas had come by the house for a visit.  Lord Archibald Hoffman’s funeral had been two days ago, and Lucas looked ragged and tired.  He’d probably been drinking a lot, staying up late into the nights until unconsciousness took him. 
    “As well as ever,” Lucas replied.  “Do you think I could get a drink ?” he asked, laughing lightly.  Both men were situated in the two chairs in the sitting room Allana and Connor had occupied five nights before.
    “Yes, of course.”  Connor gathered two glasses and poured sherry into both.  His stomach turned at the thought of drinking too much of the stuff again.  His first night home he’d gotten very drunk from it.   His memories of that night were hazy, but he definitely remembered vomiting from his over indulgence and the horrible headache that followed.  
    Pushing those thoughts aside, Connor turned his attention back to Lucas.  “Now really, how are you doing?” 
    Connor