A Gentleman's Luck (6 page)

Chapter Eight

William sat immobile on the couch with his thoughts after Tis-Dale closed Lisa's bedroom door. A baby. He would have been a father. Although not in the real sense of the word. He checked the laws here and he had assumed correctly that a princess can only marry a prince. So it's not like he would have gotten to raise it anyway. But still he felt the pain. He had not even thought of the possibility that she might be with child. He had not thought of having children until now. Would it have been a boy? Would he look like his mother? He put his elbows on his knees and dropped his face into his hands. He wanted her, he knew he could not live without her but he was doomed to never fully have her. Just then her door opened and Tis-Dale exited and closed the door behind him. William was on his feet in an instant. Tis-Dale waived his hand at him. “She is awake. She knows everything except about the baby.” He finished with a lopsided smile.

“
What” William asked  “Nothing.”  Tis-Dale said “She thought you were a monster.” William felt his shoulders sag in defeat. Tis-Dale must have seen this to because he rushed on. “In her room when you tore uncle off of her, she did not see you she just heard you roar as she called it and she thought some vicious monster were ripping him apart. That’s why she hid.” He finished.

William chuckled. “I guess I did lose control.” He answered shaking his head.

“
I guess you did.” Tis-Dale said as he exited the rooms and closed the door behind him. William looked at Lisa's bedroom door, took a deep breath and walked in. Lisa was sitting up in the bed when he entered. She looked at him and he just stood there looking at her. Tears welled up in her eyes and that’s all it took for him to be in the bed in a second engulfing her with his arms.

“
It’s OK Darlin. It's over now. He can never hurt you again.”  He told her as he stroked her back to console her. She calmed down and looked up at him.

“
I am sorry William. For what you had to do. I am so sorry.” She told him through tears.

“
Don’t be baby.” He told her. “I don’t regret it. Now you will be safe.” She heaved a sigh. He looked down at her knowing he had to tell her about the baby but not knowing how. She must have seen it in his eyes.

“
What is it?” She asked reaching up and cupping the side of his face with her hand. He closed his eyes briefly and reveled in the feel of her hand on his face. “Please tell me why you look so sad.” She whispered up at him. He opened his eyes and looked down at her.

“
Darlin. Have you been having your monthly?” He asked her. She looked up at him confused for a moment and then he saw the realization hit her.

“
Oh my god. I'm with child. I am so sorry William!” She said “I didn't mean to.” He interrupted her.

“
No baby. Not anymore.” She stopped and looked at him pain evident in her face. She placed her hand on her stomach.

“
Not anymore?” she asked with renewed tears clogging her voice.

“
No love. I'm sorry. Not anymore.” He answered with his own UN shed tears clogging his voice. She leaned her head on his chest and he let her lay there with his arm surrounding her as she cried herself to sleep. He soon followed her.

***

The next few weeks went by in a blur for Lisa. William continued to help Tis-Dale with restoring the kingdom after the fall of the devil; as most of the commoners were now calling it. He and her brother were getting pretty close. The island was finally starting to feel like home again. Maids and servants held conversations in the halls as they worked without the fear of being beaten or fired. She could hear children outside the walls laughing and playing. She had missed that sound most of all. The sound of happiness had left their island when her father passed. Lisa felt the familiar sadness within her as the memory of her father snuck up on her. She shook her head telling herself that all of this awfulness would get easier with time. At least, that's what William kept telling her.

Lisa was hoping that he would decide to stay or at least offer to take her with him. She was dreaming and she knew it. William had been coming to see her every night. He came after dinner to check on her. They would talk about books or what was happening in the kingdom. She had gone outside a couple of times but had just recently been able to stay out of bed all day. William had been keeping her up on current events. She felt great today however and she really could not wait until after dinner so that she could see William. At the same time she was hesitant. He would come every day, yes and they would talk, sure but that was it.

He never even came very close to her anymore unless it was by accident. She was aching inside for his touch even a brush of his hand but nothing. That first night he had held her while she cried and the next morning he made sure she was comfortable and OK before he went out for the day with Tis-Dale. After that he was like a  stone wall. She had no idea what to do. Two small children ran by giggling as they chased a ball. She remembered the shock to find out that she had carried Williams child. She had not thought about it before but knowing that his child had grown inside of her made her yearn for that again. She loved him so completely, she knew if he left she would never get over it. She wandered the gardens around the palace while her thoughts traveled. She soon found herself in the maze. She smiled as she entered. She loved the maze. When she and Tis- Dale where but children, they would hide and chase each other for hours. She knew that she could wander forever and not run out of corners to turn. But she knew how to look up for the castle tower to find the way out.

She paused when she heard two women talking as they walked on the other side of the grass wall. She could tell they were maids and they were talking rapidly about William. “Oh. You should have seen it.” Said maid one to maid two. “Sir William crashed into princess Na-Lisa's private chambers and found King Martin on top of the princess. “Lisa’s heart hammered at the memory.”

And the prince was with him too. “Maid two put in sounding all dreamy.” Lisa smirked.

“
That doesn’t matter. He didn’t do anything.” Maid one snapped. “Now listen. So Sir William burst in there took one look at that devil on the princess and lost his mind. He ripped the king off the princess and beat him within an inch of his life and then ripped his head nearly clean off his body.” The girl ended on an audible shutter.

“
Uh. UH.” Maid two said.

“
Yes huh. I saw the body. His head was hanging by bones only.” Maid one said. “I still remember the sound. William sounded like a beast roaring and the king was screaming like a woman.” She continued sounding haunted. Na-Lisa also remembered the sound and shook every time it crossed her mind that William had done that. William was that beast.

“
What do you suppose causes a man to lose his mind like that?” Maid two asked Maid one. Lisa was interested in this answer. What William did scared her and she does not want to be afraid of him.

“
That’s easy. Sometimes I forget your so young and just assume you get things.” Maid one stated.

“
Well. What is it?” Maid two asked. “Love.” Maid one said and Lisa caught her breath. “Say you are Sir William and you walk into the chambers of the woman you love and find a man on top of her hurting her. What do you do?” Maid one asked.

“
Kill the bastard.” Maid two said emphatically.

“
Exactly.” Maid one stated. Lisa was about to turn around and go back inside when she heard maid two's next question.

“
If that’s true, then why is he going back to America?” Lisa heard no more while she turned and ran back to her rooms. He was leaving and he never even told her. She ran through the castle grounds not seeing anything or anyone while she tried desperately to get back to her rooms before she broke down into tears.

***

William was on the training field when he first caught sight of Lisa. She was walking aimlessly not looking at anything in-particular. He could tell that she was lost in thought. He lost sight of her as she disappeared into the maze. He continued training and did not see her again for about thirty minutes. He looked up from getting water and saw her shoot across the grounds. She was running fast and she looked upset. His first thought was that she was running from someone but he saw no one behind her so he decided to go check on her. When he reached the door of her chambers he paused in the act of turning the knob as something crashed against the door. He twisted the door and it did not budge. He knocked. “Lisa. Baby are you OK.” He asked through the door.

“
Go away!” She yelled and he heard another crash and assumed that she had thrown something else and the door.

“
What the hell is going on? Na-Lisa Open the door.” He said more firmly.

“
Leave!” She yelled. “I don’t want to talk to you ever again.” William had no idea what was going on.

“
What did you do?” He heard Tis-Dale ask from behind him and he turned to look at the twin of the very angry Lisa.

“
I have no idea.” He answered shocked that it could be something he had done. “I saw her running across the grounds and I followed. This is as far as I got.” Tis-Dale knocked on the door.

“
Na-Lisa Can I come in?” Another book hit the door.

    “
I said go away! Both of you!” She screamed and there were more sounds of crashing.

“
Oh forget this.” William said hitting the wall. “I’m going through the passageway. I'll find out what’s wrong with her.” Tis-Dale shook his head and walked down the stairs. This was so none of his business. William walked through the passageway and had to duck to avoid being hit in the head with a crystal vase.

“
I told you not to come in!” Lisa yelled at him. He surveyed the room and saw that it was in shambles. What had upset her so badly?

“
Lisa darlin.” He started but she screamed at him again. “No! Don’t ever call me that! I hate it when you call me that!” He grabbed her and wrapped her in his arms as she struggled and wailed while she pounded his chest with her tiny frail fists. She was going to hurt herself if he didn’t get her to calm down.

“
Stop it baby. Please stop or you'll hurt yourself.” He told her trying to hold her still as gently as possible.

“
No I will not stop!” She wailed “I hate you! I hate you! You are leaving me!” She was ranting while she continued to struggle in his arms. He doubted if she even knew what she was saying. “I love you and you’re leaving me and I hate you for it!” Will caught her in his arms tightly enough so that she could not move. Had he heard that right? Did she just say that? She gasped and he released the pressure enough so that she could breathe.

“
What did you just say?” asked shaking her a little.

“
Um. I don’t know nothing.” She stammered.

“
You know what you said.” He stated. getting angry. He knew he heard it. He knew it. “You said you love me.” He accused her. She stared at him for a moment. She pushed out of his arms and walked a few feet away. She was completely calm now and he felt like he would explode. Why did she not speak?

“
Yes. I said I love you.” She stated

“
Do you?” William asked. He could tell that she was struggling to stay calm but in the end tears won out.

“
Yes. I know it’s stupid. I know you don’t want me. I am just a stupid girl. I know you don’t love me.” She said through tears. William could not move. She loves him and she thinks that he does not love her. He knew he had to do something but he was too shocked to push a coherent thought through his brain.

***

Lisa stood there while he just stared at her. She had just confessed her undying love to him and he stood there like a statue staring at her. “Just leave.” She said quietly. His face went from expressionless to very angry or determined she could not tell which as he stalked toward her. She was frozen in place. She wanted to move but her body would not respond. He pulled her up against his body, leaned his head down and crushed her her mouth to his. He kissed her passionately and once she got over the shock, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. William reached down and swept her into his arms without even breaking the kiss. He walked her to the bed a laid her down gingerly while continuing to kiss her senselessly.

“
How could you be so blind?” He asked. “How could you not know that I have wanted you more that I want my next breath?” He asked again between kisses.

“
I thought you did not find me beautiful enough.” She answered breathlessly.

“
Silly, sweet, naive girl. How wrong you are.” He answered as he kissed down the column of her throat. He pulled her shirt over her head and pulled her cotton pants down and had them both blessedly naked within seconds. He came down over her propped on one elbow. He looked down at her breasts and made a face as he saw the white scar left behind from her uncle’s bite. She reached to cover it up self-consciously/ He swatted her hand away, leaned down and kissed the scar that lay right above her heart. He brought his lips within inches of hers and looked into her eyes. “I love you. Lisa darlin. No other man will ever touch you again. You will always be safe.” He leaned down and kissed her as he slid into her. Within minutes they were both crying out in climax. William pulled her close to him as he lay down on his side. Lisa was so blessedly spent and happy. He loved her! He said it. She rolled over to face him and looked up into his face so that she could see his eyes.