The Lady and the Earl (8 page)

“Well, Allana.  I have had an enjoyable evening.”

“As have I.
  Thank you,”
she
replied.
  She sighed.  She had to ask him.  “Lucas.”

“Yes.”

“Will I really see you again
?” she
asked skeptically.

He laughed quietly.  “Yes, Allana
, if you will permit me.”

She rolled her eyes.  “Of course I will.  You already know I want you to
court me
, but I simply cannot tell if you are serious.”

“Allana, I am serious. 
You will see me again tomorrow.  That I promise,” he said.

Allana nodded in acceptance. 
She truly
didn’t
know what to think.  Should she believe him?  Should she look at everything he said to her in the future with doubt?  No, she was not capable.  She would enjoy his company while she could, and simply hope time would sort out the
truth
.

*
           *          *

Lucas stood outside Tananguard Manor in wonder.  He had bid Allana an innocent goodnight.  The entire night had been innocent, yet he could already feel something different with her.  His heart actually ached at having to watch her disappear inside the manor.  He was never one to become emotionally attached to his trophies.  But hadn’t he
already
decided Allana would be different?  That did not mean he wanted to fall in love with her.  Love was
erratic
. 
He’d
seen it wreck too many lives, and h
e would not allow it to ruin his as well.

Connor Tananguard approached Tananguard Manor with unease.  It had been six years since he
’d been home, and he’
d
hardly wr
itten
in his absence.  Like Lucas, he too was unsure he was ready to be home.  He would still be in London working if
Lucas’s
father hadn’t been so ill and on the verge of dying. 
Connor
received word from his own father
a week
ago that
Lord
Hoffman was expected to pass any day now, which
was
why
he
chose
to finally come home.  He needed to be there for his friend, for Lucas would have been there for him.  Lucas would have come back with Connor two months ago if their roles had been reversed.  However, Connor
had
devised
several
good
reasons why he needed
to stay in Lo
ndon
, keeping him from returning with Lucas
.  He should have come home
then, but his heart would not let him.  He loved London, and Tananguard seemed so drab compared to it.  Besides, he knew Allana would be furious with him for being away for so long, and he hadn’t been prepared to face her.  He still wasn’t ready to face her, but he could
not
stay away forever.  Thus, still feeling uneasy and reluctant to be home, Connor walked sullenly to the front doors of Tananguard Manor and pushed them open. 

It was all as he remembered:  large, elaborate, and surprisingly warm.  The entrance hall opened into a grand, open room whose ceiling rose to the height of the manor.  The walls were adorned with paintings
and intricate wall hangings.  T
he familiar chandelier hung directly from the middle of the ceiling, shedding welcoming light to visitors and displaying the artwork decorating the walls.  A large gold-framed mirror ornamented the center of the left wall just before the manor’s entrance.  The floor was adorned with a stylish deep red rug with gold trim
that had matching runners flowing up the stairs and down all the hall
way
s in the manor.  Near the back of the room stood a magnificent, wide staircase which ascended
fifteen
steps and parted ways
o
n the middle landing.  One side of the staircase led up to the east wing and the other side led up to the west wing and his old bedchambers.  Connor’s eyes swept past the stairs as he examined the
area
in nostalgia, but his eyes quickly turned back as he noticed movement floating down them. 

A beautiful, young woman was gracefully gliding down the stairs from the east wing toward the middle landing. 
Who…?
  Connor’s jaw dropped open in shock.  “Allana
?” he
whispered.  It was barely audible, but apparently
she’d
heard him
.  S
he paused on the middle landing, startled to see someone standing by the front doors.

Recognition set in, and her startled expression changed
to one of delight.  “Connor!” s
he
cried. 

His mouth still hung open in shock as he stared at the beautiful, young lady he knew must be his sister.  She was tall and elegant.  Her skin was flawless against her slender, lovely face.  She had soft full lips, a natural blush to her cheeks, and the most stunning big, green eyes with long, dark lashes.  The lovely blue dress she was wearing accentuated her features and flowed down her
curvy
, soft body.  Connor
was fairly certain he did not like
what he
was seeing
.  What
had
happened to the innocent tomboy who used to be his baby sister?  And when had she
acquired
such curves?  It was just wrong to see them on his sister, and a sister who was now eligible for marriage.  That thought alarmed him even more.  Why had he been gone for so long?  He should have been here, monitoring who was allowed to court
Little Lana
!

*
           *          *

Allana descended the stairs with grace and speed, throwing herself at Connor once
reaching him.  She began sobbing.  He was eight years her senior, yet somehow he had always been her best friend and idol in every way.   As a young girl, she wanted to be just like him and had tried to do everything akin to her brother, including dressing like him, speaking like him, and acting like him.  She followed him and Lucas everywhere, doting on Connor’s every move. 

Then he left her for London
.  She was
crushed. 
He’d
left her alone with only her father and her new step-mother to care for her, a woman Allana refused to be near.  A
t the age of ten Allana thought
Lilly was snobbish
and
conceited and only interested in teaching
her
the proper ways to be a lady.  It wasn’t until later that Allana realized Lilly was anything but these things. 
She’d
only wanted Allana’s happiness
and had never tried to force her to be anything but what she wanted to be
.  However, to a young girl who wanted to run free, climb trees, and ride horses like the men, Lilly was the enemy.
  Lilly was a woman, and all the women Allana knew wanted her to change.
 
Allana refused
.  She would not
be cooped up inside, and being a proper lady meant
that would happen
. 
She would also
be expected to act proper
ly
, stay clean, and wear dresses
—all
of the things Allana detested then. 

Connor had left Allana to that.  She almost hated her brother for it.  Yet the love she held for him was too powerful.  Eventually, she forgave him.  And now he was finally home. 

Joy followed by anger filled her being.  She pushed herself away from him and slapped him across the face.  “Where have you been
?” she
cried, looking at him angrily through her tears. 

“Was that necessary?”
Connor asked, rubbing his cheek. 

“Yes, it was.  Your last visit was six years ago, Connor.  How could you stay away so long
?” she
asked heatedly.

“And to think I was hoping you wo
uld be so excited to see me you woul
d forget how much time had passed,” Connor said sarcastically.

“Very funny, Connor,” Allana said, staring darkly at her brother and crossing her arms dangerously.
  She wanted to pretend she wasn’t angry at his absence, but she was furious.  Furious he hadn’t bothered coming home a few more times than once in eight years!  It hurt her.  “And you hardly wrote at all.  You promised!”  She jabbed him hard in the shoulder.

“Ouch.
”
 

“Ooh.  I shou
ld be happy you’re home, but I’
m furious,” she cried.  He stood in silence watching her
as if
not knowing what to say.  “Well?  What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Have I told you how wonderful you look
?” he
tried, receiving another sharp jab to the shoulder. 
“Stop that,” he growled.  “It hurt when you were ten, and it still hurts this day.”   
 

“Y
ou cannot
change the subject
.  I demand answers.”  She glared darkly, waiting for some response, and then
her countenance changed
to one of
desperat
ion
.  She looked pleadingly at him.  “I just have to know, Connor.  Was it because of me?  Because of the way I used to be?  Is that why you stayed away
?” she
asked quietly.

*
           *          *

Connor stared at
his sister
, astounded by her sudden change.  Where had it come from?  “What? 
No, of course not.
  Where would you get an idea like that
?”  H
e
placed his hands on her shoulders gently and looked into her innocent eyes.  The ten-year-old girl
he’d
left eight years ago stared sadly back at him.  “It had nothing to do with you.  You were the only reason for me to stay.”

“Then why
?” she
cried.

He sighed, releasing his hands from her shoulders in order to run one through his curly, unmanageable hair.  “Because I wasn’t ready to face my responsibil
ities as the e
ldest son—well, only son.  If I came home, I would
have been
expected to stay home and learn my place as
Father’s heir.  Personally, Allana, you would be much better suited for i
t than I, but we both know that’
s not possible.  And since it’
s not, I could
n’
t
bring myself to come home and
give up my freedom.
”

“Your freedom?”
Allana questioned.

Connor laughed lightly.  “What?  Father does
not
control everything you do?”

“No,”
came
her innocent response.

“Well, he did me, but mainly, I think he did it to ensure you would always be looked after.  He was concerned if anything ever happened to him, we would be left helpless.  In order to prevent that, he started shaping my future the moment Mother died.  I left to get away from his control, and while I was away, I found I had potential outside of Father’s home.  I honestly
did not plan
on being away for so long, but the freedom and the pleasure I felt while in London were too hard to give up so easily.  I got involved in politics.  I made good investments, and I learned so much more there than I ever would have staying here.  And in the end, when it really came down to it, I was afraid to leave.  I was afraid of getting stuck here and losing who I was.  And th
at i
s the whole of it,” he finished. 
Shame filled his being.  He
was
so selfish.
 

“Connor, I had no idea,” Allana said with pity. 

“You were young.  Besides, it had nothing to do with you.”  He looked at her seriously.  “I am truly sorry I made you feel you were the reason I stayed away.” 

S
he smiled tenderly at him.  “It’
s forgotte
n already.  I’
m just happy you’
re finally home now.”  She reached up and pulled him in for another hug. 

Well, the worst is over,
Connor thought, and it
had gone
much
smoother than
anticipated.  He still could
n’
t believe she slapped him though. 
At least she hadn’t punched him like she would have eight years ago.

They pulled away from their embrace and stared at each other.  So much time had passed between the two that an uncomfortable silence seemed to spread between them.