All the Things You Never Knew (22 page)

Islington

Leon could see a house–a small shack in the distance with a lamp burning through the cracks.
Could this be the place where Lansing is holding Rose captive? That footman did say it’s not that far from here. It could be. But why here of all the places in the world? It’s as isolated as the cabin they passed earlier. This couldn’t be right.
Leon wasn’t so sure whether to go in and take a look for himself or just ride pass it. But fortunate enough two guards came out and stood by the door, which he recognizes as two out of the four that tortured him down in the dungeon the other day. How nice it is to see them again. This time he will make sure they all pay for what they did. He may still be a little weak from having to spend three days famished and thrashed down in that dungeon, but he can take them on.
Rose.
For Rose he can do anything.
Is she all right at the moment?
She must have thought he had abandoned her. No matter how mad she gets him, he will never leave her. Not after what they have been through. Even if she had really chosen Lansing, he will still foolishly try to win her back. She was his, in body, heart and soul. No one can take that away from him.
No one!
Leon got off his horse and hid it in the woods off from the path. He crept along the trees to get around behind to the shack. His breath stopped when he saw four figures come into view from the dim lights of the lantern hanging from the roof. One of them he can define as that bastard Lansing, the other, his father, and then surprisingly…Viscount Herring, Rose’s father. What was he doing here?
Lastly, his gaze fell upon Rose who was tied up on a post.
Why isn’t her father doing anything about it? His daughter is in captive, for Lord’s sake.
Is there some kind of a plan going on?
Are they plotting new ideas on using Rose against him?
He look back to where Rose sat tied to the post.
She doesn’t look so happy.
She seems to be crying, too.
Hell! Why does she always have to cry? He hates when she cries. It irritates him.
If they can get out of here safely to wed, he promised he will never ever make her cry again. She can trust him on it.
Now, how is he to distract them? Should he wait till Longsword gets here? That will take too long. He might as well wait a bit for Lansing and them to leave Rose and then he can go talk to her and see what they’re planning. It might take all night, but he will risk it.
Maybe he could wait for Longsword after all. Since Rose’s father is here, she should be safe for a while.
And maybe Hargate…Damn it! He had told Avangelene he will be back for Hargate on the morrow but it seems this is harder than he had thought.
Hopefully, Hargate isn’t causing any trouble for Avangelene. He is injured after all. What can he do besides sleep?

* * *

Avangelene nearly threw a fit when she returned from her daily night walk to find the duke gone.
Where the devil is he?
She went through all the rooms to find him but he was nowhere in sight. She stopped at the kitchen to see the dishes neatly washed and stack on the table.
So he woke up and ate. That’s good then. He even cleaned his own dishes. Now that’s odd. Dukes don’t usually clean after themselves, do they? They have valets and servants that do it for them.
Like Durrant.
Durrant.
Forget that name.
She has to find that duke–
Laguna.

Laguna Black was resting out on top of the haystack in the barn behind the cottage when he heard a crash followed by pretty colorful words from a maddening voice.

Ah, the lady of the house has returned. Now what is she up to? He got up and started out the barn door when it was suddenly kicked open and in front of him stood an angry lady ram ready to charge at him.
“Hi, Avange–”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing in here?” the lady ram interjected. Whoever thought she can be this intimidating.
“I’m sorry–”
“Shut up! You think you can just go around doing whatever you wish because you’re a duke? Not in my village, you don’t.” “Whoa! Calm down, lady. I’m not–”
“Shut up. You’re supposed to be injured and resting in bed, not wandering around,” she interrupted again, not even letting him speak.
“I know but–”
“No buts!” she said, taking him by the arm, and leading him back to the cottage. “Leon told me to watch after you. You better get back to bed and rest. Thank lord, he’s coming back for you on the morrow. It might be a pain here but just stay put till my brother comes. Stop wandering around like an idiot.”
Oh, lord, was he just going to let this woman lecture him of what to do and not to do?
“Well, Miss–”
“Don’t talk!” she snapped, opening the door to her cottage and leading him back to the room in which he had slept in. “Rest!”
She pushed him back down on the bed, but he pulled her down along with him and smiled, bringing a spark of shock in her eyes.
He was finally able to speak. “You have a pretty hot temper,
Avangelene.
”
He loves the flash of anger in her eyes whenever he emphasized her name.
It feels all wrong for him to enjoy the company of his best friend’s sister so much. He’d been injured before, but if it’s this amusing, he will give off his right arm just for a chance to stay a while longer.
“Shut up! I do not have a hot temper,” Avangelene denied, pulling away from him. “If my little sister was here your head would have been blown off by now.”
It appears to him now that Leon’s family is quite violent, or at least his sisters were.
“I do apologize for my action,” he said, giving off his most dazzling smile to soften her. “I will not go anywhere again without your consent, happy?”
“Annoying duke,” she muttered, walking off to light up a candle as she blew out the oil lamp and took it out.
Was he really annoying her?
“Where are you going?” he asked, getting up after her.
“Stay put, damn it!” she fumed. “I’m just bringing this to the guest room so I can sleep.”
“You’re not sleeping in your room?”
“With you already in it, I’ll have to wash the sheets. It’s yours for the night.”
“What?” He was stunned. “You mean you wouldn’t sleep on your bed just because I was in it earlier?”
“If the shoe fits.”
“You’re that disgusted by me?”
“No,” she shook her head. “Just doesn’t want to.”
“Meaning you are.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“That’s what you intended to say.”
“Shut up. Just sleep, okay?”
He sighed. “Boy, you are so complex.” And stubborn, and hardheaded.
“Well, thank you. Sleep. Good night.”
She was about to close the door when he ran up and stuck out his foot to hold it.
“What else do you want?” she asked, annoyed.
“Sorry, but I can’t sleep now. If I do, then this wound starts hurting whenever it’s press to the mattress. It’s better when I walk around.”
“I would have thought for it to hurt less if you rest and not move around, but whatever you wish. Just walk in the room,” she said, pulling the door to close.
“You are trying to shut off my foot, aren’t you?”
“I’m trying to get to bed and let you rest,” she countered.
“With my foot holding the door? I think not.”
“Don’t spark my temper,
Duke
!”
“It’s Laguna,” he corrected. He hates being called a
Duke
. True that he is one, but he doesn’t like it coming from her. There’s always a hint of anger and hatred whenever she says it. It’s as if she holds this grudge against dukes.
“Fine, Mr.
Laguna
. Please go to sleep and rest so that you will be energized for the trip back to London with my brother,” she said more nicely.
For some reason, he knew that Leon isn’t going to be back on the morrow. If he’s to save Rose, it will take longer than just a few hours. But he isn’t going to tell her that, or else she will throw a fit again.
He just smiled and said, “Exclude the Mister, but I do like the way you say my name,
Avangelene
.”
That broke a smile from her. First smile of the night and it warms his heart.
“Okay, good night.”
She turned to leave but he reached out and grabbed her arm. “Wait,” he said. He didn’t want to be alone.
She looked down at his hand and then up at him. “What else do you want,
Laguna
?”
“I–” What was he to say? “Can you stay with me for a while…at least until I start to fall asleep, please?”
She opened her mouth as to argue but then sighed and nodded.
Relief flood through him and he moved aside to let her back in, dropping the lamp back on the dresser.
“So, what do we do now?” she asked, giving a yawn.
“May I give you some words of advice?” he asked, as he went to sit down on the bed.
She rolled her eyes. “What?”
“Don’t ask a man
‘what do we do now’
when you two are alone in a room. With a single bed. You don’t know how many things he has running in his head from that question.”
She gave out a hysteric laugh.
“What do you have running through your head then, Mr. Duke?”
Does she really have to ask?
“Things,” he shrugged. “Discomfort from the way you asked it.”
She laughed again; it was enchanting.
“Rest,” she said.
“I will try.” He has to; otherwise he will want to do more than rest.
She went over and helped him down on the bed, pulling the cover over him. He feels as if she was his wife and him, her husband. The only thing was that there was no kiss.
Kiss.
The idea tempts him, but he wasn’t going to take advantage of his best friend’s sister.
God, he’s betraying Leon on this. He feels as if he’s, surprisingly as it may seem, falling in love with Avangelene. Leon would totally kill him if he does. That might have seemed like an exaggeration, but Leon would strongly disapprove. He has to stop wishing for the impossible.
“So,
Laguna
,” said Avangelene. “May I go to bed now?”
“No, tell me a story,” he said without thinking. It’s as if his mind is forcing out anything to make her stay.
She raised an eyebrow at him and sighed as she kneels down in front of him.
Thank God she didn’t argue. Maybe she was too tired.
“What kind of story?” she asked, folding her arms to rest on the bed beside him.
“Any,” he said, closing his eyes and waiting. “Anything.”
She sighed again and cleared her throat. “You’re acting like a child.”
“Yes, and I’m enjoying it,” he answered with a chuckle.
“Arrogant duke.”
He laughed and reached down to take her hand, feeling her jump at his touch.
“Sorry. Just for a while,” he said, bringing her hand to his cheek. They were soft and warm against his skin. He doesn’t know if he can ever let go.
“
Duke
–”
He halted her with his free hand and snuggled against the back of her hand. “You may tell me a story now.”
She blew an exasperated breath and adjusted the cover around him. “Fine. How about an annoying
Duke
harassing a peasant girl?”
“No,” he said, sighing against her hand. “A
Duke
that falls in love with a Goddess…you.”
Avangelene chuckled and flicked his forehead.
“Hey stop it. I’m a
Duke
!”
“Whatever,” she said, and began the story. “Once upon a time…”

Rose couldn’t stop crying as she sat hugging the post that she had been imprisoned to. She had been betrayed…by her own father!

The marquess had convinced him of her sin, which she can’t really deny herself, and was raged with anger. Her father allowed them to tie her up and keep her prisoner until the wedding date to ensure that she won’t escape. She tried to tell him that they were only using him to get what they wanted. Leon and the jewel. He only struck her and order that she be move outdoor to stop the talk of wrath.

“You should be grateful that his lordship still wants you for a bride,” he had said. “You are such a disgrace! You shame us all!”
No! She’s not shaming anyone. Not even herself. It’s all for the love of Leon. If she’s ashamed to love him, then she shouldn’t love at all. She had been young and foolish to let him leave her once. She’s not going to let this talk of disgrace stop her again.
“Rose.”
Sometimes, she feels like she can hear his voice calling her name. It soothes her soul when everything fails her.
“Rose.”
Like now, she can hear it. She probably missed him too much.
“Rose.”
She shook her head as she hears her name again. It couldn’t be possible that he’s here.
She wiped her tears away and closed her eyes, trying to see if she could hear it again.
“Rose.” This time the voice was closer and smoother.
She opened her eyes and looked around.
“Leon?”
She can see a figure sneaking towards her and she smiled in joy when she saw that it was him.
Oh, heaven! She thought he would never come.
“Rose,” he whispered as he got to her and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
“Leon.” She wanted to hold him and cry her heart out, but her hands were bind.
“Don’t worry, Rose.” He kissed her cheeks. “I’ll get you out of here.”
“I’m so happy you came,” she said through tears.
“Don’t cry now. Longsword is coming to help, too. We will get you out of here.”
“There’s a lot of guards,” she warned him.
“But not enough to keep watch on you.”
“His lordship isn’t so bright, I guess,” she answered.
“Makes this all easier. Where is that Lansing?”
“Probably inside plotting against you,” she said. “I overheard them talking about luring you here to get the jewel. What is so important about it?”
“Now is not the right time to explain,” he answered. “I must get you out of here first.”
She nodded and leaned up to kiss him. “I love you.”
He smiled, freeing her hands. “And I, you.”
Joy enraptured her and she flung into his arms.
“Let’s go,” he said, taking her hands. “We’re going to get married.”
“I know that.”
“We’re going to get married as soon as we’re back in London,” he added when her answer was not enough.
“Really?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “Sorry if it’s in such a haste.”
“Don’t be. I’d rather it be now with you then with Lord Lansing,” she told him. “He was going to imprison me until the wedding.”
“And your father didn’t do anything about it?”
“Did you see him? No. I was too much of a disgrace, he’d said. He doesn’t care as long as his lordship still wants me.”
“Too bad. You’re mine. Only mine.”
Rose laughed and embraced him once more. “I love you so much, Leon. Please forgive me for everything that I have done. I won’t do it again, ever. I promise to be a good wife and live the rest of my life with you until angels close my eyes.”
Leon chuckled, and strokes her hair. “Tell it to the priest,” he said, leading her away.
“What about my father?”
“He shall be fine. He had teamed up with Lansing, right? They should do him no harm.”
He was probably right so Rose nodded, and followed him into the forest to a horse.
“Get on,” he said, helping her up. “We have to go to make sure Longsword didn’t miss us.”
“Right.” She had forgotten. “We don’t want him to face the wrath of Lord Lansing and his father.”
“Yes.” He kissed her briskly on the lips and turned the horse out down the path.