Protection

Chapter Seven

"Tell me about this devilishly beautiful cousin of yours."

Sterling Thompson was every bit the charming rogue his friend was- deliciously handsome, interested in only the prettiest women, and with a smooth tongue. He could make any woman feel like she was the only one in the world, and then dump her off to the side like an old strumpet. He was the polar opposite of Alex, physically. He was tall, and quite thin. Never the less, he had a handsome face- close set blue eyes that mystfied women, a dashing smile, and luscious blonde hair. He always had stubble- no matter what time of day.

     "Black hair. Green eyes. A pain in my neck," Alex replied.

"I'd like to meet her. Where is the beauty?"

 "Hiding out in her chamber." He sighed, and reached for the decanter of dark red wine. Drunkeness was not something he needed at the moment. He kept going back to the roaring pains in her eyes, trying to connect them, trying to decipher them. And why? He wasn't so sure why he cared.

    "Not a socialite?" Sterling asked, rubbing his thumb over the rim of his glass.

"A worn out socialite. Many things have happened in only three days." One thing that had weighed heavy on his mind all evening had been the way in which she reacted to being shot at. Almost like dread. As if she had been under the illusion of one thing, but the gunfire popped that sweet little bubble. He then proceeded to tell Sterling everything- including his suspicions and wonderings.

   He shook his head. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. Probably a few highwaymen trying to scare you."

    "Everything she owned was found exactly where she left it," he said. "She had jewelery, Sterling, and silver brushes. Things highwaymen kill for."

    "Well, what do you think it is?"

  Alex knew he was probably over reacting, that Sterling was probably right, and Alayna had been through a lot. That was all it had been. Nothing to alarm him too badly.

    But no matter the excuses he came up with, he still felt that the attack had not been blind.

 And Alayna knew why.

It was very late.

But for some reason, she couldn't get to sleep. Every sound made her jump. She continued to check the closet, certain that there was a monster waiting to pull her into the under world. She felt exactly like a child- uncomfortably vulnerable, and waiting for the boogeyman to jump out behind every corner.

    Was Alex already asleep? She looked to her door, wishing passionately for company. Even his company, the cad that he was, would be blessedly reassuring. His sly remarks would be better than this nerve-racking silence.

    Oh, but how he would taunt her. He always made impolite comments on her pride and high position. But he couldn't have known who she really was. He could not have known how close she had been to the queen. Alayna had personally liked Marie's company, though she had to admit there were times when the pretty queen's manners could have improved a little.

   Would you rather your imagination pester you to tears, or take the chance of his teasing?

And she thought that she could take his teasing. Couldn't she? It was true that he made her cheeks flame, and he taunted her to the point that she wanted to scream and cry and call him every name she knew.

    So, Alayna pattered across the room, in her delicate, intricately beaded pink slippers, and twisted the handle. The door swung open, and her eyes were immediately blinded by the spectacularly pitch black hallway. She didn't think of retrieving her candle, and so stepped into the unknown, gulping.