“You fool.” She choked on her words, trying helplessly to get the words out. It took one kick in the groin for Lucinda to cause Harry to fall to his knees, and at that moment she leapt on his back and tightened her hands around his neck. “Get off of me.” He tried to yell but couldn’t. “Aw, I just wanted you to experience this feeling, my friend,” she whispered sharply into the nape of his neck. Instantly, Lucinda was flung over Harry’s shoulder and hit the ground with a rapid strike. She could already feel the bruises forming on her back, her tailbone, her ribs. Harry rolled over onto her prone body with one knee pressing her chest into the ground. “I hope this counts as winning.” Lucinda tried to claw at his head but he caught her hand before she could move another muscle. His grip was excruciating. Lucinda looked at her hand with eyes of amazement, wider than ever before. She couldn’t feel her fingers. In fact, she couldn’t feel most of her body. It was then Lucinda regretted having so much pride, too much confidence for a woman indeed. Her eyesight went black. Thomas began to run to her body but Harry had already taken Lucinda in his arms, and was carrying her to his horse. “What did you do?” He was shaking in fear. “This man needs to be taken to a doctor, I know one in town.” Harry mounted his steed. “Please let me come with you, I will follow.” Thomas untied his horse. Paul interrupted the urgency. “I’m sorry, Harry, but I don’t agree. You’ve killed many men in the past to prove your victory. Why save this one now?” “Paul, this man is not yet dead. If I have a chance to save someone’s life, you are damned if you think I won’t.” With that, he rode off with the trees bending in around him, the dusk seeping into the air. Thomas had been left behind, riding after them a minute too late. As the road became rough and pebbly, Lucinda’s hat blew away with the wind. Harry looked down and saw an entanglement of chestnut tresses atop her head. He focused on her face, her hands, her neck, the shape of her hips. He came to an abrupt halt. With the sudden jolt Lucinda’s eyes burst open and she sucked in as much air as her lungs could take. She looked to the side and noticed she was laying on his lap, looked up and saw Harry’s eyes digging into her like a piercing blade. “What is your name?” Harry’s voice left a chill in the night air. She was lost in the blue of his eyes that seemed to illuminate the darkness. She almost slipped. “Lu...ke.” “Bull.” “Excuse me?” She had feared this moment. She was prepared for the world to crumble around her, for her freedom to be expelled, for her to be tied in, sucked in, locked in tight to her sapphire dress. “I want to know your real name.” She simply stared at him, unable to respond. So he did. “I want you to admit you are not a Duke’s son, I want you to admit you are a dirty liar, and I want you to admit that I won the brawl.” She held in a sigh of utter relief. Her mouth curled into a smile, and she sat up, legs still hanging over his. “I am not a Duke’s son, I am a dirty liar, and you won.” She could kiss him. She was so elated. “And you are wrong Mr. Fairfax if you think I was lying about my name.” “Funny, I’ve never met any women named Luke.” Her smile faded as fast as her pride. Her confidence had been wiped away along with her wit, her freedom. The only thing that remained was a helpless, vulnerable girl overflowing with embarrassment. “How long have you known?” Her voice got soft and somber. “Since I met you.” It was a lie. He had too much pride to admit it was a recent realization. “But you still fought me.” “I did.” His voice quieted. “And you didn’t say anything.” “I didn’t want to ruin your day.” It was stark but sincere. “But you chose to now.” “Actually, I chose to save your life, not ruin your day.”
Lila Elkins 19
