Alexandra pretended to sounddefeated. “What do I have to do to spare their lives?” She bent andquietly picked up the poker. “Must I beg? You win.”
Mr. Runyon laughed but did not turnaround. “Once we get to Italy, we will get rid of that brat. I’lllet it live, but you must give it away. I hate children.”
With all her remaining strength,Alexandra swung the poker at the back of Mr. Runyon’s head. The force ofher blow knocked him to the ground. He grunted, dropping to hisknees. His cane flew across the floor.
“Damn you!” He screamed at her.
Alexandra ran around the side of thehouse towards the barn. Runyon was on his feet. She had no time tofree her servants. She headed for the dense woods surroundingHelmsby Abbey. If she could just make it to the other side, she would beon the path to the village. Behind her, a scream of rage erupted.
“Alexandra!” Runyon bellowed.
Alexandra ran as fast as her swellingform would allow through the woods that bordered Helmsby Abbey. Sheknew these woods well, had played in them all of her life. Surely shecould lose him. She ran into a copse and hid among the leaves
She panted, holding her hand against thebulge of her stomach. The footsteps behind her slowed.
Mr. Runyon’s words rushed back toher. Sutton was dead. Alexandra covered her mouth from weepingaloud.This is why he has not returned! He is dead!Her arms curved protectively around her waist and her heart ached. I haveto protect you. You are all I have left of him. You are the onlyheir to Cambourne.Jeanette planned this with Mr. Runyon andher uncle.
“Come, my pigeon.” Lord Runyoncajoled from the woods. “You can not hope to outrun me, Alexandra.Not with your belly full of that bastard’s child. Jeanette would prefer Ikill you and the child of course, but I like my solution better.”
She could hear him beating away the densegrass with his cane. “Come dearest, I assure you Suttonisdead.It would break my heart to report that his young widow threw herself into thenearby river, drowning in her grief.” He gave a nasty chuckle at his pun.
Fear ripped into her. She could notoutrun him. Her side ached and something wet ran down her leg. Shespied a large hollow log to her left. It looked rotten and filled withvermin, but the log also looked large enough to hide her. Crawling on allfours, she moved towards the log. Spiders and what appeared to be a smallsnake scattered from the area as she approached.
“Where are you, my little whore?”Lord Runyon was so close. “Alexandra! Answer me, you stupidbitch!”
Alexandra inched her way into the log onher side. She ignored the bugs dropping in her hair and thesplinters digging into her hands. Pulling her feet in, she concentratedon controlling her breathing. She prayed Runyon lied. Prayed Suttonlived. She wept silently, her body shuddering with anguish and shock.
A strong hand wrapped itself around herankle, the fingers digging into her skin.
“No! No!” she cried frantically.Her face scraped the interior of the log as Mr. Runyon pulled her out by herfeet. Her fingernails snapped as she desperately clawed for purchase inthe rotten wood.
“There you are!” Mr. Runyon laughedtriumphantly, as if he had just caught someone playing hide and seek. “Sopredictable. Except for your ruination by Sutton. That I didn’tcount on.” He tugged on her legs, twisting her calves painfully.
Her skirts ripped, sticking to thelog. Mr. Runyon gave an exasperated sigh and pulled harder. Thelower half of Alexandra’s body emerged from the log. Leaves brushedacross her legs as she tried to kick him away.
“Leave me alone! I shall have youarrested. I know about Elizabeth! Your relationship with Jeanette!”Alexandra sobbed. The log, old and rotted, crumbled beneath her hands.
“I didn’t do anything Jeanette didn’tapprove. I adore my cousin. You will learn to love her aswell. She’ll visit us in Italy and you must be properly obedient toher. Besides, Elizabeth is a dull little girl. You resemble her abit but are much more intelligent.”
“She is a child! Not even out of theschoolroom! You monster!” She kicked at him with her foot,dislodging one hand for a moment before he grasped her tighter again.
“No! No!” Alexandra screamedin panic, desperately trying to pull herself back into the log.
Mr. Runyon gave one great tug andAlexandra popped out. Grabbing her by the hair, Mr. Runyon pulledher up, grunting as he lifted her. He looked at her stomach in revulsion.“We must get rid ofthatas soon as possible. Carrying a child givesa woman the look of a cow. He leered at her breasts. “But there aresome benefits I suppose. Your tits are much larger.” He reached outand pinched her swollen nipples.
Alexandra hit him with her hands,slapping his face, as she struggled to break free. Dirt streaked down herface. “Please,” she begged. “You can do whatever you want to me,but please don’t hurt my child.”
“Oh, Alexandra. I don’t make dealswith naughty little sluts like you! I will do whatever Iwishtoyou anyway. Now what to do with the Spawn of Satan?” His eyeswidened as he thumped her belly with his forefinger. An insane giggleescaped his lips.
“Alexandra! Alex!” The deepbaritone echoed through the quiet woods.
Mr. Runyon poked his head up, sniffingthe air as if he were a small fox about to be dispatched by ahound. He shook his head in wonderment at Alexandra as he heard thesound of an approaching horse.
“Unbelievable!” Mr. Runyon’s facebore a look of frustrated amazement. “How in theworlddid hesurvive? Jeanette will be livid. You just cannot get goodhelp these days. I suppose that if one wants something done correctly,one must do such things themselves.” He looked down at hiswaistcoat. “And this is a new waistcoat. Look, I’ve already soiledit searching for you!”
Alexandra screamed as loud as she could.
Runyon’s ungloved hand shot out andslapped her across the face.
