“My name, Governor White, is Rafael Montgomery. For the past two years I have been illegally imprisoned at the Bristol mine, on Johann Devreeling’s orders.”
The governor rose and stared at Rafe. “If you don’t leave this minute and present your case properly, I shall have you jailed.”
“And I,” Alana retorted, “shall see to it that all my wealth and all the powers of the Maklin-Parkins company are used to ruin you completely if you do not sit back down and listen to what we have to say.”
The acting governor stared silently at Alana, all the while knowing she had the power to destroy him because of what her husband had left her. Slowly he sat.
“This man,” Rafe began again, “has signed a statement, confessing his part in the crimes committed against myself and…Lady Parkins. It details everything that happened and also states other crimes of which Devreeling is guilty.”
The governor looked from Rafe to Devreeling, but Devreeling turned his face away. Then the governor lifted the confession and read it slowly in silence. When he was finished, he looked at Devreeling.
“Is this true, Johann?”
Devreeling closed his eyes and nodded his head.
“Why?” Samuel White asked.
Suddenly Devreeling’s eyes snapped open; hatred blazed outward. “Why?” he asked. “Look around you. My family came to Cape Town a hundred and fifty years ago. We were wealthy, respected people. When the mighty British Empire came, you took everything from us. You people forced us Dutch to give up everything and move to the interior. My family lost its fortune, and took what should have been mine. Does it surprise you so very much that I should turn against you and all you represent?”
“We took nothing from you or your family, Johann. Your people chose to join the rest of the Boers in the interior. Your so-called vast wealth was nothing in comparison to what we brought. What your family lost was the will to compete against others. Direct your hate and anger at your own people for not staying to maintain what they created.
“Yet,” the governor continued in a level voice, “you, Johann, chose to live with us and to become a part of us. In that, you deceived us terribly, and you have made me ashamed that I appointed you to your position. I will see you tried and convicted for your crimes, Johann Devreeling.”
Then the governor turned to Rafe. “Mr. Montgomery, I have wronged you in many ways, and I cannot even think of how to make amends for that. All I can do is ask you to accept my apology. And Lady Parkins, I must ask for your forgiveness. I was wrong,” he said honestly.
Alana’s nostrils flared. “Wrong about what, Governor?” she baited him.
“Alana,” Crystal whispered, but Alana was oblivious.
The governor met Alana’s open stare for a drawn out moment before rising from behind his desk to stand and face her. “Edward was my friend, and I could never understand why he married you. He told me he loved you, and that you were a special woman. I tried to talk him out of this marriage, but he wouldn't listen. ‘When you get to know her, Samuel, you will understand why I love her,’ he told me. But I never got to know you, until now.” Alana tried to comprehend what he was saying, but she was almost afraid to believe he was apologizing.
“I knew about your love for Mr. Montgomery because Edward told me everything about it. After I made my investigation, I believed you had concocted this outrageous story as part of a scheme to get Edward to marry you. I have ample evidence of the truth now, and can only admit I was wrong and that Edward was correct.”
“Thank you,” Alana said.
“I will see to it that Johann’s trial is brought about swiftly. I do hope that you will testify at that trial, Mr. Montgomery.”
“Oh, I shall,” Rafe said with a smile.
Two nights later, Rafe, Alana, and Crystal were in the Parkins house arguing fiercely.
“You will stay here!” Rafe shouted angrily, his face red as he confronted his sister.
“You’re my brother, not my father!” Crystal spat back. Alana sat silently, watching the war of wills between the two people she loved most. She wanted to say something to help, but she knew she could not.
“I won’t have you going back into Allison’s bed. No more!”
“I have to, Rafe. Don’t you understand? I can finish him. I can bring down his empire.”
“Or he can kill you.”
“Perhaps, but it’s a chance I must take.”
“Then I will go with you,” Rafe stated.
“Rafael No!” Alana cried, speaking for the first time in a half hour. “You decided–we decided–you promised we would stay together. We agreed to use all our financial resources to bring Allison down.” She continued, “I don’t like to put Crystal in danger, either. But we must attack him on both a professional and a personal level. He will soon know you’re alive and out of the mine. He’ll be waiting for you to come after him.”
“But I won’t let Elizabeth risk her life again,” Rafe spat angrily. “She doesn’t have to any longer.”
Crystal took a deep breath and then took Rafe’s hand in hers. “But I do, Rafael, I do. Please, I will be even more careful than I was before. I will run the Maklin-Parkins office in New York through our attorneys. No one will know I have anything to do with you and Alana. As Allison’s mistress, I can learn his every move, and we can destroy him, Rafe, as he tried to destroy us.”
“I don’t care about Allison anymore, Elizabeth! I learned a great deal in that mine. I realized how I let Allison govern my life instead of living for myself. I’m not afraid of the man; I’m just ready to go on with my life. I want the same for you.”
“When my time comes, Rafe, I will live my life also, but until that time I will live up to the name I gave myself–Revanche. I will have my revenge on James Allison.”
With that, Crystal turned and walked regally out of the salon. A moment later, as her footsteps echoed from the stairway, Alana looked at Rafe.
“And where does this leave us?” she asked, her eyes flickering across his features. The gauntness was almost gone from his face now, replaced by a healthier glow.
“My life is with you,” Rafe replied calmly, “whether here or in America. But that does not stop me from being afraid for Elizabeth.”
Alana suddenly became terrified that Rafe would insist on accompanying his sister on her dangerous mission, leaving Alana alone–again. After all, she had been through with Rafe, this idea was enough to make her practically hysterical. Leaping from her seat, she cried, “I want you with me, Rafe. I want your children. I want a life that is peaceful and filled with love. I can’t bear the idea of waking up and finding you gone. I can’t make you want to stay with me. If you want to chase all over the world, I won’t keep you. Go with Crystal! But I’ll be damned if I’ll wait for you or look for you ever again.” With a sharp intake of breath, Alana unclenched her fists and slowly dropped her arms to her side. “I think you understand how I feel now,” she finished, her words choked with emotion.
Rafe nodded. “Absolutely. I only have one question.”
“Ask it, then!”
“Do you like the name Rachel for a girl?”
Her stomach fluttered, and her heart melted again. “That was my mother’s name,” she whispered.
“I know. But if it’s a boy, I want to name him after my father,” Rafe told her, the corners of his mouth turning up in a smile for Alana.
Alana’s heart almost burst with her love. “Oh, Rafe, I want your child, I want a lot of children.”
“Then can we stop this pointless merry-go-round of words?”
“You really are staying,” Alana said as the tears spilled from her eyes.
“I could never leave you again, my love.”
Then he drew her into his arms and kissed her deeply, emphasizing just how true his words were. Before the kiss ended, Rafe had swept Alana from her feet and carried her to the staircase. With seemingly little effort, he climbed the stairs and went directly to the guest room.
With her eyes dancing merrily, and a smile now permanently affixed to her face, Alana said nothing; rather, her hands went to his shirt, and as he undressed her, she did the same for him.
Finally, when they were both naked, Alana spoke. “Either. Both. Whatever. But we will raise our children together, and watch them grow to become everything we want, and be proud of everything they achieve.”
“Together, Alana–and when we are too old to make love, we will remember our lives and rejoice in our love.”
Alana’s lips twitched in silent mirth. She lowered her hand and slowly grasped his hardness. Stepping closer to him, she pressed her breasts upon his chest and felt the electric sharpness at the contact of her skin against his.
Within her hand, he grew even harder. “We will never be too old to make love, nor will we have to remember the past to rejoice in what we shall always have. And now, my husband to be, show me one of the wonderful ways in which you love me.”
And Rafe showed her, and continued to show her, until the sun rose and flooded the room with its life, giving Alana the knowledge that, with the arrival of the golden globe, Rafe was indeed still with her.
EPILOGUE
Three days later, Alana, Rafe, and Crystal stood on the forward deck of the Harmony. The ship, fully loaded with cargo, was resting at anchor. The entire crew lined the port and starboard railings. The captain, in formal dress and holding the leather-bound ship’s Bible in his hand, stood before Rafe and Alana.
Alana wore a beautiful white gown that reached to the floor. Its bodice was a combination of silk and lace that clung to her breasts invitingly. Her long raven hair flowed freely down her back, and her face hidden by a thin white veil.
Rafe stood next to her, dressed formally in royal blue. They presented a picture of perfection. His jet and silver hair was uncovered; the morning sun kissed it and made it sparkle.
Crystal stood next to Alana, wearing a blue traveling dress and a wide-brimmed hat. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she watched her brother and her closest friend make their vows and become husband and wife.
The ship’s crew was silent as they watched the wedding take place, and after Captain Sanders finished, they watched Rafe take a small gold band from his pocket and place it on Alana’s finger. Then he drew her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
With the kiss, the crew roared out their approval, and then the bosun’s pipes sounded. Miles Sanders closed the Bible and offered Rafe his hand.
“Congratulations,” he said with a serious smile.
“My thanks, Captain,” Rafe replied, “for everything you’ve done for Alana.”
Crystal embraced Alana, and both women cried tears of happiness. Yet Alana’s blended with sadness, for Crystal was returning to America with the Harmony.
“I wish you would stay with us,” Alana said, as she had been saying for the past two days.
“You know I can’t. Rafe,” she called, “make her stop.”
Rafe came over to them and slipped his arm around Alana’s waist. “Stop what?” he asked.
“She’s trying to talk me out of going back.”
“She’s right. Elizabeth, you know I don’t like what you’re doing.”
Crystal shook her head stubbornly. “He ruined me, Rafael. I will not be able to put my past to rest until I have ruined him in return.” Turning to Alana, Crystal said, “Just make sure that my brother doesn’t change his mind and go after Allison in person.”
Alana looked up into Rafe’s tightly set features, her eyes asking the silent question. As she held his gaze, Alana felt the security of Rafe’s earlier promise. “He won’t,” Alana stated with the confidence of love.
A few minutes later, Rafe and Alana watched the Harmony sail out of Cape Town’s harbor. They stood silently on the dock, their arms about each other’s waists. And when the Harmony was but a speck in the distance, Rafe turned to Alana, his free hand cupping her chin and lifting her face to his.
“I miss her already,” Alana whispered.
“I know, but we will be reunited soon,” Rafe replied. Then he smiled gently. “And I am here. I love you, Alana.”
“As I love you, Rafe.”
<><><>~~~~<><><>
From the Author
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Alana. I hope you have enjoyed it, as much as I did when I wrote it, and I would love to hear from you about your reading experience.
If you like this book, and would like to lend me your support and help, please spread the word about Alana. Please tell a friend and share it with the world by writing a review on the website where you purchased your book. Nothing fancy, just say what you think—even just a sentence or two.
Reading your reviews, and receiving emails from my readers is important to me and I have included some convenient links for you below.
Thank you for taking the time to read Alana.
Important Links
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Website: http://www.monicabarrie.com
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About the Author
Monica Barrie is a multi-published author of contemporary and historical romances. She is also geriatric social worker, wife, and mother. She lives in New York with her husband David Wind, a multi published author himself.
Monica is re-releasing many of her Contemporary and Historical romance novels.
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For more information about Monica Barrie, please visit www.monicabarrie.com
Currently Available Novels
Contemporary Romances
Cry Mercy, Cry Love
Coming Soon
Silken Threads
Lovegames
Historical Romances
Alana
Coming Soon
Gentle Fury
Alana Page 36
