Kidnapped by Annabelle Lake Page A

altar the personification of calm. Fury began to build up insider her, how dare her fiancé not lift a finger to save her!  
        The masked bandit threw her easily across his saddle a moment before joining her, then spurning his horse into a gallop he took off at breakneck speed, Alexis began to scream bloody murder for someone to rescue her, but soon found she was unable to do both scream and hang on for dear life. Terrified she would be dropped and trampled beneath the massive animal’s hooves; she held on for dear life. They galloped along for what seemed like forever, the houses became shabbier as they came to what was obviously a rough part of London.  
    There, the man transferred her to a waiting carriage, picking her easily off the saddle though she clung to it for dear life. He deposited her gently onto a rather startlingly luxurious carriage seat. Alexis jumped into action, looking around for anything that could be used as a weapon as soon as the door was shut on her. Digging frantically under the seats she almost crowed in pleasure when her fingers wrapped themselves around a leather riding crop. Hearing the door begin to rattle, Alexis quickly hid the whip inside her skirting.  
           
     
       Gabriel opened the carriage door surveying the very angry looking young woman dressed head to toe in bridal splendor. He had not had time to take a close look at her before, but now that he did he felt as though someone had kicked him in the stomach. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Glossy red hair that had once been perfectly coiffed was now in complete disarray, her pins had come loose, and her hair curled riotously down her back like an avalanche of silk. Gabe felt his mouth go dry.  
     “What are you staring at?” The woman demanded waspishly, and Gabriel was surprised by the venom in her tone. Not that he could blame her for being a harridan; he had after all just kidnapped her, but the Marquis did not usually prey on women with a back bone. Eying the thunderous look in her unsettling emerald green eyes, Gabriel decided that Evans must not have known her temperament when he had courted her.  
     “Do you find something funny Sir?” It was then that Gabriel realized he was smiling like a fool. The coach rocked and began moving and Gabriel’s attention was momentarily drawn to the window. “What do you want with me?” She was obviously exasperated, clearly thinking herself kidnapped by a mute. “Damn you, I asked you a question!” She shrieked at him when once again he did not answer. Pulling the whip from behind her skirting she struck him hard and quick across the face, not wasting a split second of the element of surprise, she then tried to lunge over him for the door.  
     Gabriel was in shock, though he caught her easily; she began flailing and struggling in earnest when she felt his arms like steel bands grasp her mid-section. He had expected the woman to cry quietly in the corner not bloody well pull a whip from her skirt and attack him. He cursed foully as her toe found his shin in a rather blood thirsty kick.  
     Wresting the whip from her grasp he opened the door and threw it to the rapidly passing cobblestones, breathing heavily from the exertion of keeping his prisoner pinned to his side. “Let me go!” She demanded, panting, as she continued to struggle though she could barely move at all.  
    “Quit fighting me and I will consider it.” He tried reasoning with her only to receive a blow from the back of her head to his chin; he knew instinctively that she had done it purposely.  
     “I will never quit fighting you.” She shouted, bravely defying him, she aimed another kick at him; and with a resolute sigh Gabriel knew he had no choice but to tie the little spit fire up.  
     
                                 
         Alexis was furious, so furious that she forgot to be frightened as any gently bred young lady should