Beauty’s smile widened.
“Far from it.”
North then realized he was lying back with his jacket undone and his shoes off. Flushing, he sat up and began to dress himself. He couldn’t have a stranger, even one as lovely as this one, seeing the duke in a state of undress.
“How long have you been sitting there?”
“A while.”
“And you never thought to wake me before?”
Beauty shrugged.
“You looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you.”
Now he was properly dressed, North took a closer look at her. She was tall, taller than most women of the current day. Even sitting North could tell she was going to be almost on eye-level with him. The yellow dress she wore was fitted well, albeit a little old. It didn’t look like she had just bought it.
North had no problem with that. If a garment still fitted, it was best to make use of it. Mrs. Wilson had taught him fashion was one thing but throwing out clothes that still fitted was a crime in her eyes.
And this beauty was here, talking to him. This had to be his lucky day. North shifted on nature’s seat to take a better look at her.
“You come here often?”
Beauty laughed and slapped his arm.
“Honestly, you.” She looked out over the lake. “You could hardly believe it’s so close to Newcastle.”
She acted like they were close. North was sure he would have remembered someone like her. He sat back and went along with it.
“I’m sure if we sniffed when the wind’s in the right direction we could smell all the smoke from the factories.”
“That’s what my father says,” Beauty giggled. “But he can’t smell anything, anyway. Not since last summer.”
“What happened?”
“He sniffed a live wasp.”
“I beg your pardon?”
North wondered if he had heard correctly. Beauty was now laughing.
“I’m not joking. He said he was smelling a flower in the garden and didn’t see the wasp until it jumped up at him. Mother hasn’t let him live it down.”
“I don’t think I’d let my wife live it down if that happened to her.”
“I’m sure you won’t.” Beauty shook her head, still smiling. “He doesn’t have much luck with animals. Or people. How he managed to get my mother to marry him I will never know.”
North didn’t know, either. But, then again, if they hadn’t this woman wouldn’t be here. Why couldn’t his betrothed be as lovely as this? She was captivating.
Chapter 2
Breaking Beauty’s Heart
Beauty turned to him, her smile fading a little as a frown appeared between her eyes.
“Wilson told me your nightmares are still with you.”
“You spoke to Wilson?”
“Of course I did.”
North grunted.
“I wish Wilson would let me know if I’m having guests over. Much as you’re a beautiful sight to wake up to, mistress, I don’t like being surprised with people I don’t know.”
“You’ve never complained before.”
Why did she look put out?
“Before?”
Then Beauty’s face paled. She stared at him in what North could onto describe as horror.
“You…you don’t know who I am?”
“I’m afraid I don’t. It’s a shame, though,” North reached out and touched her cheek. “Because I would have most certainly noticed you.”
Where was this coming from? North had never been this forward with a woman before. But there was something about Beauty that had him wanting to know more.
But then she pushed his hand away and stood hurriedly.
“I have to go.”
“Pardon?”
“I shouldn’t be here.”
She started hurrying away. North jumped up and ran after her, grabbing her arm as she cleared the shade of the tree.
“Wait, don’t go. Please.” He turned her to face him. “Stay with me for a little longer.”
Beauty looked up at him and North started back. She had tears in her eyes. Was she about to cry? What had he done? Then Beauty gathered herself and schooled her face into a blank mask.
“I cannot stay, Your Grace,” she said stiffly. “You’re unwell and you need your rest. It was unwise to come here.”
“Please.” North didn’t want her to go. He had to know more. “Just tell me your name.”
He saw her jaw tightening and a tear trickle down her cheek.
“It hasn’t changed since the last I told you.” She pulled away. “When you remember, let me know.”
Then she was running. North ran after her but she was faster. He darted through the bushes and around trees but found no sign of her. She had disappeared into thin air.
Had she really been here? Or had North imagined her? He couldn’t have; he could still feel her lips on his cheek. And he had touched her.
She had, most certainly, not been a dream. North just wished he knew who she was.
***
“Isabella!”
Isabella jumped when her arm was sharply nudged. She had been so focused on looking out at the crowd of people gathered in the magnificent ballroom for the regular social evening that she had completely forgotten about the woman standing beside her, talking her ear off with things that Isabella couldn’t find any interest in.
She should try harder to concentrate. Nothing was going to come out of looking for the Duke of Northumberland, not after the way he practically spurned her at his home. Isabella didn’t want to go through that again.
She straightened her shoulders and turned to the dark-haired woman standing beside her, tapping her fan in annoyance against her leg. Isabella could feel her face getting warm.
“Forgive me, Eleanor. I was watching the room.”
“I could see that.” Eleanor Eliot narrowed her eyes as Isabella. “Are you expecting to meet with someone?”
“No, not at all.” Isabella said hurriedly. “I’m just curious with all the new faces.”
Eleanor sighed and shook her head.
“You can’t fool me, little sister.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re looking for the Duke of Northumberland.”
Isabella felt as though her heart had momentarily stopped. How could she even know that? She had told no one of her secret meetings with the duke, not even her sister, her normally closest confidant. Eleanor would most certainly have disapproved. The only people who knew were Mr. and Mrs. Wilson at the duke’s country house. They knew to keep quiet about it and they would never say anything; they were that loyal to their master.
So, how did Eleanor know? Isabella tried to lie, aware that her face was getting redder.
“How can you say that?” she hissed.
“Because I have eyes, Isabella. You’ve kept it quiet, and it’s a miracle that our parents don’t know about it, but I’ve seen it. I’ve seen the way you two are together when you think no one is watching before he went over to France to fight Napoleon.” Eleanor narrowed her eyes at her younger sister. “You had an understanding, didn’t you? And it was more than just simple words.”
Isabella had to tell someone. This wasn’t something she could keep quiet on. She was going to explode if she didn’t say anything to Eleanor. She would understand.
Grabbing her sister’s arm, Isabella hurried her to the open doors to the terrace. Because it was a cooler night than normal, nobody was out there, favoring the warmth inside. Even then, Isabella drew Eleanor to the far corner and down the steps, into the darkness. There was a bench beside a huge hedge, hidden from sight. Unless someone was practically standing on top of them, nobody would know they were there.
It was only then that Isabella turned to Eleanor, who was still giving Isabella a confused look.
“Don’t tell Father about this, please!” Isabella begged. “He’s going to be furious.”
“Furiou
s? The Duke of Northumberland is of high nobility. How could he be furious?”
“That’s the point.” Isabella sagged onto the bench. She felt the tears welling up and forced them back. “I shouldn’t even be in the duke’s sight, that’s how far apart we are in terms of social standing. We’ve kept things quiet about us because there were talks of North being married to Lady Emma Hughes. North didn’t want to marry his childhood friend; he didn’t even like her anymore.” She looked down at her trembling hands. “We wanted to announce our engagement once he got back from France.”
And now that was never going to happen. Not if North was as he was now. The man who had no idea who she was. Eleanor stared at her little sister.
“So, you really were in love.”
It wasn’t a question. Isabella nodded miserably.
“I was. And I thought he was in love with me as well.”
“What do you mean?”
“I feel like the six months before he went to the war were a complete waste of my time. Anything that happened is no longer there. And I…”
Isabella buried her face in her hands and began to sob. Tears prickled at her fingers and trickled down her hands. Eleanor sat beside her and nudged Isabella’s hands down. She held out a handkerchief.
“Dry your eyes and speak plainly. You’re not making any sense.”
Isabella took the handkerchief and dried her eyes before drying her hands. Her throat felt like she had been eating sand.
“He doesn’t remember me, Eleanor.”
“What? How can anyone forget you?”
“He really has. I spoke to Mrs. Wilson, and she said that North sustain a vicious blow to the head during an attack on the French armies that went wrong. He survived but when he woke up, it took a while for him to remember who he was. His long-term memory has come back but he can’t remember anything from a year ago to waking up in the hospital tent.”
Eleanor’s expression shifted when she realized what Isabella was saying.
“You mean all the time he spent with you he had lost and doesn’t remember anymore.”
Isabella nodded. She gnawed at her lower lip, trying to stop the tears from coming back up. She had cried far too much over this man.
“I went to see him at his country home a few weeks ago. I found him in our usual meeting place so I thought he was waiting for me. It felt like everything was back to how it was before. But as we talked, I came to realize he didn’t know who I was at all. He’s forgotten me.”
Isabella couldn’t stop the sobs and flung her arms around Eleanor. Her sister started but put her arms around Isabella and rubbed her back.
“Oh, Isabella.”
Isabella sniffed, her throat clogging up.
“I knew it wasn’t something either of our families would have approved of, and North was about to be engaged but we did love each other. Now he’s been sticking to Emma Hughes’ side as if he’s forgotten that he dislikes her with a passion.” She pulled back and rubbed at her eyes. They were starting to sting. “He’s discarded me and he doesn’t even know it.”
Chapter 3
Defending Beauty
“You’re not looking for him, to be around him,” Eleanor said quietly. “You’re looking for him, to avoid being around him.”
“Yes.” Isabella looked down at her hands. “I don’t want the pain anymore. But I couldn’t get out of this social engagement. Mother and Father insisted.”
If it hadn’t been for her parents telling her it was imperative that she came to this ball, Isabella would have happily stayed at home. She didn’t want to risk bumping into the duke or Lady Emma. The woman disliked her and looked down her nose at Isabella, which irked Isabella to no end. The woman may have come from good breeding but she was a mean girl who thought everyone had to bow down to her. She had grown up very spoiled.
That was what North disliked about her now. Emma was not the sweet little girl he had known when they were children. She had grown into a woman he didn’t recognize and didn’t like at all.
Isabella wished he could remember that part.
Eleanor laid her hands over her sister’s.
“Why don’t you go home? I’ll get the carriage for you and tell Mother and Father you weren’t feeling well enough. It won’t be too far a stretch after how you’ve been acting lately.”
“You don’t think I’m being a fool?”
Eleanor sighed.
“I think you got played for a fool by very unfortunate circumstances.” Eleanor glanced towards the house. “If you like, I can go and hit the Duke of Northumberland with my fan.”
“No, don’t.” Isabella wanted someone to stand up for her but she didn’t want to go through the embarrassment again. “Just forget it all, Eleanor. Maybe this is a sign that we should never had met each other. Perhaps we should go our separate ways.”
Eleanor didn’t look convinced, but she nodded and stood, tugging her sister to her feet.
“Let’s get you to our carriage. I’ll explain everything to Mother and Father.”
“You won’t tell them about what I’ve done?”
Eleanor hugged Isabella close.
“Of course not.”
***
North watched the red haired beauty hurry across the room with another gorgeous woman, this one with darker hair, and then leave the ballroom. Beauty looked like she had been crying.
Was she all right? North wanted to go after her. But that would have raised a lot of questions and North didn’t think he could answer them. Ever since Beauty had awoken him by the lake, she had been on his mind. North couldn’t forget her. And he was beginning to have images of them together as if they were courting. A secret courtship, one that was special to them.
His mind was that messed up if he was beginning to think up imaginary scenarios with a woman he didn’t even know the name of. Especially when his intended was standing beside him, her hand on his arm as if she was making sure everyone knew there was a previous claim on him. Why did that annoy North more than it should?
“North?” He felt someone shaking his arm. “North!”
North started and looked down. Lady Emma Hughes was looking up at him with an annoyed frown. It could almost be described as a scowl. North coughed and did his best to turn his attentions onto her.
“Forgive me, Lady Emma. I’m not myself tonight.”
Emma’s expression cleared.
“Are you having your headaches again?”
“You could say that.”
How could North say he was having thoughts about another woman, one he found more beautiful than the blonde-haired goddess standing at his side? Emma Hughes was beautiful, not doubt about it, but she didn’t hold a candle to Beauty.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have come out tonight.” Emma shook her head. “It could be too taxing for you.”
“I needed to make an appearance. Let people know I’m still alive,” North pointed out. “I haven’t been out since I got back from France.”
Emma smiled and her hand squeezed his arm again.
“Well, I know you’re alive. That’s all that matters.”
North didn’t like the sound of that. That surprised him. Emma Hughes was meant to be his wife. They were going to announce their engagement soon. Why was he wishing he could be anywhere but with Lady Emma?
The crowd in the room seemed to be pressing down on his lungs. North rubbed at his chest and stepped away from Emma.
“Excuse me, Lady Emma. I’m going to have a walk outside. I need some air.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No, thank you. I’ll go on my own.”
North felt like he could breathe again as he left the room, stepping off the terrace and into the garden. It was very dark out here, no lanterns having been lit, but on a cool evening like tonight, nobody was outside. The only light came from the moon, shining a silvery glow across the grass.
North couldn’t understand what was happening to him. He knew there were p
arts of his memory that were not clear—he couldn’t remember anything of the last year before waking up from his wounds—but it was like he kept getting dreams that seemed so vivid, so real that it was beginning to scare him. Flashes of something he didn’t understand kept coming to him, leaving North off-balance. But nobody could explain it to him. They just brushed it off as a side-effect of his amnesia. Wilson and his wife seemed to know what was going on but neither of them were prepared to tell him. If anything, they had become cold and stony towards him, which was not like them at all.
North had no idea what was going on. If only someone could actually tell him.
“Your Grace?”
North turned. A woman stepped out of the shadows of a tree. The moonlight hit her face and North recognized her as the dark-haired woman who had escorted Beauty out. She had a blank look on her face but her jaw was set tight. If anything, she looked angry.
“Forgive me for intruding but are you well?”
North realized he had been walking around in circles, not looking at where he was going. He must have looked like a fool. Running his hands through his hair before smoothing it down and turning to her.
“I’m perfectly well, Miss…?”
“Eleanor Eliot.”
Eliot. That sounded very familiar.
“You’re Sir Graham Eliot’s daughter?”
“Yes, Your Grace. The eldest daughter.”
Why had she said it like that? North wondered if he had missed something. His legs were feeling weak. There was a nearby bench so North staggered to it and sat.
“Forgive me for sitting in your presence, Miss Eliot. I’m not sure if I can stand up without falling over right now.”
“I’m not interested in social proprieties right now.” Eleanor strode over to him, her hand coming out from behind her back. “As you’re about to see.”
North saw a flash of something and then Eleanor hit him across the face. Something cold and hard hit his cheek. North was caught off-guard and nearly toppled off the bench. Righting himself, he stared at Eleanor as she stood back, her eyes blazing in anger in the dark. A fan was in her hand, which she snapped out before closing it with one hand. She had hit him with that?
“What the…?” His cheek stung. “Why did you do that?”
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