Sweet Summer Kisses

by Erin Knightley

  As he focused on their unexpected visitor, he regulated his breathing and his mind. He needed a clear head to get out of this mess now!

  “What is going on here?” Joanna exclaimed in a choked voice. Her gaze moved from her younger sister to Julian. “Who are you?”

  “Joanna, I can explain,” Alexandria answered.

  “No, allow me.” Julian squeezed her shoulder before releasing her and stepping closer to the sister. “Would you please close the door first?” He knew it was only a matter of time before they made Walter’s wife aware of what was going on, but Julian didn’t want anyone else overhearing.

  “I don’t think so,” Joanna snapped.

  “Please, Joanna. Do as he says,” Alexandria pleaded. “We need to tell you something of great importance.”

  Hesitantly, Joanna closed the door, but kept her back against the thick wood. “Who are you?” she asked again, aiming a piercing glare at Julian.

  So this is the duchess? He swept his gaze over her. Roland had mentioned Walter’s wife was a very lovely woman, and yet, although she shared the same hair color and shape of eyes as her sister, Julian thought Alexandria was the more beautiful out of the two women. How could he have gotten confused when he first kidnapped her?

  He bowed. “I’m Julian Grey Stratford, the rightful Duke of Linden.”

  The woman’s face paled even more than it had been originally. Another gasp escaped her throat and she slowly shook her head. “You are lying. That man is dead.”

  “Oh, I assure you, I’m not dead.” He took in a quick breath of air. “Although I was supposed to be dead, but it was only because I wanted people to believe that. Especially your husband.”

  Confusion creased her forehead. “Walter? Why him?”

  “Because I believe he was the one who tried to kill me.”

  Slowly her eyes widened as color seeped back into her pale face. “You must be insane. Why would Walter want to kill you?”

  “It’s because he wanted the title,” Alexandria took over as she moved to her sister, clasping her hand. “Julian believes Walter also killed his father and brother.”

  A harsh laugh escaped Joanna’s throat and she shook her head, keeping her gaze on Julian. “You are insane, my lord. Walter could never do what you have accused him of. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body.”

  Julian folded his arms and cocked his head. “Obviously, you don’t know him as I do. Have you forgotten we are cousins? I assure you, Walter is capable of hurting people.”

  Continuing to shake her head, Joanna blinked in indecision and looked at her sister. “Xandria, you cannot believe this man. I don’t know why, but he is full of lies.”

  “No, Joanna. Everything he’s saying is true.” Alexandria took both of her sister’s hands and squeezed. “You must believe him. We think Walter is slowly poisoning you. That’s why you’ve been so ill lately.”

  Once again, color left her face. “No, you’re wrong.”

  “What if we’re not?” Julian quickly asked. “Do you want to take that chance and allow your husband to finish killing you?”

  “Joanna, he has a mistress,” Alexandria whispered in a broken voice.

  The older sister’s gaze dropped to the floor as if in a daze. She continued to shake her head, but soon shaking became faster. Her face flamed red. She met Julian’s eyes as fire practically shot out of her gaze.

  “Stop lying to my sister!” Her voice rose in anger. “I demand you leave this place immediately before I summon the law. You are an imposter and I won’t have you damaging my sister’s reputation any further.”

  “But Joanna, he’s not—” Alexandria began, but was cut off.

  “Xandria, come with me now.” Joanna’s voice rose even higher, grabbing tightly to her sister’s hand as her other hand searched for the door knob behind her.

  “No, Joanna.” Alexandria jerked away from her sister. “Julian is telling the truth. You must believe me.”

  “All I believe is that this man is dangerous. Leave with me now.” She opened the door.

  Julian couldn’t understand the sister’s behavior. If anyone was insane in this room, Joanna was certainly showing it.

  “I will not,” Alexandria answered stubbornly, walking to Julian and taking his arm. “I will stand by Julian. He’s not dangerous. Your husband is!”

  Tears welled in Joanna’s eyes. “You made the wrong choice, dear sister. I cannot save you now.” She turned and ran from the room, racing up the hallway.

  Worry tightened Julian’s chest. This was not going as he’d wanted. But what worried him more was that Joanna would run straight to Walter. Although eventually the truth would come out, Julian had wanted Walter’s wife to believe she had married a murderer. So why hadn’t she believed Julian or Alexandria?

  “Oh, dear,” she whispered. “This isn’t good at all.”

  “It’s not. Something is wrong with your sister.”

  Alexandria gasped and swung in front of him. Irritation creased on her expression as she met his eyes.

  “The only thing wrong with my sister is she’s still recovering from being ill, and she’s had such a surprise.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Have you forgotten she caught a man in her sister’s room, and we were kissing? Not only that, but the man we were all told was dead is now alive and claiming her husband is a killer. Under those circumstances, wouldn’t you be in shock?”

  “Of course I know this, but your sister’s behavior went beyond that.” He couldn’t quite put his finger on what was bothering him.

  “She’s been ill, Julian. How else did you expect her to act?” she snapped.

  Knowing he made Alexandria upset caused him distress, but he’d have to worry about that later. Right now, he needed to stop Joanna from running to Walter and blabbing her mouth to him. Julian needed his friend Roland here so that he’d at least have two men on his side.

  “We’ll argue about this later,” he said. “Right now, I need to stop your sister.”

  He bolted out of the room, but heard Alexandria’s frustrated quick breaths and her heavy footsteps as she rushed after him. “Which room is hers?”

  “I’m not telling you.”

  Growling under his breath, he stopped suddenly. She bumped into him and then quickly righted herself. “Lexie, my love, this is not the time for our first fight. If you don’t tell me which room is hers, I promise to break down every door in this hallway.”

  Her lips pursed and her nostrils flared. After a few moments, she finally blew out a frustrated breath. “It’s right there.” She pointed at the door closest to him.

  Without knocking and waiting for entrance, he opened the door and walked in. Joanna stood by the window. She must not have heard him come in, because she didn’t move. Her frame was relaxed, which surprised him since she’d left in a fit only a few minutes ago.

  When Alexandria stumbled in the room behind him, Joanna’s body tightened and she turned toward them.

  “Get out!” she screamed.

  Julian quickly closed the door, praying that the servants didn’t hear. Hopefully, Walter was too engrossed with his friends to hear his wife’s hysterical voice as well.

  “Joanna, please,” Alexandria begged. “You must listen to Julian. Do you honestly think he’d be able to convince me of something if it wasn’t true?”

  “The man I remember as Major Stratford had a bad reputation with the ladies. He’s a rogue, Xandria.” Joanna’s lips curled in distaste. “You couldn’t help but be swept off your feet by someone so handsome and charming since it’s never happened to you before. But he’s still the devil!”

  The sister must still have a touch of the fever. Why else would she rant like a woman gone insane? She’d been correct that he’d had a reputation with the ladies at one time, but he was different now.

  “He’s not the devil!” The volume of Alexandria’s voice lifted in confidence as she walked to his side. She slipped her hand into his and smiled up into his face
. “Joanna, I’ve fallen in love with this incredible man. He’s been nothing but kind and thoughtful, and several times he’s protected me.”

  Happiness grew in his chest once again, and he wanted to take her in his arms and shower her with his love. Strange how quickly he’d allowed this wallflower to come into his heart, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. “And I love you, Lexie.”

  “Enough of this!” Joanna screeched. She strode to her sister and took her by the arm to pull her away. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

  Anger filled him once again, and he gritted his teeth. “You are correct, Joanna. Enough is enough.”

  He gripped Joanna’s arms, and gave her a hard shake. She cried out in pain and yanked away from him, quickly cradling her left arm. Slowly, a spot of blood appeared on her tan sleeve, spreading over the material. Her face turned ashen and for a second, he thought she might empty her stomach on him.

  Gradually, his mind began to work. Shock seeped into his body, bringing with it awareness as it opened up his thoughts. Joanna’s left arm had been injured enough to draw blood. What were the chances she, and not Walter, had been the one who’d tried to kill Julian? Yet none of this made any sense. Confusion filled him and left him immobile.

  “Joanna!” Alexandria hitched a breath. “You’re hurt.” She reached for her sister, but Joanna jumped back, bumping against the single desk in the room by the west window. “Why is your arm bleeding?” Alexandria’s voice shook.

  “I…I…I was injured a few months ago.” Joanna’s face hardened. “My injury hasn’t healed correctly. Infection keeps coming back. That’s why I’ve been so ill lately. And it’s not because my husband is trying to poison me.”

  “How were you injured, Joanna?” Julian asked, finally believing that this woman could have had a motive to kill him and his father and brother, after all. “An injury that keeps getting infected could only be from a cut or a bullet wound.”

  “Joanna?” Alexandria’s voice cracked. “Did someone shoot you?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” She rolled her eyes.

  The more Julian studied the older sister, the more he believed she was indeed responsible. His stomach twisted. “Where were you around December thirteenth?”

  Joanna released an unsteady laugh. “You cannot expect me to remember that.”

  Alexandria moaned and rubbed her forehead. “Oh, Joanna, no.” She squeezed her eyes as tears leaked down her cheeks. “You’d sent me to stay at my friend’s house for nearly a sennight, remember?” She sniffed. “Now I know why you wanted me out of the house. You didn’t want me to know you were gone.” She shook her head. “You led me to believe you were still there by sending me missives to see how I was fairing with my friend. You had told me your husband had gone to try and find a house for you to live in.”

  Joanna huffed. “Walter was looking for a place to live.”

  “Yes, I know that now.” Alexandria lifted her gaze to Joanna’s. “Because it was you who tried to set up your husband to make him look like he killed his uncle and cousins.”

  “Dear sister, you are being over dramatic and highly imaginative. Save it for your stories.”

  “You, my dear sister,” Alexandria took a step closer to Joanna, “are lying. Why? Why did you think you had to kill innocent people? What gave you that right?”

  In an instance, Joanna’s expression hardened and she turned toward the desk. She yanked open a drawer and pulled out a pistol before pointing it at Julian. Fear slammed his heart against his ribs, and he held his breath. He had to take his time coaxing the pistol out of her hand because she was a woman possessed with evil, which were the worst kind of people to talk with.

  “What are you doing?” Alexandria cried. “Joanna, put that down before someone gets hurt.”

  “This is why I have a pistol, Xandria. Because I am going to protect us. I’ve always protected us.” She lifted her chin in victory. “When we were younger, I was always the one watching out for you. We grew up in poor conditions, and I wanted us to have a better life. When I decided to marry, I searched for a man who wasn’t far from being the next heir to a dukedom. Walter fit that position perfectly. So when he and I were invited to visit his uncle and cousin, I made sure I put poison in their drinks. Fortune was on my side because the poison made them appear as if they both had the plague. It didn’t take them long to die, either.”

  Julian gnashed his teeth. His heart broke a little more hearing the story of how his family died. He wanted to wring her neck for being so heartless and selfish. But for now, he needed to wait for the right moment to jump at her and snatch the weapon out of her hand.

  “Oh, Joanna…no.” Alexandria sobbed.

  “I paid men to search for Major Stratford,” she motioned the pistol toward him, “and they helped me in locating a cannon and blowing up him and his men.” She shrugged. “I knew someone had shot me, but I didn’t think it would be the man I thought I’d killed.”

  “I had no idea my killer would be a woman,” Julian hissed.

  Joanna snickered. “Yes, I’m full of surprises, aren’t I?”

  “What happened to my sister? The one who was kind and loving,” Alexandria whispered.

  It physically hurt Julian to see her so distraught. He slipped an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her close to his body. “Greed has changed her, my love.”

  “I didn’t just do this for me,” Joanna argued. “I did this for both of us, Xandria. We shall now live the kind of life we have always wanted.”

  Alexandria shook her head. “I have never wanted that kind of life, and you know it.” She buried her face into Julian’s chest and cried.

  “What are you going to do with us now?” he asked bitterly.

  Joanna shrugged. “I shall continue to do as I’ve always done. I’ll protect my sister, and if that means killing you, then I’ll do it. Besides, you’re supposed to be dead anyway, so it won’t matter.”

  “Don’t turn blame to your sister,” he growled. “The only reason you want me dead is to be Duchess of Linden. Your sister doesn’t want anything to do with your selfish needs.”

  “You are wrong. I love my sister, and I want to see her—”

  “Then why were you allowing your husband to marry her off to one of his friends?”

  Joanna’s eyes widened and she glanced at Alexandria. “What is he talking about?”

  She wiped her moist eyes. “Your husband brought his friends here tonight to find one who wants to marry me. Walter told me he wants someone to take me off his hands.”

  “Oh!” Joanna gasped and hurried to her sister. “I didn’t know about any of this. You must believe me.”

  “That’s why they were here for the dinner meal,” Julian continued for Alexandria. “Walter was seeing who would bid the highest for his sister-in-law.”

  “Well, I can assure you, I will not allow him to marry you off to any of his friends.”

  Julian shook his head, pulling Alexandria away from her sister. “She doesn’t need you any longer, Joanna. I’ll be the one protecting her from Walter’s greedy clutches…and yours. I will always be the one protecting her from here on out.”

  Slowly, Alexandria lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. “You will?”

  He smiled with tenderness and nodded. “If you’ll have me. Once I take my rightful place as Duke of Linden, I’ll need a Duchess…and I want you and none other.”

  Chapter 10

  Alexandria’s heart was bursting with gladness, yet at the same time it was breaking because of her sister’s unexpected mental condition. As much as she wanted to hear the words Julian had just uttered, she feared he was only saying them because Joanna had threatened to kill him. Alexandria did love him and she truly wanted to marry him, but dare she get her hopes up now? Her sister was demented, and Alexandria feared the worst, that she would indeed follow through with her threat.

  “Oh, Julian,” Alexandria sighed happily. “I—”

  “Will bot
h of you be quiet,” Joanna yelled. “I don’t want to hear—or see—you two fawning over each other. It makes me physically ill.”

  Alexandria scowled at her sister. This wasn’t the first time she’d noticed that her sister had to get all the attention and all the glory. Joanna had always been overprotective, but Alexandria would have never suspected her sister of going insane. Yet, that was exactly what had happened to Joanna.

  Growing up, Alexandria always knew the world revolved around Joanna, as she was the prettier, smarter, and more outgoing sister. Alexandria had been kept in a sheltered world, but that had been just fine with her.

  It wasn’t fine with her any longer! She was sick to death of her sister thinking she should get all the attention. When was it Alexandria’s turn for love and happiness?

  “Come on, the both of you,” Joanna snapped and motioned the pistol toward the door. “We are going outside.”

  Alexandria frowned. “Why?”

  Joanna swayed, but quickly righted herself. “So that your imposter lover isn’t discovered in this house!”

  “Listen here, Joanna—”

  “Lexie,” Julian cut her off in a calm voice, “we shall do exactly what your sister requests. If she wants us to leave, we will.”

  A victorious smile claimed Joanna’s face, making Alexandria want to scream. She switched her focus to Julian and studied his aloof expression. Why was he acting this way? What could possibly be going through his head right now? He didn’t appear very frightened of the prospect that Joanna could shoot and possibly kill him. So why was he like this? She received the distinct impression that he was trying to communicate with her through his eyes. Too bad she didn’t understand him at all.

  Julian was the one to lead the group, moving at a slow pace out of the room and heading down the hallway to the back stairs used by the servants. As they made their way down the winding staircase, men’s boisterous laughter was heard as Walter and his friends played cards in the drawing room.