“I came to talk to you,” Lord Mason said, directing his attention back to him.
It was on the tip of Anna’s tongue to protest, but she knew she couldn’t. Not without making Lord Mason question why she was suddenly protective of Jason. She bit her tongue so she could keep quiet. It was hard to do—painful even—but she managed.
Jason nodded. “I suppose a brief walk might be good after a long ride back.” He gave Anna’s arm a squeeze. “I’ll return to you shortly.”
Again, she used all her willpower not to say something as the two gentlemen left together. The only saving grace in this situation was knowing that Jason didn’t remember anything. Since he really did have amnesia, then Lord Mason couldn’t catch him in a lie. Even so, she wished Jason hadn’t run off with him. Sure, her first husband could stand up to him, but Jason was so gentle and kind, she wasn’t sure what to expect.
“Your Grace, did you have a good trip?”
She turned in time to see Appleton approaching her. Her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. “Yes, I did.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” he replied.
She waited until the coachman departed with the carriage before continuing. “Lord Mason is here.”
“Yes, I know. He came to see His Grace, but I told him His Grace wasn’t due back until later today. You came sooner than I expected. You say everything is all right?”
“Yes. It couldn’t be better. I never knew marriage could be so wonderful.”
“It seems to me that marriage is neither good nor bad, but it’s the people in it who make it so.”
She chuckled. “That’s true. The right person makes all the difference.”
“It’s nice to see you laugh.” He grinned and motioned for her to go into the house. “I’ll have your favorite tea and biscuits made for you.”
“Thank you, Appleton.”
As she walked toward the steps that would take her inside, she heard a horse neighing. Hopeful, she turned to see if Lord Mason was heading off the property, but to her dismay, he wasn’t. Instead, she saw him and Jason riding their horses.
“Appleton?” she asked, turning to him.
“It’s not my place to tell His Grace he shouldn’t ride a horse,” he softly told her.
“But you know how much it scares him.”
“And he knows it, too.”
“Lord Mason is baiting him,” she weakly said, her heart pounding anxiously in her chest.
“You’ll have to trust that His Grace can take care of himself. If he went on the horse, then there’s a good reason for it.”
He was right. She knew he was right, and yet, she wanted nothing more than to run out there and demand he return the horse to the stable at once. After six years of being miserable, she was finally happy, and Lord Mason was threatening to take that away from her.
“It’s best to let His Grace handle things,” Appleton told her, his tone sympathetic.
“All right. And it’s not like he knows the truth.”
“That’s to his benefit.”
And he must never know. She didn’t have to say it. Appleton understood. As long as Jason didn’t know, he was safe from anything Lord Mason might try to do.
***
“One would never think you’ve ridden a horse before,” Mason called out.
Jason couldn’t be sure if Mason’s tone was teasing or mocking, but he was focusing too much on his horse to care. It wasn’t that it felt unfamiliar to be on it. In fact, it felt as if he had been on it in the past. But something about the animal made his stomach turn, as if it was determined to see him harmed. It was nonsense, of course, since it had been the fall down the stairs that injured him, but it was still an unsettling feeling.
“You say you don’t remember how to ride a horse?” Mason asked, trotting beside him.
“I did lose my memory,” Jason said, hoping his voice didn’t betray how nervous he was.
Why did he let Mason talk him into riding a horse? He never should have agreed to it, but there was something about Mason that made him want to prove he could perform any task, no matter how dangerous. And that wasn’t good.
“You forgot how much you love to ride that magnificent stallion,” Mason said. “It’s your pride and joy.”
“It is?” The horse stepped into a slight dip and Jason’s grip tightened on the reins. It’s all right, he thought. He wasn’t going to fall off and be run over by the thing. He gulped, wondering why he should even imagine the animal running over him. Glancing at Mason who was scanning the landscape with mild interest, he asked, “You said I never had any trouble with horses?”
Mason chuckled. “I should say not. They knew better than to defy you. You were a formidable gentleman…before the memory lapse.”
Jason caught the silent challenge in Mason’s stare, but he couldn’t hold his gaze. He had to focus on the path his horse was traveling, and that required far more attention than he cared to admit.
“You don’t remember falling down the stairs?” Mason pressed.
“No. How could I? That’s why I lost my memory.”
“And you fell down the stairs leading to the main entrance?”
“Yes.” That’s what Anna told him, and he had no reason to doubt her.
“So while you were deathly ill with a fever, you stood up and tried to walk down the stairs.”
“Right.”
“Hmm…”
“Hmm, what?” Jason snapped, not appreciating whatever Mason was hinting at.
“There’s no need to be touchy with me, dear brother. I’m merely wondering how a fall of that magnitude didn’t break your neck.”
“It was probably because of the way I fell,” Jason replied, heat rising up to his face. “Are you calling my wife a liar?”
“Most certainly not. I just never heard of a gentleman who fell down the stairs and survived.”
“Well, now you have.”
“Yes. I have indeed.”
Jason let out a frustrated sigh. As much as he tried not to show Mason that he could bother him, it didn’t work. Mason knew exactly how much he was upsetting him, and by the smirk on his face, he took a fiendish delight in it.
“Let’s not tarry,” Mason said. “The whole point of being on a horse is to ride it, is it not?” He gave him a wink and urged his horse into a full gallop.
Jason decided he should get over his fear of the horse, and the sooner, the better. He wouldn’t give Mason any more reasons to taunt him. With more courage than he felt, he snapped the reins and joined Mason. It wasn’t so bad now that he’d adjusted to the way the horse moved, but he couldn’t stop the feeling that he’d fallen off of it at some point in his past. Maybe he did and no one else knew about it.
Sweat broke out across his forehead. He felt the world tilting around him for a brief instant, but he blinked and refocused. To his surprise, Mason wasn’t taking the trail but was veering off toward a group of trees. He gripped the reins and fought the urge to turn back toward the fountain where it would be safer. If Mason insisted on going this way, then he’d do it.
“Now do you remember why you loved riding?” Mason called out.
“I told you I don’t remember anything,” he shouted, breathing heavier than he knew he should be.
The ride wasn’t that strenuous, but his mounting apprehension about those trees was making it harder to breathe. He gulped and put pressure on the stirrups, slightly lifting himself off the horse. He had no idea what he was doing or why, except it seemed natural to do it. They came closer to the trees. So close, in fact, he wondered if they’d have enough time to stop.
Mason made a smooth turn and ran alongside the trees, and since he urged the horse to go faster, Jason fell behind, unwilling to go faster than he already was. He didn’t like this. His horse was going under the trees, and the branches seemed too low. Heart racing, he tried to fight the sensation of falling off the horse, but the sensation was too strong.
Something in him snapped, and he knew he
couldn’t stay on the horse anymore. He reached up, grabbed one of the thicker branches, and swung up on it. His horse neighed and bucked back, hitting the branches, but Jason leapt over to another branch before he lost his balance. Mason pulled the horse to a stop while Jason’s horse ran off in the direction of the stable. Gasping for air, Jason turned his attention to Mason who looked up at him with a surprised look on his face. He gripped the bark of the tree in his hand, his shock making it so that he couldn’t speak.
“How did you do that?” Mason asked.
Jason gulped and shook his head. “I don’t know. Did I ever do this before?”
“I’ve never seen you do it.” After a moment, he threw his head back and laughed. “Bravo, dear brother. You did a splendid job. But I am wondering if you can get back down?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, let’s see if you can do it.”
Seeing as how he had no other choice, he swung down the branches until his feet hit the ground. He looked up at the highest tree branch he’d been on and wondered how he reacted in time to get up there. He didn’t think he made it a habit of climbing trees. For some reason, that didn’t seem right. But somehow, he had done something similar. He turned his attention to the ground. While up there, he hadn’t been afraid of the height, and he wondered if that should be a surprise.
“Marvelous. Absolutely marvelous.” Mason clapped his hands. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes. You must come to my estate. I’ll have a dinner party, and you can tell everyone about it.”
“Oh, I don’t think that’s necessary.”
Mason slid off his horse and led it over to him. “Not necessary? After a fine show like that, you deserve a round of applause. I insist on inviting our friends over so you can receive the praise you deserve. Now, I won’t take no for an answer. You are my brother, after all, and I can’t wait to see the look on Ian’s face when he finds out how you did that.”
“Lord Hedwrett?”
“Yes. You do remember we called him Ian at my last dinner party?”
“There were many names I had to remember that night.”
“I understand. I’m sure we overwhelmed you. Fortunately, you will be able to see everyone again, and this time, we won’t be strangers.” Mason patted him on the shoulder and led him and the horse in the direction of the manor. “It’ll be good for you. Anna will enjoy it, too. Candace will be there. I hear the two get along so well they forget the other ladies are in the room with them.”
He knew Anna wouldn’t like the idea, and he liked it even less. Before he could reply, he caught sight of Anna hurrying in their direction. “Excuse me, Mason.” Worried something was wrong, he ran to meet her.
She slowed and waited for him to reach her before she came to a stop. “I saw your horse go by and thought you were hurt.”
Pleased she worried about him, he grinned. “No, I didn’t get hurt.”
“But why did the horse run off?”
“I left it in favor of a tree branch.”
“What?”
He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Mason was almost within hearing distance of them. “I’ll explain later. My brother wants us to go to another one of his dinner parties.”
She grimaced and shook her head. “Jason, I’d rather not.”
“I know.” Since Mason had come close enough to hear them, Jason turned to him. “I regret to inform you that my wife and I will be detained for a time, so we are unable to attend your dinner party. We are enjoying our time as a newly married couple, or at least newly married from my perspective. I trust you understand.”
Mason glanced from her back to him and bowed his head. “Forgive me for imposing. Of course, you need time to be with her. I’ll send an invite at another time. Then you can tell everyone your marvelous act while we were at the trees.” He hopped up on his horse. “At a more convenient time.”
Jason waited until Mason left before turning back to Anna who visibly relaxed. “He really bothers you.”
She shrugged and crossed her arms. “He’s not the nicest of gentlemen.”
“I understand that,” he replied and pressed his hand on the small of her back to lead her to the manor.
“I wish he wouldn’t come by so often. It wasn’t pleasant when he came by a couple times a year, but it’s disturbing he keeps coming by as often as he does now.”
“That’s why I told him we prefer to spend time alone. Perhaps he’ll stay away longer this time.”
“I hope so.” After a few moments, she asked, “Will you tell me what happened at the trees?”
With a chuckle, he nodded. “I have to admit it was a surprising display of my agility. I had no idea I was capable of such a thing.”
“What thing is that?”
“When I rode close enough to a tree branch, I swung up on it as if I’d done it all of my life. Do you recall me performing such a task before?”
Her eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head. “No, no I don’t,” she whispered, an uncertain tone in her voice. “What do you think it means?”
“I have no idea. I suspect I’ve done something similar in the past. I must have if I knew what to do, don’t you think?”
Biting her lower lip, she nodded but didn’t say anything.
“Perhaps it’s something I learned before I met you. I think what surprised me the most was how natural it was, as if I was born doing it. I know that sounds odd since I obviously didn’t do it often, but it feels like I did.”
She glanced at him, and he thought he saw a worried look in her eyes.
“Anna, are you all right?”
Taking a deep breath, she offered him a tentative smile and slipped her arm around his. “Yes. I’m fine. I…I’m just relieved you’re all right. It doesn’t sound like jumping on a tree branch while riding a horse is a safe maneuver.”
“Probably not. That’s why it seems like I shouldn’t know how to do it, and yet I do.”
“Well, neither one of us know why, so I suppose it’s not worth thinking about anymore.”
He grinned and kissed her cheek. “You’re right. I’d rather think about us instead.”
Her body relaxed against him. “I agree. What do you want to do today?”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing if everything has been put away in your bedchamber.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Her cheeks grew pink as she caught his meaning. “I’m sure everything is fine, but if it makes you feel better, we can do that.”
“It would. Plus, we need to get out of these clothes.”
“Yes, indeed we do.”
Catching the teasing gleam in her eye, his smile widened as they continued their stroll to the manor.
Chapter Sixteen
In April, Anna woke up in her bed, wrapped in Jason’s arms. Ever since they married, he’d slept in her bed, something that pleased her though she wouldn’t tell him. It was wonderful to be loved so well. The past six years were now a blur to her, and if she had to go through it all again so she could be with Jason, she would.
She studied her husband as he slept. In sleep, he looked happy. Of course, he looked happy while he was awake, but she fancied that in sleep, he always had good dreams. She brushed aside the lock of blond hair that had fallen over his eyelids and noted the silky strands between her fingers. Then she traced his cheek and his jaw, enjoying the rough sensation. He would shave it away, but she liked the masculine appeal it gave him.
His eyes opened and he smiled. “Good morning,” he murmured and drew her closer to him before he closed his eyes.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” she whispered. “Did you have good dreams?”
“I did. Then I woke up and realized they were all true.”
Pleased, she gave him another kiss. “What can I do to make you happy today?”
“Take me to London.”
“Why London? Aren’t you content to remain here?”
“I am.” He opened his eyes a
nd cupped the side of her face with his hand. “I enjoy every moment we have together. I just remember what you said about London. The theatre, the balls, a walk in Hyde Park, the museum... There are so many things to do there. I want to go to them. I want to experience everything. I want to embrace life.”
Taking in the enthusiastic tone in his voice and the excitement in his eyes, she knew she didn’t have a choice. He’d been hiding from the world in this place. She sighed. “You’re right. I’ve been selfish to keep you here all to myself.”
He chuckled and kissed her. “I wouldn’t say selfish. It gave us a second chance. I’ll never regret that.”
She wouldn’t either, but she wondered if it was wise to send him to London where people knew her first husband. Undoubtedly, Lord Mason would be there this time of year. She took a deep breath to steady her racing heart. There were far too many things to fear, and now she had to worry that someone in London would figure out Jason wasn’t the duke. God help her if that person knew Lord Mason. She released her breath and hoped Jason didn’t pick up on her increased heart rate.
“We’ll have a wonderful time there, Anna.”
Jason’s soothing tone helped her relax, but only a little.
“You’ll see,” he continued. “We’ll go to London and see the sights and dance. We’ll have some great memories that we’ll bring back with us to warm us up during the cold winter months. And if the memories don’t warm you up, I’ll be happy to help.”
Despite her apprehension, she found herself laughing at his joke.
“There. That’s better,” he said and hugged her.
“I can’t deny you anything,” she replied.
“That’s a good thing,” he insisted and kissed her again.
Wrapped protectively in his arms, she could only hope the decision to go to London wouldn’t be the wrong one.
***
Jason sorted through the desk that was in the room off to the side of his bedchamber. Now that he could read, he wanted to see what documents were in the desk. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and checked to make sure the small window in the room was open. It was and the breeze wafting into the room was cool.
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