Her Counterfeit Husband

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “Yes, it is. It reminds me of the days we walked to the fountain,” she replied.

  He kissed her on the cheek and grinned. “We’ll take more walks when we get back. In the meantime, we’ll enjoy everything London has to offer. The museum is first, correct?”

  They turned to the door, and she nodded. “Yes. It’ll be a good way for you to see the portraits of royalty so you can match their names with their faces.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  As the footman opened the door, she left the townhouse first and descended the steps. She waited for him to catch up to her before she accepted the footman’s help into the carriage. Once Jason settled next to her, the footman closed the door. She waited until the coachman urged the horses forward before she took Jason’s hand in hers and squeezed it. “You amaze me. I’ve never seen anyone embrace life the way you do.”

  “With you as my wife, I have a good reason to. I’ll never give you a reason to regret giving me a second chance.”

  He kissed her, and his lips lingered on hers. If only it could be just the two of them forever, secluded from the rest of the world. Then her life would be complete.

  The kiss ended all too soon, and she was, once again, aware of the other carriages that passed them by. If nothing else could be said for London, she had to admit that it was full of excitement. There was something to do for everyone. But she decided they would do what Jason wanted. As long as she was with him, it didn’t matter what the activity was, but she suspected their calendar would soon be full since she’d left the necessary calling cards at their friends’ and acquaintances’ residences.

  “This evening we’ll go to Hyde Park?” he asked, putting his arm around her shoulders and drawing her closer to him. “From five to six, is it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will we see anyone we know there?”

  “I’m sure we will,” she replied. “Are you nervous about meeting them?”

  “No. Should I be?”

  She sighed. How she envied his ease with new situations. “I wish I could be more like you.”

  “I like you just the way you are.”

  The carriage came to a stop, so he put his arm back at his side and looked out the window. “The museum is bigger than I thought.”

  “London has a rich history to celebrate.”

  “Indeed, it does.”

  The coachman opened the door, and they stepped out of it.

  He led her to the steps and winked. “I believe I’ll follow you since I wouldn’t want to see your ankles.”

  Recalling the night she first presented him with the book on etiquette, her face warmed. Despite her slight embarrassment, she proceeded up the steps. He chuckled from behind her, but she decided it was best to ignore him. When she reached the top of the stairs, she waited for him to catch up to her.

  “I know why gentleman follow the ladies up the stairs,” he whispered. “You have a lovely backside.”

  Her jaw dropped at his boldness. Sure, he kept his voice low, but they were in public! Just as she opened her mouth to reprimand him, someone called out to them. Startled, she turned around in time to see Lord Mason. She narrowed her eyes at him. There was no way he’d follow them…was there?

  “What a surprising coincidence,” Lord Mason greeted. “I didn’t know you were in London.” Glancing her way, he added, “It was rather rude of you to not leave me a calling card.”

  “I did,” she lied. “I suppose it got misplaced once your butler took it.”

  His smile stiffened. “I must have a word with him so he’ll be more careful in the future.”

  “Yes, you must,” she replied, turning her attention to her gloves and acting as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

  “What brings you to the museum?” Jason asked his brother. “I didn’t think portraits interested you.”

  “And how would you remember that?” Mason’s gaze went to Anna. “Did she tell you I’m not a cultured gentleman?”

  “No, it’s not that,” Jason replied. “I gathered from our talks that you preferred travel abroad to being stuck in a museum.”

  “I’ve been known to be in museums from time to time.” Giving Jason a wink, he added, “You, however, had other places you went to on a frequent basis.”

  Jason’s eyebrows furrowed. “I did?”

  Anna cleared her throat. “My lord, I insist you recall that you’re in the presence of a lady.” Of all things Jason had learned about her first husband, she had no desire to expose him to his indiscretions.

  Lord Mason’s lips curled up into a smile that reminded her of a cat that was stalking a mouse. “Anna, I can’t recall a time when you’ve been so…outspoken.”

  “That only proves you don’t know everything about me,” she said, mustering the kindest smile she could.

  “Apparently not,” Lord Mason replied. “I gather there’s some other things I don’t know as well.” His gaze went to Jason, and he scanned him up and down. “There’s certainly much to learn about my brother who seems like a different person ever since he lost his memory.”

  “A better person, I hope,” Jason said.

  Before he could answer, Lady Templeton came up to him, followed by an older gentleman. “Lord Mason, you’re much too fast for us.” She giggled and turned to Anna and Jason. “What a pleasure it is to make your acquaintance again.” She turned to the older gentleman and motioned to Jason. “Father, this is the gentleman who performed that fantastic feat while riding a horse.”

  “Yes, he is,” Lord Mason added. “My brother jumped off of it while it was still running so he could swing up on a tree branch. The whole thing really was quite marvelous. I’ve never known him to do something like it. I invited him to one of my dinner parties so he could regale us with how he did it, but due to his second wedding to his wife, he wished to spend more time alone with her, keeping her all to himself.”

  “A second wedding?” Lady Templeton glanced at Anna. “I don’t recall hearing about it.”

  “We ran off to Gretna Green,” Anna explained. “We wished for a private affair.”

  “Private indeed,” she replied with a chuckle.

  “Yes, usually one wedding is enough,” Lord Mason added and then looked in Anna’s direction. “That is if you marry the same person. However, if it was someone else…”

  Anna’s polite smile froze on her face as she glanced at Lady Templeton and her father. Would they suspect the truth now? Would they wonder if Jason was someone other than her first husband?

  “Our situation is unique,” Jason began, directing his gaze to Lady Templeton’s father. “I became ill, and in a state of confusion, I left my bedchamber and fell down the stairs. The fall resulted in a loss of memory. I insisted Her Grace marry me again so I could have a memory of our wedding. Granted, it wasn’t the same, but I’m still delighted that I can recall her promising herself to me for the rest of her life.” He turned his gaze to Anna and smiled in that charming way of his that made her knees grow weak.

  “That’s very romantic,” Lady Templeton’s father said.

  “Yes, it was,” Anna softly replied, thinking it was so like Jason to make it clear that he cared for her, even in front of others.

  “It isn’t often a person comes across a love match,” Lady Templeton said, “especially when money’s involved.”

  “Yes,” Lord Mason agreed. “And both my brother and his wife came into the marriage with a good amount of it.”

  Anna sensed a double meaning in his words. If she guessed right, he was suggesting that his brother gave her money when she married him, and she gave Jason money when he married her. She clasped her hands together and squeezed them to calm her nerves. The last thing she needed was to give him an indication that he was right. At this point, he was only suspicious and digging to see if she’d give herself away. Fortunately, Jason couldn’t fall for it. She’d never been more relieved she and Appleton hadn’t told Jason their secret.

  “I
take it since you two are in London that you’re accepting invitations?” Lady Templeton’s father asked Jason.

  Jason glanced at Anna who gave a slight nod, hoping Lord Mason wouldn’t pick up on it since Jason was seeking her input on the matter. She understood why Jason sought her opinion. He knew how she felt about being near Lord Mason and wished to spare her any discomfort. But she also knew it would look suspicious to everyone else if they didn’t accept an invitation.

  “Yes, we are,” Jason told her father.

  “Excellent. My daughter and I are hosting a ball in five days, and we’d be honored if you attended.”

  “We’d be delighted to attend, thank you.”

  Lord Mason grinned. “You made the right choice, dear brother. No one in all of British India hosts more elegant balls. I dare say, no one in London has matched his genius either, but all of London will know that soon enough.”

  Her father laughed. “My lord, you flatter me.”

  “But not beyond what you deserve,” Lord Mason replied.

  Anna took a deep breath and released it. She couldn’t recall the last time she watched Lord Mason trip all over himself to impress someone, and it was making her sick to her stomach. If she didn’t sense that Lady Templeton was as horrible as he was, she’d extend her sympathies to the lady.

  “Well, my wife and I were about to enjoy the museum,” Jason said and took Anna by the elbow. “I don’t remember London, and we thought this would be a good place to start.”

  “Oh?” Lord Mason asked. “Are you remembering pieces of your past?”

  “No, it’s not like that. I only mean that I have a lot to learn about London,” Jason replied. “I apologize for the confusion.”

  “Seeing as how I haven’t been to the museum yet, I have much to learn as well,” Lady Templeton’s father said. “Why don’t we all go in there together?”

  “What a wonderful idea!” Lord Mason turned to his brother. “It’ll give me a chance to tell you all the wicked things the people in those portraits did.”

  “Lord Mason, you are a dangerous gentleman for my daughter to be around,” her father said with a twinkle in his eye.

  “I promise to only speak to my brother when she isn’t in hearing distance,” Lord Mason replied.

  Her father chuckled and motioned for Anna and his daughter to enter the museum first. With a sigh, Anna realized she’d be spending most of the afternoon with Lady Templeton. Forcing another smile, she joined his daughter and spent a very uncomfortable afternoon at the museum.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Four days later, Jason decided to go to White’s and see if anything there would seem familiar to him. He told Anna his plan during breakfast, and though he couldn’t be sure, he thought she wasn’t pleased. Mindful of the servants, he held off on asking her why. After breakfast, he went to his bedchamber where his valet helped him change his clothes. Knowing Anna would also be changing clothes, he waited until her lady’s maid left her bedchamber before knocking on her door.

  “Come in,” she called out.

  Accepting her invitation, he slipped into her room and shut the door behind him. She glanced up from where she studied her reflection in the vanity mirror and smiled. He couldn’t be sure, but there seemed to be a hesitation in it.

  “Would you rather I not go to White’s?” he asked, stepping toward her.

  She took a deep breath and sighed. “You should go to White’s. You need to talk to other gentlemen without your wife lingering about like a shadow.”

  Finding the way she chose to word that statement amusing, he approached her, turned her to face him, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He gave her a kiss and noted the pleasant way she relaxed against him. “You don’t linger about me like a shadow.”

  “Maybe not like a shadow, but you have to agree I haven’t let you out of my sight ever since we came to London.”

  “I take that as a compliment. You hate being apart from me,” he joked with a grin.

  She chuckled. “Yes, I do enjoy being with you very much.”

  “That’s good to hear. I enjoy being with you, too.” He gently squeezed her and added, “If you’d rather do something else, I’d be happy to oblige.”

  After a moment of silence, she shook her head. “No. You need to go to White’s. Gentlemen should go to gentlemen’s clubs. It’s why they’re called gentlemen’s clubs. A husband needs to be with other gentlemen from time to time just like ladies need to be with other ladies.” She patted his chest and smiled at him. “You need to go. Have a good time. Make sure you miss me, and be happy when you see me again.”

  “I can do that.”

  “Good.” She kissed his cheek. “Don’t be too long.”

  “No, I won’t. I figure I’ll be there for an hour or two. But,” he added, “I don’t think that’s any way for a lady in love to kiss her husband. It should be more like this.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her, brushing his tongue along her bottom lip until she parted her mouth for him. When she did, he deepened the kiss and pulled her more tightly against him. She sighed in contentment and wrapped her arms around his neck. They remained in each other’s arms for a good minute before he reluctantly pulled away from her.

  “Now that’s how you kiss the gentleman you’re in love with,” he whispered.

  She grinned and gave him a playful nudge in the side. “Go before I change my mind and insist you spend the day with me.”

  “When I return, I’ll be all yours, and you can do whatever you want to with me.”

  She giggled. “I wouldn’t mind taking a stroll in Hyde Park.”

  “We’ll do that.”

  With a wink, he headed for the stairs and left the townhouse to go to White’s. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he got there, but as he entered the establishment, someone called out to him. Surprised, he turned and saw Lord Basemore.

  “It’s good to see you, old friend,” Lord Basemore said as he patted him on the back. “I dare say that I didn’t think your wife was going to let you come here. She’s been terribly possessive of you ever since you recovered from your illness, but I don’t think you can blame her. You almost died, after all.”

  “I don’t mind spending all the time I do with her,” Jason replied. “Between you and me, I don’t deserve her.”

  “We all have our faults, but I admit that you’re more likable than you used to be.”

  “Am I?”

  “I never voiced a complaint, of course, but I always thought you were a bit rough around the edges. It’s nice to see you as you are now.”

  Considering the changes Anna liked in him, he wasn’t surprised to hear Lord Basemore express the same sentiment. “Forgive me for not remembering, but are we on a first name basis?”

  “We were, but that’s because we’re cousins.”

  “We weren’t friends?”

  “Not like you and Ian are.”

  It took Jason a moment to remember that Ian was Lord Hedwrett. “I have a lot to learn. What is your first name?”

  “Luke.” He motioned to one of the chairs. “Are you up for a game of chess?”

  Jason indicated his consent, and he followed Luke to the chessboard. Once they sat down, Jason glanced around the room and saw a few other men playing chess. The cheers from the other room caught his attention. “What’s going on in there?”

  “Oh, that’s where you can play cards.” Luke glanced toward the room. “Would you rather do that?”

  Jason shrugged. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “You might enjoy it more than chess. At least, you used to.”

  “Maybe I’ll try it another time,” Jason replied and turned his attention from the other room where another round of applause erupted. “That must be some game in there.”

  “It usually is when Lord Edon’s playing. I don’t know how he does it, but he wins almost every hand he plays. He was born with a gift. It used to irritate you to no end because you knew he never cheated. You trie
d many times to figure out his secret and finally realized he had none. It was just pure, dumb luck, you’d say.”

  “It bothered me that Lord Edon would win? Then I wasn’t his friend?”

  “I’m not sure if Lord Edon has any friends. He knows a lot of people, but he doesn’t seem to have any close relationships. He doesn’t even have a mistress. From what I hear, he visits prostitutes or visits ladies once and that’s it. I think it’s because he doesn’t want to develop any emotional ties to anyone. But to each his own, right? Whatever Lord Edon does, it’s not any concern to us.”

  “Perhaps.” Jason paused before adding, “Was I the same way?”

  “No. You had friends and mistresses.”

  “Mistresses?” He didn’t recall Anna mentioning that.

  “You had five over the course of ten years, if I remember right. There would come a time when you’d tire of them and move on. You always said ladies were to be enjoyed until they wore out their use.”

  Jason sighed. He should have expected as much based on his other undesirable attributes in the past.

  “It’s not uncommon to have a mistress.”

  “Maybe not,” he replied, but he already decided he wouldn’t take another one. He couldn’t imagine being with someone else the way he was with Anna. “Would it be a strange thing if I admitted that I like who I am now better than who I used to be?”

  Luke smiled and shook his head. “To be honest, I didn’t care much for who you used to be either.”

  Jason leaned forward and lowered his voice. “What do you make of Mason?”

  He grimaced. “I know he’s your brother and my cousin, but I care for him even less than I used to care for you.”

  “If you don’t like him, why did you go to his dinner party?”

  Luke laughed. “You really don’t remember how things were. Mason isn’t a gentleman you refuse. If he invites you to his dinner party, you attend because if you don’t, he has a way of making life difficult for you.”

  “Difficult how?”

  “It’s hard to explain. When you were upset, it was obvious. You’d come right out and say it. With Mason, he pretends to be your friend until he decides to do something about it, and when he does, you rarely see it coming.”