True Love's Deception

by Marie Higgins

  Her heart thudded madly against her ribs. She feared for his safety, but apparently, he didn’t.

  He turned and limped toward the house again. She quickened her step to catch up.

  “Andrew, I worried about you last night when you didn’t come to my room. And this morning, I wondered where you had gone.”

  He shrugged. “I did the same thing I do every morning.”

  Her heart dropped. Why was he putting her off? Why wouldn’t he talk to her? “Do you have a moment? There is something I need to talk to you about.”

  “No. I’m on my way to meet with the Duke of Ashton, and I need to change my clothes before I go. The duke is going to take me to the Lawrence estate for our meeting.”

  She didn’t like his hard face, or his clenched jaw. His fingers tightened into fists by his sides and his step increased as if he expected to dart off at any moment. She quickened her step just to keep up. “Andrew? Do you wish for me to accompany you during your meeting?”

  “No. This is something I need to do by myself.”

  “I understand.” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. Something was happening that she didn’t understand, and she couldn’t stop the feeling of dread from washing over her. “I will be thinking about you and praying for everything to work out.”

  Suddenly, he stopped and faced her. His expression remained stiff. “Juliana, I need to know something before I go.”

  “What is it?”

  “If today’s meeting proves I am indeed the long lost son, how will that make you feel?”

  In spite of her trembling limbs, she smiled. “I will be happy you have finally found your family, and your memories of your past.”

  He nodded. “I will be given a title, lands and money. I will be wealthy.”

  “Yes. How very exciting for you.”

  He clasped her hand, and she clutched him tightly. “Juliana, what I want to know is...will you want to live with me here in England as my wife?”

  Her chest squeezed with painful emotion. Although it sounded like a marriage proposal, it wasn’t exactly one she had wanted. And why did he ask her the question she’d been confused about herself?

  “Andrew, it’s hard to say—”

  “Juliana, just answer the question. Do you want to be my wife and live with me in London?”

  She tried to smile again, but her lips quivered. “Andrew, I—I don’t know. I have grown quite fond of you. I think I may even be in love with you,” she whispered.

  He pulled her in his arms. She tilted her head back to look at him. His sad blue eyes broke her heart.

  “I know I’m in love with you. But love alone cannot make everything right this time. Tell me now, do you love me enough to want to stay here with me?” His voice shook.

  “I—I—I...” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Do you not love me enough to want to return to Scotland? You know Scotland is my home. It’s where my heart is.”

  “Yes, I can see that. But don’t you see that if I have found my family, I will want to stay here with them?”

  Without being able to stop them, tears filled her eyes and streaked down her cheeks. The lump in her throat grew heavy, as did her heart. “Andrew...I love you. Can’t you see that?” She sobbed.

  “But the true question is, do you love me enough to want to stay and be my wife?”

  Closing her eyes, she let her head fall against his chest as she continued to cry. Why couldn’t he understand? “Oh, Andrew. Why are you making me choose?”

  “Because my dear,” he snapped, pushing her away. “It seems you are the one with the decision to make. Not me. Hopefully, when I return from my meeting you will have the answer I seek.”

  “Andrew,” she cried and reached for him, but he broke into a run and limped toward the house.

  Crumbling to the ground, she covered her eyes and sobbed. With each sound of his boots hitting the ground, her heart broke that much more.

  GROWN MEN DID NOT CRY.

  So why did Andrew feel like he could cry his heart out at any second? The feeling came over him first thing this morning when he realized it was Maddie in his bed and not Juliana.

  He gnashed his teeth and kicked the horse into a faster run. His life was over. One way or the other he would lose Juliana. Even if she realized she wanted to stay in England and live with him as his wife, if she ever discovered he’d been intimate with Maddie.

  He swore. He would never forgive himself for this carelessness. If he hadn’t been so drunk, he would have noticed it wasn’t Juliana. No matter what, Maddie would not win. He would never marry her.

  Gregg Fielding didn’t deserve a scheming woman like that either. Andrew was half tempted to let Nicholas know what Maddie had done. She’d knowingly crawled into his bed with the purpose of seducing him. His life was hopeless. Everything around him was crumbling to the ground. The only shred of hope he had for a happy future lay with Matthew Lawrence.

  Andrew met Nicholas Fielding at his home. From there, they rode in the duke’s coach to the Lawrence estate. Naturally, Andrew didn’t converse much, not with his mind in constant turmoil.

  “Andrew, my good man,” Nicholas said finally after a stretch of silence. “Is there something else on your mind today besides the meeting? You have been remarkably quiet.”

  Andrew nodded. “Actually, yes there is, Your Grace.”

  Nicholas grinned at him from across the coach. “Would you mind telling me about it? I fear I will fall asleep if you do not help carry on a conversation during our journey.”

  Andrew chuckled, although he didn’t feel the least bit humorous. “It is a very delicate matter. I fear if I say anything, it will change your mind about having Madeline for a sister-in-law.”

  The duke’s brows shot up. “Indeed? Then I’m most curious.”

  Andrew swiped his hand through his hair. “I fear, the subject is most awkward. It is quite embarrassing, in fact.”

  Nicholas nodded. “Please continue anyway. I need to know. If it is something horrid, I need to know before posting the bans tomorrow.”

  Andrew took a deep breath then released it slowly. He calculated each word, each phrase, trying his best to tell the duke what was on his mind without making Maddie appear like a harlot. But plain and simple—the young girl acted like one.

  Nicholas hissed, his features turning hard. “Blazes, Andrew. You cannot be serious.”

  “Oh, I certainly am. She has been after me since I first set foot in the manor. She has tried every way she can to seduce me. She wants me and will not give up. I fear she has torn me and Juliana apart. Forever.” He ended with a catch in his throat.

  “Impossible,” Nicholas growled. “I will not let this slip of a girl come between you and your wife.”

  Andrew chuckled. “Your Grace, you may have no other choice.”

  Nick nodded. “I suppose I should not interfere with your life. I’m quite certain you will be better off winning Juliana on your own.”

  If only Andrew could win her love. Win all of her love. “Your Grace, I will understand if Gregg decides he does not wish to marry Madeline after this. I will stand behind his decision.”

  The duke stared out the window and was silent for the longest time. Finally, he nodded. “I will speak with Gregg this afternoon. It will be his choice whether he wants to proceed with the wedding or not.”

  “I thank you, Your Grace.”

  Within minutes, the coach pulled up to a large manor. Andrew’s hands shook as he stepped down from the vehicle. The structure looming before him looked awesome. Several servants stood on hand to assist him and the duke out of their coach, and several more stood at the door waiting to open it.

  Both he and Nicholas walked behind the butler who showed them into a room, decorated with blues and silver. Andrew noticed Mary Kate immediately. He smiled and nodded. She returned the gesture.

  Beside her sat two older people. Andrew’s heart sank. They didn’t look familiar at all. Although, the more Andrew s
tudied the man, the more he could see how people would think they resembled each other.

  The older lady gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. The man stood, took the hand of the woman, and helped her up. “Your Grace, thank you for coming today.”

  Nicholas nodded. “Let me introduce my friend, Mr. Andrew Lawrence.” He turned to Andrew. “This is Matthew Lawrence, Earl of Grenwick, and his wife, Annie.”

  Andrew bowed slightly. “I’m pleased to meet you both.”

  “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Nicholas said, “I’ll let you have your meeting without my presence. Andrew? I shall wait for you in the coach.”

  “I thank you, Your Grace.”

  Andrew’s stomach turned with nerves as he watched the duke leave. What could he say to the Lawrence family? He didn’t even know if he was their son. He hadn’t even had any recent memories about Mary Kate.

  “Please, Mr. Lawrence, have a chair.” The earl motioned to the sofa next to him.

  Andrew sat as still as he possibly could, but his nerves were making his heartbeat out of control already.

  Once the elder Lawrence sat, he cleared his throat. “I have heard much about you, young man. Not only from my daughter, Mary Kate, but from our good friend, the Duke of Ashton. Am I to believe you are still not certain about your past?”

  “Yes, my lord. I still have no memory of my parents.” Andrew glanced at Mary Kate. “I didn’t even know I had a sister until recently.”

  “You know, this is a change for us.” Matthew smiled. “Usually the men declaring to be our son claim they remember their past.”

  “I assure you, my lord, I would like to find out about my confusing past.”

  “What is your most recent memory?” Lady Grenwick asked.

  “I remember being a small lad and learning how to dance with a girl not much older than me. I remember the instructor, and the large wart she had on her nose and crooked teeth.”

  Mary Kate laughed. “Her name was Mrs. Hadley. She had crooked teeth and a wart. I remember she forced me to dance with my younger brother. I used to step on my brother’s feet just to make Mrs. Hadley upset at me.”

  Andrew smiled at the woman. He couldn’t say anything due to the large lump in his throat.

  “Although it is very coincidental,” Matthew said, “it still does not prove a thing. Mrs. Hadley instructed many children to dance.”

  “What else do you remember?” Lady Grenwick asked.

  Andrew studied the older woman who still appeared handsome for her age. Her brown hair now had streaks of silver, but the wrinkles around her eyes didn’t take away the twinkle.

  “I remember teasing my sister and putting frogs in her shoes.”

  Mary Kate laughed. “My brother teased me all the time.”

  He laughed with her. “I also remember that it landed me in trouble quite a bit.”

  Matthew Lawrence waved his hand through the air and shook his head. “I’m afraid that is not good enough either. It does not prove you are our son.”

  Losing his smile, Andrew turned to the older man. “I realize this. Unfortunately, I cannot prove I am your son. My name may be Andrew Dean, and I’m the same age as the son you have lost, but other than that, I cannot tell you if I’m him or not.” He swiped his hand through his hair. “I cannot even tell you my grandfather Henry’s last name.”

  The older man’s bushy brows pulled together. “Tell me about your grandfather.”

  Andrew sat back in the sofa and took a deep breath. “My earliest memory of him was staying at his run-down house right after my parents died. He told me they perished in a house fire. I remember feeling very sad, but then again, I was in mourning.” He shrugged. “My grandfather and Uncle Thomas raised me the best they could, I suppose. My grandfather never lifted a hand to me in anger, but I learned quickly not to upset Uncle Thomas for fear he’d beat me with a stick.” He scratched his chin. “I lived with them in Scotland for a few years until one day Uncle Thomas and Grandfather argued over something. My grandfather sent my uncle packing. Not long after that, my grandfather died in his sleep. I was ten at the time.”

  Switching his gaze from the older man to the women, he noticed they had tears in their eyes. Lady Grenwick dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. However, the earl looked very angry. His face had even turned red.

  Andrew stood. “Forgive me for wasting your time. The duke thought it would be good for us to meet. Though I see it has been a waste of time because it hasn’t brought us any closer to the truth.”

  The older man lifted to his feet. “I’m sorry for your troubled life, but unfortunately, I must have more proof. After my son disappeared, I hired a man to look for him. He is still working for me, encouraging me not to give up hope. I cannot pass on my title or give my money and lands to someone other than my son. You understand, do you not?”

  “Indeed, I do.” Andrew reached forth his hand to shake, which the earl did with a smile. “It really was a pleasure talking with you.”

  As he walked out of the house, Mary Kate’s sniffles echoed through the house. His heart dropped. He may not be their son, but his heart went out to their loss. He was still quite certain he had an older sister...unless of course, she had been killed in the house fire along with his parents.

  When he reached the duke’s coach, Nicholas jumped down.

  “Well? How did it go?”

  Andrew shook his head. “I know as much as I did when I arrived. Nothing.”

  “You couldn’t prove you were the earl’s son?”

  “No.” Andrew glanced back at the house. “I don’t blame them for being so choosey. If it were me, I wouldn’t want to give away my money and lands to just anyone.”

  With a heavy heart, he remained staring at the house of gray brick and black trim. Green vines and Morning Glories scaled up the sides, only adding to the beauty of the place. Flowers and bushes helped decorate the front yard, and to the side stood a tall oak with a swing.

  In a flash, a memory shot through his mind. He was a lad standing by the swing, pushing a girl. She laughed with merriment. From the front of the house came a sweet angelic voice, “Andrew, do not push your sister too high.”

  “Yes, Mother,” he answered back.

  “Are you ready to go?” Nick asked, breaking his thoughts.

  Andrew shook his head. “I don’t know.” He studied the yard a little more. “I think I was here once. I used to push my sister on that swing.” He pointed to the large oak. “My father had just built it for us. Mother worried we might get hurt.”

  He stopped and narrowed his gaze on the vines. “There were no vines back then, but more flowers.” Without being able to stop himself, he walked toward the swing. “My father once made me a tree house.” He walked to the large oak until he stood beneath it. Looking up, he smiled. A tree house sat on the strongest limb.

  Behind him, Nick gasped. Andrew continued, “I refused to have Mary Kate come into my tree house. It was for boys and not girls. Besides that, my mother didn’t want her climbing trees, but this didn’t stop my big sister. One day I found her up in my tree house going through my most private things.”

  He planted his hands on his hips, continuing to look up at the nailed-on steps going up the trunk of the tree. “To get back at her for doing this, I took her favorite doll and hid it. I told her all my pet insects ate her.”

  Andrew smiled at the memory. Then another came crashing through his mind. He looked down on the ground and searched the area around the tree. He grabbed a large stick and began digging in one particular spot.

  When the stick hit something hard, he stopped and held his breath. Quickly, he dug further with his fingers until he pulled out a rectangular box. “I—I cannot believe it’s still here.”

  “What is inside?” Nick asked in a small, tight voice.

  “The doll I buried.” Andrew lifted the lid. Tears stung his eyes. Lying inside the box was the very doll from his memory. “Oh, good Lord.”

  �
��Come.” Nick reached down and grabbed Andrew’s elbow. “This is the proof we need that you are indeed Matthew’s son.”

  Andrew hopped to his feet and both he and Nick turned at the same time. And stopped. Not far ahead stood Lord and Lady Grenwick, and Mary Kate. All had tears floating in their eyes.

  Mary Kate stepped forward and with a shaky hand took the doll from him. “This used to be my favorite doll. I named her...” She bit her lip in thought.

  Andrew smiled. “You named her Sunshine.”

  Mary Kate met his gaze and nodded as tears streaked down her face.

  Suddenly, everything started coming back to him. His memory was returning.

  He looked at his father. “Your full name is Matthew George Lawrence the third.” He gazed to his mother who sobbed uncontrollably. “And your name was Margaret Annie Wentworth before you married at seventeen.” He turned back to Mary Kate. “We had a dog named Shadow. He used to follow us all over the yard when we played. He was killed when a rabid dog attacked him. We were the only two who saw what happened, and we felt helpless because we couldn’t do a thing without getting bit ourselves.”

  “Oh, Andrew.” Mary Kate sobbed and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. “You are my brother!”

  Andrew blinked back the tears, but they refused to stop. Through blurry eyes, he looked at the other two people waiting nearby. “Mother? Father?” His voice cracked with emotion before he tore himself away from his sister and launched into his family’s waiting arms.

  After several minutes of hugs and kisses, Andrew stepped back and wiped his eyes. Another memory sparked through his mind. “I think I remember the day I was kidnapped.”

  Both his mother and Mary Kate sucked in their breaths.

  “I was upset because Mary Kate wouldn’t let me and my insect friends come to her birthday party. I was with Mrs. White, our governess.”

  Mary Kate nodded.

  “Mrs. White took me for a walk in the park. She had stopped to visit with someone, and I chased a butterfly. The next thing I remembered, I was lost. That’s when I met Henry and Thomas. They told me they were my relatives and that my family had died.”