“Where have you been, my good man.” Collin shook his head. “From the looks of you, I’ll need a couple of maids to bring you up some hot water for a bath.”
Lloyd blinked his eyes open and peered at Collin. A frown was affixed to the man’s face instead of his carefree grin.
“It’s the least you could do for me,” Lloyd grumbled.
Taken back by his friend’s ungrateful attitude, Collin arched an eyebrow. “And pray, what else do you wish me to do for you?”
He flipped his hand in a dismissive wave. “I suppose it’s too late, anyway. As much as I would like to redo the last few hours, what’s done is done.”
Kentwood rolled off the bed, and thankfully was able to stand by himself. He shrugged out of his wet overcoat before removing his equally drenched suit coat and cravat.
“Kentwood, if you weren’t so intoxicated I’d punch you in the nose right now. What are you talking about?”
Kentwood released a low groan as he pushed his wet hair back on his head, flinging off excess water in the process. Collin wiped away the few splashes of water that landed on his face.
“I have dire news, my good man.” Kentwood stood up straight... Well, as straight as he could under the circumstances.
“And what is your news?”
“I am getting married.”
Collin had seen his cousin upset before, but never this miserable. “Marriage? Did you not tell me last night that you were never getting married?”
“Indeed, I did, but that was before the wench’s father caught his daughter in my arms in what one might assume was a scandalous position.”
Biting his bottom lip, Collin held back a laugh. This was definitely not a laughing matter, and yet it surprised him that Kentwood – of all people – would get caught. Not only that, but the man must have been so inebriated that he couldn’t talk the woman’s father out of the union.
“Did you try to pay the man off?” Collin wondered.
Kentwood nodded. “Indeed, I did, but the man was insistent... even to the point of threatening to have my title removed because I didn’t want to do the gentlemanly thing by agreeing to fix my mistakes.”
“Who is this man? Is he a gentleman himself?”
Kentwood rolled his eyes. “He’s an impoverished baron. I figured a hefty bribe would sway the man’s demands. Unfortunately, he wants his daughter married, instead.”
Impoverished baron? Collin’s gut twisted. He knew of only one man who fit that description. “Who... was the baron?”
Kentwood narrowed his glassy eyes on Collin and sneered. “Baron Featherstone. I am to wed his oldest daughter, Adeline.” His face hardened. “You can thank me once I’m sobered up.”
Anger rose inside Collin, pushing aside the helplessness trying to take over his heart. Growling, he marched to Kentwood and grabbed his damp shirt, shaking him. “You ruined my Addie?”
Kentwood snorted a laugh. “She obviously wasn’t yours since she was willing to meet any man alone.”
Collin’s temper erupted and he went with his first instinct – slamming his fist into Kentwood’s nose. The man stumbled back, falling onto the bed in a motionless heap as blood flowed from his nose.
The fingers of helplessness closed around Collin’s throat tightly as though to squeeze the life right out of him. Tears burned behind his eyes and he rushed out of Kentwood’s room and into his own, slamming the door behind him.
He paced his room, trying to regulate his breathing hoping it would lessen the gripping pain in his chest. This couldn’t be right. Addie wouldn’t do that to him. She loved him! She was innocent, and while in his arms last night at the masked ball, she’d showed him a hint of the passion hidden inside her.
He stopped in front of the window and threaded his fingers through his hair, trying to squeeze out the pain throbbing through his head. How had he allowed this to happen? And how had Kentwood ended up in a cottage with Addie... and in an intimate embrace?
A knot of emotion clogged his throat, and he swallowed hard to remove it. As much as he wanted to deny it, there was no way Collin could have her now. He would have to bravely pick up the pieces of his shattered heart and leave this place. Watching the woman he was falling in love with marry someone else would kill him for sure.
INHALING A RAGGED BREATH, Collin moved away from the window and found a chair to sit. The memory had brought too much heartache, and he wasn’t prepared for the exhaustion taking over his body.
His so-called friend knew Collin was falling for Adeline, and yet Kentwood still enticed her to the cottage where they’d been caught. The pain of being betrayed twice was too much to bear. And yet... Why was she acting as though he was the one who’d broken her heart? Indeed, there was still part of the past that he didn’t know. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. She might want him to leave the manor, but he would stay here until he discovered the truth and put the past to rest.
ELEVEN
Adeline forced herself to climb out of bed. She rang for her maid to help her dress and get ready for the day. Although she didn’t want to check on Collin, she knew that was required of her since he was a guest in her home.
She should have held her tongue when she spoke with him last. She really shouldn’t have left the room after telling him something that he would most certainly question later. This morning, however, she had more courage. Last night, her body had shaken with the mere thought of what had happened a little over one year ago.
When she was satisfied with her toilette, she slowly walked to Collin’s room. Her heartbeat was hammering so fast, but she tried to keep the rest of her body as calm as she possibly could. Reaching his door, she hesitated. Did she really want to go in there, knowing she had to answer questions? Unfortunately, it was better to get it over with than prolong the inevitable.
She exhaled slowly and knocked on the door. She listened for his voice on the other side of the door, but was greeted by silence. Cautiously, she opened the door and peeked inside. His bed was made and the room had been straightened. In haste, she searched for any of his items, but she couldn’t see anything without stepping further into the room.
Had he left? As much as she anticipated the day he’d leave, she doubted he had returned home this soon. Or... had he regained his memory last night after she’d gone to bed? That would explain why he’d suddenly left without saying goodbye. If he remembered what had happened, he’d surely know that he’d broken her heart.
“My lady.” A man’s voice disturbed the silence.
Gasping, she swung around. When she recognized who had sneaked upon her, she sighed and placed her hand on her neck where her pulse was still throbbing out of control. “Simon, it’s just you.”
“Forgive me for startling you, but I came to let you know that I’ve finished the task you sent me to do.”
She grasped his hands. The man who she’d loved as an older brother for several years, smiled wide. His brown eyes twinkling.
“Indeed, my lady. Your mother is taken care of now, as well as your sister.”
Adeline sighed heavily as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “You don’t know how happy that makes me.”
He squeezed her hands gently. “Actually, I do. Your family is my family.”
“Indeed.”
Three months after Lloyd’s death, her father had become seriously ill and then lost his battle with life. Her brothers joined the military, leaving their mother and Olivia to fend for themselves. It had still taken a few more months before she was able to obtain access to her deceased husband’s bank accounts, and that’s when she began repairing her childhood home. Mother and Olivia had stayed with Aunt Dorthea, but the older woman had quickly tired of her houseguests.
“What did my mother think of the additions to the house?”
Simon’s smile softened. “She was very pleased. And Olivia was delighted with her new gowns.”
“I’m so glad.” She sighed again. “Oh, Simon. You are a gem. What would
I do without you?”
He chuckled. “Now that you’ve made me your butler, you will never have to wonder about that. I shall always be here for you.”
She pulled her hands away. “By chance, did you see if Coll... um, I mean, Lord Kentwood left the manor last night?”
“He hasn’t left.” His jaw tightened. “However, I wish he would leave soon so that your life can return to normal.”
She chuckled. “Normal? Pray, I don’t know the meaning of that word. Not since before that man entered my life.”
“You will soon. I assure you, my lady.”
A sweet sound coming from the first floor, drifted up the stairs and to her ears. Someone was playing the pianoforte. Not only that, the tune was a very familiar one to her as she’d had it memorized since she was six-years-old. At first, she wondered if she was hearing things, but when Simon turned his head toward the stairs, she knew he heard it as well. Who else in the house played the musical instrument?
The answer smacked her right in the face. It was Collin. But... did he know that was her favorite song? Had she told him?
She spun toward the stairs and hurried down them. The closer she came to the music room and the louder the music grew, the more the memories of hearing Collin play for the first time filled her head. That could have been the very moment she’d started falling in love with him. And once again, her heart began to soften.
She stopped at the doorway. His back was toward her as he sat at the pianoforte, so she leaned against the door frame, enjoying the way he played. It surprised her that he didn’t have any music in front of him. It was apparent he’d regained his memory of being musically inclined.
He wasn’t fully dressed, and she found it odd that she felt comfortable looking at him with just wearing a shirt and trousers. His sandy-blond hair hadn’t been properly combed. Instead, it appeared as if he’d run his fingers through his perfect waves. The memory of touching his hair returned, and her fingers itched to feel the texture, once more.
As he finished the piece, she released a satisfied sigh. His back stiffened, and he swung around to face her. He looked so incredibly handsome with the absence of his cravat, which showed off his throat. Was it possible he was more muscular now than a year ago?
She pulled away from the door frame and pulled her shoulders back, trying to appear more proper, even though her mind was slowly filling with improper thoughts. “I see you have remembered how to play.” She motioned to the pianoforte.
He nodded. “Indeed, I have. I’ve also remembered other things.”
She held her breath, afraid to ask, but as she studied his handsome face, and the way he stared at her with his soft hazel eyes – that held a touch of sadness – she wondered if she didn’t already know what he’d remembered. “That’s good. The doctor will be very happy to know your memory is returning.” She glanced at the white bandage around his head. “How do you feel otherwise?”
“My head doesn’t hurt as much, but it’s still tender.”
He stood and pointed at the stool. “I would like it very much if you played something.”
Her heart leapt. He remembered that!
She really wasn’t in the mood, and yet, she could never turn down a request to play. As she moved toward him, their gazes locked. He didn’t step back when she neared, and the rhythm of her heart intensified. She didn’t want to brush against him, but it appeared that’s what was going to happen since he didn’t back away.
Her mouth turned dry as she scooted past him. Just as she’d figured, her arm bumped against his. It was a good thing she was getting ready to sit because her legs had suddenly turned into jelly.
“I remember how you used to love playing,” he said in a deep voice. “Please tell me the heartaches in your life haven’t taken that away from you.”
She had to tear her gaze away from his before she lost herself in the depths of his dreamy eyes. She stared at the keys as she placed her fingers over some of them. At least he remembered that he’d caused her heartache.
“No,” she whispered, moving her fingers over the keys softly. “Music has always soothed me, and I’ve needed that often this past year.”
The tune she’d chosen was one of Mozart’s slower, more dramatic pieces. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but she breathed through the emotion trying to tear her up inside.
She didn’t dare look at him as she played the piece. He didn’t move from her side, and it surprised her how his presence consoled her. At the end of the piece, she rested her fingers on the keys and stared at the wall in front of her. Collin still hadn’t moved, and his ragged breathing sounded as ragged as hers.
Suddenly, his finger touched her earlobe. Warm sensations buzzed through every inch of her, making her wilt. This was not good. She needed to stay strong. She needed to make him realize exactly what he’d done to her a year ago.
“You play beautifully, my sweet Addie.”
The tears she’s been trying to hold back sprang forth and filled her eyes. Her throat tightened, and she didn’t dare speak just yet.
“Just this morning, I remembered the first time I heard you play. I recall feeling as though I walked on clouds as I listened to you play back then, and I realized I always want to hear you play.”
A tear slid down her cheek, but she couldn’t lift her hand to wipe it away.
“When I saw the music room during my exploration of the manor, I knew I had to play the song you’d played that night after dinner.” During his pause, his tender touch moved to her bare neck. “I think you had told me it was your favorite song.”
Swallowing hard, she nodded. “It was,” she said in a low voice, not wanting him to know how much this topic of conversation was affecting her.
“It was? Is it not your favorite song now?”
She wanted to tell him how playing that song made her sad, so she hadn’t played it since. He was the reason she hadn’t been able to play her favorite song. But after hearing him play it, she longed for the way she used to be. All of these heartaches she had to bear over the last year had made her life unpleasant. They’d made her want to get back at him in any way she could. However, she was weary of playing these adolescent games. When would the anger and scorn finally leave her? She wanted to live a normal life, just as Simon had promised she would have.
As another tear slid down her cheek, she released an exhausted sigh and let her shoulders slump. She was weary of trying to pretend that she was a strong woman, when all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry her eyes out. And yet, that wouldn’t solve anything.
Not long after Lloyd had died, and the anger inside of her was getting out of control, her mother had told her to stop seeking revenge on those who’d wronged her. Instead, Adeline needed to let it go and trust that God would fight her battles. It had been so long since she had attended church, but at this very moment, she wanted – more than anything – for God to wrap His comforting arms around her and assure that everything would be fine.
Collin moved closer, startling her, sliding his arms around her shoulders. Her first reaction was to stiffen, but then the familiar feeling of reassurance enclosed around her. She realized the arms around her were not God’s, however, she also knew that He worked through others. And for some reason, God had chosen this moment to use Collin as His vessel.
More tears fell from her eyes and her body trembled with the sobs she held inside. Collin knelt, tightening her in his embrace. She couldn’t stop herself from leaning against him and pressing her face against his shoulder.
“Oh, my sweet Addie.” His voice was strained. “I wish I had known... I wish I could have stopped you from marrying Kentwood.” He cleared his throat. “You don’t know how many times I thought about rushing into your ceremony and telling everyone that I wanted you.”
Confusion filled her and she jerked back, breaking the contact between them. She stared into his sorrowful eyes. “What are you talking about?”
Using his knuckles, he wiped away
some of the tears from her cheek. “I didn’t think I’d be able to bear the pain of seeing you marry Kentwood. That’s why I stayed away. But deep in my heart, I wanted to stop the wedding. I knew you didn’t love him, and I knew with certainty he didn’t care for you the way I did.”
Scowling, she pushed his hand away. “If you had cared for me so much, you wouldn’t have sent your friend to the cottage in your place! If you cared for me at all, you would have come just as your note said you would.”
His face paled and he slowly stood. Gradually, color seeped into his face as anger made its presence.
“My note? You thought I’d sent you a note?”
Her chest clenched as confusion filled her again. “Yes. You sent a letter. You had Simon deliver it to me. But when I arrived at the cottage, your friend was there instead. He’d told me... I mean, he hinted that you believed I had planned to trap you into marriage, and that’s why you’d sent him.”
“What?” Collin’s voice lifted as he threaded his fingers through the hair not covered by the bandage. “My cousin told you that?”
Her body trembled, but for different reasons this time. She nodded. “Yes. I – I can’t remember everything he said, but he let me know that you would not let me trap you into marriage. He said you had seen through my performance.”
His chest rose and fell quickly, and his nostrils flared. His mouth stretched into a straight line.
“Addie? Were you trying to trap me into marriage back then?”
Her throat constricted as the tears poured from her eyes again. “Y-yes.” She lowered her gaze to her lap. “I was falling in love with you, and I thought you felt the same. I didn’t start that way, but my sister saw Simon deliver the note and she figured it out. I knew she’d tell my father, and I... I did want us caught together.” Her vision blurred, so she swiped the tears away. “I thought you would forgive me and eventually come to love me too.” She breathed through the pain in her chest that made it hard to breathe. “But I suppose the joke was on me, because Lord Kentwood was there, instead. And... my father caught us and forced him to marry me.”
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