The Forgotten Marquess

by Jane Charles

  As soon as they returned to Jordan’s breeding stables, Gideon, along with Tristan and Jamie, packed their belongings, anxious to return home. There were only two stops before they reached Cornwall: Wiggons’ School for Elegant Young Ladies, as their youngest sister, Olivia, had just completed her education, and Portsmouth, to retrieve Tristan’s wife.

  Elaina checked her appearance one last time. It wasn’t often that she dined in another home, and tonight was particularly important, as it would be in Clive’s home, where she’d never visited. She’d seen the outside of the manor but had never stepped across the threshold. Tonight, she would finally see where she would soon live.

  “I’m thrilled that you’ll not be so far away that we can’t visit often,” Rebecca said.

  “We are on an island, nothing is too far away,” the Colonel teased.

  “That does mean we could have lived at opposite ends,” she reminded him. “Elaina will only be a short walk, which is perfect.”

  It was so short that they hadn’t bothered with a carriage but set out on foot, which wasn’t unusual anyway. Elaina and Rebecca usually walked to wherever their destination happened to be.

  As they approached the manor, Elaina tried to imagine what it would be like living in such a home. It was far larger than two people should need, but it also bespoke of wealth.

  Had money been important to her before? Did she have wealth, or had she been poor?

  No, not poor. At least according to Rebecca based on the quality of her clothing when she’d first washed ashore. Of course, the dress had been quite ruined, but one could still tell quality even in a waterlogged state.

  Light filled the lower portion of the house and Elaina almost balked, wondering how many guests had been invited. They were only to be Clive’s newest business partners in his merchant venture, but perhaps some of them had brought wives. However, she was aware that none of the men were from Alderney, but from England and planned on using Clive’s warehouses near the Braye Harbour for storage before transporting goods between England and the Continent, and anywhere else that they might travel.

  Clive greeted them as soon as they entered. “You look beautiful, Elaina, and I cannot wait to introduce you.”

  Though a bit nervous, she allowed him to lead her into the drawing room where half a dozen men stood around in conversation while two women were seated and taking tea. There was an elegant simplicity to the room that Elaina quite liked. The dark wood floors gleamed but the pale green settee and matching chairs were a lovely contrast, as were the white walls. Though there were no feminine touches within the room, it wasn’t overly masculine either.

  “Your home is quite lovely, Mr. Abbott,” Elaina complimented.

  “Soon to be our home,” he leaned in and whispered.

  And what should be thrilling to most future brides only brought trepidation to Elaina.

  Oh, she was being ridiculous. It had been three years and her memories had still not returned so it was unlikely that they ever would. It was time that she put it all behind her and embrace her future and establish new, happy memories for herself.

  “Elaina?”

  She turned at the stunned voice. A voice she didn’t recognize.

  A gentleman with light brown hair and green eyes approached, studying her as if she were an apparition or he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

  “Is it really you?”

  Elaina’s pulse picked up. Did this man know her? Know who she was?

  Clive stepped closer and put a hand at the small of her back, and Elaina wasn’t certain if it was to protect and shield her or to stake his claim. “You know my betrothed?” he asked.

  “Your betrothed?” He demanded in a raised voice as if it weren’t possible. “You said her name was Elaina St. Anne,” the gentleman accused.

  “Yes, it is,” Clive answered. Apparently, he hadn’t told his business partners that St. Anne was a surname that had been chosen for her.

  “It’s not!” He stared at Elaina and she couldn’t tell if he was shocked or angry. “What game do you play?”

  Rebecca gasped.

  “Then who is she?” Clive asked slowly, weariness, or perhaps dread, filled his tone.

  “My sister-in-law. Lady Elaina Trent.” He continued to stare at her. “How did you even survive? Why are you going by St. Anne?”

  Elaina’s chest tightened as it became difficult to breathe and she searched Clive’s face for help.

  “Are you certain?” Clive asked.

  “Certain?” The man nearly yelled. “She is married to my brother. She is the Marchioness of Hopkins.”

  This man knew her.

  “Who are you?” Elaina finally asked.

  “Who am I? Don’t you know me?”

  If she did, she wouldn’t have been living in Alderney for the past three years and would have known where she belonged. Again, she looked to Clive for support. This man may insist that he knew who she was, but he was still very much a stranger to Elaina.

  He had nothing to offer, but sadness filled his chocolate brown eyes and it pulled at her heart. After sucking in a breath, she turned to Mr. Trent. “I’m afraid that I do not know you,” she answered.

  “Harrison. Harrison Trent.”

  The name meant nothing to her.

  “She is married?” Clive asked slowly.

  “Yes, to my brother, who has been mourning her loss for three years, but refuses to accept that she was gone.”

  The room tilted. She was married? Her husband waited?

  Stars blinked in Elaina’s peripheral vision right before darkness closed in.

  When she came to, Dr. Webber was by her side and she’d been placed in an unfamiliar chamber, which she assumed was in Clive’s home.

  She was married? Her husband waited?

  How did any of them know that this Harrison Trent even spoke the truth?

  Could this be a grand joke? Had he heard of her case of amnesia and decided to make a false claim? But, to what purpose?

  “I need to speak to Mr. Abbott.” She pushed herself from the bed, then made her way downstairs and into the parlor. The guests were gone, and the only remaining people were Clive, Mr. Trent, Rebecca, the Colonel and Brendan Boyle.

  Dr. Webber remained by her side as she took in the room.

  “Do you speak the truth?” she asked.

  Mr. Trent nodded.

  “Mr. Boyle has confirmed Mr. Trent was on the merchant ship though he cannot confirm a relation to you,” Clive offered.

  “He is the one who called out your name. I didn’t know his name at the time, however,” Brendan confirmed.

  Elaina sank into a cushioned chair. Her legs were weak and all of her being was shaky at this new revelation and studied Mr. Trent.

  Dr. Webber had also told her at one time that her memories might return when she encountered something familiar. Wouldn’t a brother-in-law be familiar? If so, why didn’t she remember Harrison Trent?

  Sadness hung over the Pettigrew’s home as Elaina packed her belongings, Rebecca by her side.

  “It is good that you know where you belong.”

  Yes, it was, but it wasn’t familiar. The family were strangers or were for the moment. Rebecca and Colonel Pettigrew were her family and she was leaving her home. It had been one matter when she knew that she’d leave to marry Clive and go live in his home but she would still be close to Rebecca. According to Harrison, Elaina’s home was in Cornwall. Except, that was all he was allowed to tell her.

  After she hadn’t recognized Harrison, Dr. Webber cautioned against telling Elaina anything further and continued to insist that she must come to the knowledge, or her memories, one her own. It was frustrating and frightening to leave comfort and security and sail away with a stranger and if Brendan hadn’t convinced her that Harrison was who he claimed to be, had been on the merchant ship, and had been the one to call out her name, Elaina would have remained in Alderney and insisted Harrison return with her husband as proof of marria
ge. Instead, everyone agreed that it was best that she return to the home she didn’t recall as it was more likely that she’d start to remember there as she’d recalled nothing during her three-year visit to Alderney.

  “We promise to visit as soon as George can get leave.”

  “I’d like that, but I wish you could come with me now.”

  For three years, Eliana had wondered who she was and from where she came, anxious for any news. Just when she had decided to put it all behind her and embrace her new future, her past came for her. A past she did not recall.

  Leaving Alderney and Clive had been the most difficult thing she’d ever done. Clive was her friend, her anchor, and she loved him. It wasn’t a great love, but one of comfort found in friendship, and she’d been forced to break the betrothal and leave it all behind.

  Chapter 7

  After retrieving his youngest sister, Olivia, from the Wiggons’ School for Elegant Young Ladies, Tristan and his brothers returned to Portsmouth in hopes that Harrison had returned. Though it was unlikely because Tristan was certain that his brother would have found them if he’d read the messages that had been left in his set of rooms.

  It had also been Tristan’s intention to collect Lady Jillian, then travel home to Cornwall. A part of him wished to be home, to be with his children because he missed them. They were the most precious people in his life, but he also dreaded returning to the manor, as it would mean he’d need to start planning a wedding and make arrangements for the banns…his stomach churned.

  “Tristan, I don’t feel so well,” Olivia complained as they neared the inn where Lady Jillian had taken a set of rooms.

  “Is it the carriage?” He asked with concern. “Perhaps once your feet are firmly on the ground you will feel better.”

  “No, that isn’t it. My throat hurts and I’m so warm.”

  Tristan placed a hand on Olivia’s brow. “You are burning up,” he announced in alarm as he’d realized how listless Olivia had become. It was his fault for not paying closer attention, but his mind was on his future.

  The family was able to secure a large set of rooms at an inn, one that also boasted a parlor, then settled Olivia into her chamber and sent for a physician. The other chamber had been assigned to him and Jillian, except Tristan fully intended on making use of the settee, holding onto the vow not to consummate his marriage until after they’d been married in a church. Not that anyone knew that is where he’d sleep. Gideon and Jamie were able to secure a room across the hall, but they spent their time in Tristan’s parlor. It was during the later morning when Sophia, along with Scala arrived.

  “Why are you here?” Tristan had asked.

  “We got tired of waiting to spend time with my family and decided to take this opportunity to come to know Jillian better while we waited for your return.”

  “She,” Scala corrected with a smile. “She decided.”

  “We’d gone to Harrison’s to see if there was any news, only to learn that you had come here instead of home.” She glanced about the parlor. “Where is Olivia?”

  “She’s ill,” Tristan answered.

  “How ill?” Sophia asked in alarm.

  “The doctor believes it to be a mild illness, but Olivia should rest for a few days before she travels further.”

  “Which room is hers?”

  Jamie pointed and Sophia marched across the parlor and entered Olivia’s chamber.

  The longer Olivia was ill, the longer it would take for Tristan and Lady Jillian to marry a second time. Though Tristan would never wish ill on any of his family members, he wasn’t upset about the delay in his future either.

  What he’d not anticipated was for Maxwell to arrive in Portsmouth that afternoon. Tristan hadn’t seen his younger brother in months and couldn’t be happier for his return.

  All of his siblings were here, save Harrison, and though Tristan introduced Lady Jillian to his siblings, she remained properly polite as if this was a function in Society.

  With a heavy sigh, he crossed to the sideboard and poured a glass of brandy. It had been a trying month.

  While his family teased and laughed, Jillian remained in the corner stitching and sipping tea. She’d made little effort to come to know his siblings and Tristan couldn’t decide if she were shy, which hadn’t been the case in London, or angry with him because of the delays, or simply had no desire to come to know the people who were most dear to him. If she held his siblings in such disdain, how would she treat his children?

  Elaina took a deep breath. Fear clutched at her heart, as she followed Harrison into the inn and remained silent when he inquired as to which chamber his brother could be found, and then followed him up the stairs until they stood before a dark wooden door and knocked.

  A petite woman with blond hair answered the door. “Harrison!” she cried, clearly happy to see the man.

  “So, this is where my family is,” he announced and stepped into the set of rooms. Elaina didn’t follow and tried to breathe through the anxiety crushing her chest. “It’s a good thing that I stopped at my home and discovered the various notes, or we would have traveled directly home and missed you completely.”

  “We?” a voice questioned.

  “Yes, we,” Harrison cleared his throat. “And I’m happy to be the one to facilitate this reunion.” At that, Harrison stepped aside and held out a hand to her. “I found Elaina.”

  She allowed Harrison to pull her into the parlor and glanced around at the sea of shocked faces.

  “Oh dear,” the blonde woman sighed.

  “Elaina is it truly you?” a gentleman with dark hair set a glass aside and slowly crossed the room, staring at her as if he couldn’t believe that what he was seeing was real.

  She had no response as she studied his appearance from the dark hair to the brown eyes, aquiline nose, firm lips and strong jaw, hoping for a sense of familiarity, but he was just as much a stranger as everyone else in the room.

  “I can’t believe you’re back. I hoped, prayed...”

  Before she knew what was happening, the stranger pulled her into an embrace. “Elaina, thank God you’ve come back to me.”

  His voice was heavy with emotion and all she could surmise was this must be her husband.

  He pulled back and looked down at her, and if she wasn’t mistaken, there was a light misting in his eyes as if he were near tears. Had he loved her so very much?

  “Where were you? What happened? We thought you’d drowned.”

  Elaina quickly glanced at Harrison and hoped for his assistance.

  “Tristan, there is something you must know.”

  His brow furrowed with concern. “I’m certain you’ll explain all of the details,” he dismissed and took Elaina’s hand, drawing her further into the room.

  “Elaina doesn’t remember who she is.”

  He stopped and turned. “What?”

  “She washed ashore after the shipwreck and never recovered her memory of who she is, where she came from or why she was even on a ship,” Harrison explained.

  Tristan’s eyes widened, and he studied her again. “Is it true? You don’t know me?”

  At that, the tears threatened, but Elaina blinked them away. Harrison had told her that Tristan was her husband and Elaina had prayed that once she gazed upon his face that her memory would return. Except it hadn’t. Everything about her life before she woke in Alderney was gone, an empty canvas, and now she feared that it would never return.

  “Please, come inside. Let me pour you some tea,” the blonde woman offered kindly.

  Elaina didn’t want to go any further into the room. She wanted to run and return to Alderney, where her life made sense. Where she’d found a purpose. Where she had been about to begin a new life with Clive.

  “I’ll pack my things so that you can return me to London and explain to my father.” Another woman set her stitching aside and rose from her seat in the corner.

  Oh, Elaina wished she knew who everyone was, but she might never
know if they insisted on her recalling the information herself.

  Tristan groaned and thrust his fingers through his hair.

  Had she not gotten along with her husband? Had Elaina not gotten along with anyone in this room? While she couldn’t recall them, if they were on good terms, why weren’t they happier to see her?

  A sense of foreboding settled around her. Had they hated her? Had she left a life where she was happy to return to misery? To a family that didn’t want her or even like her?

  “Jillian…I…” Tristan began, then looked back to Elaina. “I had no way of knowing.”

  “Of course not,” the other woman sniffed. “But you owe me a duty and my father an explanation.”

  “Yes, of course…it’s just…” Tristan continued to stare at Elaina. “I can’t believe it’s true.” At that he settled beside her and took Elaina’s hand in his. “You are here? You are alive?”

  It was almost as if he were trying to convince himself that she wasn’t an apparition.

  “Three years and nearly five months you’ve been lost to me. I never thought I’d see you again.”

  The only memories she possessed were for the same amount of time.

  “You truly don’t remember me? Any of us?” he gestured to the others in the room.

  They were strangers to her. Everyone except Harrison, but that was only because she had met him a short time ago.

  “How is it possible?” Tristan asked.

  “Tristan, we should talk in private,” Harrison offered.

  Elaina blew out a sigh. “He simply wishes to tell you that the doctor believes that I need to come to my memories on my own, without the assistance of others. That if I do not recognize someone that I’m to give it time.”

  “I can’t tell you anything?” Tristan demanded, a bit put out.

  “No,” Elaina answered, even though she didn’t agree with the doctor’s opinion.

  “Not even about our life, or our—”

  “—No,” Harrison cut him off.

  Our what, Elaina wanted to ask, but knew that Harrison wouldn’t allow any discussion of things that Elaina should know. However, Harrison wouldn’t always be there to shield her and perhaps in time, she might learn the answers to any questions she might have.