Her Counterfeit Husband (27 page)

“Your G
race?”

Blinking, Anna turned her attention back to her
lady’s maid.  “I’m sorry.  I
’m afraid I got distracted
.  What di
d you say?”

“I only said I was done and that you look lovely this evening.”

Anna
turned her attention back to her reflection.  “You do a wonderful job.  The blu
e ribbons in my hair complement
my dress very well.”

“It’s
more than the hair and dress, Your G
race.  You are radiant because you’re
in love.  Nothing makes a lady more beautiful.”

Her face grew warm
.  “Yes.  His G
race is more than I could’ve ever hoped for.”

She smiled
.  “Is there anything else you want me to do?”

Anna shook her head.  “No, and thank you.”

As Anna left her bedchamber, Jason stepped out of his room.  She was ready to call out to him when his valet emerged from the room and handed him a pocket watch.

“Would you like to take this?” his valet asked.

“Yes, I suppose it’s good to know what time it is,” Jason replied.

Especially when you’re eager to leave some place, Anna thought, ever in dread of Lady Templeton’s ball.  She couldn’t think of anything that was worse, except if it was Lord Mason’s dinner party.  Knowing it was too late to feign an illness and cursing herself for not thinking of it sooner, she squared her shoulders back and headed for Jason.

He turned and smiled.  “Anna, you’re a breathtaking sight tonight.”

“Thank you, Your G
race,” she replied.

“I know you’re no
t looking forward to this ball, so
I thought I’d keep a close eye on the time.  We should agree
on a time to leave.”

“When the first couple guests start leaving, we will, too.  That way we’ll blend in with everyone else.”

“Hmm…” He glanced at the pocket watch and shrugged.  “Then I suppose I don’t need it.”

“I wouldn’t
take it.  If you do, you’ll end up looking at it all night, and when you do that, time passes much slower.”

“I suppose you’re right.  All right.  I’ll leave it here.”

He handed it back to the valet and turned to her, offering her his arm.  “Are you ready?”

“I suppose so.” She accepted his arm and went down the stairs.

“Anna?”

“What?”

“Mason once asked me how I could have fallen down the stairs and not broken my neck.  I can see how a fall doesn’t necessarily mean a broken neck, but I have wondered why I don’t have a fear of staircases.  I mean, even now I don’t like horses, and I’ve spent considerable time with mine.  I don’t understand why since I didn’t fall off a horse.”

Anna debated what
to say.  Something probably happened with a horse, but she had no idea what that
something
was.
  “Jason, all I know is that I never saw you fall off a horse.  It’s possible that it happened.”

He patted her hand and smiled.  “It’s one of those great mysteries.  Whatever the reason, I’m alive and here with you now, and that’s all that matters.”

Relieved he wasn’t going to press her about the stairs, she nodded.  “Yes, it is all that matters.  I’m just glad you’re here with me.”

They reached the bottom of the steps and he kissed her.  “I am, too.”

The footman opened the front door, and they went to their carriage.  On the way there, she held Jason’s hand and prayed that the night would pass without any problems. 
She closed her eyes and wondered if Lord Mason would always be a thorn in her side.  She wanted to have nothing to do with him.  S
he didn’t suppose she’d be fortunate
enough for him to marry Lady Templeton and shove off to British India with her and her father.  It
would take care of everything if
he did.  Then she could rest assured that her lie would never be exposed.  So far, no one else seemed to suspect the truth.  They understood that Jason had amnesia and accepted the new changes in him without any questions.  It was just Lord Mason who posed the threat.  And she had no idea how that would be resolved.

When they arrived at the ball, she scanned the large room, hoping one of their friends might be there.  Beside her, Jason
touched
her arm.  She turned to him.  “
What is it?”

“Candace
is here.”

Her gaze followed
his
and she relaxed.  Good.  The ball would be more bearable with her friend there.  At
the moment, Candace was dancing
.

“Splendid!  I’m glad you could make it,” Lady Templeton called out.

The two turned in time to see Lady Templeton and Lord Mason curtsy and bow.  Anna and Jason returned the greeting, and Anna offered the most polite smile she could muster.

“It’s a wonderful evening for a ball, isn’t it?” Lady Templeton asked.

“Yes, it is,” Anna forced out, clasping her hands together.  Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Candace continued to dance.

“It wouldn’t have been the same without you, dear brother,” Lord Mason told Jason.  “In fact, I was wondering if I could have a word with you.  You two ladies don’t mind if we scurry off to talk, do you?”

“I’d never dream of coming between you and your brother,” Lady Templeton replied.  “Don’t mind us.  We can take care of ourselves.”

Anna hid her grimace.  Just what she wanted to do: spend time with Lady Templeton.  Her hands tightened as she glanced Candace’s way.  The dance was done, but she had no way of going over to her friend as long as Lady Templeton wanted to talk to her.

Lady Templeton led Anna to one of the chairs at the side of the room and sat next to her.  “You and the Duke of Watkins make a good looking couple.”

“Thank you.” Not knowing what else to say, she added, “So do you and Lord Mason.”

“Yes, well, about that, I wanted to ask you something, and to get the information I want, I’m afraid I have to be bold.  Would it bother you if I were to be bold?”

Reluctant, Anna shook her head.

“Good.  My father fancies Lord Mason for a son-in-law, but with our money, it’s important we can be assured he’d be coming into our family with some assets.  Now, I’m asking you as a lady who is interested in taking care of her financial affairs, would it behoove me to accept Lord Mason’s proposal?”

“Has he proposed?”

“Yes, but I told him I needed to think it over.  I know your husband is well off, but is Lord Mason?”

“To be honest, I don’t know his financial situation.  I don’t even know my husband’s.”

“But surely, you have some idea?”

“I assume because he throws extravagant dinner parties and travels that he manages well.”

Lady Templeton sighed in disappointment.  “You mean to tell me you don’t take a peek at things from time to time or talk to the steward, just to make sure you’re secure?”

“No, I don’t, but even if I did, it would have no bearing on Lord Mason.  His financial affairs don’t affect me.”

“Perhaps you can talk to your husband.  He might know something.”

That might have been true with her first hus
band, but it wouldn’t be true with
her second.  An
d even if her first husband
was alive, she’d never ask him about the finances.  “Lady Templeton, I don’t know how things are done from where you live, but in London, a lady’s place isn’t in her husband’s financial affairs.”

“I understand.” Lady Templeton rose to her feet and offered her a
strained
smile.  “Thank you for your time.”

Anna nodded, sure that Lady Templeton was glad to get away from her.  As she watched her weave her way through the crowd, Anna wondered if she should ask Jason about the financial affairs of the estate.  She had assumed that the steward had everything under control and that he’d talk to Jason if anything was amiss.  But would Jason know what to do if something was wrong?  She knew he wouldn’t mind if she asked.  He was nothing like her first husband.

“Anna, I’m so glad you’re here.”

Breaking out of her thoughts, Anna looked up and saw Candace.  Relieved, she held her hands out to her friend and clasped them.  “I was hoping Lady Templeton and her fathe
r would invite you here tonight,
”
Anna said.

Candace sat next to her and squeezed her hands.  “Considering how close M
ason is to Ian, I think
Lady Templeton and her father
didn’t have much of a choice.  But I wondered if you and Jason would come, especially with how ten
se things have been between them
.”

“Tense between them?  You mean Jason and Lord Mason?”

“I don’t understand why you call Lord Mason so formally when he’s your brother-in-law.”

“It sickens me to think of him as anything more personal.”

“But you are now referring to your husband as Jason?”

“He’s not the same person he was before he lost his memory.”

Candace smiled.  “You’re happy.  Really, truly happy.”

Anna’s s
mile widened.  “Yes,
I am.”

“I’m glad, Anna.  You’ve been through so much.”

“It’s a shame we can’t give Ian a memory loss.”

“If he’d be anything li
ke Jason, I’d love it, and
then…”

Surprised that her friend stopped talking, Anna pressed, “Then what, Candace?”

Candace blinked back her tears and whispered, “Then I wouldn’t have to tell him I’m no longer expecting a child.”

“What?”

“It’s been two weeks since I lost the baby.  I was in pain and had no idea what was happening until I saw the blood.”

Anna’s grip tightened on Candace’s hands.  “I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t know how to tell him.  He’ll be upset.  You know how much he wants a son.”

“All titled gentlemen want sons.”

“Yes, and I hoped this would be it.  I don’t know what’s worse: losing the baby or knowing he’ll be back in my bed to try for another one.”

“They’re both equally terrible.”

Candace wiped her eyes with the edge of her handkerchief.  “I don’t know how I’m going to tell him.  I don’t want to tell him at all, but I’m supposed to be showing soon and by then, I can’t hide the truth.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.  At least you know it’s nothing you did.  These things happen.”

“I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”

No, Anna supposed it didn’t
.
  She gave her friend a hug and whispered, “If you ever feel like you’re n
ot safe, you can stay at my home
.”

Candace pulled away from her and wiped the tears from her eyes again. 
“Ian’s not as bad
as Jason was.  He
never raises
a hand against me
.  The worst he does is ignore
me unless it’s time to work on an heir.”

“As long as you’re safe, that’s the main thing.”

“I am.  I just don’t know how to tell him.”

“Give it a few days, think it through, and
tell him.  If you need to work out how you’re going
to tell him, you can tell me how you want to tell him.  Then we can work on the thing that sounds best.”

Candace nodded.  “Thank you, Anna.  You’re a good friend.”

She patted her back and sighed, wishing she could do more to help Candace but knowing there wasn’t anything else she could offer her friend.  Together, they sat in silence and watched the others dance.  And as they did, Anna’s thoughts wandere
d to Jason and what he and his brother
were discussing.

***

“You want me to go to the circus?” Jason asked
.  He stood in the middle of the den, studying
the piece of paper Mason had given him
with information about the circus
.

“It’s something you should do at least once,” Mason replied as he poured some brandy into his glass.  “Do you want a drink?”

Jason shook his head.  “No.”
The last thing he’d
ever
do was accept
a drink from Mason.

With a shrug, Mason
returned the de
canter to the shelf and sat in a
chair.  “It’s the finest brandy in London.  Lady Templeton’s father spares no expense.  Don’t be shy.  Sit somewhere.  God knows there’s enough chairs to choose from.”

Jason put the paper on th
e desk and sat across from him
, wondering when he could leave so he could be around other people.  As it was, he and Mason were alone, and it wasn’t a scenario he particularly cared for.  Trying to get as comfortable as he could in the leather chair, he asked, “Do you feel that I don’t give you sufficient funds each month?”