True Love's Deception (book 3) (The Fielding Brothers Saga) (30 page)

Andrew’s stomach lurched again, but from his nerves. Would he find his memory? Would he discover he was in truth the long lost son? Or was this dream out of reach?

Turning toward the tub, something caught his eye from the bedroom. He glanced at the bed. The covers outlined a body.

He scowled.
What the...

But then, perhaps Juliana snuck in his bed during the night. He rubbed his forehead. Why couldn’t he remember?

With a sigh, he smiled. What else could he do when he thought about the woman he loved? Perhaps today would be the perfect day to confess the truth. He loved her and…they were married! If only she would return his love and
be
happy about being his wife.

He looked at his tub, then back to the woman on the bed. He’d put off his bath until after he confessed the truth to his wife.

Grinning, he walked toward the bed, but the closer he got, the more his smile faded from his face. The woman lying underneath the sheets did not have the glorious reddish-blonde hair he loved caressing. Instead, it was lighter...
More blonde.

As he stood next to the bed, looking down at the sleepy figure, his head pounded as bile rose again to his throat.

Oh, no.
Maddie
!

Bits and pieces of last night came through the blur of his memory. Did he think
Maddie
was his wife last night? Groaning, he covered his face with his hands and sank to the edge of the bed. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when he was so in love with Juliana. She wouldn’t understand. She wouldn’t forgive him for not knowing the difference between her and her sister when he was drunk.

He was going to lose the only woman he’d ever loved!

Maddie
stirred on the bed. He didn’t look at her. He couldn’t.

The bed shifted before her hand stroked his arm. “Good morning, my love.”

“Do not call me that,” he grumbled. “Last night was a mistake. In my drunkenness, I thought you were Juliana.”

She kneeled beside him and pressed herself to his back. She kissed his shoulder. “Last night was not a mistake to me. Last night was magical. It healed us both.”

“Please stop this insanity.” He pushed her away, grabbed and shrugged on his robe. “
Maddie
,” he said, turning to face her. “This should not have happened. Don’t you understand? I’m not in love with you. I love Juliana.”

A pout formed on her mouth. “I cannot believe you insist on loving a woman who doesn’t return your love. Only I can love you like you deserve. You have to learn to push Juliana aside and love only me.”

Frustrated, he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I wish you would stop talking in this manner. I know Juliana loves me—”

“And I know she doesn’t.”

He scowled. “What makes you think you know her better than I?”

She arched an eyebrow. “Because I heard her talking to Gregg last night—alone—while they were in the parlor. They thought I had gone to bed, but I hadn’t. I heard every word they said.”

Andrew’s interest perked.
Juliana had been alone...with Gregg?
“And I suppose you heard her say she didn’t love me?”

“While my
dear
sister
cuddled in Gregg’s arms, I heard her tell him she didn’t know if she loved you enough to live in England.” She paused, lifting her chin. “If you remember correctly, Juliana abhors England.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I heard her tell Gregg that if you are indeed the heir to the Lawrence fortune, you will want to stay in England with your family. She doesn’t want to live here. She told Gregg she doesn’t know if she loves you enough to stay.”

Pain ripped through his heart like shards of glass. He couldn’t breath. His body wanted to crumble to the floor in helplessness.

Maddie
was right this time. Juliana hated England. She would not want to stay, even for him. Tears stung his eyes, but he refused to shed them. He would not degrade himself in such a way.

Maddie
scooted to the side of the bed, reached out and grabbed his arm. She placed a kiss on it. “Andrew, I love you enough to stay with you wherever you wish to live. I want to be your wife.”

Yanking his hand away, he shook his head.
“
Maddie
why can’t you understand?
I don’t love you. I never will. I’m in love with Juliana.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “
Maddie
, would you please leave my room? I have much to think about.”

This time she didn’t argue. Tears gathered in her eyes as she wrapped a blanket around her body and crept out as instructed.

He stared out the window, feeling like he wanted to die. Without Juliana in his life, how could he go on living?

* * * *

Juliana awoke with a heavy heart. Andrew had not come to her bed last night. Had he even come home at all?

Panicked, she pulled the bell string. Within minutes, Pearl walked into her room.

“May I assist you, lassie?”

“Pearl?
Did my husband...umm...I mean, did Andrew come home last night?”

“Aye, he did, but
accordin
’ to
Wilbur,
he had taken to the bottle and was not in his right mind. Wilbur feared Mr. Dean would wake the household.”

Juliana sighed,
then
nodded. “At least he’s home. I worried he’d been accosted by thieves while he was gone.”

The maid stepped further into the room and closed the door. “Would
ya
be
wantin
’
yer
bath now?”

“Yes. That would be lovely.”

She pushed aside the covers and hurried Pearl through her toiletry, eager to see Andrew. It hurt her that he didn’t come to her room last night. Confusion must be harder for him to handle at this time. But she only wanted to be there to comfort him, to hold and kiss him.

Instead of having Pearl fix her hair fancy, she pulled the bulk back and tied it with a ribbon. Once she was finished dressing, she hurried out of her room to see Andrew. His room was empty, and so she rushed to find him.

She came across Wilbur, so stopped him. “Have you seen Andrew this morning?”

“Aye, lassie.
He awoke first thing. I believe he’s out riding his horse.”

“Thank you.”

She lifted up her dress to her ankles and ran out of the house, toward the stable. Before she reached it, Andrew appeared in the doorway as he exited...limping.

Her heart dropped and she ran toward him. He met her gaze, but a solemn expression remained on his face.

“Andrew? What happened to you?”

He bent and swiped his hands over his trousers. “I had a little accident.”

She gasped.
“Accident?”

“Aye.
The horse’s saddle was not on tight and I slipped. I caught myself but twisted my ankle.”

“Good heavens.” She grabbed his hand. “Would you like my father’s doctor to take a look at it?”

“No. I just twisted it. All shall be well soon.”

“I shall have a talk with the stable hand. He should have taken a closer look at the saddle.”

He brushed his hand through the air. “I have already spoken to him. It wasn’t his fault.”

She scowled. “Then someone needs to answer for this.”

He reached in his waistcoat pocket and pulled out a crumpled paper. “I think I know who did it. He left his calling card.”

By the hardening of his jaw, she suspected it wasn’t good news at all. Slowly, she took the paper and read the scribbling on the front.

You did not heed my first warning. This is the second. Return home or you may find yourself dead.

She gasped and looked back at Andrew. “Who could have written this?”

He shook his head as he walked toward the house. “I would like to know that answer, as well.” He glanced at her. “It makes me wonder if this person wants me gone because he is in love with you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You cannot be serious.”

“Then who would it be? Why would they want me injured?”

Grabbing his arm, she stopped his angry strides. He looked down at her.

“I think we need to take this to the authorities. I’m certain they could look into the matter—”

“No. I will not hide—or run—from anyone. This person can confront me face-to-face.”

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.