Proposals in Regency Society: Make-Believe Wife / The Homeless Heiress. Anne Herries
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did not fit with the rest. How could a girl of modest family come to own a jewel like that one?
Roxanne thought about the game they had played when she was recovering from her illness. Sofia was an intelligent lady. Had she suspected that the ruby had come from India? She might have invented the game to try to jog the memories in Roxanne’s mind. It was possible that as she lay delirious she had said something that made Sofia believe she had once lived there. Rather than try to force her to remember, Sofia had invented the game.
The face at the tower window had been dark and not English. Roxanne strained for a memory, anything that would make sense of what was happening, but nothing came to her. Yet there was something that warned her she might be in danger, some instinct that told her Mr Higgins had been set upon by someone who wanted that ruby.
The thoughts went round and round in her head like a trapped animal trying to escape from its cage. If she could remember what had occurred to frighten her when she ran from her home, she might be able to understand what was happening now.
‘What is this I hear about Higgins?’ the earl asked when Roxanne visited him that evening before going down to supper. ‘What on earth was the fool doing in the tower in the first place? He knows it is dangerous.’
She hesitated, then, ‘Do you truly wish to know the answer, sir? You might find it concerning.’
‘Damn it, I ain’t on me last legs yet. Tell me the truth, girl. All of it, for I shall know if you lie.’
‘I saw a face at the round window halfway up the tower earlier today. I told Higgins, because I knew the strong room was there somewhere. He went to investigate, found an unsuccessful attempt had been made to open the iron door—and someone knocked him unconscious. The tower has since been searched by some of the men and no one is there now.’
‘So the rogue has escaped. Is Higgins badly hurt?’
‘No. I think he has a sore head and is shocked—but the doctor said the blow was not severe enough to kill him. Perhaps whoever it was did not wish to murder him, merely to stun him while he made his escape.’
‘Humph. Got it all worked out, have you? Answer me this—why now? That strong room has been there for a hundred and fifty years and no one has ever tried to break in before this—couldn’t if they tried. It would take a team of men to break that door down—and then they couldn’t open it unless they knew the trick. It’s a secret puzzle lock known only to me and now Luke.’
‘I do not know why now, sir. Why do you think it happened?’
‘I knew there was something suspicious about that ruby. Who did you steal it from?’
‘I did not steal it.’
‘Where did it come from then? It ain’t the kind of thing a girl like you ought to have—unless you got it from a lover. Have you been the mistress of a rich man, girl? Did you steal it from him in a fit of pique?’
‘No, I have not been a rich man’s lover, sir.’ Roxanne hesitated, then, ‘I am not sure of its history. Luke is trying to find out what he can for me. I had it in my hand when—Sofia found me. I was about fourteen, very ill, alone and frightened—and I had lost my memory. I did not know my own name then and to this day I do not recall it. She says I would not let go of the ruby and claimed it was mine. When at last I did let her take it from me, she hid it and I forgot about it for years, until she reminded me as she was dying.’
The old man’s eyes gleamed. ‘I knew there was something. You were too good to be true, miss. I suspected something was wrong from the start.’
‘Well, now you know it all. Do you wish me to leave?’
The earl was silent for a moment, then, ‘You had best tell me all of it, girl. How did you meet my grandson—and why did he bring you here as his fiancée?’
‘After Sofia died I was not safe amongst the people we travelled with. One of them wanted me as his mistress so I ran away when he was making arrangements to give a performance at a theatre in the town nearby.’
‘You are an actress?’
‘Yes, I have been an actress—but Sofia was certain I had been properly reared, though I have no memory of my past.’
‘So it was a lie about your father being in India?’
‘It was just something that came into my mind. I believe there may be a connection between the ruby and India. I do not know who my father was—or if he is still alive.’
‘You think it has a connection with India, but you do not know?’
‘I am not certain, but recently the idea has become stronger.’
‘So how did you meet Clarendon?’
‘He had a tumble from his horse. His ankle was painful and we thought it might be broken, though it was actually a displaced bone. I helped him and then recaptured his horse. We went to an inn to stay for the night and a doctor was called. The landlord sent someone to break into the chamber and rob Clarendon when he was sleeping, because he was unwell and vulnerable—but I had stayed to care for him lest he took a fever. I was awake and I had a poker. When the intruder saw that I was ready to fight him, the rogue ran off. The next day, your grandson begged me to stay with him until he was safe in London—and he took me to stay with someone called Mrs Mills.’
‘Saved his backside for a second time, did you?’
‘He insisted I had saved his life, but I dare say it was no such thing. The lady I visited was very respectable. I might have been in London still, but at a fair on the Heath I saw Black Bob and told Luke I must leave. He asked me to enter into an engagement and—you know the rest.’
‘I knew it.’ The earl glared at her. ‘It was all a masquerade from start to finish.’
‘No…not quite. Luke wanted to make you happy. At first I agreed reluctantly, but then I came here—and I wanted to stay. If this had not happened I might have married Luke, if he wished it—and you agreed. I think we might have given you an heir and then, if he wished, parted. Now I think perhaps I should leave before he returns.’
‘Leave the sinking ship, eh? Is that all you’re good for—running away? I thought you had more spunk than that, girl?’
Roxanne’s cheeks flamed. ‘No, that is not fair. I would have married Luke if he wished…but you cannot want me to stay now you know the truth. You cannot wish him to marry a girl who does not know her own family.’
‘Know my mind better than I do, do you?’ The earl stared at her hard. ‘You’ve told me the truth as you know it?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Held nothing back?’
‘Nothing, I swear.’
‘I ought to send the pair of you packing—but I want that heir. Clarendon isn’t going to oblige me in a hurry if I send you away, so you can stay. You will marry him in a month or so. No reason to wait for three months if a letter isn’t coming.’
‘You want me to marry Luke?’
‘Nothing the matter with your hearing, is there? I don’t know who your father was or whether he gave you that damned ruby, but I can see quality in you. Tell you the truth, our family goes back to a privateer who came from yeoman stock and rose to be an earl through pleasing Good Queen Bess. Since then we’ve married into good and bad blood. It may be time we had some fresh blood in the family. If you’ve lied to me, we may both be sorry, but I’m going to trust you—on one condition.’
‘That is?’
‘Luke is not informed that I know the truth.’
‘You wish me to lie to him?’
‘You have been lying to me.’
‘No—at least I didn’t actually lie. I merely allowed you to think what you would,