“My sister?”
“Yes.”
“Were we close?”
He hesitated. “You were friendly enough.” He lifted his glass and gulped down water as if this were a touchy subject.
“I feel like you’re not telling me something.”
“Why don’t you form your own opinion? The upside of losing your memory is that you get a complete do-over. You won’t have the past to mold your thoughts and opinions. Take people at face value.”
“I suppose.” I turned away from him in frustration. “But I desperately want to remember everything.”
“Maybe you should consider seeing the psychiatrist then.”
“No, I don’t want that.”
“Why?” He appeared curious.
“I’m not sure why. I just know I’m not ready.”
“It’s up to you, Annette. No one here will force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
I looked at him then, took in the beauty of his face: the high cheekbones, the dark blue eyes that stared back at me so intently, the curve of his masculine lips, the dimple on his chin. He really was a work of art, if one could call a person that, and he gazed at me with such warmth in his eyes at that moment that I felt I could trust him. Maybe I should tell him about the note from this morning. What if someone in the castle wanted to harm me? But how did I know that Edward wasn’t a part of that?
I didn’t have a clue, and my instincts about him could be wrong.
For now, I would have to keep it to myself until I figured things out.
After breakfast, everyone scattered, and I returned to my room. Edward promised he would be back by lunchtime, and he said Georgina would be over soon. I sat on the couch and picked up Oliver Twist, the book Edward had shared with me the previous day, and I began to read. Forty-five minutes must have passed before I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I said, putting the book down.
An attractive man with dark brown hair that fell loosely around his neck walked in, wearing a pair of black slacks and a navy shirt that hugged his broad chest in an almost obscene way—like he wanted everyone to know how fit he was. He obviously worked out, but a shirt as tight as that one couldn’t be comfortable, and everything about it said look at me. I decided right then and there it wasn’t a good look for him, or maybe the arrogant tilt of his head wasn’t a good look. Perhaps I was being too critical, but something about this man rubbed me the wrong way.
“Annette, I’ve been so worried.”
I stood as he walked over to me at the couch. He embraced me and leaned down, resting his face against my cheek. Alarm bells went off in my head. It felt way too intimate and extremely inappropriate considering I was a married woman. Plus, I didn’t even know this man, so the gesture felt uncomfortable. I pulled away and stepped back, putting some distance between us.
His eyes hungrily roamed over me in a way that made me step back even further.
“Who are you?”
“You don’t recognize me?” he asked in disbelief. “We have a long history.”
“You’re aware that I lost my memory, right?”
“Yes, I’ve heard, but I thought you would know me.”
“What is your name?”
“I can’t believe you don’t remember me.” He frowned, and his eyes flickered with hurt.
Irritation poked at me. Why did he think I would know him when I didn’t even remember my husband or my own family?
“My name is Leo. We dated on and off throughout our lives and remained friends after you married Edward.” His eyelashes lowered. “Well, we’ve been more than that, but we managed to keep it a secret.”
My jaw dropped open. “What?” Bile worked its way up my throat leaving an acidic taste in my mouth. Was he actually implying what I thought he was?
“You never stopped loving me,” he said, stepping closer.
I moved back, wanting to keep a distance between us. “I don’t remember any of that.”
“It’s true. You married Edward because of his position, but we’ve been sneaking off together from day one.”
I felt the blood drain from my face, and a feeling of despair washed over me like an ocean wave, dragging me under, revealing things I didn’t want to face. What kind of person had I been before the incident at Dover Lookout? Why would I do something so terrible? I had enough understanding of the world to comprehend how ugly and disdainful a betrayal like that would be. “I don’t know what happened between us before, but this doesn’t feel right. I want you to go.”
I said the last part as the door opened and Georgina walked in, her brown hair fluttering around the tops of her shoulders. “What’s going on?” She frowned, her eyes sliding to Leo and then back to me.
“This man is making me uncomfortable.”
“Leo, I leave you alone for two minutes and you’ve already upset her? What did you say?”
He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged, not looking remorseful at all. “Just the truth. I explained that we have a history.”
She tightened her lips. “I knew it was a mistake to let you come with me. You promised you wouldn’t push her to remember. That’s not what she needs right now. Just go.”
“But this is my one opportunity. Edward is gone—”
“So, you shouldn’t be here,” I said, deliberately.
Georgina looked at me with curiosity. “Did Edward tell you he doesn’t trust Leo?”
“No, he hasn’t mentioned him at all.”
She nodded slowly. “Those two have been in competition with each other for a long time, but I didn’t think Edward would have a problem with Leo visiting you today. That’s why I allowed him to tag along. I didn’t mean any harm.”
“Please…I don’t want you here,” I said, looking at Leo. Tears sprang to my eyes, and a feeling of disgust settled at the bottom of my stomach. “I’m not comfortable with this.”
“If you would just hear me out,” he said, frustrated. “I don’t want to lose our friendship.” He licked his lips, eyeing me with a hungry look again. His gaze dipped down, down, down, and up again.
I shuddered as if someone had dropped a handful of maggots down my back. “Leave or I will ask one of the staff to escort you out.”
He lifted his hands in surrender. “Fine, but eventually your memory will return and everything will return to the way it was before.”
My stomach lurched at the idea of remembering something so horrible.
He turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him. Georgina glanced at me. “Sorry about that. If I had known he would upset you—”
“Why did I have a relationship with that man?” I looked at her, waiting for an answer. “He said we dated on and off, but I’m having a hard time believing…” I ran a hand through my hair and glanced away. “I hate this.”
She motioned to the couch. “Let’s sit.” Once we’d sat, she turned to face me. “Leo can appear a little narcissistic at times, but he’s not a bad guy.”
I wasn’t sure I believed that considering what he’d told me, but I didn’t trust Georgina enough to repeat back the conversation. “I’m at a loss right now. Please fill in the blanks for me. Why did I date Leo? And why did I marry Edward?”
She nodded, looking at me with pity in her eyes. “We’ve known Leo and Edward since we were kids. They’ve always competed for your affection, and you always enjoyed the attention. Sometimes you even used them against each other.” She raised an eyebrow as if she didn’t approve of my actions.
“I did?”
“To be honest, I think you enjoyed the game more than you liked either one of them.” She fluffed her hair and glanced away. “So many women would have given anything to have one of those men at their beck and call, but you…” Her eyes sparked with irritation and something else…maybe jealousy. “You had both of them tied around your little finger, and you enjoyed making them both work for you. You would date Leo, and as soon as Edward moved on, you would cast Leo asid
e and promise your undying love to Edward. That happened a few times throughout our teenage years.”
“And then I realized Edward was the one… I married him because I loved him…right?”
“Of course.” She smirked. “You also loved the social status, the media attention, the parties. You were always so good at throwing elite gatherings.” She said it as if that had been the main reason I’d married him. She sighed. “Honestly, it had only been three weeks after your marriage and you had already tired of Edward. You were considering running…” She trailed off, appearing to regret her choice of words. “Never mind. You and Edward will work through this, and if you don’t, well…it wasn’t meant to be.”
My eyebrows flew up, and I stared at her like I couldn’t believe what was coming out of her mouth. “Are you saying my marriage to Edward is a disaster?”
She suddenly looked scared, like she knew she had gone too far. “No, no, of course not. That’s not what I’m saying at all.” She ran a hand along the side of her face and moistened her lips, refusing to meet my gaze. “I’m not always good at communicating. What I meant to say is that you and Edward will get through this.” She smiled regretfully. “Don’t mind me, I tend to ramble when I’m nervous.”
I turned away, trying to absorb what she was saying. “You make it sound like I was a partier.” I was having a hard time coming to terms with the type of person she had made me out to be.
She opened her purse and dug around until she found a cell phone. “I have a video of you. Let me see if I can find it.” She scrolled until she came to it. “Here it is.”
She played a clip of me in a crowded room, dancing to loud music, laughing loudly and appearing inebriated. I was waving my arms in the air and drawing the attention from everyone around. The person in the video looked like me, but, even so, I didn’t recognize her. She seemed carefree and wild and a little over the top. People stared at her with admiration and something else…envy. It was subtle, but it was there. “Was Edward at this party?”
She shook her head. “This was before you married, and it wasn’t his scene. His family would’ve freaked out if someone got a video of him at one of these. You can’t behave like that anymore, but you said you didn’t mind. You said you would throw higher class parties from now on.”
“My husband…does he love me?”
She frowned. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because he seems distant at times.”
“He’s trying to figure this out just like you are. Give him time.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” But I knew there was more to it. The note on my pillow this morning confirmed there was a problem.
“You know, people were a little surprised when they found out you were engaged to Edward.”
“Why?”
“We all thought you’d end up with Leo. It was rumored that Edward’s family, especially his mother, wanted him to marry a woman with royal blood. From what you and Dad told me, his grandfather begged Edward to form an alliance with someone who could assist with maintaining the castle and surrounding grounds. Because of Dad’s money, you were number one on that list. And it wasn’t as if you weren’t happy about the idea. You talked endlessly about living in this castle.” She turned her head, but not before I caught the eye rolls.
“So, you’re saying we married out of…convenience?” The thought angered and saddened me at the same time. How could I have agreed to something like that?
“Yes, but it was more complicated than that. Both of you had feelings for each other off and on so it seemed natural—”
“My stomach hurts all of a sudden.” I stood and walked over to the window, needing a moment to absorb that information.
Georgina joined me, a look of frustration on her pretty face. “At least you had options.” The corner of her lips turned down. “I was the overlooked sister. Men like Edward passed me over all the time.”
I glanced at her and saw something resembling anguish flash in her eyes and then it left as quickly as it came. “I’m sorry.” I hesitated, not wanting to hurt her any further. “Are you in a relationship now?” I really hoped she was.
She shook her head. “Leo and I just started hanging out, but we’re only friends. I can tell he’s not over you.”
“I don’t think you should spend time with him. He’s not—”
“You may be the Duchess of Westbridge now, but that doesn’t mean you get to dictate who I spend my time with.”
Her words stung, but I had the feeling we’d had similar arguments before. “I’m sorry. I only meant that he doesn’t seem good enough for you.”
She laughed. “I’m well aware of the type of man Leo is, and I’m not interested in him that way. He’s the only man in my life right now…that’s all I meant.” Her eyes softened. “You look tired. Maybe you should lie down for a while. I’ve overstayed my welcome.”
“Thank you for visiting me. And you’re right. I think I do need to lie down.”
She gave me an awkward hug, and after she left, I went into the restroom and stared at myself in the mirror.
Who am I?
That was the big question. I only hoped it wouldn’t take too long to find out.
I crawled into my bed and felt myself relaxing into the mattress and then sleep came, pulling me into the most beautiful dream. It swept through my mind like a caress, like the warmth of a sunny day. I was at a party, and I was holding onto a man’s arm, but I couldn’t see his face. We were laughing and talking and even though I couldn’t make out who he was, there was this feeling…this sensation that he was important to me, and I was in love with him. He ran his hand down my hair and kissed me lightly on the lips. “Don’t ever leave me,” he whispered. “I don’t know what I would do if you went back to him.”
I woke up with a start, panic flooding through me. Who was the man? Was it Edward? Or was it Leo?
Chapter 5
Annette
Several days had passed, and I was slowly acclimating to this way of life that was so unfamiliar to me, but I was still struggling. I’d seen the doctor for a follow-up, but there wasn’t much he could do for me. I’d also visited my aunt a couple of times, but I didn’t recognize her and nothing jogged my memory. She remained in stable condition, but she hadn’t come out of her coma yet.
The police had checked out a few leads, but they all ran into a dead end, and they hadn’t found anyone with a motive to harm my aunt or me. They weren’t ruling out that it could have been a random act of violence, but they were searching out different possibilities. The few times I’d left the castle, I had a full security detail keeping watch, and it seemed strange having a whole entourage with me, but it went along with the territory of being a royal.
Edward remained distant, and that bothered me. I needed someone in my corner, someone I could trust, and I wanted it to be him. He was my husband, after all, but it appeared we didn’t have much of a relationship, or the one we’d had was fizzling out.
Yesterday, Helena stepped in and shared a lot about Calais protocol with me in order to prepare for the garden party today. Even Edward’s mother, Queen Anne, imparted her wisdom on the matter, and she’d been very helpful. She’d made a concerted effort to be nice, and I appreciated that, especially since I hadn’t expected it after her initial reception.
We were currently mingling at the garden party, and it was beautiful, exactly how I would picture that kind of event. I’d learned that Westbridge castle had exquisite gardens with sweet-smelling roses and well-manicured foliage. The party was outside in front of the castle, and the scene was picturesque with a fairytale-like quality. I wore a cream-colored lace dress with a matching hat, something Helena helped me choose from my enormous closet of clothing. All the ladies wore hats, and Helena’s was exceptionally cute. She wore a bright pink dress that complimented her figure and went well with her dark hair and features, and she definitely looked more like Arthur than Edward.
She looped her arm through mine and stopp
ed a server walking by with a tray of food. “You must try this cheese. It is so good.” The man gave us small plates and added several items to it.
I lifted a piece of cheese paired with a fig and olive cracker and took a bite. Closing my eyes, I made a rapturous sound in my throat. “This is heavenly.”
“It’s called Maroilles cheese from northern France.”
On my plate, there was a strawberry dipped in Belgian chocolate, a piece of chestnut cake, and a tiny rhubarb tart. I’d learned that the culture and foods of Calais had French, German, and Dutch influences. Though English was the national language, many spoke French as well. Everyone in the royal family knew both languages, and, apparently, I’d spoken French too, but I only remembered English as it had been my first language.
I felt someone’s eyes on me and glanced over to find Edward watching me closely. He was wearing a black suit jacket over an ivory vest, and it fit snugly over his muscular frame, but unlike Leo, he didn’t wear overly tight clothing in order to garner attention. He had a classic look as if someone plucked him out of a historical novel and transported him into modern times. Holding my gaze, he winked and then smiled. Ripples of warmth spread through me, and I found myself returning his smile, wanting him to join us, wishing he would, but knowing he wouldn’t.
He always kept his distance, or at least he had for the last few days.
He checked on me now and then, but he was always out of reach, or maybe it just felt that way at times. For some reason, I desired more…more of his time and attention, more of his presence, but I sensed something was bothering him. Even though I wasn’t sure if I could trust him, I wanted to trust him and that concerned me a little because I didn’t know if I should.
“He loves you very much, you know,” Helena said, watching my wistful expression.
“Does he?”
“Yes.”
“Why does he avoid me then?”
She was quiet for a long moment, and then she leaned in. “Things weren’t easy between you two at times, but I knew it would work out in the end.”
The Prince's Bewildered Bride (The Blushing Brides Book 5) Page 4
