Her Counterfeit Husband (28 page)

Mason’s eyes widened.  Running his finger along the top of his glass, he said, “I didn’t think you remembered that little arrangement we made.”

“I don’t.  I had a conversation with the steward.”

“Ah.  That explains it.”

After a long moment of silence passed between them, Jason asked, “Are you going to answer my question?”

“
We’ve had this discussion often enough over the past two years.  I don’t see what good rehashing the whole thing will do.”

“Considering I don’t recall any of those discussions, it’s worth rehashing.”

Mason chuckled and took a sip of his drink.  “Why?  Did you think you pay me too little?”

“I’d like to know why I’m paying you at all.  You’re a grown gentleman, not a child.”

“Because you’re generous to a fault?”

“Somehow I doubt that’s the reason.”

A slight scowl crossed his face before he smiled.  “I don’t see how it’s any of your concern since you’re not my real brother.  The charade is well done.  You look just like him, and you give a marvelous job of pretending you don’t remember anything.  But you don’t fool me, Alastair.”

Jason’s eyebrows furrowed.  “Alastair?” He’d heard that name before, but he couldn’t recall where.

“Yes, Alastair.  That’s your name.” Mason swallowed the rest of his brandy and leaned forward so he could look Jason in the eye.  “You lived in the circus your entire life, traveling from one town to another.”

“You’re lying.”

He threw his head back and laughed.  “My real brother is dead, and I’m being accused of lying.  It was a very clever ploy.  I don’t know how you and Anna did it, but you fooled everyone else.  Bravo for a job well done!”

Jason bolted to his feet.  “I’ve heard enough.”

“You
won’t be able to leave the room.”

Not to be deterred by the threat, Jason strode over to the door and tried to open it.  Gritting his teeth, he turned toward Mason who was on his way back
to the decanter to pour himself
another glass of brandy.

“I tire of this game.  I insist you unlock this door at once.”

“Not until we reach an agreement.”

“What kind of agreement are you talking about?”

“That’s much better.” Mason took another sip of his drink and grinned.  “I’ll keep your secret if you give me half your money.”

“What?” Jason snappe
d, unable to believe his brother
would not only lie to
him about his past but
rob him as well.

“I’m not a fool.  Lady Templeton will never marry me if she finds out I don’t have any money.  Her father is far wealthier than many gentlemen at this ball.  I’ll live very well off her dowry, but I need to have some money going into the marriage.  You understand my problem?” Mas
on walked over to him, and he
stepped back until his back hit the door.  “Wouldn’t you like to get rid of me?  See me go to British India where I won’t bother you or Anna?  Your secret will stay your secret, and I will be very happy.  So everyone wins.  Now, we’re reasonable gentlemen.  Surely, you can agree to this.  Give us both a happy ending.”

Jason shook his head.  “It sounds like a bribe to me.”

“Bribe?” Mason scoffed
.  “I think bribe is much too strong of a word when I should be the duke.  I was second in line, you know.  If it weren’t for you, I’d be living very well right now.  But as it is, you stole my inheritance.  You
and that whore
you married
owe me.”

Jason sho
ved him away, not caring when Mason
fell back against the chair and dropped his glass
which shattered into several pieces
.  He grabbed Mason by his waistcoat and pulled him toward him so that their noses were almost touching.  “
Anna’s not a whore, you deplorable excuse for a gentleman. 
I don’t owe you anything.  You should
be
grateful I give you anything at all.  It was your stupidity that got you into this mess.”

Mason tried to push back at him, but Jason maintain
ed his hold on the waistcoat.  “You’re stronger than you look,” Mason grunted and struck hi
m as hard as he could across his
face.  “It’s a shame you won’t be getting that heir.  Anna’s as barren as the desert.  Sooner or later, you’ll die, and I’ll get the inheritance.  You sold yourself to a whore for nothing.”

Jason’s blood came
to a boil, and he punched his brother
.  The bone in Mason’s nose cracked, and he fell back
into a cha
ir, his hand covering his bloody nose.  To his surprise, Mason was laughing.

“You didn’t know, did you?” Mason asked, laughing harder.  “Oh, I don’t believe it!  The little shrew tricked you.  You really believe you’re Jason Mer
rill, the Duke of Watkins. 
I th
ought I’d been played for a fool
, but you’re the biggest fool of all.”

Jason clenched his hands at his sides, ignoring the pain in his right hand which had struck Mason.  “Stop it!”

Mason rose to his feet and pulled out a handkerchief so he could wipe his nose.  “Ask her.  Go on and ask her about Alastair and the circus. You want to know why you can swing on a branch?  It’s because you’re an acrobat.  You did that for a living.” He chuckled.  “Ask her, Alastair.  I think you’ll find her answers quite
informative
.” He reached into his pocket and threw the key at Jason, which bounced off his chest and hit the floor.  “Go on!  You’ll find out the truth, and when you do, we’ll discuss dividing my brother’s money in half.”

Jason hesitated for a moment but grabbed the key off the floor and headed for the door.
Mason was still laughing, but he
was
sure Anna would assure him that Mason
was lying to him.  He unlocked the door, swung it open, threw the key back at Mason, and hurried down the hallway to the ballroom.

A
nna just finished dancing
with a gentleman
when she saw Jason enter the ballroom.  His hair was disheveled, and a bruise
was forming on his cheek.  She looked behind him, but
Lord Mason was nowhere in sight.  Her gaze returned to Jason who was searching the room.  Something in the way he furrowed his eyebrows bothered her.

She headed for him, and as soon as his eyes met hers, she knew something was wrong
between them
.  When she reached him, she asked, “Jason, are you all right?”

He glanced behind him then scanned the room before
looking at
her.  “I don’t know
.  Can we go home?”

Unsure of how serious this would be, she
nodded.  “Sure.  The coach is waiting
outside.”

Since he waited for her to make the first move, she turned on her heel and went to Lady Templeton’s father so she could thank him for a lovely evening.  She was aware that Jason followed her, not saying
anything and seeming to be preoccupied with something.  She scanned the room again but didn’t see Lor
d Mason anywher
e.  Whatever was bothering him
had to involve Lord Mason.  Before Lord Mason talked to him, he’d been in a good mood.  And
now…  She dared a glance in Jason’s
direction as
they left the ballroom.  He didn’t look happy.  She’d gotten so used to him smiling and talking that his somber mood made her uneasy.

She waited until they were in the carriage before she spoke.  “Jason, what’s wrong?”

Staring out the window, he sighed
and set his hand on
his knee
.  “
I don’t know how to even ask.  Lord Mason was lying.  I know he was lying.  He had to be lying.  There’s no way you’d lie to me, especially not about something this important.”

She didn’t like the sound of this.
Shifting in the seat next to him, she cleared her throat.  “What did Lord Mason say?”

Even as she asked the question, she wanted to take
it
back.  It’d be much easier to tell him that Lord Mason never told the truth about anything, that whatever it was that was bothering him wasn’t true.  She had a sinking
feeling
that Lord Mason had successfully figured out what she and Appleton did.  He’d been there to visit hi
s brother earlier the day
he died.  He knew how ill his brother had been. 
He’d been suspicious all along, and something confirmed his suspicions.  She had no idea what that
something
could be, but it was enough for him to go to Jason and confront him.

She clutched her stomach and closed her eyes to settle the swell of nausea that threatened to make her lose her dinner.  The moment she feared was here.  Or maybe it wasn’t.  Maybe she was wrong and Lord Mason had cornered Jason about something else.  Either way, she needed to resolve it.

Clasping her hands in her lap, she asked, “What do you want to ask me?”

Jason rubbed his
eyes.  “Not here.  We should talk
when we’re alone.”

“The coachman can’t hear us.”

“I’d still rather be in a place where no one is around.”

She released a nervous breath and nodded.  “All right.  We can do that.” Maybe if she obliged him and did things his way, he’d be more receptive to hearing her side of the story.  He wasn’t an unreasonable gentleman.  He might understand.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced her attention on her gloved hands so she wouldn’t cry.
She didn’t want to think of what would happen if she lost everything she’d gained since her first husband died. 
Her stomach
rolled again, so she took
deep breaths to settle it.
 
The ride to their townhouse was short, but being in the carriage and fearing what was to come
made it seem abnormally long.

By the time the coachman pulled to a stop, she jerked
up in the seat
and
waited for
the footman
to open the door.
  Ignoring Jason’s
curious
stare, she le
ft as soon as the door opened.  She hurried up the steps to the townhouse
and entered it
, not bothering to wait for the footman to open the door for her
.  She knew running into the townhouse made things look worse
, but she needed a moment to herself so she could gather her composure.

When she entere
d the drawing room, she sat on the bench in front of the piano and closed her eyes.  Maybe it had nothing to do with her first husband.  Mayb
e Lord Mason had talked to him
about something else.  It was possible.  Unlikely perhaps, but possible all the same.

“Your G
race?”

She opened her eyes and looked into Appleton’
s caring eyes.  Her gaze darted
to the doorway which was clear.  It wouldn’t be for long.  Jason would be coming into the room soon.  She swallowed the lump in her throat and gripped the bench.  “I think he knows.  I think Lord Mason told him.”

Appleton’s eyebrows furrowed.  “But how could Lord Mason know?”

She shook her head and shrugged.  “I don’t know.” She took a deep breath, trying in vain to calm her racing heart.  This was it.  Everything was crashing in around her.  She knew that’
s what Lord Mason had told him
.  Deep down, she just knew it.

They heard Jason approach
the drawing room, and Appleton turned
to face him.  “Your G
race.” Appleton bowed.  “Is there anything I can get
for
you?”

“No,” Jason slowly replied.  “I’d like to be alone with my wife.”

Appleton glanced at her, and she gave him a slight nod.
Jason waited until he left before he entered the room and shut the door.  She braced herself for whatever would happen and faced him.