Read Online Secret Reflection by Jennifer Brassel - Free Book Online Page A

looked him in the eye with same intensity she would have used with a media magnate or suspected underworld mobster. ‘Okay, I’m listening.’
    As he returned her stare, she made a mental note that he didn’t seem to be taken aback by her assertive attitude, which, she suspected, would never have happened in his own time – if indeed, his 1800s origin proved genuine. Instead, he favoured her with a wry half-smile that suddenly altered his countenance in ways that promised mischief. Strike one , she mused.
    ‘It appears that every twenty years I have eighteen days to seek my redemption. As I have already told you, I was set into this place at midnight on October 21, 1861. My father became Earl upon the death of my grandfather, on May twelve of that year, which, in turn, conferred the title of Lord Stanthorpe upon me, since I am the eldest son.’
    ‘Whoa! If the title goes from eldest son to eldest son, how can you be Lord Stanthorpe when Ditchley is the inherited surname? Didn’t you say your name was Tarrant?’
    ‘Please, Madam, allow me to finish my tale.’
    ‘By all means,’ she replied skeptically and stepped back to sit on the edge of the high bed.
    ‘Thank you,’ he muttered before he started to pace the width of the mirror. ‘After inheriting, I invited my childhood friend, Elizabeth, to come and lend a hand with refurbishment as I was planning to marry in December—’
    ‘So you and Elizabeth were engaged,’ Kelly interrupted.
    ‘Heavens no,’ John stopped pacing and slanted her a look. ‘Elizabeth was my cousin, Edward Ditchley’s wife – yes, Edward Ditchley was my cousin, younger by a year– and heir, since my sire had no other legitimate offspring and Edward was my only other living relation, with the exception of my parents, of course.
    ‘Elizabeth, Edward and I grew up together.
    ‘Edward was off taking delivery of a shipment of goods from India and Elizabeth had been staying with my mother at our townhouse in London. Elizabeth joined me here to see to the house. It hadn’t been lived in for some length of time and was in need of much repair and a woman’s touch.’
    ‘So, your childhood friend arrived to help you redecorate. Then what? – how did you wind up stuck there?’ she asked lightly as if she truly believed what he’d told her so far.
    John pinned her with a sharp glare. ‘Madam, you display little patience. Are all women from your country so rude as to preempt a man’s words at every turn?’
    Kelly began to laugh – he played the role well. Majestic in his indignance, he stood ramrod straight with arms crossed. She made a secret note to herself to check out local actors then inwardly altered that to London and other major cities instead. Although shedidn’t know Richard well, she suspected that if he had contacts in the theatre, they’d most likely hail from London. And if Tom and Nancy were party to this charade, they would be certain to find an actor who was not only professional, but also not easily identified by the nearby residents, otherwise the whole scam would be uncovered with ease.
    ‘You find my question amusing, Madam?’
    ‘Will you stop calling me that!’ she broke in. ‘Where I come from a madam is a brothel owner … as I am sure you already know.’
    ‘Indeed. An interesting thought,’ he murmured as his eyes raked her up and down, almost mockingly. ‘How then, should I address you? Mrs … ?’ one black brow quirked.
    ‘Not Mrs. I’m not that either, at least not any more. Just call me Kelly.’
    ‘It is not customary for a gentleman to address a lady by her given name unless she is well known to him.’
    She giggled.
    ‘First you find my questions amusing, and now you make jest of my polite manners. Mada— Kelly, you would wound a gentleman deeply.’
    She came to stand before him. ‘What amuses me is that you can keep in character for so long without slipping up.’
    His brow creased. ‘I assure you, Kelly, the floor where I exist