Read Online The Counterfeit Lady by Kate Parker - Free Book Online Page B

fate of an empire, which rested on finding the plans for a warship.
    Blast
.
    After I recovered from my deflating realization, I asked, “Where did we meet, Your Grace? Here in London?”
    “Too many people would wonder why they couldn’t remember you. I spent time in India. You could have been living with your British army officer father. Then you married Monthalf and moved to another colony, and I came home.”
    “Where were you? Calcutta? In how much danger are we of meeting someone who would have known my father or me?”
    “Yes, Calcutta will do nicely. I don’t know of anyone involved in this who’s been to India. And where did you and Phyllida decide you moved after your wedding?”
    “Singapore. She had a Monthalf cousin, Edgar, who was in business there. He never married and died a few years ago. Are we in any danger of being discovered from that choice?”
    “Not that I know of.”
    The duke still held my face in his bare hand, skin touching skin. I didn’t move, not wanting the moment to end.
    His expression turned grim. “You’ve been against playing the role of a widow since we began planning this investigation. Is this because you were a mistress who never took your wedding vows?”
    I jerked backward, the mood between us broken. “No. As a single woman, I’m against leaving my shop, my source of income, in the hands of others while we search for Clara Gattenger’s killer.”
    “And the blueprints to the greatest warship ever designed.”
    Crossing my arms over my chest, I took a full step backward and blinked away my tears. “Are you worried I can’t play my role convincingly because he died before we reached the altar?”
    “No. I’m worried you won’t be able to play your part convincingly because it will hurt too much.”
    I was surprised at the kindness I heard in his voice. “This role has nothing to do with my real life.”
    “Nevertheless, you’d be less than human if it didn’t bother you.”
    I looked into his eyes, letting him see into my deepest being. His genuine concern demanded complete honesty. “Your Grace, if there were any man today I’d let into my bed, it would be you.”
    He took my hand and raised it to his lips. The skin of his lips was slightly rough against my flesh. Would they feel as rough if I kissed him? “I’m honored.” He lowered my hand. “What happened to your lover?”
    “We had had a long, cold winter. Just as we entered spring and began to plan our wedding day, he came down with a fever. It quickly grew worse and traveled to his brain. He died the day before they read the banns the second time.”
    “I’m sorry. And I’m flattered you’re letting me follow him, if only as a pretend lover.”
    I held his gaze for a long time as I wrapped his startling consideration around me. Then I shook my head and said, “How do we want to begin our affair tonight?”
    “Before the musical performance begins at the Francises’, we’ll meet and exclaim over how long it’s been. That will give me an opening to sit with you and we can begin our flirtation.” He strode away from me, running a hand through his hair.
    A breeze fluttered through the window, cooling my heated skin. I closed my eyes and drank in the refreshing air, nearly missing his next words.
    “Baron von Steubfeld will be in attendance tonight. We need to keep him aware that his every move is being scrutinized.”
    I opened my eyes and stared at him. “Why do you think the drawings haven’t already been passed to him and then sent by diplomatic pouch to Berlin?”
    With perfect timing, Phyllida reentered the room. I suspected she had eavesdropped. My cheeks grew warm despite my suspicion that Phyllida already knew my fiancé had been my lover.
    “We know the baron hasn’t received them yet,” Blackford said.
    “How?”
    The duke waved me closer and lowered his voice as he stood between Phyllida and me. “We’ve been reading privileged diplomatic messages between von Steubfeld