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Authors: Victoria Alexander

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BOOK: Lady Amelia's Secret Lover
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“Blast it all, Robert.” Harry rose to his feet and met his brother’s gaze directly. “If I had wanted Amelia, I
would have pursued Amelia. I would never have let you win her hand unopposed.”

“Regardless.” Robert’s gaze narrowed. “I would have won.”

“Without a doubt.” Harry’s voice softened. “As appealing as I found Amelia, and I admit she was and still is remarkable, there was never any question about which brother had claimed her heart. I knew it from the beginning. You were the one she wanted.”

“It wasn’t obvious to me.”

“Well, you were a blithering idiot, remember? A man in love.” Harry grinned. “And you were the one she loved.”

“The one she loved,” Robert said under his breath, and shook his head. “The question now is: Am I still?”

“W
ell, I can’t say I’m surprised.” Edwina, Amelia’s younger sister by barely a year, shifted on the chaise in her parlor in an effort to find a comfortable position. Winnie was in danger of giving birth at any moment.

“Why ever not?” Beatrice’s eyes widened. “I certainly am.”

Bea was a scant year younger than Winnie, and one would have thought, as the youngest of the three Bannister sisters now gathered to discuss the crisis confronting Amelia, she would be the least likely to be shocked by anything untoward. Amelia wondered, if they had included their youngest sister, Cordelia, in this summit, whether she would be as shocked as Bea. Probably not. Even at sixteen, Cordelia had an air about her, a rather independent way of looking at life. Amelia suspected their parents would have their
hands full with the youngest Bannister daughter if they didn’t already. Cordelia was a full seven years younger than Bea and, as much as Amelia regretted it, neither she nor Winnie nor Bea knew Cordelia well. It did seem rather a shame as, regardless of age, they
were
sisters, but perhaps one day they would be closer. After all, while there was a vast disparity between a sixteen-year-old girl and a woman of twenty-three, there was scarcely any significant difference between a woman of thirty and one of thirty-seven.

Bea fastened a hard look on her oldest sister. “I’m shocked that you would even consider such a thing. Are you not the least bit concerned about scandal?”

“She’s not worried about scandal because she’s not considering anything,” Winnie said mildly, shifted again, and grimaced. “Except reclaiming her husband’s affections.”

“She told her husband she was going to find a…a…I’m not sure I can even say the word aloud.” Indignation sounded in Bea’s voice. “I can’t imagine what you are thinking.”

“What I’m thinking is that I want my husband back,” Amelia said firmly. “And I’m willing to go to any measure necessary to achieve that.”

“That’s all well and good, but to share another man’s bed…” Bea shook her head in a mournful manner. “Surely there’s some other way.”

“Of course there are other ways.” Amelia stared at Bea. “You didn’t think I was really going to take a lover, did you?”

“Well…” Confusion washed across Bea’s face. Obviously that was exactly what she had thought. “You said…”

Winnie choked back a laugh. Bea glared at her. “And you said you weren’t surprised.”

“I’m not. But I was speaking of Robert, not Amelia.” Winnie shrugged. “His reputation was none too spotless before his marriage—”

“While scarcely perfect, it was no worse than most men’s, including your husband,” Amelia pointed out.

“Perhaps not, and admittedly I might be confusing him with his brother.” Reluctance sounded in Winnie’s voice. “Harry is well known for his scandalous escapades, and they are twins. As alike as two peas in a pod in appearance, and who knows what other characteristics they share.”

“It’s not fair to condemn Robert for Harry’s sins. Robert has always been far more responsible than his brother and far less prone to activities of a disreputable nature.” At least thus far. Amelia stared at her sister. “Are you saying you expected this then? Of Robert?
My Robert?

“I expect it of very nearly every man,” Winnie said coolly. “Men, as a whole, are not to be trusted.”

Bea’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Even your own husband?”

“He’s a man.” Winnie’s voice was firm.

Amelia lifted a brow. “You don’t trust him?”

“I would be the worst sort of fool to trust any man without question.” Winnie scoffed. “My husband is a dear, darling man, quite loyal and simply mad about me, but he is, first and foremost, a man. By their very nature men are fickle, shallow creatures and unworthy of our complete trust.”

Amelia studied her carefully. “Have you been talking to Aunt Lavinia again?”

Aunt Lavinia had been married three times thus far. Even though all three marriages had been, from all accounts, happy during their durations, she nonetheless had a skeptical view of the male half of humanity.

“Not recently, but I have taken her words about the frailty of the nature of men to heart.” Winnie gestured in an offhand manner. “Our husbands are all handsome and charming, of good family, with wealth and position. Which is very much what each of us looked for in a husband. But there is a price to be paid.” She ticked the points off on her fingers. “First, men of their social class have a certain arrogance which is the direct result of women wanting them for their position or charm or any number of other things that a clever woman looks for in a match. Secondly, while such gentlemen have a certain sense of honor and would not abandon their wives, they seem to have no particular moral difficulty having both a beloved wife and an accomplished mistress. They simply don’t see that having one conflicts with the other.”

“Oh dear,” Bea murmured.

Winnie shrugged. “It’s the nature of the world we live in, Bea.”

“You haven’t answered my question.” Amelia studied her sister. “Do you trust your husband?”

Winnie stared for a long moment, then her resolute expression dissolved with a wrinkle of her nose. “God help me, I do.” She heaved a heartfelt sigh and collapsed deeper into the chaise. “But then I am currently the size of a small manor house. And an ill-tended one at that. Any semblance of rational thought seems to have fled with my waistline, and the mere suggestion that my husband might be sharing another woman’s
bed is enough to make me…” She searched for the right word. “Murderous, I think. Yes, that’s it. Besides, I love him, and love wreaks havoc with intelligent behavior.” She met Amelia’s gaze. “And I suppose you should probably trust your husband as well.”

“Why? You don’t.”

“He’s not
my
husband. But I’m not especially fond of men in general at the moment so I’m not being the least bit fair.” Winnie readjusted herself on the couch. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but hasn’t Robert always been an excellent husband?”

“Yes.”

“So,” Winnie continued, “aside from a lack of passion, and what you refer to as a silence between you—”

“We used to have rousing discussions about all manner of subjects. Now we scarcely talk at all save to inform one another of the mundane details of our lives.”

“Oh dear.” Winnie winced. “Still, even with that, there’s really nothing to base your suspicions on.”

“She’s right,” Bea said. “It’s not as if you have stumbled upon a love letter or come upon Robert in a compromising position behind a potted palm or…or…”

“Or discovered a diamond bracelet in his glove drawer?” Amelia said as if it was of no consequence, but it was. “A bracelet that was obviously not for me, as when next I checked it had vanished and had not appeared on my wrist.”

“That is bad,” Winnie said under her breath.

“Just because it has not yet appeared on your wrist doesn’t mean it won’t,” Bea said staunchly. “There is every possibility the bracelet is a gift for you.”

“And every possibility it isn’t.” Amelia stood and paced the room. “There are no upcoming occasions to mark, no birth or wedding anniversaries. Robert is no longer prone to dispensing gifts for no particular reason. He hasn’t for some time now.” Although there was a time when he would present her with a piece of jewelry simply for the pleasure of seeing a new bauble around her neck or a new bracelet around her wrist. For nothing more than the pleasure of seeing her pleasure in his gift. “If he doesn’t have a mistress now, I fear he will soon if I don’t do something to prevent it.” Amelia looked from one sister to the next. “And I very much fear it’s my fault.”

“How is it your fault?” Winnie said cautiously.

“I’ve changed. Surely you’ve seen it through the last six years? I’m a mother twice over. I manage a household. I have a number of charitable pursuits. I am an accomplished hostess. I scarcely have a minute to call my own.”

Bea snorted. “Well then, you certainly don’t have time for a lover.”

Winnie ignored her. “No doubt he’s changed as well.”

“Yes, I believe he has.” Amelia nodded. “We’ve grown apart, and worse, I didn’t notice. If I’ve lost him, it’s my fault.”

“I would say you lost each other.” Winnie studied her sister. “And the fault, dear sister, is mutual.”

“Perhaps,” Amelia murmured. Winnie was right, Amelia wasn’t entirely to blame. Regardless, it was up to her now to make it right.

Bea shook her head. “I still don’t see how taking a lover of your own will solve anything.”

Winnie rolled her gaze toward the ceiling.

“Bea.” Amelia sat down in the chair beside her sister. “I have no intention of taking a lover. I simply want Robert to think I am.”

“Which, as these things go, should make him realize what he has.” A smug smile curved Winnie’s lips. “And what he doesn’t want to lose.”

Bea’s concerned gaze slipped from one sister to the other. At once, her expression cleared. “Oh, I see.” She grinned. “You’re going to make him jealous with an imaginary lover. What a brilliant plan.”

“Or completely idiotic. There’s always the possibility that he no longer cares enough to be jealous, but I don’t seem to have any other ideas.” Amelia sighed. “Robert is extremely competitive as well as ambitious. When we were first courting, he was quite jealous of my other suitors even if he himself could never seem to find the right words to express his feelings, at least in the beginning.” She thought for a moment. “It seems to me as well, if I want him to act toward me as he once did, I need to do the same.”

Winnie’s brow rose. “Flirt with him, you mean?”

Amelia nodded. “Yes, and keep him off guard. Behave as though this is the beginning and not the—”

“End?” Bea offered brightly.

“Middle,” Winnie said in a firm manner.

Amelia ignored them both. “I should do and say things he wouldn’t expect.”

“I doubt he expected you to announce your desire for a lover,” Bea said under her breath.

“It’s a good start then.” Amelia grinned. “There was an excitement between us in the beginning, the start of a grand adventure, as it were.” She squared her
shoulders. “And it will be again.” She glanced from one sister to the other. “I’ll need your help.”

“We’ll do whatever we can,” Bea said.

“I fear I will be of little help.” Winnie smiled in a weak manner. “Short of offering suggestions, that is. I’m not even sure at the moment that would be helpful. Murder of all men does seem to be uppermost in my mind of late.”

Bea cast her sister a sympathetic smile. “You’re not especially pleasant these days.”

Winnie’s eyes narrowed. “I am—”

“Which might serve my purposes well,” Amelia said quickly. The last thing she needed right now was to have Winnie and Bea snapping at each other. No, this was a time when she needed the full support and cooperation of her sisters. “Suggestions will be gratefully accepted.”

“We can send you gifts just as a suitor would do. Flowers, books of poetry, exquisite and expensive jewelry, that sort of thing.” Bea glanced at Amelia. “Although I would like to have the jewelry back.” She thought for a moment. “And it all should be done anonymously.”

“Unless we find her a real suitor.” Winnie’s forehead furrowed in consideration. “Although introducing a flesh-and-blood man into this scheme might cause very real problems if indeed Robert is the jealous sort.” She met her oldest sister’s gaze and smiled in a wicked manner. “And yet that might be exactly the result you want.”

“Yes, I suppose. Still, a real man…” Amelia shook her head.

“I wouldn’t dismiss the idea so quickly,” Bea said in a casual manner.

“You certainly have joined in the spirit of this.” Winnie eyed her sister with suspicion. “Why?”

“Because she’s my sister and she needs my help. And because during the course of this conversation something has occurred to me that I hadn’t thought of up to now.” Bea heaved a resigned sigh. “It’s been a very long time since the three of us have done anything the least bit unexpected or improper or—”

“Fun?” Winnie suggested.

“Exactly.” Bea nodded. “At least not the way we used to before we were all married. We used to have all sorts of plots and plans and schemes, and I’ve just now realized how much I miss it. Oh, I know we have responsibilities now that we didn’t before. We are wives and mothers and respectable members of society and all that, but…”

“But we miss those impetuous days of our youth,” Amelia said. “At least a little.”

“Exactly. And I, for one, am feeling dreadfully old and far more proper than I ever imagined I would.” Bea raised her chin and met Amelia’s gaze firmly. “I think if you want to take a real lover, you should do so.”

Amelia laughed. “I do appreciate the thought, but I don’t think it’s necessary. An imaginary lover will do.”

“Then you should get a real man to assist you in making it appear that you have a lover. Besides…” Bea grimaced. “We all know I have never been good at keeping secrets. Although I haven’t been trusted with a significant secret in quite some time, I daresay that hasn’t changed. So it’s best that I know as little as possible. And Winnie”—Bea waved in her
pregnant sister’s direction—“can’t be of any real help at the moment—”

“Except for the dispensing of wise and clever advice.” Winnie grinned. “And perhaps the occasional offering of a brilliant plot or scheme.”

“It is worthy of consideration,” Amelia said slowly. Still, the inclusion of a real flesh-and-blood man in her efforts—for advice if for no other reason—made a fair amount of sense.

“Now.” Bea’s brow furrowed with thought. “All we have to do is find a man who knows how to court a woman.”

“No.” Winnie shook her head. “A man who knows how to seduce a woman. Who has experience in these matters.”

“Very good.” Bea beamed at her sister. “Such a man, by his very nature, would be discreet.”

“A man who has just as much to lose if the truth were known as I do,” Amelia said under her breath, then smiled slowly. “And, dear sisters, I have the perfect candidate.”

BOOK: Lady Amelia's Secret Lover
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