The Prince's Bewildered Bride (The Blushing Brides Book 5) Read online

  “She needs to rest,” I said. “I’m going to show her to her room now.”

  “Of course,” my father said. “This must be extremely taxing. Tomorrow is a new day. Perhaps her memory will return then.”

  Annette rested her gaze on each person in my family. “I may not remember you, but I have this feeling right here,” she patted her chest, “that I love you very much.”

  Everyone’s eyes widened, and my mother looked as if she might come unglued at any moment. Arthur was trying hard not to laugh, and my father stared at her in amazement.

  My mother’s forehead wrinkled. “How peculiar—”

  “I think we should retire as well.” My father put a hand on the small of Mother’s back and directed her to the west wing before she had time to say anything else.

  After my parents left, Arthur caught my eye. “You okay?”

  “Yes. All will be fine.” I sounded unbending…way too much like my father did when he displayed the whole stiff upper lip routine.

  “Goodnight,” Helena said. “We’ll reconvene in the morning.”

  I escorted Annette up the stairs to the east wing where we had our own private rooms, my head spinning from everything that had occurred today. It had only been this morning that Raphael and Sarah had given me that note from Leo, and now I was faced with this. It was mind-blowing in a way, frustrating in another. I wanted answers, but I wouldn’t get them until she recovered her memory. A small part of me wondered if this was all an elaborate act on her part. Maybe she knew I was on to her, and this was her way of getting out of it. I wouldn’t put it past her.

  We walked down a long hallway and then I showed her the enormous suite that belonged to us made up of six rooms: our adjoining bedrooms with separate sitting rooms, along with a day room and a space I had converted into a gym.

  “This is your bedroom, and mine is on the other side of this door.”

  “We have separate rooms? Is that…normal?”

  I hesitated. Did I really want to explain that she preferred her privacy? That she kept herself aloof much of the time and used the old traditions as an excuse to keep us apart? I sighed. “It was what you wanted, Annette.” I sounded defeated and tired. “I’ll let your assistant, Lydia, know you’re ready for her. She’ll help you find whatever you need.”

  Her eyes widened, and she smoothed her hands down her dress. “You’re leaving?”

  Truth be told, I’d held up a strong front all day, but now that the dust had finally settled, images of that note from Leo continually circled in my thoughts, and I was having a hard time being in the same room with her. It was clear she had betrayed me, or at least had been in the process of doing so. I used to think she loved me, but now I wasn’t so sure. At the very least, I had expected loyalty, maybe a little affection now and then. But she hadn’t even waited a month to take a lover, a man I despised more than anyone else in the world.

  Leopold Campbell went to the same elite boarding school Annette and I had attended growing up. Annette had always been beautiful and charming, even as a young woman, and Leo and I had competed for her attention for as long as I could remember. Like Annette, his father came from money, and he liked to rub elbows with the royal family whenever he could, but there wasn’t a noble bone in his body. He was out for himself most of the time, and integrity wasn’t a word he knew how to say much less spell. But just as Annette had been drawn to me because of my position, Leo equally drew her in because of his wit and good looks. He knew how to yank a woman’s chain—make her return over and over again.

  She’d kept both of us on our toes, flitting back and forth between the two of us like a hummingbird sampling all the best nectars, making us both love her…and despise her at the same time.

  Loving Annette was a curse no man should have to endure. She sucked you in and spit you out and then laughed at the mess.

  “It’s been a long day,” I said, “and we’re both tired. I’ll make sure a tray of food is sent up, and Lydia will get you situated.”

  She seemed to sense my chilly attitude because her eyes watered, her long lashes fluttering. “Please stay. I don’t want to be alone.” At my hesitation, she stepped closer and took my hand. “Please.” It was a whisper, a plea.

  A plea that got me right in the gut.

  A plea I didn’t know how to turn down. I had trouble saying no to her, and she knew that. Well, maybe she didn’t remember, but a part of her probably sensed it.

  “For just a little while.”

  I led her to a couch on the other side of the room and waited for her to sit. “I’ll be right back.”

  I headed to my room and returned a minute later with a book I knew she disliked. She preferred fantasy romance about far away kingdoms from a time long ago. I had always been a fan of the classics, and Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens was one of my favorites. Annette used to tease me when we were kids. She said everyone fantasized about being a prince or princess, but here I was, fantasizing about being a lonely pauper. A part of me wanted to test her, to see how she would respond if I read a book out loud that she used to make fun of.

  “Would you like me to read to you for a while?”

  “Yes, that sounds nice.”

  She slipped her shoes off and lifted her feet, curling them beside her on the couch. I pressed my lips together to keep from snickering. The old Annette would never have put her feet on the furniture. That was not something she would do, even in private. I began to read, starting in chapter one, aware of her eyes on me the entire time.

  After I completed the first chapter, I glanced at her. “Do you like it so far?”

  “Yes. You have an amazing voice when you read. It’s deep and smooth like whipped cream.”

  I chuckled. “Sounds like your semantic memory is kicking in if you know what whipped cream is.”

  “Guess so. I imagine some things are hard to forget.” Her eyes widened at the implication of what she’d just said. “That sounded bad. I didn’t mean it that way… I wish I could remember you, Edward. I keep trying, but it’s as if something is blocking me.”

  I tightened my lips and glanced away. “It will probably all come back.” And you’ll remember Leo is the one you really love.

  “What were we like?” she asked, taking my hand.

  “What do you mean?”

  “What was our relationship like? Were we happy?”

  I sank further down on the couch and looked straight ahead so she couldn’t see my expression, an inner battle waging inside of me. A part of me wanted to tell her about the note from Leo and how she had avoided me since we married, but unloading that on her right now would probably do more damage than good. I shifted uncomfortably and let go of her hand. “As happy as two people in our position can be.”

  I remained quiet after that, hoping my answer was enough to satisfy her curiosity. When she didn’t say anything right away, I turned the page and started chapter two.

  “Were we in love?” she interrupted.

  I let out a breath and rested the book on my thigh. “We got married, didn’t we? That has to tell you something.”

  She bit down on her bottom lip and frowned. “You’re a prince. You could have anyone you wanted. Why did you choose me?”

  Before that note, I might have said we loved each other, but it appeared I was mistaken about that…at least on her end. And this was not a good time to explain that her father agreed to provide funding to keep up the castle and surrounding grounds in order to form an alliance. It definitely wasn’t the time to tell her she craved being the center of attention and loved the prestige. Marriage to me meant being part of the royal family, and that catered to her desire to hold a valued position in society. I doubted any of that would go over well, so I went with something else that was partially true.

  “Because you’re smart, beautiful, and I knew you would slide into the limelight effortlessly. Not many can.”

  “I see.”

  I finally allowed myself to meet her gaze, t
o look into those stunning hazel eyes that were more green than brown at the moment. There was uncertainty in her expression…and another emotion. Hope. It was as if she wanted to know her life was happy and fulfilled, and she was waiting for me to reassure her of that. I was doing the minimal, trying to satisfy her curiosity without going into detail, but it wasn’t helping. She knew something was up, and it was killing me inside because I wanted things to be different between us. I’d wished for that the last few weeks, but I wasn’t about to hand over my heart and have her trample all over it when those memories resurfaced.

  I was the prince of Calais…not a doormat.

  “We’ve read enough for this evening.” I stood and walked to the other side of the room, glancing at her over my shoulder when I reached the door. “Goodnight, Annette. I’ll make sure Lydia arrives shortly. Try to get some rest.”

  And then I headed to the safety of my room and tried not to think about my wife.

  Chapter 4

  Annette

  The next morning, I woke to the sound of a gunshot. It echoed throughout the room, sending shivers down my spine, along with a feeling of impending doom. Springing up in bed, I glanced all around, terror enveloping me in its suffocating haze. It felt as if the noise vibrated in my skull, and I fought to catch my breath. My first thought was of Edward, and I raced to open the adjoining door between us to make sure he was okay, only he wasn’t in his room. It was completely empty.

  The ringing in my ears was so strong I placed my hands over the sides of my head and doubled over. Please stop, please stop, please stop. Lord…please help me. The strangled prayer made me pause. Did I believe in God? I knew who He was—semantic memory again—but I didn’t know if I followed Him or not.

  There was a quick knock on the door, and a slim woman with short, light brown hair peeked her head in. It was Lydia, my personal assistant. I had met her the previous evening, and she’d showed me where to find all my clothes. “Oh, you’re up. I was just about to see if you want…” She trailed off. “Are you okay? You look…petrified.”

  “Someone shot a gun,” I said breathlessly, “and Edward isn’t in his room. Did you hear it? Is everyone okay?”

  She pinched her brows together, looking concerned. “No, Ma’am. There wasn’t a gunshot. Noise echoes off these walls. I would have definitely heard that.” Her eyes softened and flickered with pity. “You must have had a dream.”

  “I could have sworn… It didn’t feel like a dream.”

  “Maybe it was a memory from yesterday.”

  “That’s possible,” I said, sitting down on the edge of the bed, still holding my head. “That’s probably what it was. Someone shot my aunt.”

  “Yes, that has to be it.”

  Suddenly, I realized my aunt’s welfare should concern me. It wasn’t that I didn’t care, but, right now, she was a stranger like everyone else. “My aunt…is she okay?”

  “Edward told me he received an update this morning. Her condition is stable, but she’s still in a coma.”

  I nodded. “Thank you. When can I visit her?”

  “I’ll check with Edward on that.” She cleared her throat. “I need to let the chef know if you plan to come down for breakfast or if you’d prefer to have a tray brought up.” She gave me a comforting smile that eased my fear a little. When I didn’t respond right away, the smile slipped from her face. “Are you feeling ill? Should I send for the doctor?”

  “No, that’s not necessary.” I massaged my temples. “I have a headache, but I’ll be fine.”

  “Can I get you something for the pain?”

  “No, I think I probably just need to eat. I would like to come down for breakfast. Will the rest of the family be there?”

  “Yes, breakfast is served promptly at eight, and everyone is punctual. The queen sometimes has a tray delivered to her room, but I suspect she will be there this morning.”

  “Thank you. Can you come back for me before eight? I’m not sure where the breakfast room is, and Edward isn’t here to show me.”

  “Of course, take your time. You have an hour. Edward isn’t here because he likes to ride his horses at this hour.”

  I felt a measure of disappointment that he wasn’t here to check on me. Everything was strange and new, and I needed his support.

  Lydia stepped forward like she wanted to say something. “Don’t hesitate to ask for anything. You might not remember this, but we had a nice rapport. You were very kind to me.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad to hear that.”

  “I had this date and…” She glanced down, blushing. “You gave me one of your dresses—insisted I take it.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “That sounds interesting. How did the date go?”

  She grinned. “Very well. Things are starting to get serious.”

  “Congratulations.”

  She nodded and slipped out while I massaged my temples a little longer and then headed to the bathroom to take a shower. I let the hot water wash over my face and shoulders and felt myself relax instantly. A door opened and shut in the other room, and I stilled to listen. I heard footsteps and then the door closed again. It was most likely Lydia.

  I dried my hair but couldn’t remember how I applied my make-up. There was a make-up case with so many choices, most were bright, bold colors, but I found myself gravitating to soft neutral shades. I should have asked Lydia how everyone dressed for breakfast, but it was too late for that. I wandered to my walk-in closet and found a cute blue dress with classic lines that seemed appropriate. After I put it on and found a pair of blue shoes to match, I decided to explore my room before Lydia came back. Maybe something would trigger a memory, and besides that, I was extremely curious to learn more about my life.

  As I left the closet area, my eyes landed on a white piece of paper on top of my pillow. It hadn’t been there before I showered earlier, and I was interested to find out what it meant. I walked over and lifted the paper, glancing at it uncertainly. In bold letters across the page, it said: Edward never loved you. He wishes you were out of the picture so he could move on with his life.

  My heart skidded to a stop as a feeling of horror overtook me. My breath shuddered, and for one solitary moment, I felt that impending doom again. It warned me to be careful, to trust no one until I had a better idea of what was going on. I had no clue if the note had been a warning or a threat, but either way, it caused the hairs on my arms to stand straight up. Someone had tried to kill my aunt, and, maybe, I was next. What if Edward had been behind it all?

  Fear rose up my throat and clutched at my windpipe until I couldn’t breathe. How was I supposed to figure this out? Who could I trust? I needed answers…now. Without a second thought, I ripped up the note and threw the pieces in a nearby trashcan. In a matter of minutes, I managed to rummage through my desk, pulling out all kinds of papers. There was a church bulletin, and when I flipped it over, I noticed a number of Bible verse references. I set it aside and observed a take-out menu from a local restaurant, a few business cards, and a calendar with activities scribbled down. I looked at the calendar more closely and saw I had blocked out time to meet with a dressmaker. There were also regular appointments with a hairdresser and sessions at a spa.

  I continued to look through my things until Lydia came back for me and escorted me to the breakfast room. I was glad I had asked for her help because the castle wound around and around, almost like a maze, and I would surely have gotten lost if I had ventured out on my own.

  The family was already there, but I didn’t see Edward. They were standing near the front wall at a long table with a huge assortment of fruits and pastries and muffins, along with eggs and a variety of meats.

  I heard footsteps, and then someone touched my elbow, and I turned to find Edward standing there. “I’m sorry I’m late. I meant to come back earlier so I could walk with you to breakfast, but one of the horses is ill, and I was talking to the groom. Please forgive me for not being here. I went to your room, but you weren’t th
ere, so I came down, hoping you’d be here.” He appeared sincere, but I wasn’t sure if I could trust my instincts.

  I narrowed my eyes. “It’s okay. Lydia showed me the way.”

  “There’s no excuse. After everything you’ve been through, I should have been there.”

  “No harm done. I’m fine.”

  We made our own plates of food and sat at the table with the rest of his family. Nothing about this seemed familiar, and an uncomfortable silence ensued. No one spoke and everyone appeared content to remain lost in their own thoughts though they exchanged plenty of glances. I had a feeling my presence was the cause of this awkwardness.

  Edward’s brother, Arthur, finally broke the ice. His features were similar to Edward’s, though his hair was a darker shade of brown, and he had dark, chocolate eyes like his mother, while Edward favored his father a little more. “How are you feeling today? This must seem like a strange dream to you.”

  “I had a headache this morning, but it’s better now, and, you’re right, it does feel like a dream.” I thought of how I’d woken up to the sound of a gunshot, but I knew I couldn’t share that, or they’d all think I was crazy. “Did I normally come down for breakfast? Is this my regular routine?”

  “You joined us about twice a week,” Helena said. “But you usually showed up just as everyone finished up.”

  “Oh.” I frowned. “Was that because I liked to sleep in?”

  Helena’s brows lowered. “I think that was partly the reason.”

  “And the others were?” I glanced around the table, hoping to glean more information about my life, but they’d all lowered their eyes to their plates.

  When no one spoke, Edward cleared his throat. “You never really said, but I suspect it’s because you’re not an early bird. You prefer to stay up late into the night.”

  The others began talking quietly amongst themselves, and Edward leaned in. “I have some business I need to attend to this morning, but Georgina called earlier and said she would like to come by to see you.”