Free The Unforgettable Hero by Valerie Bowman Page A

the manuscript and sighed. “Unfortunately no, but I asked her for their family name and managed to convince the poor distraught girl to pay us a call this afternoon. I’ve sent for Dr. Archibald. I’m hoping once the sisters sit down and speak it may trigger Cecelia’s memory. I do recognize the name Harcourt, by the by. I wonder if Viscount Harewood is her uncle. I seem to remember his brother and his wife being killed in a carriage accident not long ago.”
    Adam swallowed. Was that Cecelia? The niece of a viscount? An orphan? But if her uncle was a viscount, why did she need money desperately enough to try to sell a romantic novel? “Has the family fallen on hard times?”
    “I doubt the viscount has,” Lucy replied. “But one never knows. The brother who died was the youngest if I remember correctly. I’ve no idea what his income may have been. But I do believe there might have been a strain in the family, too. Perhaps her Lord Harewood isn’t caring for her.”
    Adam crossed over to the sideboard and poured himself a drink. “Did you try to tell Cecelia her name?”
    “Yes.” Lucy sighed again. “Nothing. She’s worried, Adam. She’s frightened. She knows her mother isn’t sick. She insisted I tell her the truth. I did my best to keep her calm and not upset her any further, but she suspects something.” Lucy dabbed at her nose with her handkerchief again. “I don’t know what we’ll do if her sister can’t spark her memory.” She smiled. “Have a permanent houseguest, I suppose.” Lucy laughed. “Or perhaps you’ll just have to marry her, Adam.”
    Adam clenched his jaw. He couldn’t marry her. Not now. Not ever. Especially not if she was the niece of a viscount. He might have standing in Society being the brother of a duke, but it wasn’t an old, established title. And the youngest brother of a duke wasn’t exactly the preferred match a viscount might relish for his niece. If her uncle was Lord Harewood, Adam doubted he’d want his niece to become Mrs. Secretary at the Home Office. But the real reason Adam couldn’t marry Cecelia, the reason he shouldn’t have ever even touched her, was that he didn’t deserve her. She’d been at his mercy, not knowing who she was. And like a complete louse, he’d enjoyed it. Enjoyed it more than he should, certainly, this poor girl’s misfortune. Enjoyed pretending to be a duke for two days, enjoyed how she’d made him feel special. How she’d made him feel wanted. Of course it hadn’t been him she’d wanted. He’d always known that. It had been who she thought he was, a hero in a novel. A mythical duke. Not a real man. Not him. Not Adam Hunt. Not ever. But it didn’t change that fact that he’d been an utter ass to have enjoyed pretending, if only for two days.
    Adam tugged at his cravat. A knock sounded on the door, and both he and Lucy turned their heads. Cecelia’s face appeared in the opening. Her hair was up, and she wore a fetching pale-green gown. Adam immediately stood. He couldn’t help his smile. He’d come to look forward to seeing her. How could he feel that way after a span of only two days? His chest ached. He’d actually miss her when she was gone. Which, of course, made no sense whatsoever. He glanced at her again. He couldn’t help but remember their kiss. His breeches tightened. Perhaps Cecelia remembered it, too, because she blushed beautifully and averted her gaze.
    “Yes, dear?” Lucy called to her. “What is it?”
    Cecelia entered the room and stood nervously shifting from one foot to the other, the fingers of one hand encircling the opposite wrist. “Lucy?” she ventured. “I think I remember.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
    Maggie wanted Peter to be in the room when she admitted that she remembered the girl in the street from this morning, but the butler came in directly behind her.
    “Dr. Archibald has arrived,” the butler announced.
    Peter nearly sprang toward the door. “I’ll go see him settled.”
    Maggie