Free You Only Love Twice by Elizabeth Thornton Page B

rested her chin on the back of her hand and gazed into space. “What did you think of Lord Dundas?”
    “I liked him. He seemed genuinely interested in our work.”
    “Strange that he should offer to sign our lease. I had the distinct impression, when he first arrived, that he’d come to evict us.”
    Sister Elvira’s bright eyes gleamed shrewdly. “Oh, I don’t think there’s any doubt of that.”
    Sister Dolores slowly turned her head and her dark brows knitted in a perplexed frown. “Then what made him change his mind?”
    “The good Lord, of course, and …”
    “And?”
    “Well, we did play upon the poor man’s conscience. It’sa powerful combination, the good Lord and a good conscience, as we should know.”
    “Mmm. You don’t think Jessica had something to do with it?”
    “Of course Jessica had something to do with it, but I doubt that Lord Dundas is aware of it.” Sister Elvira chuckled. “With Jessica not remembering anything, he’ll have to court her all over again.”
    Sister Dolores’s jaw went slack. “Your imagination is running away with you, Sister Elvira.”
    “Would you like to bet on it?”
    “You heard Jessica. Her father tried to force Lord Dundas to marry her and he refused.”
    “I heard her,” agreed Sister Elvira, “but I know what my eyes tell me.”
    Nonplussed, Sister Dolores simply stared.
    Sister Elvira, who had more experience of the world and its wicked ways than Sister Dolores, knew when she was on to a good thing. “Three to one says it will be a summer wedding.”
    Sister Dolores gasped. “I think you’ve taken leave of your senses!”
    “For mercy’s sake, it’s only toffees we’re betting. And it wouldn’t be the first time. Besides, the mother superior will never get to hear of it. Who would tell her?”
    “That’s not what I meant. Jessica doesn’t even like Lord Dundas. That was patently obvious.”
    There was the sound of breaking glass in the kitchen.
    Sister Elvira leaned toward the other nun, till they were practically nose to nose. “Four to one,” she whispered.
    “You’re a bad influence!”
    “Treacle toffees,” Sister Elvira threw in, shamelessly exploiting one of Sister Dolores’s few weaknesses.
    “The kind your nephew supplies you with?”
    “The same.”
    “And what’s my stake?”
    “Those sugar plums your niece sends you on your birthday.”
    Sister Dolores smiled a slow, calculating smile. “You’re on,” she said.

CHAPTER
6
    A fter Lucas had seen Jessica enter the house, he turned the curricle around and made for home. He paid little heed to his surroundings. His mind was engrossed with thoughts of Jessica.
    She’d lost her memory. When the nuns had told him, he hadn’t believed it; he hadn’t wanted to believe it. In fact, he’d been downright suspicious and had questioned them at length. They thought nothing of the inconsistency he’d found in Jess’s story, and he couldn’t tell them about how Jess had melted in his arms, as if she’d left him only yesterday. But as soon as he’d left Hawkshill, he’d rushed to Chalford to confront Jess in person. Then he’d found her in the Black Swan and they’d got off on the wrong foot.
    She’d lost her memory. That’s not how it had seemed to him three days ago when he’d practically taken her on her kitchen table. And for three days, he’d stewed about things. When she’d gone missing all those years ago, he’d combed the county for her, he’d combed London, but he’dnever thought to look for her in a convent. And all this time, he’d lived in dread that the constable or one of his friends would knock on his door and tell him that her body or her bones had been found. That’s why he’d been enraged when she’d turned up three years later, safe and sound, with nary a word to him in all that time.
    But if she’d lost her memory, that would explain everything.
    He had to accept it. For one thing, nuns didn’t tell lies. And for another, Jess was