Free An Unnatural Daughter: A Dark Regency Mystery by Katherine Holt Page B

that?’
    ‘It has potential – so long as it isn’t Caliban or something of that nature.’
    ‘No, no.’ I chewed my lip some more. ‘It’s As You Like It, I’m sure. Yes, Orlando. I shall call you Orlando. That’s not actually your name, is it?’ I asked, as he smirked.
    ‘No, but as it happens, Tristan lent me his copy of the complete works to pass the time. It hadn’t really tempted me until now, but I’d like to see why you chose it. I assume he’s wonderfully handsome.’
    I giggled.
    ‘Look for strangers, Orlando. It’s just one line. That should help you find him. Now I’ve named you, perhaps you should know me. I’m Alice.’
    ‘I know.’
    ‘Oh.’ I felt deflated. ‘Well, of course, I suppose Edwina and Tristan told you.’
    ‘Yes. But I’m not sure I believe it. You don’t look like an Alice.’
    ‘And you don’t look like an Orlando,’ I answered quickly. I didn’t want him to dwell on my own subterfuge.
    ‘Ah, so he isn’t wonderfully handsome then?’ Orlando rose, and held out his hand to me. ‘I’m afraid I should probably return to my confines.’
    ‘Oh.’ I took his hand and he helped me rise. It was warm and rough, and I could feel the dust and calluses on his skin.
    He kept hold of my hand and led me towards the tapestry.
    ‘Shall we keep it a secret? That we met. I don’t know why but – it would be awkward, I think, explaining to Edwina and Tristan, and I find-’
    He trailed off, but I knew what he meant. I may have had more secrets than I was comfortable with already, but that the two of us had met, and the moments we had shared before I even knew he was real, well, I found that I wanted to keep them between just the two of us.
    ‘It might be awkward- for Edwina- for me to find out about you. To find out she’d kept it from me, maybe. But if it meant you could live out here, openly-’
    ‘Oh no,’ Orlando said quickly, shaking his head. ‘It doesn’t change a thing. I wasn’t just hiding from you, you know.’
    ‘Our secret, then.’
    We smiled at one another, and I realised we were still holding hands. I stiffened slightly, and he noticed too. I let go with reluctance, enjoying the feeling of his rough skin sliding over my smooth fingers.
    ‘Let me show you the catch. Should you need it – or if you want to talk to me, and you can do it without anyone knowing – then you can find me.’
    He pulled back the heavy tapestry and pointed out a slightly raised knot in the wood panelling.
    ‘When the door’s closed it’s completely flat, you just have to press it down and it clicks open.’
    He demonstrated if for me, and I caught a glimpse of a narrow corridor behind, thick with dust but for a few surfaces and handprints where he must have touched it.
    ‘I hope your father recovers soon,’ he said, looking at me with concern.
    ‘It seems strange you know everything about me, when I’ve only just met you.’ I shifted nervously, wondering what else he’d seen or heard when I hadn’t known he was there.
    ‘Not everything, Alice. I don’t want to call you Alice, but it only seems fair since you have saddled me with Orlando. Who knows, perhaps we shall find out more about one another yet.’
    He leaned forward and caught my wrist, sliding his fingers down my palm again and kissing my hand. My breath caught in my throat, and I thought he noticed and so laughed it off, saying,
    ‘You’re an incorrigible rogue. I hope I never see you again.’
    My Orlando smiled, squeezed my hand, and disappeared into the small door, clicking it shut behind him. I watched the tapestry as it swayed back to rights, and stayed there, staring at it still, long after it had stopped moving. Then I looked at my hand. It felt different, I felt different, although everything looked the same. The possible implications of his invitation still hung in the air. 

CHAPTER 10
    Til Death Us Do Part
     
     
     
     
     
    Our wedding took place in the village church, just quarter of a