Free The Viscount's Counterfeit Wife by J. Jade Jordan

her special
gift, he decided. That and her serene presence and quiet dignity
steadied him as he stumbled about in the darkness of his mind. Her
kindness and caring kindled a warm feeling in him. Whoever he was, he
sensed he hadn’t known much of these commodities in recent times.
Perhaps that was why he’d married her. Or maybe she was being
especially caring on account of his memory loss.
    If that was the case,
he might not mind being without his recollections.
    No, no, that wouldn’t
do. He had this strong sense there was an important reason he had to
know who he was and fast. His hand came up to rub the back of his
neck.
    A noise at the door had
her fine, dark eyes turning to smile at the old curmudgeon, Foster,
who entered with a second, lighter tray on which sat a pot of hot
tea. He was quickly followed by a young boy, no more than eight or
nine, bearing a tray of rattling cups and saucers. Reed swallowed a
smile. It took three of them to serve one meal! Where, he wondered
absently, were the maids?
    The sudden growling of
his stomach told him that, after eating almost nothing for however
many days, he was ready for his breakfast. Seeing how full the trays
were, though, he exclaimed, “Surely you can’t expect me to eat
all that!”
    Talia chuckled lightly.
“I’m going to share your meal with you this morning, if you want
my company.”
    There was that warmth
welling inside him again, as she gave him one of her rare smiles.
    “Definitely!” He
returned her smile and was surprised to see a rosy tint seep into her
cheeks. He couldn’t recall how long it had been since he’d been
with a young lady who blushed so innocently.
    Well, naturally not,
you fool. If he couldn’t recall anything at all, he certainly
wouldn’t be able to remember that.
    Her air of calm
assurance had misled him into thinking her older. Odd that his wife
still colored at his smile. She must surely have been on the
receiving end of many.
    Tally wished she didn’t
blush so easily. He’d think her a ninny. Bad enough she had to
constantly be on her guard not to inadvertently say the wrong thing,
without acting like a silly miss with mash for brains.
    “I’m not accustomed
to spending so much time inactive.” He stopped, an arrested look on
his face. “I just remembered something!” He sat up straighter.
“Have you some writing paper and a pencil handy?”
    At her startled look,
he gave a rueful smile, “No, I haven’t remembered someone I need
to write to. I’ve been thinking I should keep track of the memories
that come back to me… in case I forget them again just as quickly.”
    “It seems we are of
similar minds. I brought some with me.” She held up several sheets
of paper and, smiling shyly, she handed them over with a pencil. “I
thought we might try to… um… find some of your memories and I
will write them down.”
    “I can do that.” He
reached for the paper and pencil, but lost his balance and slid
sideways.
    Tally rushed forward
and put her arm around his shoulders to steady him.
    She was surprised to
realize he was shaking. Concerned, she bent to see his demeanor. He
looked sheepish and was laughing quietly at his inability to sit
properly by himself. She held her breath, riveted by the twinkle
sparkling in his expressive eyes.
    “Pretty bad when a
fellow can’t even sit up straight by himself.” At her continued
silence, he said, “Don’t worry. I’m feeling a bit light-headed.
To tell the truth, I’ve been dizzy ever since regaining
consciousness.”
    Now she was the
embarrassed one. That darn laudanum was the reason for his addled
state, she knew. She wished she could reduce the dose she was giving
him but the doctor said their uninvited guest needed plenty of rest
to recover his memory.
    Handing him the paper
and pencil, she acknowledged it was also essential to their nightly
changing of the bandages covering his gunshot wound. She wasn’t
ready for him to discover that she’d shot him yet.
    Foster