A Christmas Bride Read Online Free PDF

understatement.”
    â€œI am so uncertain of everything, so it is not easy to compare one thing to another.” When his eyes narrowed as he looked down at her, she sat straighter, drawing the cloth off her head, and hastened to add, “My lord, we were speaking of your grandfather. I had remarked that I believed you care deeply for him. Is that so?”
    Lord Cheyney sat once more on the chair. “You need not make that a question. I do not recall my own parents, for they both died when I was very young. My grandfather raised me at his country estate of Cheyney Park on the North York moors.” His mouth tilted into an ironic grin. “Now I have confused you even further, for I can see that you wonder how I could be false with a man I profess to care for so much.”
    â€œIt is not my place to question your motives, my lord.”
    His grin became a grimace. “You should call me Timothy.”
    â€œAnd you will call me Serenity?”
    â€œWill you have trouble answering to that?”
    She kneaded her fingers against her drawn-up knees. “No more than answering to anything else, for I would not recognize my own name if you were to speak it to me.”
    â€œIt seems very likely that you will eventually recall your past.”
    â€œI hope you are correct. Now I do not even remember either my brother or sister.”
    Her voice must have sounded even more despairing to his ears than to her own, because he took her hands in his again and said, “As soon as you remember anything, even the most insignificant fact, come to me. I promise you that I will make arrangements to have you sent back to where you truly belong, so you can continue your life as it should have been.” He smiled. “And do not fret about your brother and sister. I will make some inquiries as to what school they are attending in London.”
    â€œWhat makes you think my brother and sister are in London?” She was curious what he had seen in the letter that she had missed.
    â€œMay I?” He pointed to the folded letter on the bed.
    â€œOf course.”
    When he reached past her to pick up the slip of paper, the scents of soap and horseflesh surrounded her. She gazed up at him as he lifted the page from the coverlet and scanned it. Again, she wondered why he had needed to ask a lady’s maid with no memories of her past to pretend to be his betrothed. She was certain—as she was of little else—that this handsome man would have had no trouble persuading a lady to help him ease his grandfather’s concerns.
    Her fingers tightened on the coverlet. Lord Cheyney’s father was dead, and his cousin had introduced himself as Mr . Wayne. Lord Cheyney must be the earl’s heir. Mayhap that reason was why he had not asked a lady of his acquaintance to assist him. A betrothal to the heir of an elderly earl would be the talk of the ton . Its dissolution might very well shame the lady involved.
    Why did she know these things with such confidence, but could not recall her own name?
    â€œAh, here it is,” the viscount said, tapping the letter. “I was certain I saw it amid all the blotches of ink. It is impossible to guess if this was written by a child or an adult.”
    â€œSaw what amid the blotches?”
    â€œThe mention of an outing in the Park. I doubt if it could be any park other than Hyde Park. No other city, but London, to my knowledge, has a park like it, and no other park surrounding the city matches the description here, save for Hyde Park.” Folding the page, he handed it back to her. “Once I have had my solicitor determine where they are attending school, I will make arrangements for the money to be transferred to pay for their schooling.”
    â€œBefore this has even begun?”
    His eyes became dark slits again. “Why do you think I should be so suspicious of you that I don’t trust you to do as you have promised?”
    She started to