Double Deceit Read Online Free PDF Page A

he was a fortune hunter.
    He cringed, for he despised that term and all it stood for. But he could not deny that he was, in fact, a fortune hunter. He was willing to wed a stranger, described by her own father as a deformed freak, because he needed her dowry.
    He paced the length of the gallery and back, scanning his ancestors as he wrestled with the problem. He must court Miss Vale, hide his identity and purpose, convince her he cared, and win her heart so thoroughly that she would forgive his imposture and wed him anyway. And he must do it under Sir Winton’s nose.
    Damnation! It wasn’t possible.
    He stared at his mother’s portrait. It had been painted shortly after her marriage and revealed a carefree happiness he’d never recognized. Her smile was wide, her eyes sparkling. He could see her twirling around a ballroom, charming every gentleman into slavish adoration. But that girl was gone, replaced by a timid woman struggling to survive in a harsh world. Could he release her from her long imprisonment? She had often sacrificed her own pleasure to protect him from Linden’s wrath, so he owed her his best effort. Even restoring the security of Linden Park would not balance all she had done for him.
    He resumed pacing, this time looking for ways around each obstacle. Approaching Miss Vale as Tony Linden was impossible. Even a recluse would associate the name with vice. So he must conceal his identity and accept the consequences of such a deceit.
    But concealing his identity posed serious problems. He had never spoken to Sir Winton, but he knew the man by sight. Thus, he had to assume that Sir Winton would recognize him. The conundrum beat against his temples. How could he hide in a house headed by a man who knew him, a man who had already refused to consider him as a suitor…
    His great-grandfather stared down from the wall, brown eyes twinkling with humor.
    Brown eyes.
    The Linden looks.
    Jon.
    Every detail fell neatly into place as he rode toward the village. From a distance, he and Jon were nearly identical – same height, same build, same dark brown hair. At close quarters, the resemblance ended, but Sir Winton had never been close.
    In light of the family looks, hiding his connection to Linden Park was impossible, but if he and Jon exchanged identities, he could appear as an innocent bystander. Jon could be the rakehell fortune hunter that everyone avoided. It should not be difficult. Jon knew him better than anyone and could copy the flamboyant bow and exaggerated formality that made Tony Linden stand out in any crowd. The contrast allowed Anthony Torwell to fade into the background.
    Ten-year-old Jon had moved to Linden Park after the death of his parents. Tony had welcomed him, delighted to have a playmate only a year his senior. Despite their differences – Jon was quiet, conformable, and avoided trouble – they had become closer than brothers. Tony had been the leader, his insistence drawing Jon into numerous pranks. But Jon had never complained, just as Tony had never begrudged Linden’s preference for Jon’s quiet obedience or the way he held Jon up as a pattern card during every lecture. Only the boys knew how often Jon covered up Tony’s escapades.
    The closeness remained. Jon continued to protect him by keeping his secrets. He was the only one besides Torwell’s single servant who knew the antiquarian. That was a secret even Lady Linden did not share.
    “Tony!” exclaimed Jon when he arrived on the vicarage doorstep. “I did not expect you here until Christmas.”
    “You don’t know?”
    “Know what?” Jon sent his housekeeper for refreshments, then ushered him into the library.
    “Father lost the estate in a dice game.”
    Jon choked. Tony had to pound him on the back before he could breathe again. “D-dice?”
    “He also lost everything else.” He explained. Jon’s shock matched his own.
    “What will Aunt Mary do?”
    “I will have to provide for her.” Tony shrugged.
    “Living