His Makeshift Wife

His Makeshift Wife
ANNE ASHLEY

IS HE A RAKE TO TRUST? Spirited Briony Winters can’t believe her ears! Her beloved godmother’s will pushes her into marriage – with notorious rake Luke Kingsley. But when her wickedly handsome husband-to-be promises not to claim his rights, Briony takes a deep breath and says, ‘I do…’ Luke is used to having secrets, and he’s keeping his true reasons for marrying Briony hidden.Let her believe him merely another spoilt, indebted rakehell. Yet it’s increasingly hard to hide his real self from his ever more inquisitive wife…‘Anne Ashley captivates with a tale of intrigue, mystery, suspense and romance…’ – RT Book Reviews on Miss in a Man’s World

He slowly approached the bed, all at once seeming far taller and broader in his casual attire.

His face seemed different too—younger somehow, with several locks of waving brown hair tumbling over his forehead, and there was a definite intense, almost hungry look in those grey eyes that never for a second wavered from her direction.

‘Have you misplaced something, perhaps?’ she added, all at once feeling decidedly ill-at-ease when he seated himself, uninvited, on the edge of the bed, and placed one bronzed hand so close to her that his thumb rested against her thigh.

‘Only my bride,’ he returned silkily, sending her unease soaring in an instant.

Her response was to draw up her knees and tug the bedcovers up to her chin, clutching them frantically. ‘You—you f-forget yourself, sir!’ Even to her own ears her voice sounded little more than a choked whisper. ‘Or have you forgotten the bargain you made?’

‘I forget nothing. But for appearances’ sake I felt I must at least … er … pay you a visit,’ he responded, his voice growing more and more husky. ‘So whilst I’m here I might as well avail myself of the opportunity to discover if, perchance, you’ve changed your mind and desire to become a wife in … every sense?’

About the Author

A love of history, coupled with little desire to return to clerical work after raising two sons, prompted ANNE ASHLEY to attempt writing romantic fiction. When not working on a new story she can more often than not be found—weather permitting!—pottering in her cottage garden. Other interests include reading, and a real passion for live theatre. She also very much enjoys relaxing on warm summer afternoons with her husband, watching the Somerset team playing cricket.

Previous novels by the same author:

A NOBLE MAN* (#ulink_8f5db0b4-ff56-59e8-a2b1-58f41a158180) LORD EXMOUTH’S INTENTIONS* (#ulink_8f5db0b4-ff56-59e8-a2b1-58f41a158180) THE RELUCTANT MARCHIONESS TAVERN WENCH BELOVED VIRAGO LORD HAWKRIDGE’S SECRET BETRAYED AND BETROTHED A LADY OF RARE QUALITY LADY GWENDOLEN INVESTIGATES THE TRANSFORMATION OF MISS ASHWORTH MISS IN A MAN’S WORLD THE VISCOUNT’S SCANDALOUS RETURN

* (#ulink_7a50d17e-42bd-5c05-94c4-f81695082969)part of the Regency mini-series The Steepwood Scandal

Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks?

Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

His Makeshift Wife

Anne Ashley

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Chapter One

April 1813

Miss Briony Winters raised her eyes briefly to the leaden sky. It had been a fitting day for the funeral, grey and sombre, matching her mood exactly, she decided, turning away from the window in order to bid a final farewell to the last of the mourners.

‘Thank you for coming, Dr Mansfield. Although you’ve only quite recently come among us, you’ve already earned the respect of many in our community. You certainly made a favourable impression on my dear godmother when she required your services not so very long ago.’

Far from appearing gratified, the young practitioner gazed sombrely down at the slender hand he retained in his clasp. ‘It’s a great pity I was unable to diagnose Lady Ashworth’s condition at the time. She complained only of feeling unusually tired and betrayed no other symptoms of a weak heart.’

‘No one could possibly blame you, sir, least of all me,’ Briony assured him gently, while finally becoming conscious of the inordinate amount of time her hand had been resting in his comfortable, consoling clasp and withdrawing it at once. ‘My godmother was fortunate enough to enjoy shockingly good health throughout most of her life. No one suspected how ill she was. I don’t believe she even realised it herself. She merely thought she was overtired. She made numerous trips during the last twelve months of her life, visiting various friends and relations. She even went so far as to add considerable miles to her most recent journey by visiting London late last year and remaining for a week or two in the capital.’

Briony took a moment to regain command over her emotions. She had stoically maintained control throughout the ordeal of the funeral and had no intention of breaking down now, at least not while mourners remained in the house.

‘Besides which, I believe my godmother would have chosen to go that way,’ she added, determined to appear mistress of her emotions by discussing a topic that was still so very painful. ‘She had scant regard for those who continually cosset themselves, or take to their beds over the slightest ailment. A long drawn-out illness would have been the very last thing I would have wished upon her. All the same, the unexpectedness of Lady Ashworth’s passing is a little hard to come to terms with.’

‘And that is why you must not shut yourself away from the world for too long,’ the doctor cautioned, while at the same time casting an expert eye over much-admired features, which clearly betrayed those telltale signs of strain and grief. ‘I know you’ve many good friends hereabouts who would be only too willing to offer comfort and support. And I sincerely trust one day you will come to look upon my sister Florence and me in just such a light.’

The pretty young woman at his side readily concurred and went on to issue a verbal invitation to dine in the not-too-distant future. Unfortunately Briony couldn’t imagine she would ever attain much pleasure in socialising again, most especially as the wonderful person who had stood in place of a mother during the past dozen years would no longer be at her side. None the less, mindful of the social niceties which her beloved godmother had succeeded in drilling into her during their time together, she sounded sincere enough when she announced she would look forward to the evening.

The invitation to dine at the vicarage, which followed immediately afterwards, was no less graciously accepted. Even so, the instant the vicar and his good lady wife had accompanied the Mansfields from the room, Briony slumped down on one of the comfortable sofas, feeling all at once emotionally drained, yet attaining some comfort from the knowledge that she had behaved on what had been one of the most trying days of her entire life as her dear, late godmother would have wished.

Sighing, she rested her head against the comfort of the upholstery, wondering why, now that the last of the mourners had finally taken their leave and she could give way to emotion, the tears simply refused to come.

Maybe there were no more left to shed, she reflected. After all, hadn’t she cried bucketfuls since the morning her beloved benefactress had been discovered lifeless in her bed? Would she ever forget the moment when she had taken that cold hand in her own and had realised the heartrending truth? She had never forgotten the day a dozen years before when that self-same hand had grasped hers, warm and consoling, as she had watched her mother being placed in the ground. She would never have supposed it possible, then, that she would ever come to look upon another female in the light of a mother, but she had. Lady Ashworth had quickly won a young girl’s love and respect, and in so doing had succeeded in transforming a somewhat tomboyish rapscallion, too fond of climbing trees and getting into all sorts of mischief, into a young woman who would not seem out of place in the most elegant London salon.

No mean feat! Briony was silently obliged to acknowledge, a moment before her attention was claimed by the late Lady Ashworth’s cook-housekeeper, and almost lifelong companion, who had slipped silently into the room.

‘Seen the last of them to their carriages, Janet?’ A spontaneous smile clearly betrayed the fond regard in which she held the middle-aged servant. ‘What would I have done without you this day?’

The smile in response held no less warmth. ‘Oh, you’d have coped, miss. Hidden depths, that’s what you’ve got, Miss Briony. Mistress always said so. Said you’d always come through in times of trouble.’

‘And I sincerely hope she will be proved to be right.’ Experiencing anything but conviction over her hidden reserves of fortitude, Briony rose from the sofa and went across to the window once again. This time, as she stared out, it wasn’t the grey and overcast sky she saw, only the prospect of a somewhat gloomy future. The truth, however, had to be faced. Better to do so now, she told herself, than retain false hopes.

‘Of course, I shan’t know until I’ve had the meeting with Lady Ashworth’s man of business, but it’s almost certain I shan’t be able to continue living here. Apart from anything else, I simply couldn’t afford to do so.’

Turning away from the window, Briony considered the house she had called home for half her life. Although perhaps not a very large or particularly opulent dwelling for the widow of a wealthy baron, at least not by some standards, the building was well proportioned, boasting half-a-dozen roomy bedchambers and a very elegant west-facing main reception room. The drawing room was undoubtedly her favourite salon, she decided, glancing absently about her, possibly because she had spent so much time here in the company of her godmother.

‘Mistress wouldn’t have left you without the means to support yourself, miss, that I do know,’ Janet assured, after catching the wistful expression on the delicate face that was quite without flaw, except perhaps for a slightly over-generous mouth. ‘She came to love you, looked upon you as the daughter she’d never been blessed to have.’

‘That’s as may be, Janet. But she also looked upon that wretch Luke Kingsley as the son she’d never been blessed to have. And he is blood kin, let me remind you.’

Briony gave herself a mental shake in an attempt not to allow personal prejudice cloud her judgement, but she was only partially successful in her endeavours, as her next words proved.

‘You know better than anyone how she raised him from when he was little more than a babe in arms. Showered everything upon him. Even persuaded her brother to arrange a commission for him so that he might enter the army when he’d finished at Oxford. And how does he repay all those years of devotion …? He cannot even bestir himself to attend his aunt’s funeral!’

‘Well, I expect Master Luke had his reasons for not being here today,’ Janet countered, proving at a stroke that she held her late mistress’s favourite relative in somewhat higher regard. ‘Since he became his uncle’s heir, and left the army, he’s been kept busy, I expect. What with dancing attendance upon Lord Kingsley in Kent, and travelling so often to the capital, I don’t suppose he’s time for much else.’

‘Much else other than his string of light-skirts!’ Briony countered. ‘If the gossips are to be believed, the infamous Lady Tockington’s his latest strumpet. I wonder how long she will reign supreme? Not long if past conquests are anything to go by. He’s not what you’d call constant in his attentions, now is he? His list of entanglements is legend!’

‘Well, upon my word! What would the mistress say if she heard you talking like that?’

Briony couldn’t resist smiling at this pitiful attempt at a reprimand. ‘She’d try to appear affronted, much as you’re doing now. But she’d have made a somewhat more convincing show of doing so.’ All at once she was serious. ‘But even you must own to the fact that Godmama began to despair at some of the rumours circulating about her precious nephew.’

‘That’s as may be,’ the housekeeper conceded, ‘but that don’t alter the fact the mistress thought highly of Master Luke, no matter what the gossipmongers said about him. And mistress was a fine judge of character. After all, she knew you’d turn out well, right enough. So very proud of you she was, too.’

The sudden shadow of grief passing over Briony’s features was unmistakable and resulted in the housekeeper rushing across to her side to offer comfort, just as she had done time and again during the past ten days or so.

Slipping an arm around Briony’s slender shoulders, she held the younger woman close. ‘There, there, Miss Briony … chin up! The servants are all looking to you to see them right, remember? The Lord alone knows what will become of us all! As you say, Master Luke might well inherit the house. But who’s to say he wouldn’t sell it? When all’s said and done, he’s been content to remain most all year round in the capital since he left the army. And don’t forget he’s got his own fine place in Derbyshire. Mayhap he’s no taste for country life n’more.’

‘No, perhaps not,’ Briony agreed. ‘All the same, I’m sure he’d do everything within his power to ensure you, at least, could remain in the house. Even I recall how very fond of you he used to be.’

‘That’s as may be, miss,’ Janet responded, after releasing her hold to go about the room in order to plump up cushions. ‘But I shan’t stay here, not without you.