Cecilia (The Families 0f Dorset Book 3) by Martha Keyes

Author:Martha Keyes [Keyes, Martha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cosgrove Family Siblings, Historical Romance, Women's Fiction, Victorian Era, 19th Century, Forever Love, Bachelor, Single Woman, Love Possibility, Hearts Desire, Clean & Wholesome, Christian Stories, Inspirational Reads, Love Inspired, Life-Changes, Second Chance Reunion, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Love-Family & Forever, Action & Adventure, Families 0f Dorset Series, Beautiful & Feisty
Publisher: Martha Keyes
Published: 2019-11-13T05:00:00+00:00

14

Jacques sat down to breakfast the day after the masquerade with a crease in his brow. He had been fighting off ill-humor ever since Miss Cosgrove's comment about his sordid past.

Little did she know how near the mark she had hit.

But to her, such a possibility was laughable—and only because it was unbelievable.

It was with dismay that she had seen his reaction to her joke. And he had known a moment of wishing to tell her everything.

She had become so open and genuine with him that he wished—painfully wished—that he could do the same.

But he couldn't. And he hated that he couldn't. He hated deceiving her into thinking that he was something so far from what he truly was.

He stared at the food on his plate for a moment, then scooted his chair back and strode out of the room.

He needed to speak with his father. Whether Jacques wanted to reveal his past or not, the marquess was certainly determined to ferret out damaging information about him. Jacques doubted he could manage such a feat—it had been more than twenty years since their arrival, after all—but he needed to be sure that there was no way the man could discover their ruse.

He knocked lightly on his father's bedroom door and opened it when he heard his father's voice welcome him in.

His father's valet stood behind him, making a few final touches to the small curls gathered in a band behind the Comte’s head. He wore an elaborate silk dressing gown—he had always been much more comfortable flaunting himself in expensive clothing than Jacques. Sometimes Jacques thought his father truly was made to be a Comte.

"Oh," his father said with a smile, turning around so that his valet's nostrils flared in annoyance. "I hadn't expected you, Jacques."

Jacques smiled perfunctorily. "I thought I would pay you a visit since the rest of the world has been up for hours, and you haven't yet made an appearance."

His father laughed jovially and slapped him on the shoulder. "When you're my age, you'll do the same, mon fils."

Jacques smiled and glanced at the valet. Following his gaze, his father looked at the valet and back to Jacques before saying, "Merci, Fortin." The valet executed a deep bow and left them to themselves.

"What is it, Jacques?" his father said as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I assume that you wish to be private with me, or else you would have simply waited for me to come down to breakfast."

Jacques nodded and inhaled. "Father, is there anyone who might be aware of our true identities?"

His father began shaking his head, but Jacques pressed on. "Anyone at all, Father. A servant who assisted the Comte upon arrival in Dover, even?"

His father shook his head again. "I sent one of the shipmen ahead of us to the inn to ensure that a room should be prepared for the Comte to rest in. When we arrived at the inn, we went straight to the room."

Jacques worried his lip.

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