Emily Hendrickson by The Unexpected Wife Read Free Book Online Page A

visited property. Truth to tell, he had expected serious neglect, even mildew and rot.
    “Randall, take the carriage around to the back, I would enter the house before anyone knows I have come.”
    Seeing the wisdom of the element of surprise, the valet did as bid.
    Alexander strolled along the graveled path, observing the neatly pruned trees and shrubs, beautifully planted beds, and knew a feeling as though someone lived there, resided permanently. Amazing!
    He opened the front door without knocking first, wanting to examine the rooms without a housekeeper hovering at his elbow. The first thing that struck him was the vase of fresh flowers on the commode in the entry hall. He proceeded to the drawing room to note that everything had the same fresh look to it, as though the owner had just stepped from the room. There were flowers here as well. And his grandmother’s harp looked as though she had just finished a tune. Then he espied the small worktable, a piece of needlework tumbling from the opening with the air of having been cast down but a moment ago.
    Greatly puzzled, he decided that without any of the family about Mrs. Bassett had taken the house as her own, which was quite agreeable to him if she kept the place in such excellent condition. He returned to the hall to be greeted by a small exclamation of surprise from a short, plump woman.
    “Lawks, sirrah, and who might you be?” The woman drew herself to her full height and held a mixing spoon as though it were a sword.
    “Might you be Mrs. Bassett?” he queried before replying.
    “Indeed, I am, sir. And you? I do not know you.”
    “No, you do not. I am Hawkswood, you see.” He assumed his usual pose when announcing himself to a servant or one who was of an inferior position.
    His statement brought a strange reaction. Mrs. Bassett gave him a suspicious look, then seemed to freeze. “It is about time you came,” she said with a sniff. “Your wife is in the garden.”
    Alexander stiffened at her words. “My wife?”
    “Indeed, my lord, and a sweeter lady never lived.”
    Stunned, Alexander turned at a sound from the end of the hall, where a door opened to allow a young woman to enter.
    She was slender, with a halo of chestnut curls peeping out from beneath a scrap of a muslin morning cap, and wore a yellow morning gown of recent style. She hurried down the hall, a question on her face.
    Alexander drew a sigh of relief that it was not Camilla Shelford, then noted that his supposed wife was a little beauty, her arms full of flowers and her cheeks gently kissed with the sun of past days.
    “As you see, my lady, your husband has arrived.” At last was unspoken, but the words hung in the air. Mrs. Bassett bustled off from the highly intriguing scene she would have loved to witness, but she knew her place.
    “My husband?” the young beauty said in a breathless whisper as though she hoped it would be denied.
    Furious, Alexander contained his anger, replying, “I am Hawkswood, madam.” He was about to demand an explanation when she rushed forward to pluck at his sleeve.
    “Hush,” she cautioned. “Come into the library, where we can be private. I must explain.”
    He caught the scent of heliotrope as she hurried along at his side. She was a nice height and possessed no obvious defects. Her figure seemed excellent, and she dressed well if the yellow morning gown was any indication. Why was she here pretending to be his wife? He knew he’d never seen her before in his life.
    Thrusting the flowers into a convenient vase only partly filled with flowers, Juliet turned to face the man who claimed to be Lord Hawkswood.
    “I must explain.” She clasped her hands before her, lacing her fingers together in a nervous gesture. “I never thought you would come here, you see. They said you never had and probably never would. I needed a place to hide.”
    “To hide?” Startled at these words, Alexander gestured to a pair of chairs by the window and drew her over to