He studied her forest-green eyes, trying to find the cold woman he knew her to be, but only saw a frightened rabbit. “Now Iknowsomething is wrong. Why would you want to change?”
She stood straight and lifted her chin.Ah, now there’s the woman I married.
“I’m well aware you have not been pleased with my actions of late, but I’m changing. If I’m going to live with you for the remainder of my life, I might as well make it as happy as I can.”
A low chuckle escaped his throat, and he shook his head. “By your actions thus far in our marriage, I thought you were living only for yourself, gaining pleasure anyway you could. I thought marriage was a hindrance to your overall happiness.” He shrugged off her wide-eyed stare. “What are your plans now?”
She licked her lips. “Um, I thought I would continue on with what I have been doing.”
“I knew you would not change,” he snapped, then marched out of the room, knowing if he stayed another moment, he would wring her lovely neck.
*
Camilla furrowed herbrow. Why did that inconsiderate man question her attire? Studying her image in the fancy glass on the mirrored sidebar, she wiped her moist palms down her skirt. Nothing was wrong with her dress. It was certainly more proper than the gowns she had found hanging in her sister’s armoires.
Her thoughts quickly came to a halt and her heart sank. Realization turned her blood cold. She was now her sister, andso must dress like her. Kat never once dressed modestly when she lived at home, so why would she change after marriage? Why hadn’t Camilla thought of this before she decided to play her twin?
Her heart skipped in an erratic beat with the mere thought of having to wear something so improper. Why, it was absolutely scandalous. Her hand flew to her bosom. She had never shown that much skin, not even while wearing her nightgown.
The closing of the front door drew her attention to the corridor. She stepped to the doorway of the parlor and saw two small children tiptoe up the grand stairs. The lad, probably in his sixth year, looked exactly like Malcolm, with chestnut hair and an oval face, but the little girl looked entirely opposite. Her brilliant blonde hair curled in ringlets around her heart-shaped face. The adorable little angel, probably around four years old, held on to her brother’s hand as she limped behind him.
“Good day,” Camilla greeted them.
The children halted on the steps, and their heads snapped her way. The little girl’s face lost all color, and the boy’s jaw hardened.
The boy turned and moved in front of his sister. “Good day, Camilla. It pleases us to know you are home safe. We worried when Papa said you were lost.”
She sucked in her breath. Two things worried her now. First, why did they act as if they cared when Kat said Malcolm’s children hated her? And second, why were they using her real name? Malcolm called her Kat, yet the children had said the name Camilla. As much as she wanted to know, she couldn’t ask without drawing suspicion.
Through her panic, she smiled. “Is something amiss?” She stared at the little girl. “Did you hurt your leg?”
The girl nodded, her curls bouncing all around her face, but she didn’t speak.
Wearing a stern expression, the boy tried to block his sister from Camilla’s gaze.
“I know you told us not to run, but we couldn’t help it,” he said. “The mean dog came after us again, and Lizzy couldn’t run very fast.” Big tears welled in the boy’s eyes. “Please, don’t be mad at her. I tried to stop the dog, but—” He paused, turning to show the rip on the backside of his breeches. “The dog got me, too.”
Camilla’s heart crumbled at the tender display, and she rushed to the children, kneeling on the step in front of them. She reached out to touch them, and they flinched.
“Let me examine your knee, Lizzy.” Camilla gently lifted the soiled pink dress to the scraped, bloody skin underneath. “You are bleeding. We should clean that cut. It will make you feel better.” She moved to pick up the girl, but she moved out of Camilla’s grasp.
“I will do it,” the boy said with authority.
Lightly chewing on her bottom lip, Camilla narrowed her gaze on the pair. She nodded. “If you do not mind, I would like to watch. Is that permissible?”
The boy’s brow creased as he stared back at her. “Yes.”
She followed the children up the wide staircase to the second floor. She found it very odd that they were so afraid of the woman who had married their father, but they certainly didn’t behave in the manner Kat had described.
A nursemaid scurried from one of the rooms and swept Lizzy up in her arms. “Oh, Mrs. Worthington, don’t you worry about these two. I will take care of them.”
“Nonetheless, I would like to assist,” Camilla said.
This time, all eyes widened. The maid finally nodded. “If you are certain, mistress?”
“I am.” Camilla smiled.
While she helped the maid tend to Lizzy’s knee, she listened to the boy talk about the incident with the dog. She discovered his name was James. Though she had no clue as to why the girl didn’t speak. After Lizzy’s knee had been bandaged, the maid pushed James off to his room to change his breeches.
