I stared out at the place I had just been standing with Mr. Campbell. Had it been Colin or…Clark? I knew in my bones that I had not encountered the same man tonight that I had been courting. He had mentioned lemonade when there had been none. He had acted oblivious to our kiss. He had been missing the freckle on his ear, and he had been cold and distant just as he had been before he had ever called upon me.
Could it be possible that Clark had been impersonating Colin?
It now seemed to be the only explanation, and it made my head spin.
But why would he do such a thing?
I calmed my racing thoughts, focusing on one question at a time. “What do you know about the scandal in Derbyshire?” I had limited time to gather as much information as possible fromMrs. Aldworth before the dance ended. She seemed thoroughly pleased to be sharing Mr. Campbell’s secrets, smiling sweetly as if she were scooping sugar into my teacup instead of revealing potentially ruinous gossip.
“As the younger twin, Mr. Clark Campbell inherited nothing when his father died. Colin obtained the fortune, and Clark began behaving recklessly with his allowance. He accumulated many gambling debts, which his brother kindly saved him from. Three years ago, he was courting a wealthy young lady in Derbyshire. According to Mrs. Wickerton, his motivation was questionable to all of the neighbors. But the young lady had fallen in love with him. On the day of the wedding, he left her waiting at the church. He never came. He had run away and left his brother to repair his mistake. Colin paid the family a large sum as recompense, and to keep the scandal quiet, but resolved to cut his brother off.” Mrs. Aldworth pressed her lips together with a rueful shake of her head. “I do not blame him for hiding his connection to such a dishonorable man.”
I pieced the story together in my mind, struggling to comprehend it. “Was there speculation that Clark Campbell was a fortune hunter?”
Mrs. Aldworth nodded. “Oh, yes. He was certainly after that young woman’s dowry. What compelled him not to follow through with the wedding is a mystery. But I imagine part of Colin’s distaste for his brother comes from his hatred of fortune hunters.”
I twisted my fingers together, struggling to keep my expression composed. Too many harsh realities were crashing down on me at once. Part of me was relieved to suspect that the man I had encountered this evening was not Colin. But another part of me was horrified at the possibility that the man I had been courting was his twin.
Clark.
I thought of the day I had seen the curtains move in the upper window of his townhouse. I had seen a man’s face behind it, and though I was certain I had imagined it, the face had looked much like Mr. Campbell’s. A chill ran across my neck. I crossed my arms tightly, a dull ache forming in the back of my head. My emotions spun so wildly I struggled to interpret them, and I suddenly felt quite faint.
“Are you unwell, Miss Sharp?” Mrs. Aldworth leaned forward with a frown.
I was not well at all. My stomach lurched as I dared to examine what could have motivated Mr. Colin Campbell to send his brother to impersonate him in Bath. I considered myself quite observant, blessed with enough cleverness to avoid deception, but I had been played for a fool.
I remembered that night at Lady Benton’s dinner party when I had confessed to Mr. Campbell that I was seeking a fortune.
He despised fortune hunters…
Perhaps even enough to seek revenge on one.
CHAPTER 23
CLARK
Iunfolded the letter I had written to Arabella late the night before, reading the words again before sealing it.
Dearest Arabella,
I hope you will forgive me for my silence, but I have been burdened with a matter of business, one that demands all of my time. I would much rather spend my time with you, but I’m afraid that will not be possible until the matter has passed. I hope to call upon you by this Friday at the latest. In the meantime, please know that I think of little else but you.
Sincerely,
Mr. Campbell
I groaned as I threw the letter down on my desk.Thiswas what I had pored over for nearly an hour the night before? It was aterrible excuse. How could I present Arabella with nothing but that letter to explain my absence for the next several days? She would be expecting a proposal after how I had kissed her, not a poorly written paragraph about why my nonexistent business matters were more important than her feelings.
She must have been doubting me after I hadn’t called upon her the day before. But how could I see her and continue pretending to be Colin?
I dragged my fingers down my face with an exasperated breath. Where was that mutton-head anyway? I had just retired the night before when I heard his carriage return from the ball. He hadn’t stayed for long.
Tossing the letter back onto my desk, I walked into the corridor. Colin’s door was open, so I peeked inside. His bed was empty. As a creature of habit, he was sure to be in the breakfast room at this hour, so I made my way down two sets of stairs to the ground floor. I frowned at the empty table, a few cold offerings still resting on platters on the sideboard. Had he gone out again?
Turning abruptly, I made my way toward the entrance hall. The butler and two footmen stood at attention. “Where’s Colin?” I asked.
The butler opened his mouth to reply just as the front door swung open. Colin took two steps inside before his gaze fell on me. He wore a brown riding coat, buckskin breeches, and tasseled Hessian boots.
“Clark.” Colin froze for a moment before striding farther into the entrance hall, removing his hat and handing it to the footman. “I hope you were not planning to venture outside like that.” His eyes traced over my hastily assembled attire with a look of dismay.
