Page 6 of A Duke to Restore her Memory

“How beautiful,” whispered Christina to herself as she gazed towards the sea from the vantage point of a high balcony at Newquay Hall. She shook her head incredulously, almost unable to believe what she was seeing. “It is truly breathtaking.”

She inhaled deeply, unable to tear her eyes away from the stunning vista beyond. The sun was setting, appearing to melt into the sea, spreading orange and yellow into the water like paints smeared.

The sky was an intense orange and red, streaked with purple and a touch of blue. The dramatic, craggy cliffs appeared starkly black against the sky.

She shook her head again. It seemed that she would never tire of this view. She had been coming here every day since the duke had brought her to Newquay Hall just over a week ago. She had discovered the private balcony at the side of the house as she had wandered around, exploring. She was left to her own devices for most of the time. Mrs Sollock and the other servants were polite but distant – it seemed like they didn’t quite know how to handle her. Was she one of them or a part of the duke’s world? Was she a servant or not? Who exactly was she – and where did she fit in the world?

I wish I knew the answers to those questions. But my mind is still a complete blank. It is like I was born anew when I awoke in that mine shaft. It is like I didn’t exist at all until that moment.

Her eyes misted with tears. She was trying so hard. Dr Watson had called and examined her again, asking her questions to try to prompt her memory, but it hadn’t worked.

The physician had shaken his head and looked concerned, but he didn’t say anything except he would call again next week. It seemed there was nothing more he could do to help her.

What is to become of me? Where will I go, and what will I do if I never recover my memory? I cannot remain here as a houseguest of the duke forever. I have already imposed on him far more than I like.

Her cheeks reddened. She hadn’t seen much of the duke at all – he was keeping a firm distance from her. Or perhaps he was just very busy and didn’t have the time to check on her. Whatever the reason, he seemed content to leave her to her own devices, as well, roaming his home like a ghost.

She ate all her meals in her room. It seemed that no one could decide if she should eat with the servants or with the master of the house, and so it was as good a compromise as they could find.

“Are you enjoying the view?”

Christina spun around, her heart pounding. The duke stepped out onto the balcony, the wind catching his dark curling hair. Her heart started to pound harder still. This was the closest she had been to him in days, and it was as if she had quite forgotten how handsome he was. She gazed at his patrician profile, the straight line of his nose, the firmness of his jawline, the sweep of his cheekbones, as he gazed out to sea.

“Very much,” she replied in a faltering voice. “It is stunning. I have never seen anything quite like it.”

“Ah, but you do not know that, do you?” His voice was filled with amusement. He turned to her, his brown eyes flickering over her. “Have you recovered any of your memory? Anything at all?”

“No, I have not,” she said, her cheeks burning. For some reason, she felt embarrassed or ashamed, as if she were just not trying hard enough – as if it were some kind of moral failing on her behalf that she couldn’t remember a single thing about her own life. “I am sorry …”

“There is no need to apologize,” he interjected, raising his eyebrows. “It is no trouble having you here at all.” He hesitated. “Is there anything I can do to help? Anything at all?”

Christina laughed mirthlessly. “You can help me to forget that I have forgotten my entire life.”

The duke snorted with laughter, his brown eyes gleaming with amusement and admiration as he gazed at her.

“Very well,” he said, a teasing smile playing around his lips. “I can do that for you. What would you like me to discuss to distract you?”

Christina took a deep breath, turning back to the view. “You can tell me about your life here,” she said, her heart lurching. “You can tell me why you love this area so much that you never want to live anywhere else.”

“Very well,” he said, rubbing his chin with one hand. He turned and stared again at the sea in the distance. “I played on that beach often as a child, exploring every nook and cranny on the cliffs, every rock pool … there is not a part of that stretch of coastline that I am not familiar with.”

“Did you explore by yourself?”

He smiled slowly. “Sometimes. But I often went exploring with my older sister, Lydia, if I could persuade her to get her head out of her books.” He smiled at the memory. “And then there was my best friend, Daniel – now the Marquess of Falmouth. We would meet at the beach and whittle swords from stray driftwood, playing elaborate mock fights up and down the length of the beach. The caves in the cliffs were our secret lairs.”

Christina laughed, charmed by the vision of him as a small boy, playing swordfights with his friend on the sand. “It sounds like you had a good childhood.”

“I did,” he said, smiling broadly at her. “I did not want for anything. My parents were wonderful. The whole coast and cliffs and beyond were my playground. It was really idyllic.” He took a deep breath. “But my father also drummed into me that I was going to inherit the duchy one day, and I must be responsible. He would take me to the mines and talk to the workers. He was conscious that I needed to develop a sense of duty towards our tenants and workers and that it is a sacred bond.”

Christina’s eyes flickered. “You own many mines in the area, then? I remember you saying that you own the abandoned mine I fell into.”

He nodded. “I do. The mines are scattered along the coastline. We mine for copper, and when the mine is exhausted, it is abandoned. That is just the way it works.”

He frowned. “That is why I feel so responsible for you, Georgina,” he continued. “That mine should have been secured safely – there should have been no way you could have fallen into it.” He hesitated, his frown deepening. “Someone did not do their job properly, and that responsibility falls on me. People are bound to start saying that I do not safely secure my mines after they are abandoned … which, in turn, affects my business reputation.”

“So, you did not rescue me purely out of concern for me, then,” she teased. “It was about your reputation, as well.”

He laughed ruefully. “Of course, I am concerned for you!” His eyes flickered over her again, filled with warmth. “How could I not be concerned about the well-being and welfare of such a beautiful young woman?”

Christina felt a spark glimmer between them, catching fire. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart started to pound again. The air was filled with such thick tension that she almost felt she could reach out and touch it.

“Am I beautiful?” she murmured, her heart skipping a beat. “I … I hardly know.” She exhaled slowly. “But I am glad that you believe I am.”

Their eyes met and held for a moment. She felt the sharp tug between them as if a cord had been yanked. There was silence.

“Would you like to explore that section of the coast with me tomorrow?” he asked quietly. “It might jog your memory. It certainly could not hurt … and it would be good for you to leave the house for the morning and go on an excursion.”

“I would like that very much,” she said breathlessly. “Thank you.”

“Very good,” he said, inclining his head. “Make sure you are ready by ten …”

His voice faded away as the sound of feminine voices, loud and shrill, reached them. He stiffened, peering into the room beyond.

Christina’s heart skipped another beat, trying to mask her fright, as two ladies emerged onto the balcony, gaping at them and looking as shocked to see them as she felt.

There was an awkward silence. One of the ladies was petite and dark-haired, with deep brown eyes. With a start, Christina realized she looked very much like the duke. The other lady was taller and willowier, with auburn hair and quite startling blue eyes. She was very beautiful.

“Lydia.” The duke collected himself, shaking his head and staring at the ladies. “I did not hear the carriage pull up!” He turned to the tall, auburn-haired lady, inclining his head. “Lady Frances. Welcome to Newquay.”

The lady curtseyed. “Your Grace.”

There was another awkward silence. The dark-haired lady looked at Christina pointedly, her eyes raking over her from head to toe. The assessment was cold and a bit rude. Christina felt herself redden.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” said the duke with a short laugh. “Please forgive me.” He turned to Christina. “This is my sister, Lady Lydia Cavendish, and her friend, Lady Frances Lewis. They have journeyed all the way from London. I did not realize you were arriving today, Lydia.”

His sister smiled brightly. “We were going to break the journey at an inn but then decided to push on.” She turned back to Christina. “And you are?”

“This is Georgina,” said the duke, his cheeks colouring. “She … she is staying with us while she recuperates from a fall in one of my abandoned mines.” He smiled. “She lost her memory, you see, and cannot even recall her own name …”

Lydia arched her eyebrows. “How do you know your name is Georgina, then?”

“I do not,” said Christina, her colour deepening. “That is just the name that the physician gave me to call me something.”

A sudden, tense silence ensued, whereupon Lydia stared at her quite openly, with naked curiosity but not much warmth. The taller lady – her friend, Lady Frances – smiled at her, though.

“How extraordinary,” said Lady Frances. “You truly cannot remember anything about your life at all?”

“Nothing,” replied Christina, feeling mortified. “I feel utterly lost. I have no idea of who I am.”

“We should go inside, ladies,” said the duke, looking embarrassed. “You must be tired after the long trip. I will send for tea.” He turned to Christina, his eyes flickering over, looking rather regretful. “You are welcome to join us if you like …”

“Oh, no,” said Christina quickly. “I am tired and need to rest anyway. But thank you.”

The ladies inclined their heads to her before walking inside. The duke followed them. Christina was left standing there alone.

She took a deep breath, turning back to the view. The sun had almost set entirely now. Dusk was falling across the sky, a cacophony of purple and pink intermingling with the orange. Her breath caught in her throat.

It was so beautiful here. But this was not her home. And now, the duke’s sister was here, along with her friend. A feeling of panic assailed her. She needed to find out her background and her life. Who was she? What was she going to do?