Pleasures of a Tempted Lady by Jennifer Haymore Page A

Geraldine was the one who’d forced Meg and Serena to leave London in disgrace. She’d said Serena was a slut, an embarrassment to the family, and she never wanted to see either of the twins again. She’d effectively shoved them onto the first ship back to Antigua.
    “I’m not taking you to your aunt’s house,” Will reminded her gently. “Stratford lives next door. It was his father’s house once, but it’s his now.”
    “Of course.” Meg tried to smile, but it emerged as a pathetic quiver of her lips.
    Will stepped out of the carriage, lifted Jake and set him onto the pavement, and then handed her down. The three of them hesitated before the steps leading toward the front door, Meg renewing her tight grip on Jake’s hand.
    Finally, Will looked down at her. “Are you ready for this?”
    She didn’t look at him. Staring at the house’s large front door, she nodded. “Yes.”
    It was a lie. She hadn’t seen her sisters in eight years. They’d thought she was dead for all that time.
    She’d never be ready for this moment, no matter how long she took to prepare for it. And it wasn’t any comfort to her to reflect on the fact that they were even less prepared for the reunion than she was.
    “Let’s go, then,” Will said.
    He led them to the front door, where he raised the knocker and let it fall. She heard the boom of it reverberating inside.
    “Ow!” Jake complained, trying to wiggle from her grip.
    “Oh, Jake, I’m sorry,” she breathed. Her fingers had wrapped around his in a tight squeeze. Forcibly, she relaxed her hand. “Is that better?”
    He didn’t have time to answer. The door swung open. A red-haired man dressed in fine livery stood before them. “Captain Langley!” he exclaimed. “Welcome home.”
    His gaze moved to Meg and he froze, then blinked. “My lady?” He glanced back into the house as if Meg had disappeared from some location inside and then magically reappeared before him.
    She flinched. First the incident in the hotel this morning, and now this. Perhaps she still looked as identical to Serena as she once had.
    The servant’s gaze moved to Jake, then Meg’s hand clasping Jake’s, and his confusion deepened. “Uhm…?”
    “Your master and mistress will explain it all to you later, Patrick. For now, will you let them know that I am here? With… a surprise for them.”
    The man’s blue eyes went wide, but he managed to maintain his composure. “They’re at dinner, but they always welcome a visit from you, Captain. Please do come in.”
    He held open the door, and the three of them stepped into an elegantly tiled entry hall. On the wall in front of them was a recent portrait. Meg stared at the likeness, recognizing it right away. It was a painting of Serena and the earl gazing at each other, looking very much in love.
    Serena did still look just like her, if the artist’s rendition was accurate. Meg swallowed down the hard lump forming in her throat, and Jake started wiggling again. “Sorry, darling,” she murmured. “Sorry.”
    He’d be fine—better, probably—if she let him go. But she couldn’t.
    “Are you all right?” Will murmured.
    She jerked her head to him. “I don’t know,” she managed.
    He drew in a breath and said in an undertone, “I know this is difficult. But it’s a happy moment. Your appearance tonight is going to bring great joy to your sisters, especially Serena. I promise you.”
    She wanted to ask how that was possible. Serena had taken Meg’s identity, and now Meg had come back to reclaim it. Wouldn’t her reappearance ruin everything? If nothing else, it would surely throw Serena’s elegant countess’s life into chaos. How could that possibly make her happy?
    She didn’t have time to ask Will, however, because the butler returned with three people following him.
    Jessica was first. She’d been lovely at eleven years old, but now she was absolutely exquisite. Despite the fact that the little girl had turned into a woman—a