Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (109 page)

's
Seduction

Alejandro's strategy and the fact that he would shortly be outmaneuvered.

"The Englishman is looking for a man who goes by the name of

Prentiss. He claims

you are that man, the only survivor the

wreck of the Bluehawk."

Alejandro stopped in his tracks and turned.

The man beside him

apologies. "It was

not my intention to have it

so

publicly," he said.

Elena gasped as Don Alicante raised his hand and waved a jagged piece of mined wood with the word "Bluehawk" barely readable in black paint.

Alejandro retraced his steps toward Don Alicante, every fiber of his body radiating menace. "What is this?" he growled, jerking a hand towards the battered wood.

"It is proof that you are an imposter," Don Alicante sneered, although Alej andro was gratified that Don took an involuntary step backwards.

"Proof?" Alej andro queried. "This is nothing more than a piece of wood that washed up on shore. There's been more than one wreck this spring. This is not proof. This is revenge."

Adrenaline was

him now. Alejandro

looked past Don into the faces of expectant villagers. He

his voice. "Friends, this man

Scott

tried to force my wife into marriage. He tried to her with taking her home, the only source of income and shelter she had. He nearly succeeded. He has behaved abominably and without honor. Now, he seeks to discredit me because he is jealous of my

because he

covets my wife and my land." Heads nodded in solemn agreement.

"I am Alej andro di Duero and no one takes what is mine!" Alejandro swung hard and planted the don with a long-deserved hook to the jaw. The don fell to the ground with a thud and the villagers roared their approval.

But Alejandro could hear none of it. His breath was coming in pants now, his heart pumping ferociously. But not because of his efforts-because Don Alicante had spoken the Flaherty had come looking for

Prentiss and he'd found him.

The locks on the door of his memory burst like weakened dams. So much information in such a short time made him reel. Somehow, the three of them got themselves on the path up to the pazo and began the walk home,

in the lead, Flaherty and Elena behind. He could hear them murmuring: "He had no recollection of himself," Elena was saying

"We had no

's Seduction

idea who he was. The ship had sunk what was left of it after the fire.

piece must

have finally washed up on shore."

Her voice held tell-tale sounds of weeping but he could not go to her. He could not offer her comfort right now. He was frantically trying to sort through the memories as fast as he could, trying to figure out what everything meant.

He had no doubt this Patrick

would

tell him what it meant. But he didn't want someone else telling him what to think, what to know. Elena had already done that.

It was all he could do to keep putting one foot in

of the other, to keep walking, to keep thinking. If he stopped to dwell on any one thought for too long, he was certain his mind would snap with the realization that the best two months of his life had been nothing but fiction.

Chapter 17

Elena's hand trembled as she lit the last lamp in the parlor.

tea tray sat on the low table by the sofa.

fire had been stoked in the grate.

Everything looked as if this were a evening visit with company. But such seemed entirely out of place-to her, Patrick visit felt more like a funeral, a

for her dreams.

Grayson's memories had returned and with them had come the cold anger she'd feared.

Elena blew out the match, hesitating before she

around. She'd have to see his face when she turned around. She'd have to see the disdain in his gray eyes. So, gray hadn't just been the color of his eyes but his name as well.

Prentiss.

name that

suited him perfectly. She loved him no matter what his name, but that didn't matter now.

Flaherty had given him his memories back.

Flaherty was taking him away

her. Now,

there was no place for her in his life except as