06.The Penniless Peer (The Eternal Collection) by Cartland Barbara

You as We planned, and We can be Married as soon as it can be arranged.
I am crossing the Channel on Tuesday 27th May and should be with You the following Day. I am not certain at which time my Ship will arrive in Dover, but I will hire a post-chaise with four good Horses as soon as I disembark and it shall carry Me with all swiftness to Your beautiful Home of which You have told Me so much. Then I shall be in Your arms and all Our problems for the future will be solved - for We shall be Together. My heart and my Love are Yours as always.
I remain Your most Devoted and Adoring,
    Amaline.
    Fenella read through the letter, her eyes growing wider and more surprised with every word until she reached the end.
    Then she looked up at Periquine and said almost inaudibly,
     “Who is she?”
    “Madame D’Arbley,” he replied. “I met her, of course, while I was in France.”
    “You love — her?”
    “I was fond of her while I was abroad,” he answered, “but I never expected her husband to die.”
    “You mean,” Fenella said her voice growing a little stronger, “that you told her that if she was free you would wish to marry her.”
    Lord Corbury straightened himself.
    “A man says a lot of damn silly things at certain times,” he muttered.
    “You mean — that she was — she was your — mistress?”
    “Oh hell, Fenella,” Lord Corbury said sharply, “what do you expect a fellow to do? When the fighting was over the only amusement within miles of where we were camped was the D’Arbleys’ Chateau. They were very hospitable. The Officers all fought for invitations from the alluring Amaline.”
    “And she fell in love with you?” Fenella asked.
    “We were both somewhat infatuated,” Lord Corbury replied frankly. “But I never thought there was any chance of her being free or of her taking me so seriously. Curse it, I have not heard from the woman since I left that part of France.”
    “You were in Belgium after Waterloo.”
    “And Amaline was fifty miles away.”
    Fenella looked down again at the letter.
    “She appears very — determined,” she said uncomfortably.
    “She would be!” Lord Corbury said grimly. “The French love a title, and Amaline had often expressed her regret in no uncertain terms that her husband was not a nobleman.”
    “What are you going to do?” Fenella asked.
    “That is what I am asking you,” Lord Corbury replied. “When does she say she is arriving?”
    “Wednesday, 28th...” She stopped.
    “Periquine, do you realise that is today? She will be here this afternoon! You cannot ask her to stay. Remember Hetty is coming to dinner this evening.”
    “Oh my God!”
    Lord Corbury put his hand to his forehead. Then he walked across the room to stand at the window looking out into the garden.
    “Help me! Fenella, help me !” he cried, “this is one of the worst jams I have ever been in.”
    “You do not wish to — marry her — ?” Fenella asked.
     “Marry her? Of course I do not want to marry her!” Lord Corbury retorted. “It was all over and done with by the time the Regiment moved. I am not saying that she did not give me a good time and I found her very attractive. But as for marriage - she is not at all the type of woman I would want as my wife. Besides there have been - several others since.”
    “And now Hetty,” Fenella said softly.
    “If Hetty got to hear of this it would be disastrous,” Lord Corbury said. “Only yesterday she asked me...”
    He stopped as if what he was about to say was too intimate to relate even to Fenella.
    “We have to think of something,” Fenella said desperately.
    Then Periquine’s words,
     “There have been several others since” seemed to repeat themselves in her mind.
     “Periquine, I have an idea.”
    “It had better be a good one,” he answered grimly.
     “It is, I think it is very good. I must be your wife! “

Chapter Five
    “My wife!” Lord Corbury echoed.
    “I meant — that I should — pretend to be