Page 20 of Shy Innocent In The Spotlight

He tilted her face upwards to meet his gaze. ‘Yes?’

She swallowed again and stepped out of his hold, pulling her bra and loose-fitting top back into place. ‘I need to tell you something...something about myself that you’re not going to like.’

‘Go on.’

She shifted her lips from side to side, then bit down on her lower one. She did it so often, he wondered if she was even conscious of it. ‘I’ve been lying to you from the moment we met.’

‘I know.’

She rapid-blinked. ‘Pardon?’

Mack gave a lazy smile. ‘I was wondering how long you were going to keep it up.’

Her expression was wary. ‘Keep what up?’

‘The act.’

She licked her lips, her mouth opening and closing. ‘The...act?’

Mack came over to her and took her by the upper arms. ‘You little goose. How long did you think you could pull it off? You’re nothing like your twin apart from in looks.’

A host of emotions washed over her face—shock, relief, surprise, dismay, even a little anger. ‘How did you know? When did you know?’

‘Not until earlier today, although I had my suspicions from my first glimpse of you at the window when you first arrived at Crannochbrae.’

Elspeth pulled away from him and hugged her arms around her body again. ‘Does anyone else know?’

‘No.’

She began to pace the floor. ‘No one can know, especially not Sabine. She’s been hurt enough.’ She stopped pacing and arched her head back to look at the ceiling and groaned. ‘Argh, why did I allow myself to think I could do this? I knew I would stuff it up.’

‘You didn’t stuff it up,’ Mack said. ‘You convinced everyone.’

‘Except you.’

He approached her again, stroking his hand down one of her slim arms. ‘I’m the one who’s spent the most time with you. I was drawn to you. You intrigued me.’ He captured a handful of her hair and ran it through his fingertips and added, ‘You were a beguiling mix of feisty and shy. The stuff I’d been told about you didn’t add up, but it wasn’t until I did a bit of research after the wedding was called off that I put all the pieces of the puzzle together.’

‘What did you find? I asked Elodie to keep quiet about having a twin. I never wanted the fame she’s sought since she was a kid. I hate being in the spotlight. I hate being compared to her and found lacking. I’ve had nightmares for years of people mistaking her for me and chasing me down the street. I dress simply, I never wear make-up or nail polish. I keep the lowest profile I can. I only did the switch because...well, I was a little tired of my boring life. And I genuinely wanted to help her.’

‘There was one photo attached to an article about Lincoln Lancaster’s aborted wedding. It wasn’t a clear shot of you but I could see the likeness. Your name was there along with the other young women. I’m annoyed at myself for not guessing who you were sooner.’

‘I’m glad you didn’t.’ She threw him a churlish glance. ‘It might’ve caused an even bigger scandal if you’d outed me.’

Mack took her hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. ‘Why did you do it?’

She gave a shuddering sigh. ‘Elodie needed to be somewhere else for an important top-secret meeting. She convinced me to go in her place to the wedding, but she didn’t tell me anything about her one-night stand with your brother. I was so shocked when he approached me and was no nasty towards me.’

‘I’m sorry about his behaviour.’

‘It’s okay, I’m quite proud of how I managed it, to tell you the truth.’ Elspeth frowned and continued, ‘But as much as I wanted to put Fraser in his place, there was Sabine to consider. I know you wanted their wedding to go ahead but I was convinced it would be a disaster if it did.’

‘You were right,’ Mack said with a heavy sigh. ‘Fraser has some serious growing up to do before he’s ready to settle down with anyone.’

‘There was another reason I agreed to step into my twin’s shoes...’ Her gaze came back to his. ‘Because of my allergy, I’ve spent most of my life with my mother hovering anxiously over me in case I ingest a peanut. I only moved out of home a month ago and I’m twenty-eight years old. If I checked my phone right now I swear there will be fifty missed calls or texts from her. I have to turn my phone off most of the time otherwise it drives me crazy. The last time I tried to have a weekend away, she turned up. I was so embarrassed having her fussing over me. I decided switching places with Elodie would be a chance to live a little. To experience things I’ve only ever dreamt about before.’

‘What sort of things?’

Her gaze drifted to his mouth. ‘The first and only time I was kissed when I was eighteen, I ended up in hospital with anaphylactic shock.’

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