“My apologies,” Hannah said, turning her attention to her brother-in-law. “I did not hear you.”
“I was asking about the party. Is there anything you or Isabel need beforehand?”
“No, thank you,” she replied. “We have been to every shop in London; I doubt there is anything left to purchase.” This brought on a bout of laughter, and Hannah had to force herself to join in.
Isabel set her wine glass on the table. “I really must speak to you concerning your gown,” she said. Hannah went to argue but she caught a look in Isabel’s eyes that caused her to nod in agreement instead. Isabel turned to their mother. “Must you leave Sunday? You will be tired and I believe your journey can wait another day.”
“Yes, I must,” her mother said with a sigh. “I really should not have left Juliet and would feel better if I returned to her as soon as possible.” She turned to Hannah and patted her hand. “I am glad I came, however.”
Hannah smiled. “As am I.” Now if she could just get John to arrive, everything would be perfect.
Her mother stood. “I believe I will retire for the night. I am afraid the hour has grown much too late for me. Good evening.”
Hannah kissed her mother’s cheek and bade her a good night as Isabel and Laurence walked to the door, their heads close together. Hannah could not hear what they said, but Isabel kissed her husband’s cheek before he followed their mother out of the room.
Once Hannah and Isabel were alone, Isabel closed the door.
“Do you wish to speak to me about my dress?” Hannah asked, although she had a feeling before Isabel spoke that her sister had another topic of discussion planned.
“No, of course not,” Isabel replied. “That was simply an excuse. I wish to speak to you about John.”
With her heart in her throat, Hannah nodded. Did Isabel have news? “I believe he may be in danger, yet no one seems to be worried but I,” Hannah said doing nothing to hide her frustration.
Isabel reached out and took Hannah’s hand. “It is lovely that you care for him, and I understand your worry. The truth is, he may have gotten caught up in a business meeting with no means for escape. How many times did Father do the same? Men can speak of trivial things for hours, and if money plays a part in their game, more reason for them to remain.”
“I know what you say is correct,” Hannah said with a heavy sigh. “However, something does not feel right. Do you not have times when you feel the same for Laurence?”
“I do,” Isabel replied thoughtfully.
“Then I must ask a favor. We must go to his home. I cannot wait here until tomorrow; I must know he is safe. If he is in a meeting elsewhere, his butler will know.”
Isabel glanced at the clock. “I do not believe…” She looked up at Hannah and sighed. “Oh, very well. You are right, and I must admit, I am worried myself.”
“Are you?”
“Indeed. Laurence dismissed the notion that John may be in trouble, but this night was important to you. There is no reason he would have missed it, even for a business meeting. Not without sending word.”
Hannah threw her arms around her sister. “That is what I thought! Thank you!”
Isabel pulled away and placed her hands on Hannah’s shoulders. “We made an oath, do you remember?”
“Of course.” How could Hannah forget? The three sisters and their cousin Annabel had stood in a circle as they held hands and swore to always be there for one another, and Hannah had no reason to believe it not to be true.
“An oath made is no good unless it is kept. I will inform Laurence of our plans and see the carriage readied.”
Hannah could not help but sigh with relief as Isabel left the room. They would be at John’s house soon, and she could learn what had caused him to miss the dinner, and, more importantly, allow her to ascertain that he was safe.
Chapter Twenty-Two
What John had hoped would be less than an hour turned into three, and he was growing more and more frustrated with his callers. They refused to agree to any terms, and as Lady Harding continued her rant, John sneaked a glance at Mary. What trouble he had caused these women!
John recalled what had brought on the issue they currently discussed. He had called on the younger Harding, the second in a week. They had gone out to the garden for a stroll, in the company of a chaperon, of course; however, when John hurried Mary into a corner, leaving behind said chaperon, he had pounced. Well, perhaps pounced was not the correct word, although it was the word Lady Harding had used on more than one occasion since then. Regardless, he had the opportunity to be alone with Mary, and therefore, he turned to shower her with compliments for her beauty and intelligence—mostly her beauty—and they had shared in a kiss.
Unfortunately for him, Lady Harding had also chosen to take a stroll in the gardens, and she just so happened to turn the corner and catch them with their lips pressed together. He could still hear her cry of anger, as well as feel the panic that had welled up inside him, and he found himself unable to stop the tumble of words that followed. Of how his intentions had been pure. Of how he had meant to ask for Mary’s hand in marriage.
The woman had gone from angry to joyous at his words, and the two had stood on the stoop of the house, waving as he rode away. What they had not expected, apparently, was to learn that he had gone away with no intentions of ever returning to Cornwall.
Lady Harding cleared her throat, breaking John from his thoughts. “My apologies,” she said, “but I believe I left my reticule in our carriage. Would your butler accompany me to retrieve it?”
“Of course.” John replied. He pulled the bell chord. “My man can retrieve it for you, if you would rather.”
“No, I must see to it myself.”
John nodded, and when Chamber arrived, he explained the assignment. When the woman and the butler were gone, he turned to Mary.
“I am sorry for all this,” she said. “My mother refuses to listen. She continuously demands we marry.” She sighed. “I am unsure what you wish, but I must be truthful with you.”
“Please,” John said, surprised. “I will do the same.”
“Although I thought our kiss to be pleasant,” the woman said as she looked down at her hands, “I must admit that I have no feelings for you.” She looked up at him, tears rimming her eyes. “You see, I am in love with another, Lord Laskey by name. We met at a party last month, and I admit we have grown quite close in the recent weeks. Please, I do not mean to upset you.”
John stared at her in amazement. And joy! “You are?” The woman nodded. “That is fantastic! You see, I have found a woman myself, and I must admit that I have fallen head over heels for her.” He paused and walked over to the writing desk. When he returned, he handed Mary the letter he had written to her.
“What is this?” she asked.
“An apology,” he replied. “I had meant to post it to you tomorrow, but now that you are here… Read it later; it explains the man I was and the man I have become.”
Mary nodded and slipped the letter into her pocket. “What are we to do about this matter? She will not listen to me and has taken complete control over my life these past months.”
John thought for a moment. There was only one thing he could do. The woman was possessive of Mary—she had always been thus as far as he knew—and would insist she remain near her even after her daughter was married. Perhaps he could use that to their favor.
“When your mother returns, whatever I say, agree with me. No matter what, you must agree.”
Mary scrunched her brow but nodded, nonetheless. “I will.”
John returned to his seat just as Lady Harding returned, and he rose as if he had been sitting there all along. Once the woman was seated once again, he said, “You have expressed your desire that I marry your daughter, and I have come to the realization that I must accept.”
Mary had a panicked look on her face, but she said nothing, much to John’s relief.
Lady Harding gave a derisive
sniff. “I am glad you have come to your senses,” she said. “We shall begin the planning for a grand wedding at once. My sister Martha will be in attendance, as will my cousin William and his family.”
“That is what I wished to discuss with you,” John said. “You see, my finances as of late are not what one might consider ‘stable’. Unfortunately, I cannot afford a large wedding. However, that will change once we return from India.”
“India?” Lady Harding asked with eyes wide. “What is in India?”
“I have been in London to make arrangements to do business there with Lord Laskey. Do you know him?”
“I do,” Lady Harding said as she glanced at her daughter. “Mary has spoken to the man in the past.”
John suppressed a smile. “You see, he is a man of wealth, far greater than I.” Lady Harding’s eyes widened, and John could see the greed in them. As he suspected; her concern had little to do with the daughter’s virtue and more to do with the money the mother hoped to garner. “You see, I will be in his employ, and with Mary as my bride, we shall raise our children in India.” He turned to Mary and flashed her a smile. “What do you think of this plan? Do you accept this arrangement?”
“To go to India and possibly never return?” Mary asked. “It is a wonderful idea…”
Lady Harding jumped from her seat. “My daughter will not be married to a man who is nearly bankrupt!” She was close to shouting. “Nor one who wishes to whisk her away from her family. Come, my dear, we have no reason to remain.”
“But, Mother,” Mary said as she rose from her seat, “what am I to do in Cornwall?”
She could be in the theater, John thought with a silent laugh.
“You will return Lord Laskey’s card, that is what you will do,” her mother snapped. “He is by far a more suitable prospect for you.” Chambers helped the women into their cloaks, even as Lady Harding continued to rant. “You will marry a gentleman such as Lord Laskey, and certainly not a rogue!”
John feigned offence but then sighed. “Perhaps that would be for the best. Lord Laskey is known for great wealth. If I take on the majority of his foreign accounts, and with the bulk of his businesses near Cornwall, he would never have a need to leave for India.”
“And that is what is needed,” her mother replied with a firm nod. “Taking my daughter across the world, indeed! Good evening to you, Lord Stanford.”
John gave her a deep bow. “And good evening to you, Lady Harding.”
She turned to her daughter. “Come, dear. We have a long journey tomorrow.”
Mary sobbed into her gloves, but when she looked up at John, her eyes twinkled with mirth and she wore a secretive smile. “Thank you,” she whispered.
John smiled and closed the door behind the two women. Running away had been a huge mistake, he realized, but he had finally faced his demons. Or rather that one demon, he thought with a laugh. No, that was cruel.
The sound of voices outside made him peek through the curtains of the front window, and he groaned when he saw Hannah and Isabel speaking to Lady Harding and Mary. He opened the door just as Hannah stepped onto the stoop, and he could see the tears on her cheeks even before she reached the door.
***
The breeze blew at a gentle, but steady, pace, causing Hannah to shiver as she and Isabel emerged from the carriage. Several of the homes on the street had light glowing in the Windows, including John’s, which brought her a rush of hope that he was safe. She pulled her shawl in tighter just as two women exited the house. One of the women was close to Hannah’s age and the other was much older. Her mother perhaps? Regardless, the woman wore a scowl that matched the blackness of her dress.
“That man is a rogue!” the older woman said. “Have no doubt that he will steal your virtue, make promises of marriage, and then run like the bankrupt coward he is!” She turned to the younger woman beside her, who stood with her head low. “Come, Mary, let us leave this dreadful place!”
Confusion and fear returned as Hannah watched the young woman being led off. Could it be true? Was John a rogue who had taken advantage of that poor woman with the promise of marriage only to run away?
She turned to Isabel, attempting to stave off the fear that swirled inside her. “I must speak to him.”
Isabel glanced up at the house. “Perhaps we should return later.”
“No,” Hannah replied firmly. “I must speak to him now.”
The look Isabel wore told Hannah what she already feared to be true; that the women who left had spoken the truth concerning John. However, Hannah had to find out for herself. Unfortunately, she could not stop the tears from flowing. She had spent the last three hours fretting over his safety, and this last had been the point of breaking.
The door opened and John stood there, as handsome as ever. “Hannah, I am sorry for missing dinner this evening. Unfortunately, I had an unexpected guest, and I did not anticipate they would remain for as long as they did.”
“Who was she?” Hannah demanded, trying to maintain her composure and knowing she was failing miserably.
John shifted from one foot to another. “An old friend.”
Hannah recalled the conversation between her and Forbes. Did she have any doubts? Now she certainly did.
“Her name?”
“Miss Harding. Mary.”
“I will ask you this only once,” she said, struggling to keep her voice calm, “and I do not wish to hear lies. Were you to marry her?”
John closed his eyes. “It was a misunderstanding,” he replied. “I can assure you that Mary left here tonight happy and is returning to the man she loves. Which, I might add, is not me.”
Hannah shook her head. What lies this man spouted! What she had seen was not a content woman but a woman who hung her head in shame and hurt, both far from happy.
“Her mother spoke of her virtue…” She was unable to finish the thought. The mere thought of what could have been crushed her.
“I will not lie,” John said. “We shared in a kiss. It was only once, and her mother caught us. It was in fear that I promised to marry the woman. However, I immediately came to London to get away from them.”
“You told me you wanted a fresh start,” Hannah snapped. “That was a lie.” He went to reply, but she continued. “Then I find your love of books and nature was a lie. Last year you kissed a widow. When do the lies end?”
John hung his head, but Hannah was not finished, not yet. She had one more question to ask.
“The night you returned from dinner with Miss Oakley?” she asked, afraid to know the truth. “I noticed there was a strand of blond hair on your coat. Did you…” she swallowed hard. Did she want to know the truth? Yes, she did. “Did you kiss her, as well?” Her heart raced, and she willed him to tell her that he had not. That her fears were unjustified, yet, as soon as he sighed, she knew the truth. Her heart broke into a thousand pieces.
“The truth is, she kissed me,” he replied.
Hannah shook her head in wonderment. Did this man ever stop lying?
“I swear!” he said. “It was she who kissed me! I had meant to leave, and she gave me a kiss, which I did not want. And when she did, I immediately regretted that it happened.”
Hannah clenched her fist. The man had no honor. Did he honestly expect her to believe that a woman such as Miss Oakley had been the instigator of a kiss? And that he had not enjoyed it? She fought back the hysterical laughter that bubbled up inside her. “I do not believe you,” she replied. “You are a liar and a rogue. Everything about you is a lie, and I wish to never see you again.”
She turned to leave, but he caught her arm. “Wait!” he said. She looked down at his hand and he released her, but she did not move. “I admit that, until the day I met you, I was what you say. My actions were not that of a gentleman. However, I swear to you on everything dear to me that I am a changed man. You changed me, and I have put those ways behind me.”
Hannah studied the man she had grown to love, her heart clench
ing. “Goodbye, John.” As the words left her lips, she knew they were meant as a final farewell. No longer would they share in laughter or attend parties, and even worse, share in the laughter they once had. For Hannah had experienced love, and now, as she hurried away as the man she loved called to her, she vowed to never love again.
Once inside the carriage, Isabel embraced her. “What is it? What did he say?”
Attempting to compose herself, Hannah leaned back in the seat. “It is true,” she said, surprised at how even her voice sounded. “He was meant to marry that woman. And Miss Oakley? He kissed her, as well. He has kissed many women, tricking them as he did me…” Her words trailed off as the night of the circus entered her mind. “He told me he loved me and kissed me, too.”
“Oh, Hannah,” Isabel said. “I am so sorry.”
The carriage jostled forward, and Hannah felt numb.
“If I would have even had the slightest idea he was like this,” Isabel said, “I would never have allowed him near you.”
“This is not your fault,” Hannah assured her sister. “It is mine.”
Isabel gasped. “Do not say such a thing!”
“Why not?” Hannah demanded. “It is only the truth. From the moment I saw him, I went against everything I believed. I allowed him to enter my heart, and now it is broken.” She sniffed. “I knew this would be the outcome of love.”
Isabel took Hannah’s in hers. “There was a time after Arthur when I thought the same as you. It was the darkest time of my life. Then I met Laurence, and I can tell you that love is possible after you have been hurt. It may not be with John, but perhaps one day with another man. However, you should never swear it off completely.”
Hannah recalled first seeing John. The way his smile had captivated her, how his words warmed her. She had been naive, much like Lady Ellen from the writing society had said. The notion of love and dreams were true, but Hannah had thought herself wiser than other women when in reality she was not.
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