“No, I believe I have everything I need,” John replied as he buttoned his coat. “I shall return this evening.”
“Very good, my Lord,” Chambers replied with a bow before opening the door.
John’s feet seemed to glide down the steps and out to the waiting carriage, a glorious afternoon sun glowing in the sky. When the door to the carriage opened, John was surprised to find Hannah waiting, as beautiful as a lady could be in her green dress and hair pinned up with two long curls framing her face.
“Hannah,” he said with a smile as he kissed her hand. “How wonderful you came to collect me.”
In the past, Hannah’s blushes fed his ego, but now her crimson cheeks warmed his heart. Across from her sat Laurence and Isabel, Laurence dashing in a green frockcoat and Isabel handsome in her bronze gown.
“I feel quite important having everyone come to collect me,” John said with a grin. “Are we not dining at your house this evening?”
Hannah appeared beside herself with excitement. “Oh, we are,” she said with a wide smile. “Laurence has said he has a surprise for Isabel and me.”
John raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
Laurence chuckled. “Perhaps.”
“This is all so mysterious,” John said with a laugh. “Should I not be let in on this little secret?”
“And how is it you believe I should tell you when the ladies are present?” Laurence asked.
John leaned back in the seat. “Will I find this surprise as fulfilling as they?”
Laurence gave him a stiff glare. “We will not discuss it any longer,” he said firmly.
Everyone went quiet, and John shifted in his seat. The carriage trumbled along, and Laurence said, “Lady Brunswick was to host a party in nine days. Unfortunately, the woman met with an untimely death. It seems she was thrown from the back of her horse two days ago.”
“Is that the surprise?” John asked, and then bit his tongue when the women gasped. “My apologies. I suppose that was a bit uncouth of me.”
“I would say so,” Isabel admonished.
Laurence sighed. “I knew little of the woman.” He looked at John. “She was a widow, I believe, but her friend Lord Richard Minn mentioned you knew her. Is that true?”
John felt Hannah’s gaze on him, and he shifted in his seat once more. “I did,” he replied, suddenly nervous. “I met the woman two seasons ago and attended her party last year. I remember she was a kind woman, somewhat older than you, Laurence, but I remember little else.” Guilt plagued him, for he had not spoken the complete truth, but it was one of the many incidences about which he preferred Hannah never learn.
“Are you all right?” Hannah asked with clear concern. “Are you running a fever?”
“A fever?” he asked dumbly.
“You have sweat on your brow, so I was worried…”
He pulled a kerchief from his coat pocket. “Oh, not at all,” he replied with a nervous laugh. “It is a bit close in here is all.”
“Would you like me to open a window?”
He shook his head. “That will not be necessary. We will be at the house soon.”
“Speaking of returning to the house,” Isabel said, giving Laurence a pointed look. “What of this surprise you mentioned? You cannot expect me to believe that John was our surprise.” She giggled. “No offense,” she said to John.
John laughed. “None taken. I cannot imagine myself being a surprise for anyone.” He glanced at Hannah and was pleased to see her cheeks flush again.
“You must be patient, “Laurence replied cryptically. “You will learn soon enough. We are here.”
Hannah glanced out the window. “But we have only returned home again,” she said, clearly confused.
Laurence laughed. “Indeed, we have. Come now. Your surprise awaits.”
They allowed the women to alight first, and John stopped Laurence. “What is this surprise?”
Before Laurence could answer, two squeals erupted from inside the house.
“Nathaniel!” both women cried in unison.
John followed Laurence inside and found both women smothering a boy of perhaps thirteen with kisses and tight embraces. “Who is this?” John whispered.
“That, Cousin, is the newest Baron Lambert, Isabel and Hannah’s brother, Nathaniel.”
The boy had the same blond hair and blue eyes as his sisters, but that was where the semblance ended. Perhaps he took after his father more than his mother, as his sisters did.
Hannah pulled away, holding the boy’s arms out to his side. “How is it our little brother is growing up so quickly?” she asked.
He gave her a horrified look. “I do not know,” he replied. “I suspect I shall grow for at least another five years.”
As Nathaniel fought off his sisters’ affections, John could not help but laugh as the boy wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “Enough, already!”
Hannah turned to John. “Nathaniel, I would like you to meet Lord John Stanford.”
“It is a pleasure, my Lord,” Nathaniel replied, giving John a stiff bow.
“And mine as well, young sir,” John replied. “Please, call me John.”
The boy smiled, and then Isabel drew him back to her with a bombardment of questions.
Laurence leaned in and whispered, “Come with me a moment. We can steal away while the siblings get reacquainted.”
John followed him down the hall to the library, where he took a seat opposite his cousin. Gone was the smile Laurence had worn upon arriving at the townhouse, and John felt uncomfortable under the man’s steady gaze.
“I received a letter from your mother.”
John groaned. He should not have been surprised, but he had hoped to avoid any discussion of his true reasons for leaving Cornwall.
“She said that you had traveled to Wales to do business for six months. Yet, when you arrived at my door, I was told a different story.”
“I…had a disagreement with Mother,” John said. It was a partial truth, but a truth, nonetheless. “I am sorry for lying to you.”
Laurence sighed. “Disagreements happen in families,” he said. “However, you must swear to me that you will write the woman and tell her where you are. I am afraid I do not understand, however. Why would you tell her you were going to Wales of all places?”
“I realize I should not have lied to her, but I promise to write to her first thing in the morning. And as to why I chose Wales? Well, it seemed the perfect place to go into hiding, and she would never have believed I had gone to Scotland. She knows all too well I do not enjoy the cold.”
“See that you do write. You are far too good of a man to be so dishonest, especially to members of your family. Please, never lie to me again. I can be trusted in any matter; you should know that.”
“I will not lie to you again,” John promised. Then a thought came to mind. “Since I can trust you, I need advice in a particular matter.”
“We have a few minutes,” He chuckled. “Although, I believe Nathaniel will be relieved when we rescue him from his sisters.”
John laughed, but then took a deep breath. “Hannah’s love for the arts, for books, theater and wildlife?”
“Yes? What of it?”
“In order to win her over, I lied to her about having the same interests. However, now I find myself enjoying them as much as she. My question is this. Do I tell her that these interests are new to me, or do I simply enjoy them and not admit that I had lied in the beginning?”
Laurence nodded as he sat back in his chair. “This is partly my fault,” he said. “Perhaps you can be honest and say you exaggerated your love of reading and such things. Then you may tell her the truth, that you find enjoyment in those activities more than you did before. Hannah will understand.”
“Do you believe so?”
“I do,” Laurence replied firmly.
Relief washed over John as he rose from his chair. “Thank you for your council in this,” he said, shaking Laurence’s hand. “I ap
preciate it.”
“Think nothing of it.” Then he paused. “Lord Minn mentioned that last season a rumor circulated concerning Lady Brunswick and yourself. Do you know of this rumor?”
“It depends,” John replied, attempting to hide his apprehension. “What was the rumor?”
“Apparently, you kissed her. In the drawing room at a party she gave last year.”
John knew that a month ago, the old him would have lied, but he had changed and refused to do so any longer. “It was in the library, actually. It was a foolish act on my part kissing the woman.”
Laurence was silent for a moment, and then he asked, “And what do you think of what you did?”
That was an easy question to answer. “I am ashamed.”
Laurence smiled and clapped him on the back. “That information is something I would not share,” he said. “Do not allow the action to cause you shame. Things like that happen when we are young; well, to some of us. I must admit it never happened to me, but that is neither here nor there. As long as they do not happen again, the past is the past.”
“Never again,” John replied. “No woman will draw my eye, for I now only see Hannah.”
It was a relief that he could confide in Laurence. Granted, Lady Brunswick had not been the first, and there were many after, but those days were gone. And he meant to see to it that it never happened again.
***
Hannah was ecstatic at seeing her brother and had to give him one more kiss. The poor boy frowned and wiped his cheek, causing both Hannah and Isabel to laugh.
“Do not worry,” Isabel said. “We are finished…for now.”
“I love you both,” Nathaniel said, “but I cannot endure any more kisses. But if you have a sweet, I will take one of those.”
He wore such an innocent smile that Hannah could do nothing more than sigh. “I will get you as many sweets as you wish,” she replied. “But I must know. How is it you have come to see us?”
“His Grace…Laurence wrote to me, and I had a free day today, so we organized a visit.”
Hannah could not believe how well-spoken her brother had become. It occurred to her that he truly was no longer the little boy she had adored but was slowly becoming a man. A man who would one day take over the running of Scarlett Hall.
“We are glad you were able to come,” Isabel said. “Is there anything you wish to do while you are here?”
“No,” he replied. Then a sad look came to his features. “I do wish Mother were here. And Juliet. Then I could be with all of my family.”
Hannah had to admit that she missed their mother, as well. In fact, he had hoped the woman would visit soon.
Then a bolt of fear hit her. The letters! She had not sent them, and it had been over two weeks since she had written them!
“I will return in a moment,” she said. “And do not worry; I will return with your sweets.”
Nathaniel gave her a smile and then followed Isabel to the drawing room. How she adored him!
She made her way to the library and heard voices coming from within. So, this was where Laurence and John had gotten off to! She turned to leave, but when she heard John’s voice, she froze in place.
“It was in the library, actually. It was a foolish act on my part kissing the woman.”
To keep from crying out, Hannah had to cover her mouth as she hurried past the door and to the kitchen. Tears brimmed her eyes as she held the bowl of sweets close to her. Had John met someone else? Or was he speaking of Miss Oakley? Her stomach knotted as she tried to calm herself, but she was much too overwhelmed to do so. She did not know how long she stood there, but when she heard footsteps, she turned to find John walking toward her.
“Hannah?” he asked, his voice filled with concern. “Are you all right? You look as if you have been crying.”
Try as she might, she could not stop a tear from escaping her eye, and he hurried over and took the bowl from her.
“What is wrong?”
“Do you truly care for me?” she whispered, finding looking at the man difficult. “Is there another woman you care for more? Someone far prettier than I?”
He placed a finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him. “There is no woman more beautiful than you,” he said. “I swear to you that is the truth.”
She gazed up at him and so desperately wanted to believe him. “I overheard you speaking with Laurence. You said you kissed another woman.”
He sighed.
So, it was true. Now he was going to end their courtship.
“I will not lie to you,” he said, his voice quiet. “I did kiss a woman at a party last season. It was foolish, and I cannot place blame on drink, for the action were my own.”
Hannah swallowed. “I see. And did you care for this woman?”
He chuckled. “No. In fact, I hardly knew her…” His voice trailed off. “Hannah, I swear that I see now that my actions that night were that of a fool. If you must know, it was Lady Brunswick, the woman Laurence mentioned in the carriage earlier. However, I swear to you that no woman in this world compares to you.”
She nodded and wiped her eyes. Although his words upset her, what had happened was in the past, and the woman was now dead, as sad as that was.
“I must confess something more,” John said.
“Go on, although I must admit that I am afraid.” Her heart beat against her chest, and she wondered if it would break through her ribcage. Yet, when John took her hand in his, a peace came over her.
“When I first met you, I found your intelligence and beauty overwhelming. I am afraid I told falsehoods, however. The truth is I do not read for pleasure, nor do I enjoy outings such as the theater. Or I should say I did not, for I thought it would be a bore.”
He had lied all this time? She had felt a connection with him, but now she realized the man she thought he was did not exist. How foolish of her to believe a man could be interested in the same things as she.
“But as we spent more time together, as I experienced life as you see it, I found that I have come to genuinely enjoy those things. In fact, I cherish what we do together.”
Hannah was uncertain what to say. She had come to have a great affection for a man she thought she knew. How could he expect her to accept that?
“Please,” he begged, “just one more thing. I have never had an interest in a woman as I have for you. I must admit that I have come to admire you greatly.”
“You care for me that much?” she asked, her breath catching in her throat.
He nodded, and when he smiled, it warmed her heart. “I have been such a fool,” he said. “But that is in the past. I stand here before you admitting as much. If you can look beyond the mistakes I made before and look into my heart, you will see it only beats for you.”
For all the stories she had read, all the tales she had heard, and all the words she had written, none could have prepared her for this moment. For the first time in her life, she understood what it all meant. John had been honest as he spoke of his past and confessed his lies, and although what he had said hurt, he spoke with humbleness and sincerity. She had no other choice.
“I forgive you,” she said with a smile. “And if you do not like to read, just tell me so. I will not force you to do something you do not enjoy.
His smile broadened. “I purchased a copy of Hamlet and am now reading it. I want to be able to discuss authors who are real and not those who write about pudding.”
This made them both laugh, and without thought, Hannah threw her arms around him. He pulled her in closer, and she found his hold comforting.
She brought her lips close to his ear and whispered, “I must admit that I have feelings for you, as well. Thank you for telling me what was on your heart.”
When the embrace broke, she smiled as he reached up to wipe away her tears. “You are a wonderful woman. Thank you for understanding.”
As they made their way back to the drawing room, the bowl of sweets in her hand, Hannah knew
she did not simply care for this man, for it was something much stronger. Love was the most beautiful of all things one could have and would make one do anything for the other. It would allow them to forgive, to move past any hurt, and even heal broken hearts. There was nothing Hannah would not do for the man for whom she had come to care.
Chapter Sixteen
He had come to the realization that he would do anything for Hannah. The love he had developed for her knew no bounds. He was unsure at what precise moment it had occurred, but it could have been any number of moments. Perhaps it was when he saw her for the first time, for he had thought her intriguing. Or when she shared secrets concerning her life, for she was intelligent. Or maybe it had been when she wore a particular dress that made her even more beautiful that he already thought her to be. Whatever the case might have been, it was clear that they shared in a destiny together.
So many times, he had worried that she would see through his ruse, that she would learn that he was not the person he was pretending to be. However, she had not, for she was an innocent and therefore never questioned the masquerade, which only made his affection for her that much greater.
He moved silently down the hallway that he knew how to traverse by heart and opened the door to the library. When it creaked, he paused to listen for anyone who would come to investigate, but the house remained as quiet as ever. Once inside, he inched the door closed until he heard the tiny click and stopped to listen again. Nothing.
Removing his coat, he placed it across the bottom of the door. Now he would be able to light a candle, for tonight he had a specific item in mind—the ledger in which she kept her writings.
He moved across the room to one of the bookcases, the light of the single candle giving enough light to see the spines of the books, if he brought it close and squinted. His finger touched each tome, but none were the one for which he searched. As he glanced down the long rows, a particular book overhung the shelf, and he growled in annoyance. He was meticulous if he was anything, and books were not meant to be unaligned! If they were, it only meant disorder, and he did not enjoy disorder in any form. However, when he attempted to push it back, something impeded its movement.
Echoes of the Heart: Secrets of Scarlett Hall Book 2 Page 14
