A Scandalous Secret (5 page)

“Well, Hannah MacFadyen!” He grinned at her. “You have filled out so nicely, and in all the right places.”

She rolled her eyes at the duke. “Ye’re late. Caroline has been askin’ about ye.”

“Has she?” Kelfield drawled then his eyes landed on Chet behind her. “Astwick, what are
you
doing here?”

“Laying old wounds to rest. Or at least attempting to. Escort the lady in to dinner, will you? And give my regards to Lord and Lady Staveley. I-um-have a previous engagement I must have forgotten.”

***

“I shouldn’t speak to you at all.” Hannah sent Caroline a sidelong glance as the Campbell, Carteret, and Staveley children bolted towards the Serpentine.

“Stay out of the water!” Caroline called after the departing brood. Then she turned her attention back to Hannah with a look of chagrin. “I hope you’re not truly angry with me. I did warn you I could be meddlesome.”

To say the very least. Still, there was no real harm done and Caroline had been a friend to her ever since they’d met. “It’s no matter. I was bound ta bump inta him at some point. I just would have preferred a little warnin’, however.”

“I am sorry about that. I was afraid James would have cancelled if he’d known.”

A laugh escaped Hannah’s throat. Caroline apparently knew her brother well. “Aye, he would have. Jamie has been rantin’ ever since we returned home last night. He was still in rare form this mornin’.”

“He’ll be fine.” Caroline linked her arm with Hannah’s. “We should head after them.” She gestured towards the riverbank with her head. “My Adam has a propensity for acquiring unacceptable pets when no one is watching.”

“Lady Staveley!” called a matronly voice from behind them.

Caroline stiffened at Hannah’s side. “I am in for it now,” she whispered. Then she glanced over her shoulder and flashed a wide smile at an elderly woman. “Lady Astwick! What a surprise to see you in the park this morning.”

Lady Astwick? Was this another of Caroline’s schemes? Hannah’s blood ran cold and she nudged her new
friend.
“Did you do this?” she hissed.

Lady Astwick retrieved a monocle dangling around her neck and placed it up to one eye. “The woman who ruined my son’s life. “ She looked Hannah up and down. “Aye, you’re her. Just as Harold described you.”

Harold Peyton’s description? That could hardly be flattering. But before Hannah could speak, Caroline stepped closer to the landau. “My dear Lady Astwick, allow me to introduce a friend of mine. Lady Hannah Campbell, recently returned from the continent.”

“I know who she is, Caroline Staveley. Were you not listening to me? Or are you trying to manipulate me into being docile?”

“I would never attempt to manipulate you, Lady Astwick,” Caroline returned conversationally. “Just introducing you to my friend. How are you doing this fine day?”

“I am
never
mistaken,” the old woman barked. “You’re the reason the Astwick title is in jeopardy.”

“I don’t think that’s quite fair,” Caroline chimed in. “Lady Hannah is—”

“Mama!” Ewan yelled, followed by several pairs of tiny feet running up the path.

Hannah glanced back over her shoulder to find Ewan, Alasdair, and Caroline’s daughters darting towards them. “No runnin’,” she called to them.

“But Adam found a snake,” Ewan protested. “Can we keep him?”

Hannah blanched at the thought. “I doona think Uncle James would approve.” Nor would she, but it was much easier to lay the decision at James’ feet, especially as he wasn’t present.

“Dear God!” Lady Astwick exclaimed, then cursed most vilely for a refined lady.

“Adam does adore snakes,” Caroline explained on a sigh. “I think he mostly adores them simply to annoy his sisters, however.”

But the string of expletives continued from Lady Astwick’s landau. Even after Hannah had spent a dozen years surrounded by soldiers, Lady Astwicks’s cursing was more than a little shocking.

“My lady!” Hannah complained, but stopped when she realized all the color had drained from the marchioness’ face. The woman truly appeared distraught. “Lady Astwick, are you all right?” She took a step towards the landau.

The older lady gestured towards Alasdair as though she’d seen a ghost. “You are contemptible, Lady Hannah.”

“Contemptible?” Hannah echoed, stopping in her tracks.

Lady Astwick sat up straighter as though it might help her regain her composure. “I grew up beside Peyton boys. I married a Peyton man. And I bore him three Peyton sons.”

Hannah’s breath rushed out of her as she realized what the marchioness was actually saying in her rant. But Lady Astwick couldn’t possibly know. No one did.

“I know a
Peyton
when I see one,” the marchioness continued in a horrified whisper. “How dare you?”

“Of course, my lady,” the driver replied before loosening his grip on the reins. Then they were off, barreling towards the Park Lane entrance as though the devil himself was chasing after them.

“Mama.” Ewan tugged on Hannah’s dress. “Ye look ill.”

She was ill. She was most definitely ill. Hannah squeezed Caroline’s hand. “Ye have ta stop her.”

“Stop her?” Caroline looked from the rapidly departing landau back to Hannah. “I hardly think I could catch her. What was all of that about, Hannah?”

Caroline gestured her oldest daughter forward. “Rachel, gather everyone up, will you? Then all of you head back to Carteret House.”

Hannah smoothed a hand along her youngest son’s cheek. “I’ll be fine, Ewan. Just a little lightheaded. Hold Alasdair’s hand and listen ta Miss Rachel.”

As soon as the gaggle of children departed for the park entrance, Caroline led Hannah to a bench. “Sit,” she ordered quietly. “And tell me what is going on.”

But Hannah couldn’t utter the words. Not aloud. Not to anyone. Malcolm had known, of course. She’d told him the truth before they’d married. And James, well, James had known as well. But she couldn’t tell anyone else. The truth was just too awful. Still, she did sit as she truly was lightheaded and feared she might collapse in the middle of the park.

“Hannah,” Caroline urged. “I can’t help if you won’t tell me what’s the matter.”

Havers
! Lady Astwick was on her way to tell Chet right now. And then what?

“All it took was her lookin’ at him and she kent,” Hannah whispered in horror. From the beginning she’d seen Alasdair’s resemblance to Chet, but she’d never thought someone else would recognize the truth so easily or so quickly. Blast it all. She should have insisted that she and the boys go to stay in the country, despite James’ protestations.

“Ye’ll think me a wanton.” She dropped her eyes back to her lap. “But I suppose I was then.” Still she couldn’t say the words aloud. She just couldn’t.

Hannah shook her head. “I dinna ken, no’ until after we were already in Scotland.” She swiped a tear from her face. “Malcolm loved Alasdair as though he was his own. He loved me despite everythin’.”

“Well, of course he loved you,” Caroline soothed. Then she heaved a sigh. “You have to tell him, you know? Chet. Either you do so, or Lady Astwick will.”

A chill crawled down Hannah’s spine. “She’s already on her way there. I couldna possibly catch her.”

Caroline snorted. “She’s on her way to Astwick House. Chet will be in his club at the moment. So we should head to St. James instead.”

“We?” Hannah sent a sidelong glance at her friend. “You doona have ta involve yerself in this sordid tale.”

Caroline shrugged. “You look more than a little pale, Hannah. I think someone should go with you. Besides, you’ll need help getting Chet’s attention if he’s as cloistered in Whites as I suspect he is.”

***

Chet read the same paragraph over and over in
The Times
. Something about Robert Southeby or Southey or something. Some poet or some such. Honestly he had no idea what he was reading as his mind kept replaying the events from the previous evening. How was he to concentrate on anything of importance, or anything of the mundane for that matter?

The tip of a cane caught the top of his paper and slowly lowered the edge just enough for Chet to meet the Duke of Kelfield’s arrogant eyes. “I thought that was you,” the duke drawled.

Chet clapped the paper to his lap and frowned at Kelfield, depraved blackguard that he was. “Something you wanted?” he asked, not even bothering to hide his irritation.

Kelfield folded his arms across his chest. “Not me,” he corrected, “but our mutual friend, Caroline Staveley, is threatening to cause quite the scene if you don’t meet her outside at once.”

Caroline? For God’s sake! Couldn’t a man get a little reprieve from meddling women? Especially in a gentleman’s club? “I beg your pardon?”

“You can beg all you’d like.” Kelfield smirked. “But that’s not going to help the matter. She’s already threatened the footman at the door with bodily harm for refusing to locate you. Fellow doesn’t know to take her seriously, but you and I do. For the poor footman’s sake, go see what she’s after, will you?”

Chet snorted. “She’s the last person I’d like to see today.”

Kelfield chuckled. “Smarter than I took you for, then.” He gestured towards the entrance to the club with his head. “You don’t want her to make a nuisance of herself any more than I do, but I don’t play the role of hero terribly well. Go save the lady from herself.”

“Her damned brothers ought to be here to do that,” Chet grumbled.

“But, alas, neither of them is in London at the moment.”

“Neither of them ever is.” Chet rose from his spot in an overstuffed leather chair, looked towards the large front window, and spotted not only Caroline, but Hannah too. “Dear God,” he said as he hastened towards the entrance.

A harried footman nodded in greeting as Chet neared him. “Lord Astwick, some ladies wanted a word—”

“I’ll take care of it,” Chet promised. Then he stepped out into the sunlight to find the two ladies staring at him. Well, Caroline was staring at him. Hannah stared at the ground like a chastened child. “What are you doing?” he demanded of the pair.

Caroline stepped aside and gestured to Hannah with an outstretched hand. “Hannah needed to speak with you, and how lucky for her that I knew just where to find you.”

Chet scowled at his friend. “Staveley should keep you on a leash. You’ve got half the club in an uproar.”

Usually Caroline would grin at such a comment, but today she appeared much too serious, much too somber. “We wouldn’t have come unless it was important.”

Chet descended the stone steps to stand before Hannah, who was still staring at her feet. What the devil was that about? “Has something happened?”

She couldn’t even meet his eyes, which made Chet’s heart slam into his throat.

Caroline coughed delicately to draw his attention back to her. “We brought Staveley’s coach with us. It’s right there at the corner. Why don’t they two of you go for a ride so you can discuss things in private?”

And leave Caroline alone to wander the St. James, threaten more footmen, and land herself in a mess of trouble? “I don’t think we should abandon you, my dear. Who knows what might happen.”

Her cheeky grin did appear then. “Don’t worry about me. Kelfield said he would see me home.”