The Lady Seals Her Fate (The Langley Sisters #5) (7 page)

“Pardon?” She looked at Alex and then the Dowager, but he didn’t come to her rescue. She’d certainly made his life uncomfortable of late, so he considered this a small measure of atonement.

“What are you doing driving about with this man?” The Dowager waved her walking stick about, narrowly missing her companion, a small, neatly dressed young woman, whom Alex had never heard utter a word.

“Ah… well, we are friends, Your Grace.”

“Friends? I’m sure there’s more to it than that!” the Dowager roared. “Good choice, Hetherington, this one at least has a brain.”

“Does she?” Alex took his time studying Hannah, enjoying her bafflement. “If you say so, Your Grace; after all, you are never wrong.”

“Impudent is what you are, Hetherington. I expect you for tea tomorrow and in your arms will be my books or don’t bother turning up!” The Dowager Duchess then slammed her walking stick into the floor of the carriage, which had it moving immediately.

“What just happened, Alex?”

“We had an interlude with the Dowager Duchess of awkward, Hannah.”

“Did you… Do you really read Roman literature, and did you do so to her?”

“I do and I did.” Alex nodded to Sir Godfrey, enjoying the man’s obvious frustration over the fact that Hannah was seated beside him. The man didn’t have two farthings to rub together because of his gambling habit, but he would not be replenishing his coffers using Hannah’s dowry, Alex would make sure of that. “Beautiful day, Godfrey.”

“The world has gone mad,” Hannah said, looking about to confirm her suspicions. “Roman literature… really, Alex?”

“Do you not think I am capable of such weighty prose, Hannah? Perhaps you believe my morning newspaper taxes me?” Alex shouldn’t be hurt by her words, after all, many thought him a devil-may-care man with little to recommend him but his family’s fortunes and tolerable looks, but he was.

“Don’t be foolish, of course I know you could read it, I’m just not sure why anyone would want to.”

He smiled at her, because she didn’t believe him incapable after all. “Have you read Roman literature?” His smile turned to laughter as she shuddered.

“Thankfully, no. Father hired a tutor who attempted to ‘better me;’ those were his words.” She literally robbed the breath from his body when she smiled like that. It lit her entire face from within and her eyes sparkled, and its rarity made it all the more precious to Alex. “I tried to read something from one of those old works; Vergil, if memory serves. Hideous.” She shuddered again. “I was asleep before the end of the first page.”

She wasn’t the kind of woman to pander to a man’s ego. If she loathed something then she said so, and was equally passionate about what she did love. To his shame, he had never asked what that was.

“Do you read?” Alex asked her.

“Of course I read!”

“Very amusing, but you know that I am asking you what it is you do read,” Alex said, sending her a mock scowl. They were actually enjoying each other’s company for a few sweet minutes, and he had to admit she was a surprisingly comfortable person to spend time with, when they were not arguing over the cut of a dress.

“Poetry, and I shall thank you not to make any derogative comments.”

“Which poet?”

“John Keats.” She sighed the name.

“Which poem?” Alex navigated around a carriage before looking at her. “Hannah, which poem of his do you like best?”

“‘
To Hope
,’” she whispered.

“
When by my solitary hearth I sit, / And hateful thoughts enwrap my soul in gloom; / When no fair dreams before my ‘mind’s eye’ flit, / And the bare heath of life presents no bloom; / Sweet Hope, ethereal balm upon me shed, / And wave thy silver pinions o’er my head.
” When he finished, Alex smiled and Hannah smiled back, and for that brief moment he felt as if they completely understood each other, which of course they did not. But he felt it just the same, almost as if something unspoken had passed between them.

“You have hidden depths, Mr. Hetherington.” Her voice was soft.

“Yes, Miss Wooller, I do.” Alex pulled the carriage to a halt and then jumped down. He went around to Hannah’s side and held up his hands to her.

“Why are we getting down?”

“It’s called promenading, and you wanted this, so we are doing it correctly. No half measures.”

Her green eyes looked down at him, then she blinked, those long lashes hiding her expression briefly.

“Your lashes really are ridiculously long.”

“I believe you wanted them singed?” she said, placing her hands on his shoulders and letting him lift her down.

She was light, his hands nearly spanning her waist, and smelt of something sweetly alluring. He held out his arm and she placed her fingers in the crook, and they started walking.

“Alex, you must promise me something.”

“Must I?”

“Yes. You must promise me if you meet a woman who could be important to you while we are carrying out this charade, you tell me at once. I will call it off immediately.”

“How magnanimous of you, not wanting to stand in the way of true love.”

“Don’t mock me,” her temper flashed at him.

“Ah, now there is my Hannah.”

“I am not your anything.”

“But, my love, how can you be so cruel?” The smile he gave her was full of devotion and made her teeth grind. Their momentary connection was severed, it seemed. “Remember, this is what you wanted; I am just playing the part you set me up for.”

She harrumphed.

“You do know that sounded just like the Dowager Duchess of Stratton, don’t you?”

“She is everything I aspire to one day be.” Hannah stuck her nose in the air exactly as the old lady did.

“God save us all,” Alex muttered.

CHAPTER FIVE

They walked, they talked, and the people they met were left in no doubt their relationship had moved from friendship into something more serious. What that was, Alex and Hannah were careful to avoid discussing. He led her back to the carriage when her smile threatened to crack.

“I fear I should apologize once more, Alex, as it is my belief people will soon foresee an engagement in our future.”

“Much as I like hearing you say sorry to me, I think you have said it enough.”

Alex felt the fingers she had on his arm tighten, gripping his sleeve hard. Her eyes were on a man approaching. Lord McDonald was walking toward them with a determined look in his eyes.

“It seems I will have to be more direct with him.”

“Alex, no. Please do not make a scene. Let us just be polite and he will be on his way soon.”

“Miss Wooller.” McDonald bowed before her. “Mr. Hetherington.”

“McDonald.” Alex kept his eyes on the man as he placed his other hand over the one Hannah had clenched on his sleeve. It was a possessive gesture and by the narrowing of McDonald’s eyes he had taken note. Excellent, now he was getting the idea.

“I would like to take you driving tomorrow, Miss Wooller.”

“I fear I am busy, Lord McDonald.”

“Driving with me, again,” Alex added. “Because we are very good friends, Lord McDonald, and she will not be driving with anyone but me in the future.”

“Has he offered for you?” Lord McDonald turned his eyes on Hannah.

“No!” she said quickly. “We are friends, nothing more.”

“Come now, sweetheart.” Alex kept his eyes on McDonald. “We are much more than that, as I explained to Lord McRonald in the park earlier.”

“McDonald,” the man gritted out.

“Begging your pardon,” Alex said with no sincerity at all.

“Good day to you, Lord McDonald.” Hannah tugged Alex’s arm and soon they were striding off down the path away from the carriage once more. He looked over his shoulder and saw McDonald’s angry gaze following them. The man was not happy, and would need to be watched. Alex would mention him to Woolly.

“That man is a danger to you, Hannah. Never be alone with him.”

“For pity’s sake, Alex, he is just persistent. After that last interlude, I doubt he will bother me again. Your behavior was too possessive. If we are to walk away from this unscathed you cannot react that way when men approach me.”

“I thought it was perfect.”

“Well it wasn’t, and I will not have you behaving in such a… a boorish way again. There really is no need.”

“If we are to show people like McDonald we are more than friends, Hannah, and happy to be seen in each other’s company, I suggest you not outpace everyone.”

Her feet slowed but her expression remained grim.

“For the love of God, woman,” Alex whispered from the side of his mouth. “Smile sweetly.”

“If I am honest, Alex—”

“By all means be honest now.”

She glared at him. “I have to admit that I do not like Lord McDonald.”

“Neither do I, so we are together in that at least, but as you are supposed to like me then at least show it.”

She huffed out a breath. “I was never terribly good at hiding my thoughts.”

“Really.”

“You always fall back on sarcasm.”

“It’s what I do best,” Alex said, leading her down toward the river.

“Apparently not,” Hannah said. “Apparently you read Roman literature to crotchety old women, and recite Keats. Is there anything else you would like to share?”

“No, I think that is enough for now.”

“This is for you, Miss.” Alex looked at the young boy who suddenly appeared before them. He held a note in his hand, which he handed to Hannah.

“Thank you.” She passed him a coin from her reticule before Alex could take one from his pocket. She then opened the note and read the contents. Alex watched her refold it and place it in her reticule. Her expression had not changed, yet he could feel the sudden tension in her.

“Problems?” She had started walking and Alex noted her cheeks were flushed.

“Nothing important.”

She was striding again, so he took her arm and reined her in.

“Someone went to a great deal of trouble to deliver you a note here, when they could have done so at your house, and you say it is nothing important.”

“I have no wish to discuss this, Alex. What was in that note is my business, not yours.”

No one could dismiss him quite like Hannah Wooller. She raised his hackles without even trying.

“Ah, but I am the man you love, Hannah; surely that gives me some rights.”

She spun to face him. Whatever was in that note had scared her, because he saw the fear now, lurking deep in the depths of her eyes.

“We are not in love; we are deciding whether we are in love. Please understand the difference, Alex.”

“Mr. Hetherington!”

Alex saw the bevvy of women bearing down on him, quickly took Hannah’s hand, and slipped it into the crook of his arm, thus pulling her in to his side. “Don’t think I will forget about that note.”

“Dear Lord, there are five of them, Alex, all smiling at you.”

“Welcome to my life.”

“Suddenly my lack of popularity no longer seems so heinous.”

Hannah’s head was reeling as she watched the women hurry toward Alex in a froth of pastel. She tried to slip her arm free, but she was manacled to his side. What was the blackmailer thinking, to have a note delivered to her here in the park?

“Alex, I really think—”

“We discussed you thinking, it ends in disaster for both of us, so shut up and smile sweetly.”

She did, because she owed him that much. At least he could not read the note, as it was tucked in her reticule, and hopefully by the time the women left he would have forgotten its existence.

The carriage ride had been full of surprises. First there was the episode with the Dowager Duchess, and then Alex reciting Keats in his lovely deep voice. Imagine him liking Roman literature. She was guilty along with the rest of society of judging him. Yes, she knew he had a head for business, but she had thought he spent his nights with his brother and friends doing what young men did. It seemed she had to revise those thoughts and imagine him reading by his hearth.

“Mr. Hetherington, you simply must come and see the flowers. They are in full bloom, and I wish to show you my favorite.”

Hannah knew these women, having seen them regularly in the evenings. Of course, none of them spoke to her, and they were a year or two younger. Popular, beautiful, with families who could trace their lineage back to their wealthy and titled forefathers, they were never seen with the likes of her and were at present acting as if she was not hanging off Alex’s arm.

It didn’t hurt; she’d told herself that many times. They were not all shallow, just children of parents who were also children of parents who believed themselves better than people of lowly birth like the Woollers.

“I think you’ll agree the bluebells are particularly beautiful at this time of the year.”

She had no right to feel jealous or indeed possessive of Alex, but she did, and that annoyed her because this was make-believe. He did not care for her as she did not care for him, Hannah reminded herself.

“Ladies, I know you have met my dear friend, Miss Wooller, therefore I shall find it a direct insult to me if you do not acknowledge her.”

He should not have said that, Hannah thought, horrified yet secretly flattered that Alex had defended her. By nightfall everyone would know what he had done. Did the man have no sense?

“Oh of course, how do you do, Miss Wooller.”

Each of the girls acknowledged her reluctantly, and then tried to maneuver him from her side to follow them once more. Alex, however, hung on to her.

“Forgive me, ladies, but I am walking with Miss Wooller today. You shall have to find another to look at the flowers.”

The surprise on their faces had Hannah biting her lip to stop from laughing. They were totally cast down, throwing her accusatory looks as they turned to walk away. Her popularity with women was not about to increase, it seemed, as it had with men.

“Do you suffer that kind of thing often?”

“Yes, but your little scheme may give me some breathing room for a few weeks, and I tell you, Hannah, I shall enjoy the reprieve.”

They started walking again, and found a seat before the river.

“I knew you were highly regarded as a wonderful catch, but not what that entailed,” Hannah said, settling her reticule between them on the seat. “I am beginning to wonder which of us has the direst plight. My inability to attract suitors or your overabundance of them.”