“Is it your hair?” Sally asked. “I’m sorry if it doesn’t meet your approval. I can do much better if you’d like.”
Hannah smiled at the nervous lady’s maid. The woman was kind and always seemed to fret over whether she had displeased Hannah or not. “Not at all,” Hannah replied. “The style is well done. I must admit, your work is always wonderful.”
The woman beamed at the compliment and seemed to relax.
As Hannah turned her attention back to her reflection, however, she frowned. “My dress is adequate, but I must admit, for the first time I see myself as rather plain.”
“You are far from plain, Miss Hannah,” Sally said, her eyes wide with shock. “You are beautiful, in fact. I’d expect you’ll need to buy an extra bag for all the cards you’ll receive this season.”
Hannah could not help but laugh, feeling a bit better. She cared not for any cards, but for some reason she had an overwhelming urge to please John, and that fact nettled her. Why should she care what he thought? They were merely friends, or at least that was what she had come to consider him—as a friend—based on their common interests.
That aside, however, she had spent last night and this morning fretting over her dress. The truth was that she did not want John whisked away by some woman for the remainder of the season. If a woman such as Miss Oakley used his good nature against him, the poor man would only be made to look the fool. The more she considered it, the more she realized it was up to her to take the initiative and entice John to stay near her. Yet, how did one go about doing such a thing?
“Sally?” Hannah said, turning to the maid. The woman was nearing thirty, and over the past few days, Hannah had felt comfortable enough to share some of her secrets with the woman. “I must ask you for some advice.”
“But of course, Miss,” Sally replied. “I’ll do my best to help.”
“Suppose a woman has a friend, a gentleman friend. She has no intentions of romantic notions with him, of course.” An image of John kissing her as they stood beside the fire came to mind and she pushed it away with heat in her cheeks. “At the same time, she finds a need to keep him nearby. Shall we say, out of the hands of other women? To protect him, of course.”
“I see,” Sally replied.
“How would you advise her to proceed in keeping him safe?”
Sally walked over to the vanity table. “Well, a woman must use both her mind and heart to do such a thing,” she said. She picked up a bottle of perfume. “The first step would be to entice him with a scent. May I?”
Hannah nodded. “Please do.”
Sally added a dab behind each ear, on her wrists, and in the hollow of her throat. “Does this gentleman in question enjoy conversation?”
“He does,” Hannah replied, remembering the night at the inn—before Miss Oakley had arrived, of course. “He enjoys the same activities as I…that is, my friend. Do you believe one should continue engaging him in conversation?”
“Yes, Miss. There is one more thing.” She bit at her lip. “I’m afraid it might offend you. It’s not very becoming of a lady such as yourself, but I’ve heard women in your position speak of it.”
“You will not offend me,” Hannah replied, now curious as to the advice this woman was to give. Unbecoming of a lady? “What do you suggest I do?”
Sally glanced at the closed door and then took a half-step toward Hannah. “You may feign a fall or illness, either one will do the trick, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that he will then want to help you. My sister did that to a man. She pretended she was faint and fell against him, and of course he had no choice but to hold her or she would have fallen to the ground.”
Hannah’s eyes went wide. “Oh, my! That is quite…”
“Bold?” Sally said, finishing the sentence for her. “That might be true, but when the man held her, something changed between them, like a spark ignited that lit a fire that burned deep. It came as no surprise when they were married within the year.”
Hannah considered Sally’s advice. She had no plans to marry John, but what the woman said made sense. She had to keep him safe from those women who would use him for their own gain. This was not solely an attempt to gain his attention; she already had that.
“Thank you,” Hannah said and then gave the woman a hug. “I shall consider your advice.”
The door opened and Isabel entered the room. “I would expect Juliet to make everyone wait, but I would not have expected such behavior from you.”
Hannah gasped as she looked at the clock. “I’m sorry,” she said. She glanced once more at the vanity table, but she had nothing more to add to her ensemble. “I’m ready.”
Isabel gave her a stern glare but laughed to show she was teasing. “Good. The weather is too poor for an open carriage, unfortunately. However, it will still be an experience to remember.”
Hannah nodded, and they made their way downstairs. She cared not if the carriage had but one wheel; as long as she was near John, that was all that mattered. How strange it was to find interest in a man, especially when she had not been expecting—or wishing for—it.
When she stepped outside, she looked to the sky. Gray clouds threatened rain. It was not yet raining, for which she was glad, but she wished she could have experienced this outing in an open carriage. Unfortunately, English weather could never be trusted during this time of year.
Then she spotted John waiting near the carriage. Did he realize how tight his coat drew against his broad chest? Or how the muscles in his arms were clear under his sleeves? When he laughed as he did now while speaking to Laurence how radiant his smile was? Horrible weather or not, the familiar lightheadedness returned as she approached the carriage. And John. It was as if all semblance of sense had left her, and she could not help but feel a twinge of excitement at sitting beside him.
“Hannah,” John said with a deep bow, “it is wonderful to see you again.”
Hannah concentrated on her balance as she smiled at him. It would be just her luck to topple from the step and land on her backside in front of the man! She doubted rather highly that such a fall was what Sally meant when she gave her advice.
Laurence glanced upwards. “I am hoping the weather holds,” he said as a footman opened the door for them. “No matter. We will continue our excursion regardless. I had Weber add a few blankets to keep us warm.”
Hannah followed Isabel into the carriage, and then John took the seat beside her, much to her delight.
“That storm looks as though it might become fierce,” he said as he looked out the window. “Those clouds look quite menacing.”
Hannah could not take her eyes from the man’s arms, for the sleeve of his coat had drawn tighter, and when he pushed back the curtain further, she wondered what it would be like to touch his arm.
A feeling of shame washed over her, and when she turned to Isabel, she saw a small smile playing on the woman’s lips. “You look beautiful in that dress,” her sister said.
It was strange, but Hannah found she rather enjoyed the compliment, for in the past, her appearance was never of any great importance. If she brushed her hair and wore clean clothing, that was enough for her.
What she did find was that she hoped John would agree or make a similar comment. However, he did not. Instead, he began a conversation with Laurence about business matters, and Hannah leaned back into the cushioned seat. Well, what did she expect? He was a man, after all.
***
Hannah drew back the curtain on the carriage window and looked outside, amazed at what she saw. Two paths, one for those on foot and the other for carriages, snaked through the park. She pulled down the window and poked her head out to see that their carriage was in the middle of one long line that branched out in front of and behind theirs. However, it was the canal that fascinated Hannah, especially the birds gathered near it, large and white with the largest beaks she had ever seen.
“Is that…a pelican?” she asked with a gasp. She had heard of them, but to
have the experience of seeing one was enthralling.
“Indeed,” Laurence replied. “A gift from a Russian ambassador nearly two hundred years ago. They continue to thrive here and have made it their home.”
Hannah sighed as she moved away from the window and turned her attention to the man who sat beside her. He seemed preoccupied and content with gazing out his own window, and Hannah wondered about what he could be thinking. The truth of the matter was, she knew very little about him to even guess at his thoughts.
“Are there any pelicans on your side?” she asked in an attempt to grab his attention.
“No.” At least he had replied. He had become unusually quiet and her question did nothing to draw him from his thoughts.
“Have you seen the pelicans before?”
“Many times.”
That explained his disinterest, but she found his inattentiveness frustrating. Isabel and Laurence, still newly married, whispered and giggle to each other. Strangely, that was what Hannah wanted.
Then Sally’s advice came to her. She would need to time the perfect moment to feign illness and fall against the man; that would gain his attention, especially in such close quarters. Once in his arms, he would have no choice than to look at her—and hold her tightly.
As these thoughts came to her, the carriage made a sudden left, sending Hannah towards John. Although the turn was not all that jarring, she exaggerated it by falling against John.
“Oh!” she said as she pushed herself against him. Unfortunately for her, the carriage came to a stop at that precise moment, and he had turned toward her so that her head rested against his chest. That was not what she had planned! It was one thing to be jostled against his side or back and quite another to find herself cozying up to his front, even if it was a broad, hard chest….
“Hannah?” John asked in shock. “Are you all right?”
She looked up into his eyes and batted her eyelashes like she had seen Miss Oakley do back at the inn. “I believe so,” she replied demurely. “A moment, please, to allow me to regain my composure.”
“Of course,” he said. Then he frowned and his face puckered. “That scent…”
Hannah fought to suppress a smile. The plan Sally had suggested had worked! Although Hannah knew men were simple creatures, she could not believe how the perfume had confounded him. She suspected that the smell had provided a stirring of desire and interest within him. She prayed she had not applied too much, for the man might become an uncontrollable wild beast because of it.
“Oh, my perfume?” she asked with an air of innocence.
Laurence and Isabel had been watching something outside the carriage, murmuring to one another excitedly, and Hannah was relieved they were not taking heed of the exchange between her and John.
“Yes, your perfume…” He closed his eyes. “It is much too…” He turned his head and released a loud sneeze and then another. “It is very strong.”
“I am sorry,” Hannah whimpered as she righted herself.
“No apologies…” Sneeze. “Necessary.” Sneeze. “If you will excuse me; I must get some air.”
Horrified, Hannah moved away just as Laurence and Isabel exited the carriage, followed immediately by John, who threw himself from the vehicle as if escaping a fire.
Hannah sat staring out the door, a sense of shame blanketing her. The poor man had suffered because of the perfume, and she vowed to never wear any again. Taking a deep breath, she exited the carriage and glanced around to find a group of people gathered to the right of the line, two carriages before them. The driver was squatted down beside one of the great wheels.
“We should see if they need any assistance,” John said as he sniffed and then wiped at his nose with a kerchief. “They may be stranded.”
Hannah followed behind, the sense of dread thickening in the air around her, but for the life of her, she did not know why.
“May we be of any assistance?” John asked.
Hannah had not noticed that the carriage’s occupants, an elderly gentleman with silver hair and a younger dark blond woman—both with their backs to them—stood outside the carriage.
“No, thank you,” the older man replied. “Apparently the bearings seem to have caught. My driver was afraid we would cause an accident and therefore pulled over to the side. Is everyone in your party well?”
“Quite well,” Laurence replied just as the woman turned.
“Miss Oakley!” John gasped. A smile spread across his face as he bowed to the woman. “It is an honor to see you again.”
“You know this man?” her companion, more than likely her father if Hannah was to hazard a guess, asked, eying John with disapproval, much to Hannah’s delight.
“Yes, Father,” the woman replied, returning John’s smile. “We met, was it just two nights ago? At that little inn we stopped at when we were on our way to London. Do you recall the gentleman of whom I spoke concerning business? Lord John Stanford, was it not?”
The older man’s frown disappeared. “Ah, yes! Forgive me.” He put out his hand, and John gave it a firm shake. “Stanford, yes, it is a pleasure to meet you indeed. Miles Oakley.”
Introductions were made, and Hannah had never felt more ill in her life. How could this woman, out of all the women in London, happen to be just ahead of them in the park? What was worse was John smiling at her and how Miss Oakley reacted with that prim pinkness to her cheeks when he did.
Lord Oakley clapped John on the back. “Well, young man, it cannot be simply chance that you met my Catherine and have now met again with your willingness to lend us aid. I request you join us for dinner at your convenience in celebration for your nobleness.”
Hannah could not calm the racing of her heart. Of all the things that could possibly have gone wrong! She prayed that John would say he was much too busy or make some other excuse.
“It would be an honor,” John replied. “Please send a card with the date and time that is most acceptable to you.”
Hannah’s heart sank, and she held her stomach as she returned to the carriage. Miss Oakley could spend the remainder of her life stranded in St. James Park as far as she was concerned!
Brooding in her sadness, she flopped onto the bench and crossed her arms in vexation. That was what she got for having an interest in a man! Perhaps this was a sign that she should return to her books and leave the idea of men behind—for good!
When the others returned to the carriage, Laurence said, “The luck you have! To meet a woman whose father is one of the largest importers of wine? Tell me, how do you do it?”
“It is a matter of being irresistible by making certain everyone receives a smile,” John replied, much to Hannah’s ire. “For who can resist a smile?”
Apparently that awful Miss Oakley cannot, Hannah thought. Well, she would not give up! She would do everything in her power to stop that horrid woman, for she certainly was not an appropriate match for John!
The first party of the season was the following day, and if she failed in winning over John, then she would lose him forever.
And that was something she realized she was not willing to allow to happen.
Chapter Nine
The ballroom was crowded with a sea of people, the women in dresses of all colors of the rainbow with hair in elaborate chignons that differed as much as the dresses. Hannah, herself, wore a deep blue gown of velvet with white lace at the hem and a white satin belt at the waist. On her wrist hung a simple gold bracelet, and she forewent the perfume; there was no reason to worsen her chances of drawing John’s attention. It had been a costly error, and she vowed to never do it again.
They had arrived at the party, the first of the season, hosted by a school friend of Laurence, one Mr. Hugh Elkins, and although Hannah had attended a few parties in the past—none in London, of course—she had never seen one as grand as this.
A small orchestra played in a far corner of the opulent room, a massive fern creating a lush backdrop. Along one wall sat a line o
f tables with every type of food imaginable, and footmen walked around offering various types of drinks they carried on trays balanced on their hands. More than once, Hannah worried a guest would turn and bump into a tray, but the footmen seemed to anticipate the movement of everyone around them, managing to keep their trays from toppling to the floor.
The chatter of people smothered the sounds of the stringed instruments at times, and although many of the guests wore wide grins and laughed, Hannah felt alone. Isabel and Laurence were making their rounds, and much to her dismay, John had also disappeared into the crowd. She had circled the room twice but had yet to find him.
Frustrated, she grabbed a glass of wine from the tray of a passing footman and took a sip. She was not all that interested in drinking it; she simply wanted something to do. An older woman smiled as she walked past, and Hannah returned it, but the woman did not stop to speak with her, which was perfectly fine with Hannah.
Blast him! she thought about John leaving her alone; although, in all reality he had no reason to report his doings to her.
She went to take another sip of her wine when she spotted him speaking to two women across the room. It was impossible for her to make out what they were saying from this distance, but they seemed to be having a quite enjoyable conversation, much to Hannah’s chagrin. Granted, she had no cause to be jealous; however, she did find it rude that he would leave her alone to go speak to other women. Furthermore, what type of women stood tittering over a man they barely knew?
Well, perhaps they knew him more than she suspected. He had attended the London season for the past three years, had he not?
She sighed, finished the remainder of her wine in one gulp, and grabbed another glass from a passing footman. One of the women stood with her glass empty, and John smiled and took it from her. He stopped a footman and took another glass to hand to the woman.
Hannah narrowed her eyes at him. Fuming, she devised a plan, and with confident steps, she made her way to where John and his two hussies stood, stopping to glance around as if she had not seen him. Then, she just so happened to bump into his arm. Well, perhaps not just so.
Secrets of Scarlett Hall Box Set: A Clean & Sweet Regency Historical Romance Collection Page 29