by Fiona Miers
John watched in surprise as Hannah knelt beside the chaise and wrapped the ice in her handkerchief. Then she gently arranged it over the sorest parts of his ankles Cold relief swamped his foot and John moaned in relief.
“I was a clumsy child. I often twisted my ankles when thrown from my horse or whilst running.” Hannah explained softly, her eyes entirely focused on her task.
John couldn’t help the frown that appeared across his brow, she was thrown from her horse? How often? Had she been hurt?
“Our family physician always insisted that ice helped the swelling go down.”
John nodded, knowing that there was swelling happening in his breeches. Thank goodness he wasn’t getting up anytime soon.
“You didn’t tell me what you were thinking of before.” John reminded her, hoping she would insult him again. Her providing more succor than he had ever experienced from a woman before was not helping his obsession with her.
Hannah smiled and continued to look at his foot and ankle.
“Just that you are beautiful when you laugh.”
John was glad he was sitting down because that comment would have knocked him on his backside. Of all the things he had expected her to say, that wasn’t one of them. John swallowed, uncomfortable. This woman touched him so deeply, every word caused him to ache.
“Hannah, I…”
“Oh John, what happened to you?” Charlotte came rushing into the room and to his side. Behind her stood Archie, equally concerned but also looking a little amused.
John groaned, his sister had the worst timing.
“What happened? The butler said you fell down the stairs? Has the surgeon been called?” Charlotte’s voice got higher as she spoke.
Hannah stood up and put a reassuring hand on Charlotte’s arm.
“A twisted ankle Charlotte, no cause for alarm. A day or two and he’ll be running up and down the stairs again.”
Hannah looked at John for the first time in minutes and John felt his ribs constrict around his heart.
Oh my god! I am falling in love with this woman!
John registered the thought with speechless shock, he opened his mouth but nothing came out. He just nodded his assent.
“Oh good, because we have all been invited to an important dinner on Saturday night.”
Charlotte beamed and John groaned.
“Another ball Charlotte?” Hannah sighed and John looked over to where she was slowly deflating. Perhaps Hannah hated the circuit as much as he did? He had never asked her.
****
“No, not quite Hannah. We’re going to a dinner party.”
“Oh? Whose?” Hannah asked absently, sitting down again in the chair opposite John. Now that she knew John was all right and he seemed to be doing better, her energy had run out.
“Rupert and Lizzie’s.”
“Really?” Hannah couldn’t help the happy surge that ran through her body at that news. She was finally going to meet the last Spare!
“Lizzie has been informed of your situation, so you should have a great dinner partner.”
Hannah rolled her eyes and Charlotte sat next to her with a pointed stare.
“You know that’s what you are here for, Hannah. It’s what the London Season is all about. Parties and balls so that everyone can admire you and see how beautiful you are.”
Hannah huffed and looked up as Archie came to sit down with them as well.
“But I haven’t met anyone suitable yet.”
Hannah looked away from John when she said this. He certainly wasn’t suitable, even if she was more than a little interested in him. And concerned for his safety! A voice in her head reminded her.
“You will on Saturday. I will make sure of it.”
Charlotte smiled smugly and Hannah felt herself sigh. If her cousin’s wife had anything to say about it, her time had come.
“I think we should get John upstairs,” Archie announced, obviously having decided he needed to help also.
Hannah opened her mouth to rebut but John held up his hand. “I think that would be a good idea, I would like to lie down properly.”
Hannah opened her mouth again and John looked directly at her.
“I feel much better. Thank you for your assistance.”
Hannah blushed at his heartfelt words and inclined her head.
An extra footman was called and between him and Archie they led John from the room.
Hannah held her pelisse tightly around her shoulders. Charlotte had talked her into wearing her most risqué gown for Rupert and Lizzie’s dinner party. The sleeves barely stayed on her shoulders and the neckline was cut very low. The colour was still pale as was appropriate for a virgin according to her modiste, but the cut of the dress left little to the imagination.
“Hannah this is Lord Rupert Willoughby, and his wife, Lady Willoughby.”
Hannah curtsied awkwardly and raised her head to look at the newly married couple. The first thing she noticed was how striking the man was. Rupert Willoughby was not only tall and broad, he also had the most piercing blue eyes Hannah had ever seen. She blushed a little when she looked over at his diminutive wife.
“It’s lovely to meet you both,” Hannah murmured with an apologetic smile at Lizzie.
Lizzie just chuckled and extended her hand.
Hannah took it in her own and held it a moment.
“Any family of Archie’s is family of Rupert’s, so please, make yourself at home.”
Hannah’s face lit up with the most genuine smile she had felt in days. What a lovely, beautiful woman.
“Thank you,” she squeezed Lizzie’s hand and moved over to the area the footmen were taking coats.
Taking a deep breath, Hannah turned and allowed Archie to remove her coat.
The air around her went still and quiet as almost every person in the room turned to look at her.
Hannah blushed and her knees went weak with the need to run away from everyone. She hated getting so much attention.
Help can from an unexpected source.
“Hannah, can I escort you into the sitting room?”
John appeared out of thin air, blocking most of the people from her view. He held his arm out to her and Hannah grabbed at it like a life support.
“Thank you for that John,” Hannah whispered as she clung to John’s arm.
She looked up and noticed he wasn’t as unaffected as she had first thought. His cheeks were rosier than normal and his eyes were burning.
“Have you been drinking whiskey already?” she asked.
John laughed, out loud. But didn’t answer the question.
Several people turned to look at them and John pulled her towards the fireplace. From there he walked over to the whiskey decanter and poured two glasses.
Hannah swallowed when he walked back over to her and handed her one of the glasses. She would be damned if she changed for anyone, but surely there were rules he was breaking.
“I haven’t had a drop today but thanks to you looking like that, I think I’ll start now.”
John clinked his glass with hers and drank the whole contents of his glass.
Hannah clenched her empty hand into a fist. What was wrong with how she looked?
She opened her mouth to ask when John gave her cleavage such a hot look that she put the glass to her mouth and drank. It was going to be a long night.
Lizzie called to Hannah as she walked towards her.
“Hannah, I would like to introduce you to your dinner partner for the night.”
Lizzie had very cleverly inserted herself and a rather handsome gentleman between Hannah and John.
“Hannah Turner, this is Lord Tulloch, Baron Osborne.”
Hannah smiled at the rather handsome man in front of her and curtseyed, her best yet!
“It is lovely to make your acquaintance, Miss Turner,” Lord Tulloch demurred, bowing appropriately.
Hannah could have sworn that John actually growled at this point but she chose to ignore it.
“Please call me Hannah. Us Americans don’t really stand on tradition.”
Hannah watched the baron’s eyes widen and a smile spread across his face.
“Of course Hannah, I am Benjamin.”
“What a beautiful name. Benjamin.” Hannah let the name roll off her tongue, wondering if that was a name she could say every day of her life.
“You drink whiskey Hannah?” Benjamin asked politely.
Hannah flushed despite her intentions not to.
“I do, despite the fact I have been told it is not very lady like.”
Benjamin chuckled. “That’s only because us men like to separate from the ladies after dinner. I think it would be lovely to have a wife who could enjoy such a comfort with me. Don’t you agree John?” Benjamin turned to include John, so John took an automatic sip of his refilled glass.
“I don’t think so Ben, why would you want to spend more time than necessary with your wife?”
Hannah gasped in her breath and narrowed her eyes at the rake before her.
“Lucky you aren’t married then, John. I pity your wife to be.”
Benjamin Tulloch opened his mouth and laughed so loudly Hannah took a step back.
“Did you hear what she said?” Benjamin continued to laugh and slapped John on the shoulder.
Hannah cocked her head at the two men, wondering what the joke was.
****
John clenched his teeth together so tightly he was afraid he would crack one. Who was this chump to slap him on the back as though they liked one another?
John forced himself to laugh also, not really understanding the joke.
He was lucky he wasn’t married. He didn’t have a wife to answer to and he felt bloody lucky that he wasn’t.
“What’s so funny?” Hannah asked, cocking her head to the side in that fashion that John loved.
He groaned out loud at the thought, he didn’t love anything about the woman in front of him. Except for her body, maybe, that may be worth loving.
“The way you said that Hannah, it was pure poetry. I have never seen anyone talk to John Dunford like that, and I don’t believe I ever will again.”
The idiot went off into another round of laughter and Hannah smiled. Obviously pleased with Benjamin’s assessment.
John swallowed, his stomach twisting into horrible shape. Why did it feel like someone had just punched him?
He watched as Hannah walked off with her partner into dinner and Lizzie escorted a woman over to him.
“Lord John Dunford, this is Mrs. Mary Priscilly. Mary is recently widowed and it took me weeks to coax her into joining us tonight. You will make her welcome won’t you John?”
Lizzie turned amused eyes to him and John thanked her with a smile.
What a delightful treat that had been served up to him. He surveyed the newly bereaved wife and found her to be young, very young. She would be twenty and one. She was pretty and petite, but John felt no stirrings of desire when he saw her.
“It is a delight to make your acquaintance Mrs. Priscilly.”
The girl smiled and curtsied. John watched her scan him in an appraising manner. Yes, this widow was definitely up for a good time. A pity she did nothing for him.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Dunford. I have heard a lot about you.”
John smiled with all the etiquette they’d beaten into him since he was a child.
“It is a pleasure to meet you too Mrs. Priscilly. Shall we?” John held out his arm and walked the young woman into dinner.
Chapter 7.
For the first time in his life, John wished he had a second set of eyes. He could barely concentrate on the delicious morsel that Lizzie had served him up because all of his attention was on the woman opposite him and she was engaged in such titillating conversation her laugh could be heard around the room.
Unlike him. Mrs. Priscilly could barely string a sentence together.
When the delicious dinner was finally finished, John’s neck was sweaty and his fingers itched for the huge glass of brandy he knew was calling his name.
Rupert called for port and cigars for the men and John very happily delivered the widow to the sitting room and walked out into the hallway.
As he stepped closer to the men’s den he heard Hannah’s sweet voice excusing herself as she made her way out of the room. Probably to use the powder room.
He looked towards the men’s sanctuary, the curling smoke of the cigars calling to him even as he heard Rupert’s chuckle and Archie’s smooth voice.
He turned on his heel and charged straight for Hannah, grabbing hold of her elbow and dragging her along the hallway.
“What are you doing?”
He didn’t answer, he just pulled her into the library, shutting the door behind them.
“John!” Her indignant tone made him want to lay her down and cover her with his body so that she couldn’t speak anymore.
“What are you doing flirting with Baron no brains like that?” John hissed at her.
Hannah gasped, her nostrils flaring.
“I can flirt with whoever I like. I’m the one looking for a husband.”
“Well, look for a proper man. He is not the one for you.”
She needed someone with balls.
“Well, who is then?” she asked him.
He scanned his memory for anyone who might be a good fit for the gutsy, amazing American. Unfortunately, not a single fellow, past or present came to mind.
“No one I know.”
She rolled her eyes in an exaggerated movement.
“So, I’m supposed to go back to America alone?”
“Of course not!” John snapped, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Why was she asking him all these questions that he couldn’t answer?
“How dare you say such a thing to me, John! I need a husband and you are yelling at me for some harmless flirting!”
Now that was low. He was not yelling. And it was never harmless when she was a virgin. A widow, sure, they had different rules.
“It’s not harmless when that same man wants to get you into bed before your wedding night! And then he may not go through with it, you never know with men.”
Hannah’s nostrils flared and she threw her hands up.
“You can talk! You have offered me a position as your mistress, kissed me several times and tonight you flaunted that little floozy right under my nose! Did you bed her in the broom closet whilst I was having a cup of tea John? I did see you both go missing for a while.”
The heat in John’s face surged from merely uncomfortably warm to flaming heat. “I did not do any such thing!”
Hannah’s eyes narrowed as she put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
“You were touching her all through dinner and then she came into the sitting room looking very disappointed. What’s wrong John? Not up to the task tonight?”
John saw red and his heart went into overdrive. He grabbed the woman in front of him and pushed his body against hers, taking several steps back until they were pressed against a wall.
“Listen to me,” he growled when Hannah fought against him. “Does this feel like I would struggle to take a woman tonight?”
He pressed his growing erection against Hannah and rubbed himself against her pelvis.
Hannah gasped and her face flushed in anger or arousal, John couldn’t tell.
“I don’t know what you’re capable of.”
John laughed again, pinning Hannah tighter as she continued to struggle. He bent closer so that he could whisper into her ear.
“You drive me insane. I want no one but you. If I thought I could rut on that woman and forget you, I would. But I couldn’t even get hard when I tried to. With you…” John growled as his now completely aroused body dug into her belly, searching for access to her beautiful skin. “I am never decent with you around.”
Hannah gasped and struggled again, causing pleasure to zing along his veins.
�
��Let me go, you don’t really want me.” Hannah’s voice had changed into a high pitched squeal and her chest rose and fell with exertion.