The Lady Seals Her Fate (The Langley Sisters #5) (2 page)

“Have you heard anything about me from anyone, Alex?”

“In what capacity?”

“Any capacity.”

He straightened, his eyes going from her to above her head, where he looked out at the London sky while he contemplated what she’d said, before returning to her face once more.

“I heard Phoebe say that you were the most frustrating woman she knew, and that it was likely she would be forced to shoot you one day to shut you up.”

“That is not anything new, Alex. I was there when she said that, and you know very well that’s not what I meant.” Phoebe was Alex’s sister-in-law, and Hannah’s best friend. They were always saying things like that to each other.

“I don’t know what you mean, Hannah, as you have not enlightened me.”

“Have men said anything about me?” Hannah clarified.

“Ben said that appearances, in your case, were definitely deceiving. As you have an angelic look, almost ethereal, and look as if you would be sweet and pliable, when in fact—”

“Yes, yes, I understand, thank you, Alex. But that is not what I meant either.”

“I like that neckline on you, it’s very becoming and enhances your—”

“Alex!” Hannah snapped, drawing his eyes back to her face. “You will not continue that sentence.”

“Beauty, I was going to say, and am insulted you would think otherwise. Especially as I am a gentleman and to speak of such things is not done. Well, not around a lady anyway.” His smile was wicked.

Hannah, Phoebe, and Alex were business partners in Madame Alexander’s, a modiste that boasted many of society’s leading ladies as their clientele. Thus far they had kept their identities a secret, because people would be scandalized were they to learn their gowns were designed by nobility.

“Focus please, Alex. Have you overheard any men mention my name in conjunction with my dowry when you went to your club or anywhere else?”

“I have only just arrived back in London, Hannah. I have had no chance to hear anything. If you will remember, I was in Scotland, chasing the maker of the lace you simply had to have. Furthermore, why would men be speaking of your dowry now?”

“Yes, well, you’ve been back a day, and father has increased it in the hopes of coercing a man to offer for me,” Hannah said ungraciously.

“For pity’s sake, why would he do that?” Alex scowled. “What is he thinking? Does he want your future husband to only have eyes for money and not his future wife?”

“Precisely what I said to him, but he wants a grandchild and will stop at nothing to obtain it.”

“There is more to it than that, surely?”

“Yes,” Hannah sighed. “His heart is not strong, and fear is also motivating him.”

Before Alex could speak, Lord Drummond appeared before her.

“Miss Wooller, may I have this dance?”

“I am sitting out this dance, my Lord.” Hannah looked at the man who had come to stand beside Alex.

“Your father said you loved to dance, Miss Wooller, and told me not to take no for an answer as you are shy.” Lord Drummond smiled through his thin lips. “An admirable trait in such a beautiful lady.”

Hannah suddenly found her fingers in Alex’s grip as Lord Drummond reached for her hand, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the man.

“I believe Miss Wooller is disinclined to dance this evening, Drummond.”

His tone was civil, but Hannah heard the hint of menace. Seeing an argument brewing, she quickly retrieved her fingers. “It’s all right, Mr. Hetherington, Lord Drummond is right; I do indeed like dancing, and shall be happy to accept his invitation.”

“Hannah—”

“Really, Alex, all is well,” she said, managing a smile before letting Lord Drummond lead her away.

Lord Drummond waxed on through the entire dance about how beautiful she was until Hannah was tempted to box his ears, yet as she was currently surrounded by some of the more affluent members of society, she refrained.

“Thank you, Lord Drummond,” Hannah said after he’d led her back to where Lord and Lady Ryder stood.

“The pleasure was mine, dear lady, and I shall expect another later in the evening.”

“Not if I can avoid you, you won’t,” Hannah muttered to his retreating back.

“You’re frowning, Hannah.”

Olivia Ryder was Hannah’s best friend, Phoebe’s eldest sister, and a woman she liked and respected very much. She wore a gown of bronze silk Alex had designed for her that made her lovely strawberry-blond hair glow.

“I’m suddenly popular, Livvy. It is a most unusual occurrence, and wholly centered around the fact that my father has increased my dowry. I have been beseeched with morning callers, all men, and have had two proposals in as many days.”

Livvy frowned, her delicate brows drawing together as she looked at Hannah in concern. “Of course you’re beautiful, but we both know that for these fools that is often not enough, and while I understand your father believes he is doing the right thing because he loves you, it is very bad of him to have put you in such a position.”

Relieved that Livvy understood her dilemma instantly, Hannah huffed out a breath. “I have tried to dissuade the men of course, but they tell me it is simply my beauty that has drawn them to my side and not my dowry. Which I pointed out was strange, considering I have been in society for several years and they are only just noticing now.”

“I bet you did.” Livvy smiled. “And I can understand how vexing this must be for you, Hannah, but try not to insult too many men as you dissuade them, as you have no wish for people to start talking about you for an entirely different reason.”

Hannah sighed. “It is not easy to hold my tongue, given my nature.”

“As my middle sister is natured the same, I completely understand, Hannah, but do try all the same.”

“I will, and thank you for your understanding, Livvy. Now, I wish to know how Bella is doing. Tell me, is she well?” Livvy and Phoebe’s youngest sister was expecting her first baby.

Livvy’s smile told her everything. “She is wonderful; in fact, it is Luke who is suffering. He follows her around all day until she is forced to send him away. It’s a wonderful sight, the tough Luke Fletcher brought to his knees by impending fatherhood.”

Hannah felt a small betraying stab in her stomach at the thought of another friend having a child. It was not that she wanted a baby especially, just the opportunity to have one in the future. Of course, she needed a husband for that, and that was not going to happen anytime soon, given the men who were offering for her were money-hungry fools.

“I am so pleased for them both and cannot wait to meet your little niece or nephew.”

“Hello, Hannah.”

“Hello, Will,” Hannah sank into a curtsey as Livvy’s handsome husband arrived at her side.

“Have you missed me, darling?”

“No, and you should not call me darling in front of your wife,” Hannah said, giving him a cheeky smile.

Livvy giggled.

“I meant my other darling,” Will drawled.

Hannah watched as he gave Livvy a smile that he seemed to reserve only for her. She’d noticed this about couples that truly seemed to love each other. They communicated silently, and often forgot anyone else around them. It was not that she wanted that exactly, she just wanted the chance to have or not have it.
And that made no sense to anyone but you, Hannah Wooller.

Elegantly dressed in a black jacket and black waistcoat threaded with gold, he was a tall handsome man Hannah was lucky to call friend. Lord William Ryder was a ruthless businessman and a doting family man and friend to many. It always gave her a little jolt of pleasure when she realized that he and his large family all included her in their circle now. She’d never really felt accepted by anyone until she’d met Phoebe and then the rest of their family.

“Will, would you do me a favor?”

His eyes were suddenly guarded as they looked down at Hannah, and she had the feeling he knew exactly what she was going to ask of him.

“In what capacity?”

“Would you attempt to persuade my father to reduce my dowry?” She watched him closely as she spoke, saw the slight panic flare in his eyes. He looked trapped. “He respects you and may just listen.”

“Your father is an extremely stubborn man, Hannah, who loves you very much. I fear he believes he is doing right by you, and interference on anyone’s part will not be appreciated. However,” he added as Livvy jammed an elbow in his ribs, “if you wish it I shall speak with him.”

“Good evening, everyone.”

“Alex!” Will said the word loud enough to draw several eyes. “How wonderful to see you this evening.”

“I saw you not twenty minutes ago, Will.” Alex looked confused. “We discussed your latest shipment of fabrics.”

“Ha, so we did. My memory, you know.” Will fastened his fingers around Livvy’s arm. “Seems to be failing me lately. Come, wife, we are dancing.”

“Why is he dragging Livvy across the floor?”

“To avoid me,” Hannah said, watching Livvy deliver a few cross words to her husband. “I asked him to speak with my father regarding my dowry. I merely thought as Papa respects Will he might listen to him.”

“You asked Will yet not me?”

“My father and he are business partners—”

“And he therefore respects him, whereas me, on the other hand, he does not.”

Alex had not exactly snapped the words at her, but it was implied by the narrowing of his blue eyes.

“You said that, not I.”

“But you believe it?”

“Of course not. I know you are moderately intelligent and garner respect from many.”

“Who?” Alex snapped this time.

“Who what?” Hannah couldn’t seem to look away from his angry gaze. It was so rare to see him anything but composed.

“Who, in your eyes, respects me?”

“Ah, well, Phoebe and I, obviously, and Ben and Finn.”

“My brothers do not count,” he snarled. “And neither do Phoebe and you.”

“Alex, why are we having this conversation?” Hannah was curious. Suddenly she felt as if there was a deeper meaning behind his words. “Do you believe people do not respect you?”

“I’ll speak to him, your father,” he said, ignoring her question. “And don’t think I did not hear the moderate intelligence comment either. I could out-think you using half my brain.”

She watched as he lifted his eyes from her and inhaled through his nose.

“You would do that for me?” Hannah knew she looked surprised.

“Of course, and am insulted you believe otherwise.”

“I’m not sure why you would be. You are rarely serious, and I have never seen you confront anyone; why would you wish to do so with my father?”

“Perhaps you don’t know everything there is to know about me, Miss Wooller, did you ever think of that?”

“Honestly, no I didn’t.”

“Hannah, I—”

“Miss Wooller, Mr. Hetherington.”

Hannah stiffened as she looked at the tall lean figure of Lord McDonald. He had only been in London for one season, and had already made quite a name for himself with the ladies. Tall with dark swarthy looks, he spoke with a gentle Scottish burr. They had danced once before tonight, but she had not taken a liking to him, as he’d spent the majority of that dance talking about himself. Hannah had avoided him after that, however, it now seemed news of her dowry had reached him also.

“McDonald,” Alex said in a curt tone that was most unlike him.

“Would you care to dance, Miss Wooller?” Lord McDonald held out a hand.

“Thank you, I would be delighted,” Hannah said, quickly placing her hand in his before Alex said anything to stop her. “I shall see you later, Mr. Hetherington.” She threw Alex a warning look that told him to say nothing further. She then let Lord McDonald lead her to the floor, where he would no doubt wax lyrical about the exceptional qualities that made up his character.

She caught a final glimpse of Alex’s frowning face and then he was obscured behind several guests. Their conversation had unsettled her, because she had never heard him talk that way before. She wondered if in fact he was right, and she did not know him as well as she believed, and there was another side to Alexander Hetherington. The thought intrigued her far more than it should.

CHAPTER TWO

Alex wondered if he stared into the fire for long enough would it give him the answers to the questions churning around inside his head. Closing his eyes, he rested his head on the seat back. The conversation with Hannah this evening had come out of nowhere and he wished he’d kept his mouth closed.

The problem was she, and a few other people, did not take him seriously. They thought he was amiable (which in truth he was), well-dressed (again true), and that nothing bothered him—not true. Society saw him as Viscount Hetherington’s brother, twin to Ben, a society darling, and he was heartily sick of it.

He had a brain, and he used it often to increase his fortunes and solve problems. He loved Ancient Roman literature, he was of a practical bent, and he could lend his hand to most things when required to do so. He put on an act when he was outside the walls of his home, or that of his family, and he was never sure why. It was just something that had evolved, and he’d never bothered to change the perception society had of him.

“It’s like you are two people,” Ben often said to him. “The affable gentleman who can throw out complements with ease, and then there is this sharp-witted, well-read, business-minded person, who when provoked has a temper that only a few of us know about.”

Alex picked up his brandy and sipped as he stared into the fire. It was cool tonight, even though London was currently experiencing a run of excellent weather, and he was enjoying the heat on the soles of his feet, having removed his footwear upon entering his study, where he was now enjoying the peace and solitude.

His anger had increased every time he watched Hannah dance with another man, when most evenings she spent her time chatting around the edges, dancing only with him, his siblings, and their closest friends. Her popularity should please him; instead it made Alex want to stomp around to Woolly, her father, and confront him. He had been foolish to increase her dowry. Hannah was one of the most beautiful women Alex knew. She appeared almost fragile, with midnight hair and rosebud lips, and pale soft skin, like that of a porcelain doll, but appearances, as she had said earlier this evening, were deceptive. Hannah was as fragile as an ox.