She looked at him in surprise, so he rushed to explain, “I briefly spoke to him when I arrived at his townhouse, and he informed me of his plans.”
“Yes, Lord Charles did call upon me,” she responded vaguely.
“Did it go well?”
“Oh, yes,” she replied. “He was most attentive, and we had the loveliest chat.”
For some reason, this did not sit well with him, but he wasn’t sure why. “I am pleased to hear that,” he pushed out.
“He asked to call upon me again.”
“What did you say?” he asked.
“I encouraged him to do so.”
He clenched his jaw. “Do you believe that to be wise?”
A line between Hannah’s brow appeared. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“You are encouraging Lord Charles.”
“That was my intention.”
Martin frowned. “I am just worried that things are progressing too rapidly between you two.”
“Are you not moving at the same pace with Lady Emma?” she challenged.
“I am, but it is entirely different.”
Hannah looked at him expectantly. “Pray tell, in what way is it different?”
He put his hands out in front of him. “I may have misspoken, but I just want you to be careful,” he said. “Picking a suitor is not as simple as picking out your next needlework design.”
Hannah’s mouth dropped open. “Do you think I am so whimsical?”
“Of course not.” He heaved a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair. “I would prefer it if we did not fight.”
“As would I.”
Martin approached and stopped in front of her. “Any gentleman you select as your suitor will be a very lucky person indeed.”
She met his gaze. “Thank you for that.”
“All I have ever wanted for you is to be happy. You must know that.”
“That is kind of you to say,” she said, lowering her gaze to the lapels of his jacket.
He placed his finger under her chin and raised it, forcing her to look at him. “There is nothing kind about it, Hannah,” he replied. “It is merely the truth.”
Her blue eyes searched his for a moment. “I feel the same way about you,” she murmured. His heart started racing at the sincerity in her words.
“Hannah…” he started.
“Yes?” she asked, her eyes full of trust.
Martin couldn’t seem to formulate any words, not when she was looking at him like that. He was so lost in her gaze that he almost failed to acknowledge Kate’s voice drifting in from the entry hall. Almost. He dropped his hand and took a step back.
In the next moment, Kate and Edward walked into the drawing room with smiles on their faces. “We are so pleased that you decided to join us for dinner this evening, Martin,” Kate said.
Martin glanced over at Hannah, but she kept her gaze straight ahead, refusing to look at him. “It is always my pleasure to dine with you and your family,” he replied.
“Then shall we adjourn to the dining room?” Kate asked.
9
When Martin offered his arm to her, Hannah wanted to refuse, but she knew she couldn’t be as cold and unfeeling as that. It wasn’t his fault she could hardly stand to be around him without her heart starting to ache. She was trying to be brave, trying to push him out of her mind. However, it was proving to be a much more difficult task than she had imagined, especially since he was always around.
Every time she attempted to pull away, he would find a way to rein her back in. One smile from him, or one touch, and she was back where she started from. She was growing tired of the game. How could she ever forget him if he never left?
Martin led her towards the dining room and held her hand as she lowered herself into the chair.
“Thank you,” she murmured as she slipped her hand out from his.
As he sat down next to her, Kate and Edward claimed their seats.
Hannah tilted to the side as a footman placed a bowl of turtle soup in front of her. After everyone was served, she reached for her spoon and began eating. She found she wasn’t in a talkative mood at the moment.
“This soup is divine,” Martin remarked.
“I will pass on your compliment to our cook,” Kate stated.
“I would appreciate that.”
“May I inquire about the status of your relationship with Lady Emma?” Kate asked, putting her spoon down.
Hannah stifled a groan. This was the last thing she wanted to discuss over the dinner table.
“I called on Lady Emma earlier today, and I must admit that she is a pleasant enough young woman,” Martin shared.
“Do you think you two would suit?” Kate inquired.
Martin put his spoon down and reached for his glass. “I have no doubt that I could grow to care greatly for Lady Emma,” he replied.
Kate clasped her hands together. “That is wonderful news.” She turned her attention towards her sister. “Isn’t it, Hannah?”
“Yes, it is wonderful news,” Hannah repeated, forcing a smile to her lips.
Glancing between them, Kate said, “Might I propose that you two invite Lord Charles and Lady Emma over for a picnic here tomorrow?”
“I am not sure that is such a good idea—” Hannah started.
Martin spoke over her. “What a fun suggestion!” he exclaimed.
“I daresay that it is much too soon to have a picnic,” Hannah attempted. “The next logical course of action is taking a turn around the gardens, followed by a carriage ride through Hyde Park.”
Shifting in his chair, Martin turned to face her. “Wouldn’t it be grand if we defied convention?”
“No, it would not,” she declared. “There are specific steps one must take when determining an appropriate match for themselves.”
“You are no fun,” Martin teased.
“Finding a match is a serious matter,” Hannah asserted. “One should not take it lightly.”
Martin shook his head. “It is only a picnic, Hannah.”
Edward spoke up. “I find that I agree with Martin,” he said, “and I rarely do.”
Chuckling, Martin replied, “That is true.”
Hannah pursed her lips, knowing she was outnumbered. “Fine,” she muttered. “You win.”
Martin reached over and placed his hand over hers. “I promise you
