“He sounds like a good man.”
A wistful look came to her face. “He was,” she replied softly. “The best of men.”
“I am pleased to hear that.”
Gesturing towards the settee across from her, Lady Emma asked, “Would you care to sit, my lord?”
“Frankly, I would prefer to stand for this conversation.”
“It might be best if you just speak your mind.”
Martin took a moment to collect his thoughts, then said, “I have enjoyed our time together immensely.”
“As have I.”
“I want you to know that when I started pursuing you, I had every intention of offering for you,” he shared. “You are beautiful, clever, and have a quick wit.”
“But now?”
Martin winced as he shifted uncomfortably in his stance. “I have come to realize that I care for another.”
Lady Emma considered him for a moment. “Is it Miss Blackmore?” she asked.
He nodded, seeing no reason to deny it. “It is.”
“I assumed as much,” Lady Emma said. “I have never had a gentleman look at me as you do at Miss Blackmore.”
“I do hope there will be no hard feelings between us.”
Lady Emma’s face softened. “My opinion of you has not changed,” she stated, “and I am happy for you and Miss Blackmore.”
“I wouldn’t be happy for us yet, because I haven’t spoken to her of my feelings.”
“Then you must speak to her straightaway.”
“I will, but I wanted to meet with you first. I thought it was the honorable thing to do.”
Lady Emma nodded in approval. “You are a good man, and I have no doubt that Miss Blackmore recognizes that fact.”
“Perhaps, but I worry that her affection might have waned.”
Lord Charles’s voice came from the doorway. “I assure you that it hasn’t,” he declared.
“How can you be so sure?” Martin asked, turning towards his friend.
“Because I visited with Miss Blackmore this morning,” Lord Charles explained. “I offered for her, but she declined.”
Lady Emma interjected, “Did she give a reason?”
“She did,” Lord Charles replied. “She said that her heart belonged to another.”
“Hannah said that?” Martin asked as hope blossomed in his heart.
Lord Charles bobbed his head. “It was evident she was talking about you.”
“Hannah loves me,” he breathed.
“That she does.”
A broad smile came to his lips. “This is wonderful news!” he exclaimed as he clasped his hands together.
Lady Emma spoke up. “Do you love her?”
His smile slipped as he asked himself if he loved her. The realization that he did hit him like a mallet to the temple. At some point, she had crept into his heart and had claimed it as her own.
“I do,” he replied honestly.
“Then you must go to her,” Lady Emma encouraged.
Martin smiled, hoping his smile conveyed his gratitude. “I will, right now.”
As he headed towards the door, Lord Charles stepped aside. “I wish you luck.”
“I do appreciate that, because I fear I will need it.”
Martin found he was rather anxious to see Hannah and began to work on what he wanted to say to her. With any luck, she would forgive him once he expressed his feelings for her.
It wasn’t long before the coach stopped in front of Hannah’s townhouse. He put his hand out the open window and opened the door, not bothering to wait for the footman. He exited the coach and hurried up the steps.
He pounded on the door and was pleased when it was promptly opened by the butler.
“How may I help you, Lord Egleton?” Cooper asked as he stepped aside to allow him entry.
“I need to speak to Miss Blackmore,” he replied firmly.
“I’m afraid she is not here at the moment,” Cooper revealed.
“When will she be back?” he pressed.
Edward spoke up from across the entry hall. “What are you doing here?”
Martin turned towards his friend. “I need to speak to Hannah.”
“I thought we decided that you weren’t going to come around for a while.”
“No, you decided that,” Martin stated.
“Regardless, I think it would be best—”
Martin cut him off. “I love her!” he exclaimed. “I know my realization may have come too late, but I have to tell her how I feel about her.”
A gasp came from the stairs. “I was right,” Kate said. “I knew you loved her.”
“I do,” Martin said, watching as Kate descended the stairs. “She has bewitched me, and I can’t deny it any longer. Frankly, I don’t want to.”
Kate came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. “This is the precise outcome Edward and I were striving for.”
“It was?”
She nodded. “It has always been evident that you two have a special relationship, and I knew with the right push you could end up together.”
He stared at her in amazement. “Does this mean you will allow me to speak to Hannah?”
“Unfortunately, she isn’t here,” Kate shared.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
Kate exchanged a glance with Edward. “She departed for Harrowden Hall earlier this morning.”
“How long does she intend to reside there?”
“Until the end of the Season,” Kate replied.
Martin felt panic swell up in his chest, and he immediately knew what he was going to do. He wasn’t going to let her go so easily. “I am going to Harrowden Hall, and I will bring her back home.”
“I would wait until tomorrow to depart,” Edward interjected. “It isn’t safe to travel at night on those roads.”
“I think that would be wise,” he agreed, “but I will leave at first light.”
Kate looked solemn. “I would be remiss if I didn’t say that you have hurt Hannah deeply,” she remarked. “You must proceed cautiously if you want to claim her as your own.”
“I intend to offer for her,” he revealed.
“I am pleased to hear that, but it will take much more wooing on your part,” Kate said.
Edward moved to stand next to his wife. “You may have to grovel.”
“I am willing to do whatever it takes,” Martin declared.
“Good,” Edward replied, “because it has been my experience that the Blackmore sisters can be rather stubborn at times.”
Kate laughed, unabashed. “It’s true.”
“I’m counting on it,” Martin stated as he walked over to the door. “I will find a way to win her over.”
