Chapter 2

Chapter Two

H annah froze where she stood as the voice registered. Like a mouse caught in the night, she stood perfectly still as if hoping—praying!—that she had somehow imagined it.

"What on earth are you doing?" The voice was a deep, commanding growl. As angry as it was surprised. "Well?!"

"Oh!"

She came back to herself suddenly, her eyes widening as she spun about, seeing the man who had spoken. He sat at the desk in the back corner of the room, half-bent over as if writing, his brow furrowed as if he still could not quite believe what he was seeing.

"I… I did not… I thought this was…" She stammered and stuttered uncontrollably, her face turning redder by the second.

The man, whoever he was, took a moment to himself. He studied her closely, looking her over, caught between surprise and something else that she could not quite place.

"I am not in the custom of having naked women barge into my bedroom, Miss," he said evenly. "Although I suppose that I am not against it either."

It was only then that Hannah realized something of the utmost importance—she was almost completely naked! A light robe made of silk covered her body and nothing more.

"Oh!" she squealed, dropping to her knees and scrambling to collect her dress, which she then pulled to her chest in an effort to cover herself. But she was flustered, struggling to pull the awkward garment over her body as she fell back into the wardrobe. "I did not see you!"

"Clearly."

"What are you doing in here?" she demanded, still struggling with the dress. It fell around her, slipping from her fingers, falling beneath her waist, again hoisted up, only to fall around her in a way that still left her exposed. "Selina told me this room was empty!"

"Selina did?" The man frowned to himself. "Ah, you must be Lady Hannah."

"And you have not answered my question!"

Her back was against the wall, her entire body flushed as she finally managed to get the dress to cover her… mostly.

The man stood up suddenly, kicking the chair back as he approached her. And as he did, he took her in, studying her as if he was trying to see through the dress.

He was a big man, seeming a giant in the small room. Broad shoulders. A powerful gait. Dark features and deep brown eyes that roamed over her. There was a hunger in them, as if he was marveling at her near-naked body, as if he could not force himself to look away.

As he came for her, she did not know if she should cry out in fear…

"I must warn you…" She pressed herself against the wall, shaking with what she told herself was fear, although it was not quite that. "My family is just downstairs."

"Is that so?"

"I will scream."

"And why would you do such a thing? You are the one who came to me."

"I… I…"

He reached where she was standing, stopping so that he was but a foot away. Up this close, he towered over her, and Hannah froze. She tried to meet his eyes, but she could not, sensing the way they ran down her body. A strange thought, but nearly naked as she was, alone, totally vulnerable, she wondered what might happen if she was to drop her dress suddenly—by accident, of course—exposing her body to him and?—

"Here." His hand shot out and snatched the spare dress from the wardrobe. "You really should cover yourself better." And then he draped it over her shoulders like a shawl, helping to cover her exposed body.

Hannah blinked in surprise. "Ah… thank—thank you."

She did not move. She could barely breathe. This man, whoever he was, still stood before her, still watched her, still seemed set on intimidating her, as surely that was his purpose. She could smell him now too, an intoxicating musk that had her legs trembling.

"Are you going to put it on?" he asked. "Surely, you do not intend to attend supper like that?"

"Oh!" Her eyes widened, and she very nearly dropped the dress that she was holding to her body. He saw her do such and smirked. "Are you in the habit of staring at half-naked women?" she snapped.

He scoffed. "This is as new to me as I hope it is to you."

"Of course, it is!"

"And yet here you stand, not even bothering with the garment you claim to be trying to put on."

"Please, turn around." She raised both eyebrows at him.

"Or what? You will scream?"

"I just might anyway," she growled in warning.

His eyes flashed as if from amusement, and then he turned his back to her. "I was told I could use this room before supper," he explained. "I was told it would be empty."

"As was I."

Hannah eyed the man, his back now to her. She was still only partially covered, two dresses now over her, not entirely certain she could trust the man to keep his back to her while she changed.

"I would ask that you leave the room, thank you."

"Afraid I will sneak a peek?"

"You still have not told me who you are," she huffed as she dropped the torn dress again and then attempted to slide into the spare one. But she was feeling flustered, awkward, and her hands shook uncontrollably.

"Can you not guess?"

Her mind raced as she tried to force her shaking legs to step into the dress. She eyed the back of the strange man to make sure he would not suddenly turn around, all the while wondering who he was. She had never seen this man before, and if she had, she would have certainly remembered him. And considering where she was and what for…

Her eyes went wide in realization, and she let go of the dress again so that it fell to the floor. "Oh no!"

"Ah, there it is finally," he sighed and turned back around, only to frown at the sight of her standing half-naked again. "I thought you were putting that dress on?"

Her mouth hung open, so shocked that she could not even bring herself to attempt to cover her body. "You are… you are… You…"

"Becoming impatient," he said simply. He then looked her over, a quick glance back toward the door, and he came to a decision. "Here, if it is such a difficult task for you." He took a step closer.

"What are you doing!" she gasped and tried to step back, only for her back to hit the wall again.

He dropped to his haunches, right by her thighs, and collected the dress. "What you are unable to do," he said, "before we are caught in a most compromising position." He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Unless that is your aim?"

"What? Of course not!"

"Then be a good girl and raise this leg…" His right hand moved to the back of her calf, touching it gently, sliding down its length as he tried to help her lift it into the dress.

His touch sent a pulse through her body, from her calves to her thighs, right to her chest. Body stiffening, breath catching, she froze as his hand wrapped around her leg, and she looked down at him kneeling between her thighs.

A moment. A heartbeat. But he too seemed to pause as if realizing what he was doing. His grip on her calf loosened, but he did not let go, the tips of his fingers gently stroking her skin as if he was trying to summon the will to remove his touch entirely… or increase it further.

"Your leg…" he said, now looking right at her. His dark green eyes took her in, flicking over her body. "If you can just?—"

"Oh!" she gasped, coming back to herself and raising her leg, stepping finally into the dress.

"There," he said. "That was not so hard."

One leg in and his hand moved to her other leg, again guiding it into her dress.

"I-I am perfectly capable."

"I am sure you are."

Both legs inside the dress now, he took the garment with both hands and rose slowly. He was still standing much too close as his hands moved up her legs and over her curves as he pulled the dress up her body.

"Tha—thank you." She had no idea what to say, barely able to even speak for how hard she was breathing.

The dress made it to her waist, and there, he paused. Still holding it, he seemed to hesitate, his eyes cast downward… the hesitation brought about by what he had to do next. Pulling the dress over her bosom, an act that would see him touch and grope her in ways that went beyond mere assistance.

And as for Hannah? She knew now was the time to stop him, to step away and tell him that she no longer needed his help. To curse him for getting so close to her in the first place! And yet…

He was standing over her. So big and strong and dominant. His scent was like wood over a fire, dark and mysterious. He was still not looking into her eyes, still staring down, still hesitating about a decision he had not made yet.

"You are the Duke, yes?" she asked softly.

"I am."

"Perhaps…" She reached down and rested her hand on his own, where he was holding the dress. "Perhaps it is best if I… if I do this part by myself?—"

"Hannah!" her father's voice cried suddenly from just beyond the door. "Where in the devil are you?!"

"I told her I would not accept tardiness!" Teresa's voice followed. "This is unacceptable, Phineas!"

"Do not blame me!"

"The apple does not fall far from the tree!"

"Oh no!" Hannah looked from the Duke to the closed door as the voices came closer. "Oh no, no, no!"

She could see it happening in slow motion, knowing that there was nothing she could do. Alone with this man. Practically naked, standing before him the way she was! Her father and aunt's voices getting nearer and nearer by the second. She barely had time to cry out before the door to the room swung open and her father and aunt walked inside.

"Hannah!" her father cried when he saw her there, her dress half ripped from her body, and the Duke's hands all over her. "What are you—Your Grace!" he stammered when he spotted the Duke.

"What is this?!" Teresa exclaimed as she barged in after him. "Hannah! Your Grace! What is going on here?!"

"Father! Aunt Teresa! This is not what it looks like!"

"I should hope not!" Teresa cried out. "Your Grace! What is the meaning of this?!"

Strangely, the Duke of Thorne did not look nearly as put out as he should have. Calm and collected, he simply stepped away from Hannah and turned to address her father and aunt.

"I assure you, this is not what it looks like."

"And again I ask, what does it look like?!"

His expression darkened. "A misunderstanding. Lady Hannah came into this room without knowing that it was already occupied by me, and by the time I announced my presence, she had removed her dress. Nothing untoward happened, nor was it intended."

"Not from what I saw!" Lord Ramsbury shouted in rage. "You… you had your hands all over her!"

"I most certainly did not."

"Mother, what is going on?" Selina strode into the room, looked around, saw Hannah and the Duke, and her mouth dropped open. "What is… I do not… Your Grace… Hannah!"

"Selina!" Hannah cried. She took a step forward, but that nearly made her dress slip down to her waist again. "It is not what it looks like!" she shouted for what felt like the tenth time. "Please!"

Selina looked at a loss for words, her chin trembling, her face stricken as she looked from Hannah to the Duke. "I… this was not…"

"Selina! Please, you must believe me!"

"This is an outrage!" Teresa stomped her foot. "And you, Your Grace! Never in all my life have I been so ashamed!"

The Duke groaned and rubbed his eyes, still not looking nearly as put out as the situation demanded. "And as I said, it is not what it looks like. You simply refuse to listen."

"Phineas!" Lady Ramsbury's voice carried into the room. "What is all this screaming?"

"Oh no…" Hannah shrank back, clutching desperately at her dress as her mother entered the room.

"Hannah!"

"Mother!"

"What is going on?"

"Is it not obvious?" Teresa snarled. "Your daughter has seduced His Grace!"

"D-do not blame my daughter!" Lord Ramsbury snapped, rounding on his sister. "It is His Grace who has erred! Clearly, he came upon Hannah while she was changing clothes and… and… and sought to seduce her!"

"Now, see here!" the Duke tried to speak up.

"You were jealous!" Teresa pointed an accusatory finger at her brother. "Jealous of the man I found for my daughter. What happened, Phineas? Did you tell her to come in here dressed the way she is? Did you conspire to?—"

"How dare you!

"You should be ashamed, Your Grace," Teresa snarled. "As should you, Hannah!"

"Hannah, what were you thinking?!" Lady Ramsbury gasped in outrage. "What are you doing?!"

"Nothing!" Hannah cried, not even certain who she was speaking to. The room was pandemonium, and all she could do was shout. "It was an accident! Truly, nothing happened!"

"Only because we found you before it could!" her aunt declared next. "And thank God we did—the wedding! What are we to do about the wedding?"

"Mother," Selina began with little conviction, as if worried to voice her concerns. "Surely you cannot expect me to marry this man now? Not after…" She looked at Hannah quickly, then looked away as if from shame.

"And you should not have to!" Teresa took her daughter in her arms. "I would not let him near you now for all the world!"

"What about Hannah?" Lord Ramsbury demanded. "I refuse to believe that she did this of her own accord."

"What about Selina?!"

"My daughter was accosted!" Lord Ramsbury stomped his foot and clenched his fists. "And I want answers!"

The room seemed to spin around Hannah. Still standing in the corner, with her back pressed against the wall. Still half-naked, her body now trembling, feeling as exposed and embarrassed and utterly mortified as she ever had, it was all she could do to keep herself from collapsing. Which she might have done was it not for the fear that her garments would fall away entirely.

But her world was crashing down around her. Crumbling so quickly that she could scarcely believe it was even happening. Her aunt was furious. Her cousin was heartbroken. Her mother was ashamed. And her father was caught between embarrassment and anger. Shouting. Screaming. Hands wringing. It was a chaos that Hannah could not make sense of.

She knew one thing to be true, however. Regardless of what happened next, her future was well and truly ruined.

Amid the screaming and shouting, the Duke stood in a state of calm. Even among the chaos, it was shocking just how composed he was; he seemed like a giant among squabbling ants. He observed the mess, ignoring the insults and abuse as his mind worked toward what Hannah could not imagine.

And then, finally, he met her eyes. Held them. Looked right at her and through her as he came to a decision of some kind. At that moment, for a brief second, the chaos seemed to quiet, such was the power and command radiating from him.

"I want answers!" Lord Ramsbury shouted.

"The wedding is off!" Teresa cried.

"I cannot believe this has happened!" Selina wept.

"Hannah! What do you have to say for yourself?" Lady Ramsbury demanded.

"What about His Grace!" Lord Ramsbury parried. "He was the one who?—"

"Enough!" the Duke suddenly bellowed with such force that it washed over the small room like a wave, silencing everyone as if they had been struck by lightning. "Enough," he repeated, his voice softening to a rumbling growl.

He stood in the room's center, all eyes on him. And while he might have sounded angry by the way he shouted, he did not look it. Cool and collected, was how Hannah saw him. Frustrated also, but certainly still in control.

"Lady Langham," he began, turning to Teresa. "You disappoint me greatly. I have explained what occurred here, and yet, like some hysterical fishwife who had found her husband in bed with another woman, you have refused to listen. I would have thought that you of all people would know me well enough to at least give me the benefit of the doubt. Clearly, I overestimated you, holding you in too high an esteem."

"Your—Your Grace," she stammered. "Forgive me, but?—"

"You wish to cancel the wedding? Even after I have given you my word that there was no need for this level of alarm—as if my word is not enough?" He glared at her. "Fine, I will not stop you."

"I—"

"And, Miss Gouldsmith," he continued, looking at Selina, "I am truly sorry for what you think have happened here. For as embarrassed as you are surely feeling, you must know that no offense was committed against you. A misunderstanding is all this is."

Selina's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. The tears still flowed though, her mortification still apparent.

"Again, you wish to cancel the wedding? I will not stop you, nor would I agree to such a thing now, having witnessed this absurd carry-on. And, Lord Ramsbury…" He finally turned to the Earl, who was still looking dumbstruck. "I apologize for what you have witnessed."

"I…" Lord Ramsbury struggled to find the words.

"We just wish to know what happened here," Lady Ramsbury interjected. "Your Grace, surely you understand our concern. Our daughter…" She looked at Hannah. "She has been found naked in your room. How can you expect anything less than outrage?"

The Duke nodded in understanding. "And as I said already—twice now, in fact." A disappointed glance at Teresa. "This entire thing is a misunderstanding. Your daughter…"

He looked at Hannah, who bowed her head, feeling a mix of shame of nerves because, despite the misunderstanding and the lack of fault, she still felt responsible. Why, she could not even bring herself to look at Selina, for the guilt was too great.

"… she did not know I was in this room when she came in, and she removed her clothes before I had a chance to warn her of my presence."

"But how is that possible?!" Lord Ramsbury cried, mustering the courage. "Forgive me, Your Grace, but that seems highly dubious."

The Duke raised an eyebrow at him, and he shrunk back. "You still doubt me? What is more, you doubt your own daughter?"

Lord Ramsbury opened his mouth to argue but then caught his tongue, seemingly thinking better of it.

"Fine." The Duke shrugged. "I see that nothing I say will convince you otherwise. What is more, if I were to leave here right now, I fear the rumors that will spread…" He cast a warning glare at Teresa. "Your daughter's name might not mean much to you, Lord Ramsbury, but my own name will not be sullied because of you. Therefore, I have an offer."

A pause as he looked right at Lord Ramsbury, who took a moment to understand what was happening. "I-I am listening."

Hannah could not explain how she knew what was about to happen, yet somehow she did. Her body flushed red, and her stomach twisted. She might have cried out in protest if she had been able to summon the courage to do so.

"I propose that in lieu of marrying Miss Gouldsmith, I marry your daughter, Lady Hannah, instead."