Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

E dwin took Hanna’s hand gently, feeling the slight tremor in her fingers. His concern grew as he led her out of the room. Memories of her past panic, the way her breathing had quickened, her eyes wide with fear, came flooding back. The thought of her enduring that again—especially after her father’s wrath—caused a surge of protectiveness to rise within him, a feeling so intense it almost startled him.

As they stepped into the shadowed hallway, the cool air brushing against them, Edwin cast a glance at her, expecting the familiar signs of distress—rapid breathing, shaking hands, her body tensing up as if on the verge of collapse. But to his surprise, she appeared calm. Her expression was resolute, her head held high, and though tension lingered in her features, it was not fear that filled her eyes. Instead, he saw something remarkable—a hint of pride.

Hanna had faced her father’s cruelty and manipulation and had not faltered. She had stood her ground.

Edwin’s mind raced, trying to reconcile this newfound strength with the woman he had known. It struck him then, as they walked together, that his wife had conquered more than just her father’s threats—she had conquered her fear . He could see it in her posture, in the quiet triumph that lingered in the air around her. She was stronger than he had realized, and he found himself admiring her, his pride mirroring what she clearly felt deep inside.

“Are you quite well?” he asked, his voice gentle, not wanting to intrude on the fragile victory she had just secured.

Hanna looked up at him, her lips curling into a small smile, one that held both relief and a sense of triumph. “I believe I am. Though I must thank you for your intervention.”

“I am only sorry that I had to. You stood your ground quite well. May I ask, what did you quarrel about?” he asked.

He’d only entered the room a few moments ago. In fact, he’d seen Hanna step out of the parlor and had come to talk to her when she’d made her way back inside, only for loud voices to follow. He hadn’t caught exactly what they had spoken about, but the way he saw things, the Earl of Worcester was naturally mercurial and thus it could have been anything.

She shrugged. “He was not pleased I caught him drinking, and then we quarreled about a number of things. In the end, he threatened to marry my sister off to a friend of his. Something he threatened to do often in the past. Indeed, I must confess I am uncertain if the man is still alive at all.”

“Pray, who is it?” Edwin asked, his attention captivated by this latest development.

“Lord Sandringham,” Hanna said.

Edwin chuckled. “Ah, that old applejohn. He is alive and well, but he is a doddering, old fool who cannot manage a walk down the aisle, let alone any other husbandly duties. Do not fret, he is no danger to any young lady.”

Hanna smiled. “I am glad to hear it. My father often made empty threats, but it was difficult to know when he was serious and when he was not,” she said.

The tension in Edwin’s shoulders had eased slightly with their light exchange, though his concern did not entirely vanish. He couldn’t help the smile that curved his lips as he looked at her, still in disbelief at the calm strength she now exuded. He had expected to be the one to guide her, to shield her from the aftermath of that confrontation. But here she was, standing tall, and for the first time, he shared in the quiet pride she carried.

Together, they made their way outside, the late afternoon light casting long shadows on the estate’s grounds. The crisp air was a welcome change after the suffocating tension in the house.

As they approached the carriage, Hanna paused and turned around, her gaze flicking back toward the manor. Edwin followed her eyes and saw Emma standing at the window, watching them, her face full of concern.

“Is all well?” she called softly, her voice drifting down to them.

Hanna smiled gently up at her sister, her fingers tightening slightly around Edwin’s hand. “It is now,” she replied, her voice steady. After a moment, she added, “I regret we cannot stay for dinner, but you must come visit tomorrow.”

Edwin raised an eyebrow at this unexpected invitation but said nothing, sensing the importance of the moment for her. The bond between the sisters was evident, and after everything that had transpired, it was clear that Hanna needed this connection.

Emma smiled in return, relief softening her expression. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

As they turned back to continue toward the carriage, Edwin noticed a slight shift in Hanna’s mood. Though she remained composed, there was a hint of uncertainty in her expression. When they reached the carriage, she paused, her brow furrowing.

“I shouldn’t have invited Emma to your home,” she said, her voice tinged with guilt. She glanced up at him hesitantly. “I apologize, I didn’t think to ask you first.”

Edwin looked at her for a moment, taken aback by her sudden apology. He shook his head. “Have you already forgotten what you so boldly told your father? You are the Duchess. It is our home,” he reassured her, the weight of his words clear. “You may invite whomever you please.”

Hanna seemed to take comfort in his words, her shoulders relaxing as the tension left her body. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, the world around them seemed to stand still. Without thinking, Edwin reached out and placed his hand on hers. The warmth of her skin under his stirred a maelstrom of feelings inside him—something deeper, more intimate than he had anticipated.

It was a simple gesture, meant to reassure her, but as his hand lingered on hers, something shifted within him.

Her gaze did not waver, and at that moment, Edwin felt his heart leap in his chest—a sensation he had not expected. The look in her eyes, a mix of gratitude and quiet understanding, seemed to pierce through the walls he had so carefully constructed around himself. In that instant, he realized how much he had come to care for her, how much she had begun to matter to him.

The realization unsettled him deeply.

This was dangerous. He had been so resolute, so certain that he would keep his distance, that theirs would be a marriage of convenience, not love. But standing here now, her hand in his, he couldn’t ignore the undeniable truth.

He was beginning to fall for her, and that terrified him. Love, he knew, had a way of unraveling everything. It made one vulnerable, exposed, and he had sworn to himself that his heart would remain his own.

With a small, almost imperceptible sigh, he withdrew his hand, though the warmth of her touch lingered. He helped her into the carriage, and as they settled inside, the familiar silence between them returned. But this time, it was different. It was not the silence of two people avoiding connection; it was a tension born of something fragile, something unspoken that hovered between them, waiting to be acknowledged.

As the carriage set off, rolling down the gravel path, Edwin’s thoughts were far from the journey. He stared out the window, his mind turning over the realization that had settled uncomfortably in his chest.

Hanna glanced at him, sensing the change in his demeanor. Her brow furrowed slightly as she whispered, “Edwin?”

He turned to her, managing a small smile. “Yes?”

“Thank you,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “For everything.”

He nodded, his chest tightening at the weight of her words. “Always,” he replied, the word carrying more meaning than he was ready to admit.

As the carriage rolled through the fading light, he stared out at the passing landscape, his thoughts tangled in the undeniable truth he had been avoiding.

This was no longer a marriage of convenience. Something deeper was beginning to take root, and no matter how much he wished to deny it, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his heart was already entangled beyond his control.