Annabelle's Courtship

“For Heaven’s sake, Aunt Griselda, now is not the time to be concerned about Annabelle’s consequence. My wife is ill. Have a doctor sent for,” Hamilton demanded.

Lady Beauford dismissed her nephew’s words with a wave of her hand. “A few biscuits and a rest on the settee should set her. It worked with all four of my children.” Hamilton called loudly for some biscuits and carried his wife to the settee. He laid her on it. “Then you know what is wrong with her?” His aunt stared at him. “Don’t you?” Turning to the pale woman lying against the cushions, she admonished, “You should not keep such news from your husband, my dear.”

Lady Hamilton’s wan face took on a puzzled expression. “What am I keeping from him?”

“Why, that you are increasing, of course. Nausea’s quite normal in the first few months. What Robert was thinking about dragging you out at night, when you should surely be resting in your bed, is beyond me. The younger generation is nothing like what it was in my day. Your uncle knew just how to pamper an expectant mother.” The older woman went silent, clearly enjoying fond remembrances of her considerate spouse.

Lord and Lady Hamilton looked as if they had been turned to stone. Lady Hamilton spoke finally. “What do you mean, Aunt Griselda?” Ian smiled at the look of disgust on Lady Beauford’s face. “Why, gel, it’s perfectly obvious that you will be in confinement by the winter.” Hamilton looked down at his wife and asked, “Is it true?” She chewed on her lower lip. “I don’t know.”

The dowager snorted. “Education certainly isn’t what it was in my day. If I had married without knowing how to count my monthly flux…” She let her voice trail off.

Lady Hamilton’s pale face turned pink. “I well, I… Yes, actually, Robert, it is quite possible.”

Hamilton had the look of a man who had taken a punch to his midsection from Gentleman Jackson. “You. I. We. I cannot believe it. We must get you home to bed as soon as possible.”

Lady Hamilton laughed. Belle broke away from Ian and rushed across the room to throw her arms around her friend.

“This is wonderful news. I am to be an aunt.” Ian sighed with contentment at the sound of Belle’s delighted voice and happy laughter. The news of Lady Hamilton’s pregnancy had dispelled the remaining shadows from her eyes.

“I’m not going anywhere until I hear what happened to Annabelle and that terrible Squire Renton,” Lady Hamilton said.

The time had come for Belle to explain herself. She looked at Ian. He saw the uncertainty in her eyes. He didn’t care what caused it. He did not like it.

Putting out his hand, he silently bid her come to him. After the briefest hesitation, she did. He pulled her down onto another small sofa next to him. The rest of the occupants of the room took their seats, except for Finchley.

He cleared his throat, “Perhaps I should wait in the hall, eh what? Family business and all.”

Belle said, “Do not be ridiculous. You are practically family and it is twice now that you have aided Ian in rescuing me. Sit down.” Ian squeezed Belle’s shoulder to let her know he approved of her treatment of their friend. Finchley sat down and Ian waited for Belle to begin.

She twisted her hands in her lap. “Actually, it’s all connected in some way with that blackmailer, Mr. Thorn.”

Lady Beauford demanded an explanation about the blackmailer. Hamilton explained.

“Hmmm, from all that you’ve said, I would have to say that I’m glad this happened,” was Lady Beauford’s final comment on the imbroglio.

Ian could feel Belle’s body tense next to his. “What? You cannot mean it, Aunt,” she exclaimed.

“Yes, dear.” The dowager gave her niece a look of complacency. “I know the young are always so outraged. However, Robert has always been just a tad bit too concerned with his place in society.” She gave her nephew a smile, implying no insult was intended.

Hamilton nodded and Ian had the impression that Belle’s brother wished he had learned the lesson before his wife went through such hardship.

“I’m not propounding your father’s views by any stretch, but it did always seem to me that Robert had gone a shade too far in the opposite direction. Now he has settled in his own mind his priorities and both he and Diana will be happier for it in the years to come,” Lady Beauford finished.

Belle sighed and cuddled closer to Ian. Did the lass realize how easily she turned to him for comfort?

Lady Hamilton tried to stifle a yawn. “Now tell us about what happened with Squire Renton today before I fall asleep. I still cannot believe that you were abducted.”

“You aren’t going to credit this, but somehow the squire learned of my inheritance,” Belle said.

Ian felt all the tension that had drained away over the past hours come back in rushing force.

Lady Beauford said, “It was just a matter of time, gel. We knew that.”

“Yes, well, it happened and he decided that marriage to me would solve his financial problems.” Ian felt her looking at him and turned to meet her gaze. “Somewhat like you, my lord.”

Fury coursed through him. He was nothing like Renton. He did not want to use Belle. He wanted to wed her. He would be a good husband, better than that lecher. He glared at her to let her know what he thought of her reasoning.

She smiled slightly and went on. “Ian put play to his plans by courting me.”

“You wouldna have married him regardless, lass.” He couldn’t believe she might believe otherwise.

Belle grimaced. “Actually, the squire is quite disbelieving that I chose you over him and thinks that a bluestocking spinster like myself should be most grateful for his interest.”

Although she spoke lightly, Ian could tell that the blackguard’s words had hurt her.

He caressed her arm. “The daft man doesna ken your value.” She shrugged. “He knows it all right. He knows to the groat how much I am worth and counted on my money to save his hunters from sale at Tattersall’s.” Ian looked around the room. Lady Beauford nodded as if it made perfect sense for a crazy Englishman to kidnap her niece. Hamilton tugged at his neckcloth with an expression of extreme discomfort on his face. Lady Hamilton appeared to be dozing for all of her protest about hearing Belle’s account. Finchley wore a look of dawning comprehension.

Ian felt close to shouting. It seemed everyone in the room understood Belle’s words.

He removed his hand from her shoulder, crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

“Explain.”

Belle sighed. “I was afraid you were going to say that.” He wanted to shake her. “Now.”

She looked into his face with an expression of earnestness. “When my parents died, we discovered that although Papa had left Robert very well off with two-thirds of his funds and all of his estates, he left me a sizable fortune as well.”

“No one in the ton knows?” He asked it as a question, but knew it to be fact.

“No. There was concern I would become prey to fortune hunters if the facts became known, so we kept it as a closely guarded secret.” Her eyes asked him a question, but he did not have the answer.

Betrayal sliced through him like a sharp rapier. She had lied to him. Did she think he was a fortune hunter like the squire? The very idea that she might compare him to the squire sent Ian’s

insides churning. “You dinna think to tell me?” She shook her head. “You made it clear that you were not interested in securing a fortune with your wife, so I did not think it would matter to you.” He saw the lie in her eyes. Something about her explanation did not ring true. He would not find out what it was this evening however. He had spent enough of this day exposed. Finchley had been there when he had rescued Belle and since then he had endured the company of the Hamiltons as well. He would not discuss Belle’s betrayal with her in front of others. He longed to shout at her, but even in his pain at her deception, he could not bring himself to humiliate her before her family.

He stood up. “I see.” He turned to Finchley. “Are you ready to leave, then?”

“Certainly.”

Finchley made a very nice leg to Lady Beauford and said his good-byes to Hamilton and Belle.

Ian turned to go. Everyone in this room had withheld information about Belle’s fortune from him. They had let him believe that she was just what she seemed, a moderately dowered spinster. Even as he had the thought, he rejected it. Belle was nothing as she seemed. She presented a façade of ordinariness to the ton, but underneath beat a heart of fire and passion. And a heart of deceit.

Her voice made him pause at the doorway. “Will I see you soon?” The worry was there.

He inclined his head. “It is inevitable. We are after all betrothed.” He turned to go and she called after him again. “You have forgotten your coat.” He shrugged without turning. “’Tis of no import.” He left.

Annabelle stared at the door to the drawing room, unbelieving that Ian had just walked out. She met her aunt’s gaze and then Robert’s. Dazed, she barely registered their looks of concern. Ian had left. She didn’t realize that she had spoken the words aloud until her aunt replied.

“Just a bit of gentlemanly ego, Annabelle. He’ll get over it in time. I’m sure it was a great shock to discover that he was engaged to an heiress. For a gentleman like MacKay, that could be a difficult obstacle to overcome.” That is exactly what she had feared. She stood up, pulling Ian’s coat tightly around herself. “I believe I will go to bed. I am very weary.” She turned to leave. Tears blurred her eyes and she wanted to leave the drawing room before her brother or aunt noticed she was crying. Robert’s voice followed her out the door. “Do not worry, Annabelle, MacKay will get over his pique quickly enough.