Chapter 4
HANNAH DIDN’T KNOW whether to laugh or rush to Sir James’s side in alarm. Sir James’s friend did not have the same dilemma and burst into laughter, which triggered Hannah’s sympathy.
“Sir James!” she gasped and crouched beside him, placing a hand on his chest. “Are you hurt?”
With his eyes shut tight, he grumbled, “Beyond my pride? No.” He opened his eyes then, and Hannah’s heart picked up speed when the sunlight gave his brown eyes a golden hue. “I suppose I deserved to be startled, after the way we met.”
“I did forgive you for that,” she reminded him.
He sat up with a groan, and his eyes lowered to where her hand still rested over his heart.
Hannah dropped her fingers to her side. “Are you certain you are unharmed?” She flinched when boots hit the ground next to her, and she jumped to her feet to put some distance between herself and Sir James’s friend.
The man pulled his hat from his head and bowed while giving her a roguish grin. “Weston Everett, at your service.” His accent sounded stronger than it had at the harvest ball last night.
“Kindly refrain from flirting with every woman you encounter, Everett,” Sir James muttered as he stood.
“Introducing myself is flirting?” Everett chuckled and shook his head. “England has gotten even worse since I left for Boston.”
Boston. That meant he was American, or his accent was. Curiosity almost pushed Hannah to ask Mr. Everett his origin, but she was more concerned about Sir James.
“If I forgive you for speaking to me without an introduction,” she said to him, “will you tell me if you are well?”
Sir James broke into a wide grin, and he leaned closer to her, almost placing himself between Hannah and Mr. Everett. “I am well, Miss Faircott.”
Relief flooded through her. “And I forgive you.”
“Then I only have one left to earn.” Only a moment after he said it, Sir James winced and looked back at Mr. Everett. “Though, perhaps I need forgiveness for failing to make the proper introductions today. Everett, this is Miss Faircott. Miss Faircott, my oldest friend, Mr. Weston Everett.”
Hannah matched Mr. Everett’s second bow with a small curtsy, then with a pang of guilt remembered the young woman with her.
Poor Rachel was standing off to the side with her hands clasped in front of her, a wide-eyed look of discomfort on her face.
“Er, this is Rachel,” Hannah said awkwardly, wishing she had thought to ask the girl’s surname.
“She works at the inn where my mother and I are staying and was gracious enough to come with me on my outing, as my mother was not feeling well this morning.”
Hannah would never wish illness on her mother, but Mother’s condition had once again delayed a meeting with the man she wished Hannah to meet, and for that Hannah was most grateful.
Especially because it had led to this meeting with Sir James.
Sir James nodded to Rachel, and Mr. Everett gave her a grin that turned her face scarlet.
With greetings finished, the group fell into an uncomfortable silence.
As much as Hannah preferred being outside rather than stuck in the inn, going back would likely be better than standing silent in the middle of a country road, and she worked up the courage to take her leave of the two men.
Sir James spoke first. “I hope you enjoyed the rest of the ball last evening, Miss Faircott.”
“My mother found me soon after you left,” she said, as if that was an acceptable response.
He seemed to understand, however, giving her a sympathetic smile. “And I was forced to leave with mine before I could share that dance with you.”
His mother couldn’t have been the young woman who needed his assistance. A sister, perhaps? But Mr. Everett had called her a “friend” of Sir James’s.
“You…” Blushing, Sir James glanced at his shoes, then met her gaze again. “Are you not going to be in Upper Lambourn for long, then? You said you are staying at the inn.”
Hannah wondered if he was asking out of politeness or interest, and she badly hoped it was the latter.
Something about Sir James intrigued her, and she wanted to learn more about the man.
That would be easier to do if he wanted to learn about her in return.
“We only planned to stay for a few weeks.”
“Ah.” Sir James’s expression dimmed. “That is unfortunate.”
Hannah could have told him that she and Mother were looking to lease a small cottage nearby, if they found one they could afford, but pride held her tongue.
It had been difficult enough to alter her lifestyle to fit the allowance that her cousin, Mr. Abney, gave her, and people tended to look differently at her when they found out she had so little income.
Hannah didn’t want Sir James to think her interest came from his title or potential wealth.
“I think Upper Lambourn is lovely,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. “Have you lived here long?”
“All my life,” Sir James said as his features relaxed into something less disappointed. “Where is it you live, Miss Faircott? When you are not visiting Berkshire, I mean.”
“This is one of the more painfully boring conversations I’ve heard lately,” Mr. Everett said, pulling their attention to him. He lifted a single eyebrow, glancing between the two of them. “James, surely you can do better than small talk when speaking with a beautiful woman.”
“I quite like talking about my home,” Hannah said, more forcefully than she meant to. Poor Sir James looked mortified, and she disliked seeing him embarrassed. “I was raised in Cumberland, Sir James, and the countryside is among the most beautiful I’ve seen.”
Sir James smiled. “It sounds nice.”
Though Hannah much preferred talking to Sir James, she looked at Mr. Everett and asked, “Where did you grow up, Mr. Everett? In Boston?”
“He used to live just down the road,” Sir James answered for his friend, prompting Mr. Everett to chuckle and turn his focus to his horse. Sir James leaned in and lowered his voice. “We were boys together, though you would never guess it from his lack of manners.”
“I can hear you,” Mr. Everett muttered.
Sir James smirked, a light dancing in his eyes. “Thank you for telling me about your home, Miss Faircott.”
“Thank you for listening. I suppose I could forgive you for your delayed introductions this afternoon.”
“And have I earned your forgiveness for missing our dance?”
Biting her lip, Hannah had the thought that she should be polite and tell the man that he was not at fault for anything, but that sounded far less fun than teasing him.
And when Sir James’s eyes flicked down to the lip she worried between her teeth, setting her face on fire, she couldn’t help the words that slid off her tongue, bold though they were.
“I fear if I forgive you too quickly, you will have no reason to speak to me again.”
“Is that so?” He shifted even closer, almost near enough that their hands brushed. “Well, then I hope you never…” His eyes jumped to the road behind her, his words trailing off as the sound of an approaching carriage reached them.
Hannah turned. The carriage was a ways off yet; they had more than enough time to move to one side of the road and not block the carriage’s path. But when Hannah turned back to say as much, Sir James had moved back to his horse with his face full of remorse.
“I am sorry, Miss Faircott,” he said as he mounted, once again looking at the approaching carriage.
He seemed almost fearful of whoever might be inside, though he couldn’t possibly see the occupant’s face.
“Once again, I am afraid I must leave long before I wish to. I pray I will have the chance to earn your forgiveness, both for our missed dance and for rushing off today. Everett?” He raised his eyebrows at his friend.
Mr. Everett looked as confused as Hannah felt but climbed into his own saddle. He nodded at Hannah, then at Rachel, and nudged his horse into motion.
Sir James took a moment longer to leave, gazing at Hannah with what she hoped was regret.
Just as he had the night before, Sir James left her side before Hannah wanted him to, and though Rachel watched her expectantly once the carriage had ambled past, Hannah stood in the road until Sir James had fully disappeared into the distance.