Philippa laughed. ‘This is why men’s opinions should be confined to cigars and card games. Hannah is the only person capable of choosing her future happiness. As such, she is the one you must appeal to. Good day, sir.’ Philippa turned and walked out, closing the door behind her.
Insufferable man!
The very idea that he would swan into Philippa’s morning room and arrange Hannah’s entire life without her permission or input was infuriating enough to have her hand itching for the hilt of a dagger.
It was so much easier to fight men than converse with them. But needs must.
In any conflict, a direct path was usually best. Shut him down quickly and efficiently without unnecessary fuss. Hannah smoothed her skirts and tried to keep her voice calm. ‘Lord Killian, while I am flattered by your proposal, I must decline.’
There. That was clear, precise, and polite. She should win a prize for decorum.
‘I do not accept your answer.’
Bastard!
The man was impossible.
‘You must. It is the only answer I will give.’ Hannah walked to the wall where the bell pull hung. She would get Stokes to come with his ramrod-straight spine and escort Lord Killian out of the sitting room and out of her life.
Lord Killian beat her to the decorative rope and grasped her arm, turning her towards him. ‘Perhaps I can convince you otherwise.’
This close, his eyes were not fully green but rather an intriguing hazel. Striations of brown and blue intermingled with deep jade. The scent of starch from his shirt tickled her nose. She looked away from his eyes only to stare at his mouth. His bottom lip was fuller than the top, and he pressed them together in a firm line. He had a freckle just to the upper left corner of his mouth. It was a delicate mark on such a masculine face.
‘If you value the use of your fingers, I suggest you release me, immediately.’ Hannah pulled back and was disappointed when his hand loosened and slipped from her arm. It would have been lovely if he gave her a reason to slam the heel of her hand into his solar plexus.
‘I am quite invested in my fingers, Miss Simmons.’ Killian’s gravelled voice stroked along her senses. She almost shivered.
‘Then use them to open that door and walk away. You cannot convince me of anything, Your Grace. You are wasting your time.’
Killian smiled, but it didn’t warm his eyes. ‘I could always try charm. But I think blackmail is more expedient, don’t you?’
Hannah swallowed. Of course, he would use her bravado against her. ‘You disappoint me, sir. I can only assume you are speaking of last night.’
‘A lady under the protection of the Duchess of Dorset shooting one man in the street, cutting another down with adagger, and a third with a throwing knife? Pretty salacious stuff, wouldn’t you say?’
‘I’m hardly a lady.’
‘That’s not what you keep telling me. If you’re not a lady, then what are you?’
Just a woman.
Hannah pressed her lips together. Such honesty might damn her. A woman garnered no respect in a man’s world and often became an easy target.
She gathered her thoughts before responding. ‘I’m not the kind of lady you’re accustomed to encountering. You plan on splashing last night’s events throughout the beau monde? Please. No one will believe some drab old lady’s companion capable of squashing a spider, let alone attacking four men.’
‘You are neither old nor drab, Miss Simmons. But you raise a valid point.’
‘Precisely.’
‘When I tell the prime minister about your impressive deeds, it will only be one man that you vanquish. I will have managed to take down the other ruffians with my expert skills.’
The prime minister? Blasted hell!
Prime Minister Russell would surely tell the Queen. Her Majesty would take a decidedly dim view of Hannah’s carelessness in being seen, especially by one of the prime minister’s men. Hannah didn’t make mistakes. At least, she hadn’t made them until she met the blockheaded Duke of blasted Covington.
Lieutenant General Killian would not ruin her reputation with the Queen.
Hannah laughed, hoping he didn’t notice her panicked notes of hysteria. ‘The prime minister will never believe you.’
