Sir John nodded thoughtfully. “And Marianna agreed, believing there would be no hindrance to continuing her affair with Fontaine on the side.”
Hannah shrugged. “I don’t know if she intended to continue seeing him from the beginning, or not.”
“In either case,” Sir John said, “I am quite certain she didn’t foresee the lengths I would go to prevent that happening.” He rubbed his free hand over his eyes. “I thought if I could just get her away from him, away from his influence, she might give me, give us, a chance. But she never did.”
He looked down at their entwined fingers, then sent her a sidelong glance. “How hypocritical you must think me now.”
“I’m sorry, Sir John.”
“How can you be sorry? After everything I’ve done? It is I who should be begging your forgiveness.”
Hannah did not reply. How self-conscious she felt, sitting there, her small hand in his large one. Yet she could not deny the sensation a pleasant one. They sat that way, silent for several minutes.
Then Hannah took a deep breath, dreading his reaction towhat she was about to say. “By the way,” she began. “While you were still insensible, Mr. Fontaine came here, demanding to see Marianna.”
His brows lowered ominously. “The devil he did.”
“Yes. About a week and a half after the accident. He demanded to see Marianna, but of course I told him that was not possible. And why.”
“What did he say?”
“He was shocked. And clearly devastated.”
Sir John took this in, thoughtfully chewing his lip.
“Of course he recognized me,” Hannah added. “But he only stayed for a short time, and no one referred to me as Lady Mayfield while he was here.”
He nodded his understanding.
“But if he should return...” Hannah let her timid words trail away.
“Why would he? Now that she is gone?”
“I hope you are right,” Hannah said. She hated to think what Fontaine would do when he learned she’d been impersonating his dear departed lover. For the time being, she pushed that thought away.
Sir John ran a thumb over her knuckles. “You know, I’m surprised some handsome suitor like Fontaine hasn’t claimedyouraffections by now. I would say I was sorry to learn you had not married after you left us, but that would be a lie.”
“Perhaps I should have. For Daniel’s sake.” Again she wondered whom Sir John had meant when he said, “that is not who I see” when he looked at Danny. He had never met Fred Bonner, she didn’t think. Had he noticed the way his secretary, Mr. Ward, had looked at her, and suspected him? She hoped not.
Sir John traced a finger around the delicate skin of her inner wrist, sending a feathery tingle up her arm. “A place without freckles,” he observed.
He then ran his hand up her arm, bare to the puffed sleevehigh on her shoulder, and back down again. “You are a beautiful woman, Hannah. I hope you know that.”
She managed a little shrug. She thought herself rather plain, although Fred had often told her how pretty she was. He’d admired her, even asked her to marry him. At the moment, she was glad she’d declined.
She said, “Nothing to Marianna, I know.”
“She was a rare beauty, it is true,” he allowed. “In face and figure.”
Hannah immediately felt self-conscious and inadequate. Marianna had been endowed with a generous bosom. A generous ... everything.
Suddenly she drew in a sharp breath as his palm pressed her waist. His gaze, however, remained on her face. “You are beautiful, Hannah. Just as you are. Never doubt it. Slender and feminine and graceful.”
Heart thumping, Hannah sat there stiffly on the edge of his bed, torn between fleeing and leaning closer.
He removed his hand, and she released the shaky breath she’d been holding. Awkwardly, she rose. “Well. Good-night, Sir John.”
“Leaving?”
