Natalie felt it was wrong to keep it from her, as she had every right to know about the demand being made. “We are not keeping anything from you.”
“That is not what I heard George say just now.”
Natalie gave her cousin the news, her heart aching when she saw the color drain from Hannah’s face. Tears quickly brimmed her eyes, and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth.
"What if he truly takes the house away from us?" Hannah asked.
"Do not think about it," Natalie quickly said when she gathered the direction Hannah's thoughts were headed. "Nothingis worth giving up your happiness for, Hannah. Do you hear me?Nothing!”
"Not even family?" Hannah asked, and Natalie found herself unable to answer that question. “Good night,” Hannah said when she did not respond and stalked out of the room.
Natalie wanted to follow her and comfort her, but she decided to allow some time for the news to settle. They were all shocked, and poor George seemed to have taken the matter worse than all of them.
Chapter 21
Lord Rogue and his Comtesse have disappeared after tricking all of us. And have we mentioned that the Comtesse won more than two thousand pounds from Mr. Lupton and Baron Phelps? Her skill should be admired, but not when men are losing to her. It is shameful.
The following afternoon, Natalie had just returned from a trip to Mary's shop when she met the family physician waiting for her in the drawing room. Her stomach turned, and worry gripped her when she entered and saw Dr. Rivers.
She wondered who he was here for, as Hannah had been anything but herself when Natalie checked on her earlier that morning. Understandably so, too.
“Lady Natalie,” he greeted.
“Are you here for George?” she asked, and his expression turned more serious.
“Yes, My Lady. I fear His Lordship is not doing better.” Natalie inhaled and tried to keep her composure. She held the back of the chair she was standing by. "I fear that not even his young age can carry on working in his favor.”
“What exactly is the matter with him?” she asked. “Please do not keep it from me.”
“It is his heart, My Lady. His heart is unwell. I thought I should inform you despite promising that I would not say a word about it to you.”
“Thank you for telling me, Dr. Rivers.”
Upon his departure, she slumped into one of the chairs, contemplating what they had done wrong to deserve the blows life was constantly dealing them.
"Was that the doctor?" Hannah's voice came from the door. Natalie sat up, relieved to see her out of her room at last. "It is George again, is it not?" Natalie nodded, and her cousin came to sit in the chair opposite her. "We may have a solution to all of these problems in our hands, you know."
"No, Hannah,” Natalie argued. She could not allow her cousin to sacrifice herself. “We are not selling you to Oliver," she ground out.
"Then, for how long will we carry on living like this? There is only so long George can hold on. And are you going to continue sewing for the rest of your life? Something must be done, Natalie. Oliver just offered us a way out of misery.” Hannah was tearing up, and Natalie went to her, wrapping her arms around her trembling shoulders.
"What about Wessberg, Hannah?" Natalie smoothed her dark hair. "You love him, do you not?" More tears streamed down Hannah’s cheeks at the mention of Wessberg, and Natalie got her answer.
"I loveyou, Natalie, and George, too," she protested. “You are the only family I know.”
"George and I shall do whatever it will take to give you your happiness," Natalie vowed, pulling her into a hug and encouraging her to cry as much as she needed to.
When Hannah was calm, she went to brew some tea in the kitchen with Cook’s help, and Natalie decided to write a letter. After sealing it, she gave it to the butler and asked him to have it delivered to Oliver immediately. She needed to meet with him privately. In the letter, she had chosen a meeting place and time. She was not young and stupid anymore as to leave such things to him now.
Three hours after sending the letter, Oliver sent a response, agreeing to meet her. She left the house shortly and found the small tea shop she had chosen.
Natalie was shown to a table in a corner, and she sat to wait for him, anger warring with her nerves. A half-hour later, Oliver appeared. He had made her wait for him, and his expression all but revealed his pleasure.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of such urgent summons, Natalie?" he derided as he sat across from her. It was a respectable tea shop, and she was glad that everyone there was not paying them any attention.
“What do you want from my family?” she asked without responding to his nonsense. “What pleasure do you find in tormenting us?”
He turned and summoned a waiter. When the man appeared, he ordered tea for them. Then he leaned back in his seat and watched her as though she had not just asked him a question.
