Oh dear. Where had that thought come from? It was probably because she knew there was no chance she would ever be forced to marry Mr. Corbyn; it made her mind feel safe to entertain lustful imaginings.
“Morning calls?” It was plain this explanation hadn’t found any takers. Jane and Eli exchanged a speaking glance as Mama barreled on, her voice trembling with emotion. “Who would receive you after what you’ve done?”
That stung. Though Hannah knew people would react poorly to her illicit kiss (in fact, she was counting on it), there was no need tobehave as if she were a leper. Surely a few loyal friends would still admit her into their company.
“We know you took the money that Della brought over this morning,” Eli added grimly.
Hannah whirled to Jane. “You told on me?”
“I was surprised when I found it gone. You can’t expect me to lie to my own husband,” she replied, her voice defensive. “Hannah, we’reworriedabout you. You haven’t been acting like yourself at all. Are you in some sort of trouble?”
Nowthey were worried. Too little, too late, as far as she was concerned.
“You have nothing to worry about,” Hannah said brightly, pointedly ignoring the déjà vu this conjured, so soon after Mr. Corbyn’s odd parting message. “I’m perfectly well.”
Mama extended her hand, palm up. “Give me the money.”
“I can’t.”
“Enough, Hannah.”
“I don’t have it anymore.”
Hannah wasn’t mean-spirited. She didn’t enjoy causing her family grief. But she had to admit, there was a certain shameful thrill in knowing she’d kept one step ahead of them.
“Where is it? What have you done now?” Mama cried. “For goodness’ sake, you’re taking years off of my life! Don’t you care how poorly this reflects on the whole family? When your father hears about this…”
“Oh, are you speaking to him again?”
Hannah couldn’t say which of them made that little gasp. It was as if the entire room drew a collective breath at the same instant from their identical, gaping mouths. The silence that followed was far more oppressive.
It was Eli who finally broke it. He rose to his feet, linked his armwith Hannah’s, and murmured, “Come upstairs.”
She didn’t protest. She had an uncomfortable fear that she’d gone too far, but how was she supposed to back down when everyone kept treating her like an escaped convict?
I can’t back down.If I do, this will all have been for nothing.
Eli didn’t say one word to her on the way up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom, but the tension coming off his body was loud enough. Hannah was trembling by the time he put his hands on the knob, sure she was in for the worst dressing-down of her life.
But Eli only motioned her inside and stood in the doorframe. After a long sigh, he said, “You should cool off for a bit. Let’s talk about this at supper.”
“It’s two o’clock,” Hannah pointed out. “What am I supposed to do until then?”
“Sit quietly and give everyone time to recover. Preferably without running away again.”
He shut the door without further discussion.
Five
Hannahdidsit quietly.
For about three hours, in fact. She wrote some letters to her friends back in Devonshire (hinting at her imminent return without mentioning the reasons behind it) and then hunted for a book to pass the time. She found a forgotten copy ofEugénie Grandeton the dresser, which Mama had brought with them on the insistence that Hannah improve her French by reading the original rather than a translation. She’d tired of the effort after twenty pages or so, but perhaps the story of filial rebellion would hold more interest for her now than it had before.
She’d made it to the part where Eugénie and Charles pledge their eternal love despite the opposition of her cruel father when a soft rap at the door interrupted her.
A muffled voice slipped in from the other side. “Poppet? Could I talk to you?”
Hannah swallowed. Her mother’s gentle query was far more intimidating than anger would have been. Hannah knew how to let her mind go blank and wait out a scolding, but she wasn’t sure howto deal with sadness. It made her feel ashamed, even though they’d hardly left her a choice. Why couldn’t Mama just let her become a spinster, or a lady entrepreneur like Jane? That was all she wanted! Then they would never need to quarrel.
