It was perfect, now that Hannah thought about it. What was more likely to bring her parents together than the engagement of their only daughter? That was exactly the sort of thing that made people remember why they loved each other. Hannah would just have to slip word to Mr. Corbyn to put off his spectacular failure untilaftertheir reconciliation took place.
She could solve all her problems before the week was out! Papa would realize how much he’d missed them once they were together again. The plans for Hannah’s wedding would remind them of their own vows. All she had to do was make it last long enough for her parents to come to their senses, and then things could finally go back to how they used to be, before it all fell apart.
“I’ll put an announcement in the papers immediately,” Mama continued. “We’ll have the first banns read on Sunday. I shall ensure that you are both invited to a few events in the coming weeks, to launch you into society as a match. Mrs. Godfrey’s wild rose party this Friday might do to start with. The hostess is a friend of mine, and I might be able to persuade her to help ensure you receive a warm welcome despite all the…unpleasantness earlier. It’s an afternoon gathering, so it will be a bit less formal. Fewer chances of a mishap.”
Hannah studied Mr. Corbyn as these plans were laid out. He was impossible to read, with the firm lines of his lips and brows held perfectly still. When he glanced in her direction, his eyes gave nothing away.
He might ruin all her plans if he wished. Expose her lies with a word and stride from the room, never to look back. If it had been a risk before, her clumsy instructions during Jane’s song certainly hadn’t helped.
He couldn’t say no. Hannah needed him more than ever. If only she could make him understand how important this was.
When Mr. Corbyn finally answered, his voice had all the detached calm of a man discussing a business transaction, rather than his own engagement.
Which was fair enough, really.
“That sounds perfect. Thank you for all your careful planning. We’re in your debt, Mrs. Williams.”
Mama nodded, appeased by this praise, if not quite pleased. “She has a dowry, of course, but I trust you’ll understand why we’ll want to see those funds settled on your future children. We can draw up the marriage contract once my husband is in town.”
“I’m afraid I can’t agree to that.”
What did he just say?Hannah whirled to stare at her almost-fiancé.He was still using that eerily calm voice, though the words carried all the destructive power of a lit powder keg.
Her mother appeared equally stunned, struggling to summon the words to give Mr. Corbyn a proper dressing-down. Before she could begin, he spoke over her.
“If you expect me to buy myself a commission, I’ll need some of your daughter’s dowry to do it. I’ll come up with as much as I can myself, but it would be impossible for me to shoulder the entire amount. We can settle everything that I don’t need on our future children.”
He didn’t look at Hannah once during this whole speech, not even when he said the part about their children.
Why is he doing this?
Was it part of his plan to push her mother to refuse the match, as she’d urged? It must be. There was no other reason to make such a demand. He couldn’t hope to touch her dowry unless he actually intended to marry her, and that was—
“Certainly not!” Mama recoiled, outraged. All the disdain she’d tried so hard to bottle up this evening was in danger of boiling over. “That money belongs to Hannah.”
—unthinkable. It was unthinkable that Mr. Corbyn could marry her. This was all part of his plan to ruin things, and it looked to be working. If only she could have signaled him to wait a little longer, now that she knew her father would be coming to London. If they broke off their engagement too soon, he might cancel his trip. She had to do something before she lost her chance.
“Perhaps we should sleep on this,” Hannah cut in swiftly, hoping Mr. Corbyn would follow her lead. “We should really wait until Papa is here before we make any important decisions.”
“Those are my terms,” Mr. Corbyn said coolly, as if she hadn’t spoken. What had gotten into him? He wasn’t acting like himself atall. At least, not like the self that she’d caught glimpses of in their prior encounters.Maybe it wasn’t the most brilliant idea to place my trust in a near stranger.“I think you’ll find them quite reasonable. I don’t intend to take more than I need, and I’ll treat your daughter well. Surely you can agree that it’s a small sum to part with, if you truly want to see her settled as an officer’s wife. The alternative would be far worse for all of us.”
He let the implication hang in the air—that Hannah would be left without the fiction of a prior engagement to explain away their kiss at the club and salvage her reputation. That she would be left without anything at all.
What in God’s name is he doing?
The rising sense of panic in Hannah’s chest made her want to shout, but she hadn’t the faintest idea what to say. Her instincts told her to protest; it didn’t sound like he was trying to scare her mother off any longer. Quite the contrary, his game seemed to have shifted to one of persuasion.
She sucked in a long breath.Mama won’t agree.She’d sooner call off this engagement than let Mr. Corbyn get his hands on my funds.
Indeed, she would likely do just that. Any minute now.
But even though her mother was obviously fuming—her brow drawn into a deep furrow and her nostrils flaring with each inhalation—she didn’t unleash the tongue-lashing that Hannah expected. Instead, her struggle to master her emotions played out on her face for a long moment before she finally spoke through clenched teeth.
“Only enough to buy the commission. Not a penny more.”
“Of course.” Mr. Corbyn had agreed before Hannah could so much as blink.
It didn’t make any sense! Why should he want to haggle over her dowry when they’d never agreed to marry? Could he really mean to use the money to join the army? He’d seemed surprisedby the suggestion only a few hours before, but perhaps the chance to advance his station had proven too much to resist. There was no other reason for him to demand a portion of her funds.
