The decision was soon made for her.
“Good evening, Miss Gibbons.”
Hannah stopped, her eyes landing on Noah’s chest before she forced herself to meet his gaze. He wore a sad and weary smile, much like he had when Hannah had first made his acquaintance. And his eyes, the same brown eyes that often radiated the joy and love of a friend, looked at her as if his own heart ached.
“Good evening, Lord Noah,” she said.
“Would it be acceptable if I requested a dance this evening?” His eyes bore dark circles beneath them, and his focus seemed hazy at best.
Hannah swallowed, dipping her gaze. “I would not refuse if you asked.”
“But would you welcome it?”
Her gaze snapped back to his face. His smile was no more, and his mouth turned down at the edges. But she could not answer his question. Not now as guests came up behind her, waiting for their turn to greet the family. And not when her heart still roiled in tumult. Instead, she stepped forward, trailing after her parents toward the ballroom. Fresh tears burned her eyes, and she blinked them back, thankful for the dim glow of candlelight.
Hannah looked around the ballroom upon entering, and a sense of hopeless loneliness engulfed her. Noah would have been the one to stay by her side this evening, and now everything felt wrong. And so she followed her parents through the ballroom, her gaze floating about. Hannah could see the beauty and painstaking effort Lady Chatham had put into the evening, but she could not find any pleasure in it. This was now a task that needed to be completed. She would greet the men traipsed in front of her, allow herself to be shown off, accept dances and glasses of punch, and at the end of it all, tell her mother which man pleased her most.
“Hannah, Lady Chatham has outdone herself. You must have made a good impression upon her,” her mother said, her eyes meandering the room as she gave a nod of approval. “I am glad she realizes your worth, for then she will be very generous in her recommendation of you to the men in attendance.”
“Yes, Mother.” A dutiful answer from a dutiful daughter.
“Oh, dear, do you see that young man there?” Her mother took her father’s arm and used her eyes to point out a gentleman across the room.
The man was hardly what Hannah would consider young.
“Yes,” her father responded. “Who is he?”
“That is Mr. Abbins. He is a cousin to Lord Rathburn.”
Her father’s brow rose. “The baron?”
Mrs. Gibbons nodded. “Yes. And he has a sizable estate, if my memory serves me correctly.”
Their commentary would have bothered Hannah before, but she was too numb tonight to care.
“Surely Lady Chatham will bring him over for an introduction,” her mother continued.
Hannah tuned out their words as her eyes caught on Noah walking through the door. He looked nearly as lost as she did as his eyes frantically searched the room. Then his gaze landed on her, and she felt as she always did when with him. Appreciated. Seen. Cared for.
Noah lifted his hand and sent her a small wave, and Hannah deliberated whether she should return the gesture. But before her decision had been made, a young woman walked through the door and sidled up to Noah, taking his arm.
It seemed to happen in slow motion. Her hand wrapping about the crook of Noah’s elbow, moving closer as she did so. Hannah’s gaze slid to the woman’s face, her blonde hair intricately styled, and her beautiful face and smile uncomfortably familiar. The young lady had to be none other than Miss Margaret Lewiston.
Hannah pulled her eyes from the couple as quickly as someone would remove their hand from a hot coal. Her breathing quickened, and she blinked fresh tears away as she turned her head to the side, hoping Noah would not be able to see. Margaret was back? Not only that, she was already reacquainted with Noah and secure enough to attach herself to him for the evening. Before Hannah had processed what she saw, Lady Chatham stood in front of her with Donald by her side.
“Miss Gibbons, I hope you are pleased with the evening thus far,” Lady Chatham said.
Hannah forced herself to smile but she could feel it wobbling at the edges. Luckily she had managed to control her tears before Lady Chatham appeared. “Yes, my lady. It is beyond comprehension. I fear I do not deserve such lavish kindness.”
“Nonsense.” She took Hannah’s hand and patted the back of it. “You deserve all of it.” Lady Chatham glanced over her shoulder to where Noah stood with Miss Lewiston before fixing her gaze on Donald. “Lord Bradley would be happy to escort you in the first dance of the evening to start things off.”
“Assuming you do not mind dancing with an old man such as myself,” Donald said, smiling down at her.
Hannah dipped her head. “Of course not. I would be honored. Thank you.” She took his hand as the music began and he led her down the promenade. Hannah tried to keep her eyes from Noah, but noticing him was soon inevitable as he and Miss Lewiston joined the line beside them.
Hannah’s eyes flicked to them before thinking better of it. Noah looked sullen, but Margaret smiled wide for all to see, parading herself around on Noah’s hand. Hannah had only glanced at them for a moment, but it had been enough. When she brought her gaze back to Donald, she immediately saw the pity in his eyes.
He knew.
