I’m sure she wanted Hannah to hear it from her, rather than risk anyone else telling her.’
‘I suppose,’ Lady MacInnes reluctantly agreed, ‘though I am not convinced Hannah would ever have found out had I not said anything to you about it.’
Robert eased his breath out on a long, weary sigh. ‘Well, the fact is, I do know, and in an effort to protect the family, I don’t see that I have any choice but to tell Hannah. Lord knows, I’ve no desire to hurt the girl, but Mama left her a considerable inheritance. And while I’m not as concerned about the money, I do feel the emeralds should remain in the family.’
‘Perhaps it would be kinder if I told her, Robert,’ Lady MacInnes offered. ‘After all, I’m little more than a stranger to her.’
‘You’re no more a stranger to her than I am,’ Robert said, grimacing. ‘I’ve not exactly gone out of my way to further our relationship. No, thank you for the offer, Cousin Margaret, but I think it only right that I be the one to do it.’
‘When will you tell her?’
Robert thought for a moment. There could be no good time for such a disclosure. The question was when would it hurt the least?
‘I told her we would talk after dinner tonight, but perhaps it would be better if I waited until you returned to Scotland. Hannah will no doubt be grievously hurt and embarrassed, and I think the fewer people who are around to witness her discomfort, the better. She does not deserve what is about to happen to her, but she cannot go on living a lie. None of us can.’
As he turned to walk away, Lady MacInnes put her hand on his arm, gently staying him. ‘You have much of your father in you, Robert. You may choose to hide it under a gruff exterior, but you are every bit as kind and as compassionate as he was.’
Robert sighed. ‘I only wonder if Hannah will think as kindly of me as you do, Cousin. After all, I am about to destroy her world. How compassionate can that be deemed by anyone, I wonder.’
Dinner that evening was a far more convivial occasion than it had been on the previous nights. The presence of Lady MacInnes seemed to mitigate some of the lingering stiffness between Robert and Hannah, and though he was still a little subdued, Hannah felt considerably more relaxed in his company than she had at any time since his arrival. If anything, she was the quiet one, knowing that they were to talk after dinner, and wondering what the nature of the conversation was to be.
‘Hannah?’ Lady MacInnes said.
Glancing up, Hannah smiled. ‘Forgive me, Cousin, my mind was wandering.’
‘That’s all right, my dear. I only said that you are to be commended on the quality of the meals served at Gillingdon Park. That was as fine a dinner as any I have enjoyed.’
‘Thank you. Mrs Broughton is an excellent cook,’Hannah said, quick to give credit where it was due. ‘She has been with Mama for as long as I can remember.’
Lady MacInnes smiled. ‘As I recall, a number of the servants have been here quite some time.’
‘Oh, yes. Mama believed in treating them well. I doubt they saw anything to gain by going elsewhere.’
‘So they were loyal to her,’ Robert said, his attention seemingly fixed on the glass in his hand.
‘Indeed. They respected her, you see, Robert. And I truly believe some of them loved her. Sally certainly did. But then, Mama was such a warm and caring lady…’ Hannah broke off, her voice thickening. ‘Forgive me, it is still…so recent.’
To her surprise, she saw moisture gathering in Lady MacInnes’s warm brown eyes. ‘Time will make it easier, my dear. But right now, as you say, it is still so new, and the pain is so fresh.’
Hannah nodded, not wishing to break down in front of them but knowing she was perilously close to doing so. ‘Well, perhaps we should retire and leave Robert to his port,’ she said. ‘Mr Mudd, would you have coffee brought to the green drawing-room for Lady MacInnes and myself.’
The butler
‘I suppose,’ Lady MacInnes reluctantly agreed, ‘though I am not convinced Hannah would ever have found out had I not said anything to you about it.’
Robert eased his breath out on a long, weary sigh. ‘Well, the fact is, I do know, and in an effort to protect the family, I don’t see that I have any choice but to tell Hannah. Lord knows, I’ve no desire to hurt the girl, but Mama left her a considerable inheritance. And while I’m not as concerned about the money, I do feel the emeralds should remain in the family.’
‘Perhaps it would be kinder if I told her, Robert,’ Lady MacInnes offered. ‘After all, I’m little more than a stranger to her.’
‘You’re no more a stranger to her than I am,’ Robert said, grimacing. ‘I’ve not exactly gone out of my way to further our relationship. No, thank you for the offer, Cousin Margaret, but I think it only right that I be the one to do it.’
‘When will you tell her?’
Robert thought for a moment. There could be no good time for such a disclosure. The question was when would it hurt the least?
‘I told her we would talk after dinner tonight, but perhaps it would be better if I waited until you returned to Scotland. Hannah will no doubt be grievously hurt and embarrassed, and I think the fewer people who are around to witness her discomfort, the better. She does not deserve what is about to happen to her, but she cannot go on living a lie. None of us can.’
As he turned to walk away, Lady MacInnes put her hand on his arm, gently staying him. ‘You have much of your father in you, Robert. You may choose to hide it under a gruff exterior, but you are every bit as kind and as compassionate as he was.’
Robert sighed. ‘I only wonder if Hannah will think as kindly of me as you do, Cousin. After all, I am about to destroy her world. How compassionate can that be deemed by anyone, I wonder.’
Dinner that evening was a far more convivial occasion than it had been on the previous nights. The presence of Lady MacInnes seemed to mitigate some of the lingering stiffness between Robert and Hannah, and though he was still a little subdued, Hannah felt considerably more relaxed in his company than she had at any time since his arrival. If anything, she was the quiet one, knowing that they were to talk after dinner, and wondering what the nature of the conversation was to be.
‘Hannah?’ Lady MacInnes said.
Glancing up, Hannah smiled. ‘Forgive me, Cousin, my mind was wandering.’
‘That’s all right, my dear. I only said that you are to be commended on the quality of the meals served at Gillingdon Park. That was as fine a dinner as any I have enjoyed.’
‘Thank you. Mrs Broughton is an excellent cook,’Hannah said, quick to give credit where it was due. ‘She has been with Mama for as long as I can remember.’
Lady MacInnes smiled. ‘As I recall, a number of the servants have been here quite some time.’
‘Oh, yes. Mama believed in treating them well. I doubt they saw anything to gain by going elsewhere.’
‘So they were loyal to her,’ Robert said, his attention seemingly fixed on the glass in his hand.
‘Indeed. They respected her, you see, Robert. And I truly believe some of them loved her. Sally certainly did. But then, Mama was such a warm and caring lady…’ Hannah broke off, her voice thickening. ‘Forgive me, it is still…so recent.’
To her surprise, she saw moisture gathering in Lady MacInnes’s warm brown eyes. ‘Time will make it easier, my dear. But right now, as you say, it is still so new, and the pain is so fresh.’
Hannah nodded, not wishing to break down in front of them but knowing she was perilously close to doing so. ‘Well, perhaps we should retire and leave Robert to his port,’ she said. ‘Mr Mudd, would you have coffee brought to the green drawing-room for Lady MacInnes and myself.’
The butler
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