on a game of cards? Although I suppose I should not have been surprised after you had gambled away everything else first.’
She felt tears prickle her eyes and let them fall. There was nobody here to see her and she was truly miserable.
‘Do you know what was worse?’ She spoke directly to the gravestone. ‘You kept the truth from me. I had no idea how dire the situation was until after I had learned that you were dead—and by then it was far too late for me to be able to do anything. The house was gone. There was nothing left in the bank. How could you do that to me?’
She did not expect an answer and sat back on her heels to survey the graves of her parents. They were in an even worse state, and had obviously been neglected since George had banished her to the North.
‘I shall have to come back with proper tools to get rid of those brambles,’ she muttered as she swiped at her eyes with her sleeve. Crying was not going to make things right. It would not bring back her reputation or her chance of marriage and children. ‘At least Father saved some money. I have the five thousand he kept in trust for my dowry to buy back Barchester Hall—although I should not have to do it, and I doubt I will be able to forgive you for that either.’
The hall represented the very last vestige of what she had once been—before she had been jilted, publically shamed and exiled. If she lost that, then she was truly left with nothing. All that would lie ahead of her were more empty years in Yorkshire, living with two old and timid maiden aunts, her future as bleak as the landscape on the moors in the winter.
That prospect terrified her more than anything. If she had learned one thing in the last seven years it was that she simply had to be in control of her own destiny. She had had enough of banishment and isolation and obeying another’s commands. When she got the hall back things were going to change for the better.
‘Perhaps I will feel differently when I find something on Jameson,’ she continued, forcing optimism into her voice. ‘That is proving particularly difficult as well—but I am determined. So far I have found nothing untoward. Of all the people to lose the house to, you had to choose him . He is far too clever. Any evidence of his wrongdoing is well hidden. Obviously I shall be persistent, and I am sure that I will find something, but I think it is going to take far longer than I had originally hoped. At least I am home...’
Hannah glanced back towards the house wistfully.
‘The truth is, Jameson does appear to have some decent qualities. He is kind to Reggie and the servants, and quite generous with his money. The house will look as good as new after we have finished. Aside from his loose morals and libertine lifestyle, I cannot help but admire him—he was born with nothing and has worked tirelessly to amass his great fortune—which makes this predicament all the more difficult. He appears to be very personable and is very easy to work for.
‘He even asks for my opinion. Imagine that. I can never remember either you or Father asking me what I thought about anything. Ever . I was always expected to adhere to your edicts without question. And he listens to my advice. Genuinely listens. He has this way of looking at me intently when I speak, as if he actually wants to know what I am going to say—which is surprisingly flattering. He has even let me pick the colours for the morning room and the hallway, and he trusts me to simply get on with things. Which is nice... More than nice, actually. It makes me feel special in a strange sort of way—like I belong here.
‘It’s quite an odd feeling, not to be considered a burden or an obligation for once. He is quite charming, really. And handsome, in a rough sort of way. Well, not so rough, now that I come to think about it. He has lovely green eyes that sparkle when he smiles. Under different circumstances, and if I did not know better, he would probably
She felt tears prickle her eyes and let them fall. There was nobody here to see her and she was truly miserable.
‘Do you know what was worse?’ She spoke directly to the gravestone. ‘You kept the truth from me. I had no idea how dire the situation was until after I had learned that you were dead—and by then it was far too late for me to be able to do anything. The house was gone. There was nothing left in the bank. How could you do that to me?’
She did not expect an answer and sat back on her heels to survey the graves of her parents. They were in an even worse state, and had obviously been neglected since George had banished her to the North.
‘I shall have to come back with proper tools to get rid of those brambles,’ she muttered as she swiped at her eyes with her sleeve. Crying was not going to make things right. It would not bring back her reputation or her chance of marriage and children. ‘At least Father saved some money. I have the five thousand he kept in trust for my dowry to buy back Barchester Hall—although I should not have to do it, and I doubt I will be able to forgive you for that either.’
The hall represented the very last vestige of what she had once been—before she had been jilted, publically shamed and exiled. If she lost that, then she was truly left with nothing. All that would lie ahead of her were more empty years in Yorkshire, living with two old and timid maiden aunts, her future as bleak as the landscape on the moors in the winter.
That prospect terrified her more than anything. If she had learned one thing in the last seven years it was that she simply had to be in control of her own destiny. She had had enough of banishment and isolation and obeying another’s commands. When she got the hall back things were going to change for the better.
‘Perhaps I will feel differently when I find something on Jameson,’ she continued, forcing optimism into her voice. ‘That is proving particularly difficult as well—but I am determined. So far I have found nothing untoward. Of all the people to lose the house to, you had to choose him . He is far too clever. Any evidence of his wrongdoing is well hidden. Obviously I shall be persistent, and I am sure that I will find something, but I think it is going to take far longer than I had originally hoped. At least I am home...’
Hannah glanced back towards the house wistfully.
‘The truth is, Jameson does appear to have some decent qualities. He is kind to Reggie and the servants, and quite generous with his money. The house will look as good as new after we have finished. Aside from his loose morals and libertine lifestyle, I cannot help but admire him—he was born with nothing and has worked tirelessly to amass his great fortune—which makes this predicament all the more difficult. He appears to be very personable and is very easy to work for.
‘He even asks for my opinion. Imagine that. I can never remember either you or Father asking me what I thought about anything. Ever . I was always expected to adhere to your edicts without question. And he listens to my advice. Genuinely listens. He has this way of looking at me intently when I speak, as if he actually wants to know what I am going to say—which is surprisingly flattering. He has even let me pick the colours for the morning room and the hallway, and he trusts me to simply get on with things. Which is nice... More than nice, actually. It makes me feel special in a strange sort of way—like I belong here.
‘It’s quite an odd feeling, not to be considered a burden or an obligation for once. He is quite charming, really. And handsome, in a rough sort of way. Well, not so rough, now that I come to think about it. He has lovely green eyes that sparkle when he smiles. Under different circumstances, and if I did not know better, he would probably
Similar Books
