The Lady Seals Her Fate (The Langley Sisters #5) (22 page)

CHAPTER TWELVE

The stage arrived with a rattle of harnesses and stomp of hooves the following morning. She thanked Letty and her family, and promised to return if she could one day soon. Joanne handed her a small basket filled with food, which touched Hannah, and then she took her seat. The carriage was full, and she was pressed between an elderly man and a woman carrying a basket from which suspicious noises emanated.

“I believe animals should be on the roof, madam,” Hannah said.

“My boys travel with me,” the woman said, glaring at Hannah. Her face was narrow around which she had tied a scarf, and her lips formed a small tight circle.

Hannah wondered what “my boys” were but was afraid to ask. She was not the squeamish type, having been raised on a farm, but she didn’t fancy some little creature sinking its teeth into her.

“Well, just make sure they stay in that basket, if you please,” she said, turning to look out the window. She hoped someone, namely the basket-carrying woman, got off soon, and did not travel the entire way to Bristol.

“Well,” the woman sniffed, then used the back of her hand to wipe her nose.

Across from her sat two men, both watching the exchange, and a young boy.

“Good morning.” Hannah nodded to the other occupants, and they in turn doffed their hats as the journey began.

“Where you be bound, miss?” One of the men asked her.

“Bristol,” Hannah said. “My father is an actor and has a travelling show. I am to join him.” She had noticed that her lies were becoming grander each time she uttered one.

“Oooh, I love a good play,” the lady said, her animosity fleeing in the face of Hannah’s tall tale. “What’s his next one?”

“
The Tempest
and I am to play the part of Miranda.”

“That William Shakespeare was a right clever man.” The woman nodded wisely. “Me favorite’s
Much Ado About Nothing
.”

“Indeed, it is a wonderful story.”

She answered the questions and then asked a few of her own, and by the time they stopped for the night, the carriage’s occupants were familiar enough with each other to be on first-name terms, even if she was using a fake one.

Stretching the cricks from her neck, Hannah let the other guests go inside and decided on a walk before joining them. Having been cramped inside the carriage for hours, she needed some fresh air. Looking skyward, she saw it would be dark soon, but there was enough time to make it down the road and back.

The countryside was vastly different to London, and reminded Hannah what she loved about the land she had grown up on before her father came into his title. Sunset was a beautiful time of day anywhere, but here in the wide-open spaces it was more so. She inhaled the lovely earthy smells and enjoyed the clean air as she walked slowly, working some of the stiffness out of her legs. The sound of hooves approaching had her moving off the road and into the trees to her right. There was not a great deal of cover, but the dwindling light helped if she stood sideways behind the largest trunk. She did not believe it would be anyone searching for her, but would not risk it. She heard the rider gallop past, and then allowed herself a peek.

Alex! She knew those shoulders and the style of that coat.
What do I do?
She looked around for inspiration, but her eyes met only more trees and grass, no epiphany. Panic sluiced through her. This was bad, very, very bad.
Think, Hannah!

On the second day after Hannah’s departure, Alex arrived at the Red Breast frustrated, worried, and in a towering rage. The day he and Ben had left London his horse had thrown a shoe, forcing a delay that had chafed him badly. They had then stopped at every establishment offering accommodation on the way. At each, they had asked after Hannah, but had been told no one by that name had passed through. It was only at the fourth that Alex asked for a description of any women who had stopped there that day, and realized that Hannah was not using her real name.

“She’s smart,” Ben had said, “but probably gave no consideration to the fact that there are not too many unaccompanied woman gadding about the English countryside speaking like a lady.”

“At least we know what she is about now, and should find her soon,” Alex had said, sure in the knowledge he was right. However, it had not been that easy.

At one posting house, they had questioned a woman called Letty, who in turn had told them that a sweet governess named Heather had stayed the night after eating with her family and reading them a story. He had pressed for a description and it had fitted Hannah. Alex had to admire her deception; there was no one thus far who doubted her story. Two of the proprietors had even said she was sweet natured, which just went to strengthen the adage that appearances were deceptive.

“She’s the least sweet-natured person I know,” Alex had muttered after leaving Letty behind. Ben, sensibly, had remained silent.

Alex had no idea why she had chosen Bristol, and Ben believed she had plucked the name out of her head and decided it would do. Knowing Hannah, Alex had to agree. When the road forked, they had decided they would cover more ground if they separated, not knowing if Hannah had got off the stage at some point, and would meet up again when they could.

Tired, worried, and still simmering with anger, Alex dismounted at the Red Breast behind the stagecoach. If Hannah had remained on the coach, she should be inside. She was cunning, however, so he could not afford to discount the possibility she would not be. Running a hand over his face, Alex prayed he would walk inside the door and find her. He needed to know she was well, because his stomach was twisted into knots after hours of imagining terrible scenarios that had befallen her.

He’d realized over the miles he and his brother had travelled that Hannah was in his blood now. Yes, he’d felt something for Hannah Wooller the minute he saw her, but had not allowed himself to see it clearly. Implicating him in her charade had forced them closer together, but it was not until he had held her in his arms and tasted her sweet lips that he realized just what she had come to mean to him.

“Good day to you, sir.” Alex took off his hat and nodded to the man he found tending the horses. “Are you the driver of this stagecoach?”

“I am.”

“Excellent. I’m seeking a passenger.”

“They’re all inside eating their evening meal before retiring, sir.”

“Is there a young woman among them?” Alex pulled out several coins and handed them to the man. “Dark hair, blue coat and bonnet?” The woman he’d met called Letty had told him about Hannah’s coat and how fine it had been, because a friend of hers was a seamstress and had made if for her. One thing Alex had also learned about Miss Wooller was that she had excellent storytelling capabilities.

“Yes, she’s on board.”

“Thank you.” Alex looked to the door that would lead inside and thought about how Hannah would react when she saw him. He had to remain calm, talk to her rationally, because there was no doubt she would be upset. Walking toward the inn, he battled the need inside him, but seconds later he was running. Taking the steps in a single leap, he headed for the noise of several combined voices and entered the room. His eyes passed over each person, but of Hannah there was no sign and Alex felt his heart plunge back to his toes.

“Who arrived on the stage?”

“I did.” A man stepped forward.

“The young woman who accompanied you here, where is she?”

“Not sure. She got off the stage with us, but we haven’t seen her since, sir. Lovely lady, Helen was her name. Actress, and is heading north to join her father’s travelling show.”

God’s blood, his head hurt, Alex thought, pinching the bridge of his nose. The other occupants of the room eyed him warily, and Alex guessed that was because his hands were clenched and he looked ready to beat the hell out of someone.

“She’s playing Miranda in
The Tempest
,” another man said. “Is that the lady you’re after?”

“The very one,” Alex snapped, then turned on his heel and stalked through the door, to begin checking every room, even the kitchens, for Hannah. When he had completed his search of the rooms upstairs he headed back outside.

“Hannah!” He threw back his head and roared. “Show yourself at once!” It was a futile hope, Alex knew that, but still he was furious enough to try.

“No sign of her then, sir?” A lady carrying a basket joined him. “For what it’s worth, you may be better off without her. She took me to task about carrying my boys in the coach. Right uppity, she was.”

“Boys?” Alex questioned in an angry growl the woman failed to heed.

“Indeed, Bill and Jed,” she said, lifting the lid. Inside, curled into a ball sleeping, were two ferrets. “They hurt nobody, and keep an old body company, and the miss wanted them gone she did.”

“You have my sympathy, madam,” Alex snarled before making his way back to the coach. He opened the door, but there was no sign of Hannah inside. He headed for the stables; he would check there next.

“Can I help you, sir?” The voice came from behind a horse.

“Is there a woman in this stable, average height, pretty with dark hair?” She had to be somewhere Alex thought, looking around. Her bags were still there.

The man straightened, resting a forearm on the horse’s rump. “There was a woman here, she just left on a horse.”

“What!”

“Paid me handsomely, said it was urgent and that she would send for her luggage soon if we would hold it for her.”

“I need my horse at once!” Alex ran down the stalls until he found it. Opening the door, he was relieved it was still saddled. Leading him out, he quickly mounted. “Which way did she go?”

“Right,” the man said as Alex cantered past him and out the doors.

You won’t escape me, Hannah Wooller
, Alex thought, urging his horse on. She hated riding, and according to her father was hopeless at it, even after a handful of lessons, so she had simply given up and travelled everywhere by carriage… until now. Looking at the darkening sky, he cursed. Stupid, bloody woman.

Hannah held the reins in one hand and the horse’s mane in the other. The man had given her a sidesaddle, but that had proved to be unstable at a gallop, so she had swung her leg over and while that was uncomfortable, she was steadier. At least, she tried to tell herself she was. She wasn’t dressed for riding, and her skirts were up her thighs, and soon her legs were chafed, but Hannah had only one thought when she’d seen Alex. Run, and do it fast. She needed to put distance between them, and would have to do so in the dark. How had he found her so soon, when she had covered her tracks carefully?

She would have to get off the road, as he would come after her when he questioned the stable master and catch her in no time, as his equestrian skills were excellent, unlike hers. When she’d seen him there was a moment of pure joy where her heart had urged her to run to him, and then she’d remembered the danger he would be in if she did so.

Slowing to a walk, she entered the trees and followed a narrow path that she hoped would lead to a posting house or somewhere to stay for the night. The light had dwindled and with the leaves now forming a ceiling over her head, she knew the going would be difficult.

“But we are not scared, are we, horse?” Hannah said the words out loud to calm herself. The only sounds here were the rustling of leaves and soft thud of hooves on the hard-packed earth. Where was she? Would this path lead anywhere, or was it taking her back the way she had come? Her eyes swung left as she heard the sound of a branch snapping.

“Is someone there?” Should she turn and retrace her steps? Looking behind her, she thought that was possibly the best prospect. Perhaps Alex had gone now and it would be safe. Her horse stopped suddenly, and Hannah grappled for the reins as she started to slide sideways, but she was too late, and ended up on the path.

“Are you hurt?”

She tried to breathe, but no air was forthcoming so she simply continued to gasp. Hands steadied her and leaned her forward.

“Easy, breathe slowly now, Hannah.”

She did as Alex told her to, and finally the air came back into her lungs with a rush and Hannah was able to breathe deeply.

“G-go home, Alex, please.” She was reluctant to look at him because if she did, she feared she would never look away again.

“Are you hurt, Hannah?”

“No.” She let him lift her to her feet, and then stepped away, putting distance between them before she gave in to temptation and hurled herself into his arms. Forcing herself to look at him, she saw his anger. It clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. “I am well,” she lied, ignoring the pain in her wrist. “I wish to continue my journey alone.” Trying not to wince at the abused muscles in her body, Hannah made for her horse.

“Do you really believe I will let you simply mount up and ride away from me again?”

Hannah glared at the horse as she grabbed its reins. Bloody beast, had it not stopped when she was ill-prepared, she could have escaped.
No, you couldn’t have, and you’re a fool for even thinking it.

“I am an adult and it is my choice to do this, Alexander, therefore, you must respect my wishes.” She was quite pleased that her tone was calm, even composed. “Now I should like to leave. Good day to you.” She did not look at him, so when a hand wrapped around her waist she shrieked. Her scream echoed around the forest as Alex swung her up in the saddle before him.

“Move and I shall bind your arms; say one word and I shall gag you.” The words were growled into her right ear. Seconds later he had collected her horse’s reins and they were starting back down the track she had just ridden.

Something in his tone made her skin prickle. It had been intimidating. But this was Alex, Hannah reminded herself. He would never harm her. Still, there was no doubting the fact that he had been changing before her eyes since she had enticed him into being her pretend beau.

“Alex, I—”

She felt him move and then he was stuffing his handkerchief in her mouth. Hannah gagged and spat it out, but she did not speak again. She would marshal her arguments for when he was calmer, then she would explain why she could not return with him to London.