Page 37 of A Rogue to Forget

Chapter Eleven

Hannah wanted to be left alone to grieve, to sleep, and to not speak to anyone. However, she was at Felicity’s once again. Everyone insisted on taking care of her. She’d been given a sweetened tea for her nerves and then forced to eat. But that wasn’t enough for her friend, who was eager to ensure her wellbeing.

She’d been brought to a bedroom with a hot bath awaiting, perfumed oils in the water that were supposed to be soothing. Once that was done, she’d dressed in a warm gown and wrapped in a plush robe and now sat in a chair in front of a fireplace with another cup of tea at her elbow.

Through it all she’d been unable to utter a single word. Her mind whirled, every instance of the visit to Jules Brown repeating.

He was her brother, and he was a murderer. Whether he’d killed her father with his own hands or paid someone to do it did not matter.

There had been a sort of familiarity in him that had shocked her. They favored in more ways than not. But there was a hardness in Jules that spoke of a life so very different from hers. If she were to guess, he’d grown up on the streets having to fight for everything until he found his father.

How that had occurred did not matter to her. What did was the fact that he’d never pay for his part in her father’s murder. Men like Jules Brown bought judges and other authorities. He was no doubt untouchable.

All because of a key. A stupid key.

Her father had died, and she’d been abandoned for a key.

“Hannah?”

Felicity walked into the room with a tray. “I brought you some soup. Please eat it. Then I promise to leave you alone to rest.”

“You have fed me more today than the entirety of what I’ve eaten in a week.”

Her friend laughed softly. “You should eat more then.”

As her friend kept her company, she ate a bit of the soup. Admittedly, it was delicious and warmed her.

“I am not sure what to do,” Hannah said. “How do I continue on knowing that my father’s killer will continue to enjoy his life, not paying for what he did?”

“I doubt that anyone who kills another person ever truly enjoys their life. I refuse to believe it,” Felicity explained.

Hannah sighed. “There are people with hearts of stone that do not feel anything.”

Having looked into Jules’s eyes, Hannah wasn’t sure she could say he was without emotion. There had been a flicker of something when she’d spoken of her father dying in vain. Had he felt anything?

“Do you think you will ever hear from him?” Felicity asked.

She shrugged. “I doubt it. I prefer not to. He is a criminal. A man whom I never wish to see or know about ever.” Hannah let out a long breath and closed her eyes. “I hope to be able to sleep without thinking of him. I want to forget he exists.”

“Of course,” Felicity said, standing.

Once in bed, her thoughts took a drastic turn. Instead of thinking of Jules, she considered that Henry and his father had been there at Jules’s offices. It had been a shock to walk in and see them. Marta had gasped audibly.

Why had he been there? Was it because of his need to be her champion, still clutching to the responsibility he’d felt since finding her father?

After what occurred, knowing that finally he would belong to someone else, her already frayed nerves had threatened to unravel fully at seeing him.

He’d come to stand beside her, a show that she was not alone but had plenty of support. Not only him, but Evan and Lord Johnstone had been there silently at her back. Jules must have understood that she had strong allies. Just thinking of it brought tears of gratitude. She was indeed fortunate for Felicity and the support she’d amassed on her behalf.

Although, if Hannah were to be honest, Henry had been her strongest support from the first.

Now she had to become accustomed to his absence. First thing in the morning, she’d speak to Evan and ask that he meet with Henry and explain that she wishes him well but asks that he not ever visit or approach her again.

With a shaky breath, she looked up at the ceiling. In a way, it felt good to know she’d protected herself and her household. Despite everything, she believed Jules. He got what he was after and would not bother her again.

Funny that she’d always wished for siblings. As the saying went, “Be careful what you wish for” was certainly true in her case.

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