Page 7 of A Rogue to Forget

Chapter Three

After a sleepless night, Hannah got out of bed and dressed in a hurry. After Marta had told her what happened the day before, it had been impossible to sleep.

According to Marta, she’d noticed a man following her upon leaving to go to the market. It had not been much later, after she’d finished shopping, that the men approached her. A menacing-looking man had asked her if Hannah had come into a large sum of money recently. He’d insisted that Marta spy on her for him.

He’d introduced himself as a business associate of the late Mister Kerr and insisted that he’d like to hire Marta to help him collect ledgers and search for items in the house.

Marta had assured the man there was little money in the household, that the family had pinched pennies for years, and even more so now that Mister Kerr had died, along with him the income from the tea shop.

The stranger had obviously been relentless, telling Marta that there had to be money hidden somewhere. When she’d finally extricated herself from the conversation, she’d been too nervous to return to the house and instead hired a coach to take her to get someone to come and provide protection.

The ever-resourceful Marta had traveled to her village and fetched a nephew, Silas, who’d agreed to come. The young man was perhaps barely twenty, but brawny and would hopefully deter someone from approaching her.

Hannah was not sure how she would pay this nephew of Marta’s. Although her housekeeper had assured her that a little something was more than he’d been making, it still bothered her.

Once on the first floor, the first thing she did was hurry to peer out the front windows. A few people were out and about, which made her feel safer. Surely no one would try to approach her in broad daylight.

“Have you considered what to do, Miss Hannah?” Marta asked, wringing her hands. “I pray someone will help.” She turned to look in the direction of the kitchen. “Silas comes now.”

“I do not have any idea what to do. I will visit the Murrays and ask for assistance in this.”

With the young man in tow, Hannah hurried down the street in the direction of the Murrays’ house. Hopefully Felicity’s parents would help her.

Up until her abrupt departure, Hannah’s mother and Mrs. Murray had been close friends. Mrs. Murray had been as astounded as Hannah by her mother’s decision to leave so suddenly.

“You can wait for me out here,” Hannah told Silas as they approached the house several minutes later. With a good-natured grin, Silas promptly sat down on the bottom step and looked up and down the street.

Hannah imagined being in the city had to be a big change for him.

“Dear one.” Mrs. Murray ushered her into a beautifully furnished sitting room. “You should have sent word. I would have come to you.”

Hannah hugged the woman tightly, fighting the urge to cry. The reminder of a mother figure sent her reeling. “I brought Marta’s nephew, so he knows the way. In the future, he can bring notes for me.”

Mrs. Murray went to the doorway and motioned to the butler. “Gerald, show the young man into the kitchen so he can have some refreshment.” The woman lowered to sit and motioned for Hannah to join her. “What happened?”

By the time Hannah finished telling her about what had occurred, she was openly weeping. Her hand shook when accepting a glass of sherry. Thankfully, the drink had the desired effect and helped settle her nerves.

“This is most dreadful. You poor dear, having to go through all this alone. I have to put my foot down and insist you come to live here, at least until you receive word from your aunt.”

“I do not know what to do. I wish to move forward. I have plans to make changes to the house and sell some furniture. I want to take care of myself.”

Mrs. Murray gave her an incredulous look. “What if they come to your house? They obviously think your father was hiding something.”

“There is nothing of value left in the house except the pieces of jewelry Mother left, and even that would not bring enough that it was worth killing my father for.”

“We will go speak to the constable,” Mrs. Murray said. “If they offer protection, you must accept it. Otherwise, I will insist you come and live here.”

After leaving theconstable’s station, Hannah and Mrs. Murray went to Felicity’s house. It felt odd to be out after being in her house for two entire weeks. Although, if she were to be honest, Hannah cared little about social proprieties. No one other than Felicity’s family and Henry had cared to check on her or see about her wellbeing after her mother left.

As far as she was concerned, she didn’t owe anyone an explanation for her actions. Of course, she would not attend social functions or go to out into public places. Not because of what society expected, but because her heart was genuinely broken, and she had no desire to do much more than be alone.

Felicity’s house was large and quite lovely. Along with Felicity and Evan, Grant, Felicity’s brother, also lived there.

Grant was a ruggedly handsome man who was rumored to be quite the rake, often visiting with older women who paid for his extravagant clothing and lifestyle. Yet despite his roguish reputation, Hannah liked Grant. Their families had been close since they were children.

In the parlor, they were served tea and delicious shortbread, which Hannah devoured, realizing she’d not eaten since waking.

“I can have Cook make you something more fulfilling to eat,” Felicity said, a worried expression yet to leave her face. “Honestly, Hannah, I must agree with Mum, you should go live there or here. It is not safe for you to be alone.”