Page 55 of Anastasia and the Duke
"You're alright," he said huskily, as he moved to sit on the bed.
"Ahem."
Behind him, Gibbons gave a pointed cough and the duke hastily removed himself from the bed, to the chair beside it.
"Your face," Hannah fretted, as she saw the shiner Hawkfield was sporting. Sidney must have managed to throw a punch or two before the duke had overcome him.
"You should see the other chap," Hawkfield joked, touching a hand to his bruised cheek, "Though, actually, you won't ever see Sidney again. He's been hauled away by my good friend Lord Hunter for interrogation; the next time he sees the light of day, will be when he walks out to face the noose."
Hannah shivered; Sidney would meet the very fate she had feared for herself.
"Can you prove anything against him?" she questioned, fearful that Sidney might somehow find a way to wriggle out of justice.
"Sedition, funding Republican organisations, gun smuggling," Hawkfield drawled, holding up a finger for every count, "And that's just for starters. He won't be leaving Newgate anytime soon, rest assured."
Hannah nodded dumbly, struggling to take it all in. Sidney's shadow had loomed large over her life for so long, that it was almost impossible to believe that he would no longer have a hold over her.
"And Nan?" Hannah ventured, recalling Lady Lansdowne's words. The countess had said that Hawkfield had spoken with Nancy, who had confirmed that she was Anastasia, but how on earth did Nan know that?
The duke frowned, as though he was reluctant to share what he knew. He leaned forward in the chair and took Hannah's hand, before he began to tell his tale.
As he spoke, Hannah felt so broken that she feared she might smash into a million pieces, and never be whole again. As Hawkfield explained the deception she had suffered, Hannah wondered why she didn't float away from the world in sheer despair.
But something was holding her tight, the duke's hand.
Just as he had when they had visited the theatre, Hawkfield seemed to understand the depths of her pain. He seemed to know instinctively what she felt and wanted to anchor her to life. To protect her, even from herself.
"What should I do?" she whispered once the duke had finished the whole sorry tale.
"Nothing," he replied, evenly, "You don't need to do anything. I will see that Nancy is looked after. I don't condone what she did, but I think guilt drove her to madness, and Sidney drove her again to further depths. She would not survive alone; I will see to it that she is housed and fed."
"Why?" Hannah asked, confused by his kindness. Why on earth would he take on the financial burden of caring for Nancy?
"Because," the duke sighed, "I know you well enough to know that one day you will forgive her--as best you can, under the circumstances--and that it will bring you peace to know she is not suffering on the streets."
Hannah nodded, stupidly. Even now, when the anger was still so raw inside her, she was fretting for Nan. As a child, she had noticed the vulnerability about her--two grown men had noticed it too and had exploited it for their own gain. If Hannah's early years had been a tragedy, at least there was now a happy end. There would be no such luck for Nancy, who would spend her life chased by ghosts and regret.
"You would do all that, just for my peace of mind?" she questioned again, her heart skipping nervously.
"I would do anything for you, Anna," he answered, squeezing her hand, "Because I love you."
"You still love me, even when you know my history?" Hannah queried, with a rueful laugh, "It was I, you know, in Lady Jersey's bedchamber."
"Our first kiss," Hawkfield replied, a wicked gleam in his eye, "I hope it will be the only one which ends in a kick."
Hannah winced, as she recalled the pain that she had delivered him.
"I am sorry," she whispered, afraid to meet his eye.
"I shall accept your apology, if you agree to something," he answered, still smiling.
"And what is that?"
"That you will love me until the day I die, as my wife," he whispered, nervous now, "We don't have to marry immediately. In fact, I think it's best we wait, for Lady Lansdowne would most likely kill me if I tried to take you away from her so soon. But would you agree that, one day, you will marry me?"
"I will," Hannah answered, near bursting with happiness, and the duke sprung from his seat to kiss her.
"Ahem."
