Page 49 of The Secret Life of a Lady
‘Aren’t mistakes inevitable? Expected, even? To castigate yourself for every misstep seems unnecessarily cruel.’
‘Life is cruel to most. But how could you understand? People expect you to rise to the occasion, put forth your best efforts, and emerge victorious. So, you do. But society holds no such aspirations for women. And certainly not for me. They expect nothing from me because I am worth nothing in their estimation.’ She swiped at a tear that escaped. ‘Which is fine. It works in my favour, actually. But every time I fail, I prove them right.’ Hannah turned her horse back toward Everly Manor. ‘And that, I cannot abide.’
Killian trotted after her. ‘You didn’t fail. You’ve only just learned to ride. You had a pretty big scare today on Starlight but look at you. Cantering across the countryside like you were born in the saddle. Hardly a failure. If the world doesn’t see you, that is their failing, not yours.’
I see you.But he stopped himself from making the admission.
Hannah looked across the field toward the sprawling stone mansion in the distance. A playful breeze lifted her copper hair, whipping it behind her like a cape. How could anyone overlook such a fascinating woman?
‘I have failed in ways you can’t possibly imagine.’ She shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have said anything.’ Turning to face him, Hannah hid all signs of distress under a veneer of calm. ‘Do you think the shooter doubled back to Everly? Could it be Lord Cavendale?’
‘Cavendale?’
Hannah snapped her mouth shut.
‘Do you have information implicating Lord Cavendale?’ Killian instinctively recoiled from the suggestion. Sarah Bright had worked for Bradford. He was their lead suspect. Why was Hannah moving her focus to Cavendale? ‘Hannah, someone is shooting at us. The stakes are only getting higher. What makes you suspect Cavendale?’
Hannah hissed out a breath. ‘Alright. I shall tell you. But only because I don’t have time to deal with a dead duke on top of everything else, and you are so obviously on the wrong track.’
Killian smiled. ‘You don’t want me dead? You do say the sweetest things.’
Hannah scowled. ‘Do you want me to share what I know or not?’
Killian extended his hand in a gesture of encouragement for her to continue.
Hannah rolled her eyes. ‘Sarah Bright was taking another job. With the Cavendale family. It’s why I agreed to come to this house party in the first place. So, yes. Lord Cavendale is most definitely a suspect.’
This was potentially damning information, and the biggest break they’d had in the investigation.
He needed to speak to Drake.
If Sarah Bright was taking a position in the Cavendale household, it was entirely possible that at the very least, Lord Cavendale had information about the last two weeks of her life. It was equally possible Lord Cavendale was the shooter. Still, it felt wrong. And Hannah didn’t know there were multiple murders. Nothing in his encounters with Lord Cavendale hinted at the kind of cold calculation needed to kill several women in cold blood.
Regardless, the prime minister would need to be informed. A message must be sent immediately. Killian and Drake had much to consider.
But he didn’t want to focus on the mission. Killian wasn’t ready to end his earlier conversation with Hannah. How did she think herself weak? Hannah had strength of will, intimidating skill, keen intelligence, and striking beauty. Yet she saw herself as a failure?
Some insecurities were too close to the heart. Discussingthem laid one bare and uncovered hidden vulnerabilities. Never before had he wanted to know a woman’s fears or hopes or worries. But he desperately wanted to know hers. If only she trusted him.
Not likely.
Killian returned to the safer subject of murder. ‘If Sarah Bright was going to work for the Cavendale household, I suppose it’s possible he was the shooter. But Bradford or Hastings had equal opportunity, and at least Bradford is similarly connected to Sarah.’
Hannah shook her head. ‘But neither of them has a motive. If Cavendale hired Sarah Bright and thinks one of us is aware of that, he has every reason to try and scare us off, or worse.’
Killian squinted into the sun before looking over the fields. ‘Only if he is responsible for her death. And what motive would Cavendale have for killing an innocent maid? We don’t even know for certain that she was going to work for Cavendale.’ He exhaled heavily. ‘We need more evidence. At this point, anyone here could be responsible, or no one. The shooter could just as easily have been a hired gun from London.’
Killian shouldn’t share his information with her about the other murders. She was smart, brazen, and motivated. Giving her confidential information about their investigation would only make Hannah a more formidable opponent. He couldn’t allow her to find the killer first and exact such vigilante justice. But he didn’t relish the idea of her life being in danger either. The faster they solved this case, the quicker she would be safe from harm. And the more she knew, the better equipped she would be to protect herself.
Until she takes on another assignment.
Killian resolutely ignored the annoying voice in his head. When this case ended, her affairs would no longer be his concern.Which was a huge relief. Not a devastating loss. ‘I know something you don’t.’
‘What do you know? I shared my information with you. Fair is fair.’ Eyes like amber in the sunlight flashed with anger. ‘You won’t tell me, will you?’ Her lips turned down in a scowl.
There was another motivation for him to share his information with Hannah. ‘I’ll tell you what I know if you promise to honour our bargain tonight. You shared information with me, so I oweyoua favour. If I answer a question of yours, then you’ll owe me one in return.’
She glanced away. ‘After everything that’s happened today, you still want to play this little game?’
