Page 4 of A Lady of Conscience

“Have you heard a word I’m saying?” Charles asked from his place across from her.

Hannah let the tasseled velvet window curtain fall. Sinking back in her seat, she gave her brother her full attention. “Something about all roads leading to Bath?”

“I was talking about Kate,” he said.

Hannah wasn’t surprised. Her brother’s thoughts had been on little else recently. “Mama said you received a letter from her yesterday afternoon.”

“I did,” Charles replied, frowning.

Hannah was immediately alert. “She’s not in ill health?”

“No. Nothing like that. However… She did mention that her family party will be larger than we originally expected.”

Lady Kate was presently in Bath with her parents, the Earl and Countess of Allendale. Her middle older brother, Ivo, was there as well. Like his sister, he’d recently become engaged. That was the extent of the Beresford family party, as far as Hannah was aware.

Folding her gloved hands in her lap, she waited for Charles to explain.

“Her older brother has joined them unexpectedly,” he said.

Hannah nodded. “Ivo, yes. I already know that.”

“Not Ivo.”

“Jack?” Hannah had met the youngest of Kate’s older brothers on several occasions. At one-and-twenty, he was but two years older than Hannah was herself. He was also wild and unpredictable, more like a mischievous boy than a man fully grown.

“Not Jack,” Charles said. “Her oldest brother, Viscount St. Clare.”

Hannah’s mouth went dry. She affected an air of unconcern. “Oh?”

As ever, Charles saw right through her. “I debated telling you. You’ve been anxious enough without having to worry about encountering him.”

“Why should I worry?”

“He unnerves you.”

Hannah inwardly grimaced. Was it that obvious? “I’m not likely to see much of him, am I?”

“That depends. I can’t imagine him taking part in the season. Not in Bath. Kate expects him to remove to London in the coming weeks.”

Hannah expected he would. Lord St. Clare’s younger siblings had often made joking references about his exacting standards. According to them, his lordship’s future wife must be a pattern card of perfection. Wealthy, pedigreed, beautiful, and accomplished. A young lady equipped to be a leader in fashionable society, and to one day take up the mantle of Countess of Allendale.

Which begged the question: if Lord St. Clare was seeking such an exemplar, why on earth had he come to Bath? The season here could in no ways compare with the one in London. Bath was shabbier in that respect. The parties smaller, the populace verging on elderly, and the quality of young ladies on offer more representative of lesser gemstones than diamonds of the first water.

Hannah counted herself among those gemstones. She felt no regret at the fact. She didn’t aspire to be a diamond. Her temperament was ill-suited for that degree of attention. It was the entire reason she’d resolved to have her season here rather than in town.

“He’ll doubtless call on us to pay his respects,” Charles said. “Aside from that, you won’t be bothered by him.”

Hannah smoothed her gloves with restless fingers. “It’s all one to me. I shall likely be too busy to take any notice.”

Her brother smiled. “Mama mentioned shopping.”

“Oh yes. We have ever so much to buy when she arrives.” Hannah’s parents would be joining them tomorrow, along with Hannah’s dogs, Evangeline and Tippo, and her mare, Jubilee. “Until then, I have my own interests to pursue.”

She had arranged to meet her friend, Miss Matilda Winthrop at Molland’s Pastry Shop in Milsom Street in the morning. They had never yet met in person. Thus far, they had only ever corresponded by post. Miss Winthrop was a fierce advocate for animals. It was she who had undertaken to publish the new journal on animal welfare that Hannah had mentioned to Lord St. Clare.

“Animal interests, I presume,” Charles said.

“Naturally.”