The Accidental Princess

‘What do you think your father will say when he sees you like this?’

‘You should be more worried about yourself,’ she countered. ‘He’ll want to kill you.’

The the Lieutenant sent her a patronising smile. ‘For saving your virtue?’

‘You’re the one who tried to attack me just now.’

‘Sweet, I’m not a man who has to attack anyone.’ He pulled his coat from the carriage door, and Hannah winced at the flash of light from one of the street lamps.

She said nothing, her thoughts drifting back and forth, trying to decide whether he was a rogue or a man of honour. Yes, he’d kissed her when he shouldn’t have. But he’d also taken care of her.

Though he should have brought her home immediately, he’d listened when she’d begged him to stop the carriage. The excruciating, jarring sensation from the horses had made each mile an unending torture.

Another man wouldn’t have done the same. He’d have ignored her needs, riding as fast as he dared, back to Rothburne House. But not the Lieutenant.

So many questions gathered up, needing to be asked. Hannah traced her swollen lips, wondering what had driven him to do such a thing.

‘You don’t need to be afraid of me,’ he said quietly. ‘I’m not going to kiss you again.’ His cravat was loosened from his collar, while he donned the ill-fitting jacket.

‘I should hope not.’

He raised his gaze to hers, and she caught a glimpse of green eyes with flecks of brown. His cheeks held a light stubble, and for a moment, she wondered why the texture hadn’t scratched her skin.

‘You really are an innocent, aren’t you?’ He glanced over her ivory silk gown, and the remark didn’t sound like a compliment.

‘I suppose. You speak of it as though it’s a bad thing.’

He glanced outside the carriage window, as if searching for someone. ‘It’s what most men want.’

‘But not you.’

A dark laugh escaped him. ‘I’m not a good man at all.’

She didn’t entirely believe that. ‘Please take me home,’ she reminded him. ‘My family will be worried.’

‘Turn around,’ he ordered.

She knew what he needed to do, but she hesitated to let him touch her corset. It didn’t matter that he’d already done so; she’d been half out of her mind with pain. ‘No, it isn’t proper.’

The Lieutenant didn’t listen to her argument, but forced her to turn around. His hands fumbled with the stays, pulling them tight before tying them. ‘Proper or not, I won’t let your father think I ravaged you in a carriage.’

He was right. Her father would be angry enough at both of them, without him drawing the wrong conclusions.

‘How long have we been gone, do you think?’ Her stomach didn’t feel right, and her head still ached.

‘Longer than an hour. Two or three, perhaps. It isn’t dawn yet.’ His large hands struggled with the tiny buttons, and she couldn’t help but be even more aware of him. He muttered, ‘I’m better at taking these off than buttoning them up.’

Hannah didn’t doubt that at all. When he’d finished, she rested her head against the side of the carriage, waiting for him to go back to the driver’s seat.

‘Are you feeling better?’ he asked.

‘I’ll manage.’ Thank heaven, it had been one of the shorter headaches, swift and furious. The after-effects would dwell with her for a while, but the worst was over.

‘What are you going to tell my father?’ she asked.

Michael opened the door to the carriage, leaving it slightly open. ‘The truth. Neither of us has done anything wrong.’

I have, Hannah thought. The kiss might not mean a thing to him, but it had shaken her. The sensation of his mouth upon hers had been the most sinful thing she’d ever experienced. She’d fallen under his spell, wanting to know his touch in a way she shouldn’t.

Michael opened the carriage door the rest of the way, about to disembark, when they heard the sounds of men shouting and the rumble of another carriage approaching. Her father’s voice broke through the stillness, and within moments, he was standing in front of the door.

‘Are you all right?’ the Marquess demanded of Hannah.

Hannah gripped her hands together, cold fear icing through her. For she suspected the truth was not going to be enough to pacify her father.

Chapter Three

‘Get away from my daughter,’ the Marquess of Rothburne ordered.

Hannah tried to rise from her seat, but the Lieutenant motioned her back. With a horrifying clarity, she realised what her father must think. With a pleading look she insisted, ‘Papa, this isn’t what it looks like. Lieutenant Thorpe rescued me from Lord Belgrave.’

Though she tried to find the right explanation, her father looked more interested in murder than the truth.

Hannah continued talking, though she knew how unlikely it must sound. ‘Lieutenant Thorpe tried to bring me home but…I had one of my headaches. I didn’t have any laudanum, and the pain was unbearable. He obeyed me when I ordered him to stop the carriage.’

Her father gave no indication that he’d even heard her speaking, but gave a nod to one of his footmen. The large servant reached to seize hold of the Lieutenant, but Michael’s hand shot out and stopped him. With a twist to the man’s wrist, the footman had no choice but to release him.

‘Enough.’ The Lieutenant climbed down from the carriage and regarded the Marquess. ‘Instead of having this conversation here in the park, I suggest we return to Rothburne House. Take Lady Hannah home with you, and see to her health. I will follow in this carriage.’

‘I should have the police drag you off to Newgate right now,’ the Marquess countered.

‘He didn’t dishonour me, Papa.’ Hannah moved forward, but when she exited the carriage, the world tipped. A rushing sound filled her ears, and Michael caught her elbow, steadying her. ‘I swear it. He protected me while I was ill.’

‘Because of him, you may be ruined.’ Her father stared at her as though she’d just run off with a chimney sweep. ‘You just spent the night with a common soldier.’

But she hadn’t. Not really. Heated tears sprung up in her eyes, for she didn’t know how to respond to her father’s accusations. Never could she have imagined he’d be this unreasonable.

A defence leapt to her lips, but Lieutenant Thorpe shook his head. ‘As I said before, this is not the place to talk. Take Lady Hannah home.’

Hannah had never heard anyone issue an order to her father before, but the Lieutenant didn’t appear intimidated by the Marquess.

‘No one knows about this,’ she whispered. ‘My reputation is still safe.’

‘Is it?’ Her father’s face was iron-cast. ‘The Baron of Belgrave knows all about what happened to you. Nonetheless, he has graciously offered to wed you.’

She’d rather die than wed Belgrave. ‘Papa, it isn’t as bad as all that. Lieutenant Thorpe did nothing wrong.’

‘Belgrave informed me that Thorpe assaulted him and took you away in a stolen carriage.’