Hannah

Horatio has arranged for us to have a meal together, a business lunch, which he made a point of telling me that his wife knew about and approved of. We will go to the George and Dragon Inn in Charlesworth, well known for its excellent meals, and away from our local public houses where we wouldn’t want to be seen together, as people might draw the wrong conclusions.

He picked me up in a carriage en route, and I couldn’t stop my heart from beating faster at the idea of being with him on my own again. But I knew there would be no extra arrangements made for this business meeting - otherwise he would not have made it clear that Louisa had been happy with the arrangement.

We ordered roast lamb with all the trimmings, since we might as well get a decent meal having gone to this place for its reputation. Neither of us spoke while the waitress was busying around us, but after our main course had been served, he started, “I don’t know whether you planned this so we could be together or whether you do have reservations about my acting as your agent. But I must say I am very pleased with you for not agreeing straight away to the plan, so that we have had this wonderful time together again.”

He touched my hand from beneath the table, but I pulled it away.

“Horatio, I am not at all sure that I wish to be a part of this scheme after all,” I said.

“Why should you change your mind now?”

“I somehow feel more uncomfortable about the way it is being handled. All along we were assured that it would be easy and straight forward and the prices would be given and we could either agree or disagree, but it would still be pretty much in our hands. Now with it going to an auction, I can see that I might be pressured into paying more for my house than I was willing to do. I do not want to lose my house, but I don’t want to spend more than it is worth either.”

“Oh, but you wouldn’t be pressured. You wouldn’t be there. No woman would go to an auction. My mother-in-law certainly would not be there with all the riff raff and shouting and finangling that is going on. It is no place for a woman. I wouldn’t allow you to go. I will do the job on your behalf.”

“What do you mean, you wouldn’t allow me to go? What gives you the right to think you can make decisions on my behalf?” I was getting angry now.

“Oh, don’t be like that, Hannah. You know as well as I do that we have an understanding between us. I would always represent your best interests. Surely you trust me. Do you not? Am I wrong when I say that I have seen love in your eyes when you look at me?”

“It has nothing to do with love, or what I might feel, or have felt for you, Horatio. I am not a puppet. I am not giving you my money to play with. I will make my own decisions as and when they occur - not the day before the auction - or the day after. The more I think about it the more I am determined to be out of this consortium completely. If I do bid for my property, it will be for myself alone. If I am unable to be present at the auction, I will have a solicitor or someone else do it, who is acting for me, and only for me.”

“Hannah, I cannot believe that you have got yourself into such a state as this. You trusted me before. Why have you changed? Why do you imply that you no longer feel the same way about me? Please say that that is not true, that you still have regard for me.”

“This is not about our relationship, if you can call it that. This is about business, and I don’t think that I wish to have you represent me anymore. I’m sorry if that offends you, but that is how I think.”

“You will not get your money back. You paid £50 into the consortium, and at that time you were happy to be part of the group acting together. If you withdraw now, your deposit is forfeited.”

“You paid the deposit to Mr. Andrew on the day we met in Glossop. You told me that. If you will not give it me back, I will contact Mr. Andrew myself, and Lord Howard himself, if need be.”

“You little hussy. And I thought you were a nice pleasant woman. Now I see that you are a vixen. How I could ever have thought that I wanted to have you as part of my life I cannot imagine. I can find half a dozen women younger and more attractive than you who would be happy to spend time with me.”

“And what about Blanche?”

“What do you mean?”

“Was she one who was happy to spend time with you?”

“What are you implying?”

“It has come to my attention that you paid more than polite employer attention to her on at least one occasion last August. What do you say to that?”

“She is lying. She is a slut anyway, sleeping around with all and sundry.”

“Perhaps she did, but she claims that one of those sundry was you, and she told me there was a witness to it all.”

“What are you on about now? What do you mean witness? Who could possibly have seen?”

“Ah, so you do admit there was something to see then?”

“You confounded woman. She had already been serviced that afternoon, and what could I do, a mere man, when she offered me herself on a plate?”

“Not quite the story I have heard,” I said. “But perhaps now you know more why I don’t trust you, and why I no longer look at you with unreserved love. And why I have decided to have no more to do with you in any regard.”

With that I got up, and left the table and the room. I was shaking all over. I got my  coat from the coat rack and walked out the door. And I did pause a moment on the steps. Part of me hoped that he was following behind. But as soon as it was clear that he had not come, I took myself off in the direction of my brother’s farm. I am sure that Samuel will give me a lift home, or arrange for one for me, even if it is on a farm cart.