Dammit. The rumors were correct. But that didn’t make him feel any better. On the contrary, it made him feel terrified. Beeston was out there, and if he so chose, he could come back and claim his wife. There were plenty of people who would try to stop him, but short of killing the man and facing death themselves, they had very little power.

He stared at the man before him—a man with more power than a thousand regular men combined. But even he had refrained from killing Beeston, much as he’d apparently wanted to.

“I had heard rumors to that end,” Graham admitted. “But I had fervently hoped they weren’t true.”

Somerset leaned forward and put his face in his hands, clearly troubled. “He’s supposed to be in America.”

“What makes you believe otherwise?”

The duke took a deep breath. “Someone from my club claims to have seen him.”

“Where? When?”

Somerset shook his head. “I didn’t ask, fool that I am. I was so terrified if I asked too many questions, someone would find out what I’d done, and then…”

“Do you think anyone would fault you for it?”

“No.” He shook his head. “No one except Hannah.”

“Ah.” Graham understood. He’d not wanted to upset her further. He’d wanted her to go on with her life in peace, not looking over her shoulder every moment. But that didn’t make her any safer from the reprobate.

“I didn’t expect her to want to marry again so soon. Hell, we thought she’d never get out of bed again, let alone be at a ball about to announce her engagement less than six months later.”

“I think we’re all a bit surprised,” Graham put in. “No one more than me.”

Somerset leveled him with his ice blue eyes. “Do you love her?”

“More than anything.”

The duke nodded and looked away. “I do wish we could celebrate with a cigar and brandy, but I’m afraid I must cut my own time here short. I must find Beeston before he finds Hannah.”

“Where do you plan to start?”

“I’ve no idea.” Somerset shook his head. “But I’ll pay a visit to the club and enlist some of my friends to help.”

“I want to help too.”

“No.” Somerset held up a hand. “You stay with Hannah. Don’t let her out of your sight unless she is safely ensconced in my home.”

Graham was torn. He wanted to watch over Hannah, of course, but he hated that he wouldn’t be able to help in the search for Beeston.

“There’s only one reason Beeston would have returned to London,” Somerset went on. “He sees Hannah as his possession.”

“Then why did he leave in the first place?” Graham wondered.

“The money, most likely. Maybe a bit of shame, but that’s hard to imagine with Beeston. The man is entirely self-serving. And calculating. Make no mistake—this was all planned. Play along with the duke’s plans, and then swoop in when they least expect it to stake his claim.”

“Sounds like a wonderful man,” Graham said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

The duke shook his head. “You’ve no idea.” Then he stood, and Graham followed suit. “Now, get back to the ballroom and take care of my sister. Go on with your announcement as planned. And whatever you do, don’t tell Hannah about any of this.”

Graham nodded. He was in perfect agreement. “What do I say to Her Grace?”

Somerset gritted his teeth. “Damn. I’ll never hear the end of it if I leave.” He paused for a long moment. “There’s nothing for it, though. Tell her I left on important business that I will tell her about tonight, at home.”

“God speed, Somerset.”

The duke rushed from the room and Graham followed at a slightly slower pace. When he arrived back at the ballroom, he stood in the doorway, looking for Hannah’s head of shiny chestnut hair, but it proved rather difficult in the crush. At long last, he spotted the duchess and figured Hannah couldn’t be too far off from her sister-in-law. He pushed through the crowd again, his eyes still scanning the ballroom as he did so, until he reached Her Grace.

“Dr. Alcott!” she said. “Have you seen my husband?”

“Actually, I have,” he replied. “If I may have a quick word.”

The duchess batted her long lashes. “Oh, of course.” And then she excused herself from her present company to follow Graham to the alcove a few paces away. “What is it?”

“Somerset had to leave.”

Fire immediately emblazoned her green eyes. “The devil he did,” she seethed through clenched teeth. “Where has he gone?” She looked as if she was ready to go after him and drag him back by the ear.

“Believe me when I say,” Graham began, his tone grave, “that he is on extremely important business, which he will explain to you in greater detail later. However, it is imperative that we find Hannah and not let her out of our sight the rest of the evening.”

Her Grace’s brows creased into a V. “Why? What is going on?”

“You will have to wait for Somerset to tell you that,” he replied. “But Your Grace, where is Hannah?”

“She’s…” The duchess lifted her hand and looked toward the balcony. “Getting some air.”

* * *

“Hannah! Hannah!”

Hannah pushed herself off the wall where she’d been resting and staring out at the moonlight gardens. Goodness, what were Graham and Grace going on about? They strode about the balcony, calling her name so frantically, Hannah was starting to worry herself.

“I’m here!” she finally called, drawing their attention to her, and they both visibly deflated. “What in the world is the matter with you two?”

The pair approached, and Graham rushed to her, grabbing her firmly by her upper arms. “Are you all right?”

Hannah laughed. “Of course I’m all right. What is going on?”

Graham cleared his throat and gave a little laugh of his own as he looked to Grace. She tittered nervously. Something was most definitely going on.

“It’s um…” Graham began, but trailed off.

“Time to make your announcement, of course!” Grace finished, seeming rather proud of herself. The two of them were acting strangely, and Hannah debated whether or not she should press the issue.

“Yes, our announcement. My sister…” He gestured toward the ballroom. “She’s inside.”

Hannah looked back and forth from Graham to Grace, and decided, in the end, to let it go. Whatever they were up to, they weren’t going to be forthcoming about it, clearly. “Well, we shouldn’t leave everyone waiting, then, should we?”

“Indeed we should not,” Graham said, and then proffered his arm for her.

Hannah took it, and with Grace at their heels, they walked back into the ballroom. Well, they walked, Hannah limped. As they entered the space, packed with people, butterflies began to beat about in her stomach. Goodness, were they really going to announce it here? In front of all these people? Did these people even care? She’d thought it was to be a small gathering of close friends—but Hannah barely recognized any of the faces here.

“Are you all right?” Graham asked, and only then did Hannah realize she’d come to a stop just inside the doors.

“Perhaps we should do this another time,” she suggested.

Graham rounded on her, so they were face to face. “Are you not feeling well?”

She clutched his hands and stared up at him, in awe of the calming effect he seemed to have over her. “Just a bit nervous is all.”

“I imagine that’s completely normal,” he replied. “Though I can’t speak from experience.”

“Come, you two!” Grace shouted from ahead, having just realized she was alone on her trek across the ballroom.

“I don’t think I have much of a choice now anyway, do I?”

Graham laughed, and the sound made her heart skip a beat. “Probably not.”

They caught up to Grace and all together, walked to where Graham’s sister stood beside her husband. They were whispering to one another, and Daphne lowered her fan to let out a laugh, just before the group approached.

“Ah! My dearest brother,” she said, going up on tip-toe to kiss him on the cheek.

Graham looked to Lord Wolverly. “How much champagne has she had tonight?”

“Oh, hush!” Lady Wolverly swatted at Graham with her fan. “I’ve barely had any. I’m just giddy over how wonderfully everything is going tonight. It really couldn’t be more perfect.”

“Well, I do believe your brother and my sister-in-law are ready to make their announcement,” Grace put in.

“Oh, of course! Look! The quartet is just standing for a break—the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Darling, you will get everyone’s attention?”

Hannah suddenly felt as if she might toss up her accounts. Goodness, she was nervous. And yet, she knew, without any doubt, that this was right. It was what she’d always wanted—what she wanted for her future. He was everything to her, and the smile he cast her told her he felt the same way.

Graham took her hand and led her toward the raised dais, upon which the quartet had just finished their second set for the evening. At the same time, Lord Wolverly clanked a spoon to his glass, and slowly, the ballroom descended into silence.

Daphne took her place beside them. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I must first extend my thanks to all of you for joining us tonight, and I do hope everyone is enjoying themselves to the fullest. I am thrilled to announce that my brother, Dr. Graham Alcott, has asked the esteemed Lady Beeston to be his bride, and she has said yes! I know you will all join Lord Wolverly and I in congratulating the happy couple!” Grace lifted her glass of champagne toward them. “To you!”

Shouts of “Here, here!” and “Many felicitations!” rang out through the ballroom, though Hannah was certain she’d heard a few gasps here and there as well. But it was out there now, and there was nothing anyone could do or say that would change her mind about marrying this wonderful man.