Durham.”
“ I am fine,” Susanna interjected rather sharply. Color returned to her cheeks. Her senses revived. She reached up and took her husband’s hand. “Be a dear, Oswyn, and sit beside me for a moment. It is only the emotions of seeing Colonel…General Durham once more.”
Marcus rose and allowed room for Millbury. He made no motion to leave the room. Instead, he studied Susanna.
Distraught by the sight of him, she had used her husband as a barrier. His brief hope that she would know Hannah ’s whereabouts quickly dissipated. Susanna had no desire to see him.
Millbury looked up at Marcus. With his hand, he made a rebuffing motion. “General Durham, I have to ask you to leave. You are upsetting my wife.”
“ I beg your utmost pardon, Mr. Millbury, but I, too am concerned about Susanna. Her cousin, Hannah…”
“ Don’t,” Susanna cried. “Don’t mention her name. You have no right. No right at all.”
The venom in her voice made Marcus pause. “Susanna, her loss pains me greatly. You out of everyone should understand…”
She would have none of it. She stood and looked him straight in the eyes. “Understand? I understand only that she is dead.” She took a step back. Her voice rose to the point of hysteria. “Do you really want me to say the words? Yes, I blame you. If not for you, Hannah would be alive. Alive! I cannot bear to look at you!”
“ Susanne,” Millbury said in a softer voice. He rose beside her. “I believe it best we depart. I will make our excuses.”
Marcus made no more protest. He watched the couple depart. Left alone with his thoughts, he made no attempt to return to the dinner party. He strolled over to the window and stared out into the blackness on this moonless night.
Marcus cared little. He saw nothing but her face. Hannah.
He wondered how he was ever going to put her behind him. Hannah haunted him. Why couldn’t he let go?
“ Well done.”
Marcus whirled around to the voice. Andre had entered the room and closed the door behind him. He clapped his hands together in a slow manner.
“Wonderful performance.”
Marcus went white with anger. It took all Marcus ’ self-control not to wipe that foolish grin off Andre’s face. He did not immediately answer Andre. His ire grew with each breath he took.
“ You better have answers for this, Major. I am not a fool. I know when I have been played. I swear I will not be a goddamn pawn to be moved at your will!”
“ Then I will explain,” Andre said in a calm fashion. He walked around the oversized chair and took a seat. “Sit, please.”
Conscious of his rank, Marcus was not amused by Andre ’s actions. Andre would not have made a move without the consent of Clinton. The fact did not sit well with Marcus. He did not move, but spoke directly to Andre.
“ Obviously, you were seeking answers of some sort. What? That I would have told Susanna that Hannah still…” Marcus’ words faded as comprehension sank deep within his consciousness. “You needed to know if Susanna realized that Hannah still lived. Why?”
Andre nodded, and then chuckled. “To be honest, I did not expect it to be such a spectacle. The ice maiden’s emotions thawed.”
Suddenly, the thought hit him of Andre ’s purpose. Andre wanted Susanne. Knowing Andre, Marcus realized that in Andre’s eyes Susanne would be a perfect mistress for him while he was in New York, except she had the connection to Hannah.
“ This was personal for you. Why?”
“ I believe that would be obvious. I have interest in the woman. Given her family’s past, I had to make certain she has none of the ties her cousin had.”
“ If she had known Hannah lived, someone would have had to tell her. You wanted to make sure that person wasn’t me,” Marcus growled. “Would it not have been simpler to have asked me? Do you not believe I am a man of my word?”
“ I believe you to be one of the most honorable of men I have had the pleasure of associating
“ I am fine,” Susanna interjected rather sharply. Color returned to her cheeks. Her senses revived. She reached up and took her husband’s hand. “Be a dear, Oswyn, and sit beside me for a moment. It is only the emotions of seeing Colonel…General Durham once more.”
Marcus rose and allowed room for Millbury. He made no motion to leave the room. Instead, he studied Susanna.
Distraught by the sight of him, she had used her husband as a barrier. His brief hope that she would know Hannah ’s whereabouts quickly dissipated. Susanna had no desire to see him.
Millbury looked up at Marcus. With his hand, he made a rebuffing motion. “General Durham, I have to ask you to leave. You are upsetting my wife.”
“ I beg your utmost pardon, Mr. Millbury, but I, too am concerned about Susanna. Her cousin, Hannah…”
“ Don’t,” Susanna cried. “Don’t mention her name. You have no right. No right at all.”
The venom in her voice made Marcus pause. “Susanna, her loss pains me greatly. You out of everyone should understand…”
She would have none of it. She stood and looked him straight in the eyes. “Understand? I understand only that she is dead.” She took a step back. Her voice rose to the point of hysteria. “Do you really want me to say the words? Yes, I blame you. If not for you, Hannah would be alive. Alive! I cannot bear to look at you!”
“ Susanne,” Millbury said in a softer voice. He rose beside her. “I believe it best we depart. I will make our excuses.”
Marcus made no more protest. He watched the couple depart. Left alone with his thoughts, he made no attempt to return to the dinner party. He strolled over to the window and stared out into the blackness on this moonless night.
Marcus cared little. He saw nothing but her face. Hannah.
He wondered how he was ever going to put her behind him. Hannah haunted him. Why couldn’t he let go?
“ Well done.”
Marcus whirled around to the voice. Andre had entered the room and closed the door behind him. He clapped his hands together in a slow manner.
“Wonderful performance.”
Marcus went white with anger. It took all Marcus ’ self-control not to wipe that foolish grin off Andre’s face. He did not immediately answer Andre. His ire grew with each breath he took.
“ You better have answers for this, Major. I am not a fool. I know when I have been played. I swear I will not be a goddamn pawn to be moved at your will!”
“ Then I will explain,” Andre said in a calm fashion. He walked around the oversized chair and took a seat. “Sit, please.”
Conscious of his rank, Marcus was not amused by Andre ’s actions. Andre would not have made a move without the consent of Clinton. The fact did not sit well with Marcus. He did not move, but spoke directly to Andre.
“ Obviously, you were seeking answers of some sort. What? That I would have told Susanna that Hannah still…” Marcus’ words faded as comprehension sank deep within his consciousness. “You needed to know if Susanna realized that Hannah still lived. Why?”
Andre nodded, and then chuckled. “To be honest, I did not expect it to be such a spectacle. The ice maiden’s emotions thawed.”
Suddenly, the thought hit him of Andre ’s purpose. Andre wanted Susanne. Knowing Andre, Marcus realized that in Andre’s eyes Susanne would be a perfect mistress for him while he was in New York, except she had the connection to Hannah.
“ This was personal for you. Why?”
“ I believe that would be obvious. I have interest in the woman. Given her family’s past, I had to make certain she has none of the ties her cousin had.”
“ If she had known Hannah lived, someone would have had to tell her. You wanted to make sure that person wasn’t me,” Marcus growled. “Would it not have been simpler to have asked me? Do you not believe I am a man of my word?”
“ I believe you to be one of the most honorable of men I have had the pleasure of associating
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