“Regarding…” Hannah paused for a moment and glanced at Remington.
“The marriage.”
“Oh?” Maloney’s smile remained. “Remington, have you gotten engaged too? Which noble family does she belong to?”
“Does she have to be a noble’s daughter?” Hannah asked Maloney, puzzled.
“The Lyons family has a tradition,” Maloney said, giving Remington a knowing smile. “They only marry women from noble families.”
“Alright,” Hannah said to Remington with a hint of meaning. “Mr. Lyons, you could have mentioned this rule earlier, to avoid the misunderstanding we had before.”
“What mistake?” Maloney cast a curious glance at Hannah. “I’m intrigued.”
Remington swiftly intervened. “I have to extend my greetings elsewhere. Take your time.”
With a meaningful gaze, Remington bid farewell to Hannah before striding away.
As soon as Remington vanished into the crowd, Maloney reached for a glass of wine on the table. “Miss Moore, if you’re mot keen on marrying me, does that mean there’s someone else?”
Hannah met Maloney’s gaze. “My reluctance stems from not wishing to disrupt the longstanding engagement between you and Joselyn, who’ve been companions since childhood.”
“But she’s merely an adopted daughter of the Compton family,” Maloney said. “Our union is more about family alliances than childhood affection.”
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Then he frowned and continued, “And that’s a weak excuse, Miss Moore.
You can do better.””
“I need no excuse. I simply detest the entire idea of being married to you, Mr. Pierce,” Hannah retorted, her smile tinged with defiance.
“Our engagement is a facade, and I expect you to respect its boundaries. Forced affection breeds resentment. Surely, you understand that, Mr. Pierce.”
Maloney’s facade crumbled at Hannah’s defiance. In a swift motion, he pinned her against the table, his tone deliberate. “Agreeability doesn’t matter. My happiness is all that counts.”
Hannah glared at Maloney. Before she could push him away, Joselyn’s voice broke the tension. “What’s going on here?”
Other women rallied around Joselyn, their accusations directed at Maloney. “You’re Joselyn’s betrothed, yet you’re here with Miss Moore.
Do you understand how this hurts her?”
“She’s stolen someone’s fiance and brazenly parades her conquest.”
“It doesn’t really matter whether she is the biological daughter of the Compton family; meddling in others’ affairs is unbecoming. Do you relish being a home-wrecker, Miss Moore?”
Joselyn stood beside Hannah and glanced at Maloney. She radiated innocence. “Please, don’t blame Maloney. It’s my father’s decision.
Neither can we fault Miss Moore, for she’s my father’s biological daughter.”