Page 75 of Married to the Earl

So she strode inside and lifted her voice to the rafters. “Killian O’Flannagan! I wish to speak with you.”

O’Flannagan turned.

His face looked as if it had been chiseled from red rock. He had the lazy scruff of a man who needed to shave, but she could still see the sharp definition of his jaw beneath that. He narrowed his eyes as he took her in.

“Who the hell is this?” he asked.

It was unclear to Astrid just whom he was addressing, but it didn’t matter. She was here to speak for herself. “I am Lady Astrid Middleborough, wife of Lord Conor Middleborough, and I’m here to speak with you about my husband’s arrest.”

“And who’s this?” O’Flannagan asked, waving a hand at Tobias. “You look familiar.”

“I’m Tobias Dawson, sir,” Tobias said. “I’m the father of Lady Middleborough,” Astrid registered a note of wonder in her father’s voice as he introduced himself.

It’s because he’s impressed with me,she realized.He’s pleased to be able to introduce himself as my father. He considers that to be something special.

“I know who you are,” O’Flannagan realized. “You’re that solicitor.”

“I am,” Tobias agreed.

“What are you doing here now?”

“As I said, I’m here with my daughter.”

“But why have you brought your daughter here?” O’Flannagan asked. “This is no place for a young lady.”

“I’m employed here,” Astrid interrupted.

“You most certainly are not,” O’Flannagan scoffed.

“I am. Ask Horace, your bartender. He gave me a job earlier this week.”

“But,” O’Flannagan sputtered. “Why in the world would a lady seek out a job at the Angry Boar? And the wife ofLord Middleborough, no less!”

“Can we take a seat at one of your tables?” Astrid asked. “I’ll explain everything if you’ll grant me a few moments of your time.”

“I’m really quite busy.”

“I understand that, Mr. O’Flannagan, but I think you’re going to want to hear what I have to say. It has to do with some irregularities my father here found in your financial records.”

“Your father is not my solicitor. He’s never even seen my books.”

“Hear what we have to say,” Astrid said. “And then judge for yourself whether or not we’ve seen your books. But I can tell you that if you send us out of here without hearing us out, you are going to regret it. We’d prefer to settle this here, with you. Without involving the police.”

O’Flannagan paled.

We’ve got him,Astrid thought triumphantly.We’ve got him, and he knows we’ve got him.

“Very well,” O’Flannagan said, his voice cold and tight. “Let’s sit down.”

“Perhaps your men could give us the room?” Astrid suggested.

“You don’t give orders here,” O’Flannagan said. “My men will stay.”

“As you say.”So much for the effort to face him one on one. She would just have to do her best to scream, quickly and loudly, if he looked like he was going to threaten her.After all, he still doesn’t know about the footmen outside. I have that advantage.

She sat down opposite him. “I think you know, then, what we’re here to discuss,” she said. “My father recently had the opportunity to review the Angry Boar’s financial records.”

“That’s a crime,” O’Flannagan said sharply. “It’s illegal for him to look at my books without being asked by me personally to do so.”

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