Page 32 of To Resist a Scandalous Rogue
Finlay’s expression darkened, but he nodded and rose to his feet. Running his hands down his pantaloons, he dipped his head at Lady Flora before his focus landed on Charlotte. His gaze was gentle. “Have a care, Mrs. Taylor.”
“When I return, I’ll accompany you both back to the home.” Lord Inverray bussed Lady Flora on the cheek then grasped Charlotte’s hand and bowed over it. “Despite the frightening circumstances, I hope you’ll be comfortable here.”
Charlotte managed a small smile, and as the men departed, she noticed Finlay’s hands were balled into fists.
Apprehension threatened to strangle her, and she wasn’t sure whom she should fear more: her father-in-law or Finlay.
Chapter Twelve
“I hadn’t realized you and Mrs. Taylor were familiar with each other.”
Finlay locked his jaw. “I don’t know what you mean.”
The marquess’s snort rankled. “You seemed awfully concerned for her safety.”
“And you weren’t? Someone tried to abscond with her, after all.”
“Of course I was. And I still am, especially because we have no information to work with.” Inverray paused. “But then, I’m her employer. What are you to her?”
Angling his head away, he lifted a shoulder. “Her friend.”
“Her friend. Of course.” The marquess laughed. “If you continue to show interest in her, there will be talk.”
“There will always be talk.” Feeling a sting, he uncurled his fists to reveal vivid crescent nail marks on his palms. “I’ve never been frightened of talk.”
Arching a brow, Inverray huffed. “Probably because you’ve never had anything to lose.”
Oh, but he did. His courtesy title, his claim as the heir to Rockhaven, his very livelihood was one well-timed whisper away from collapsing about his ears. If his true parentage were revealed, he’d be completely ruined. Finlay bit his tongue so he did not correct the marquess.
The men continued their walk in silence, an awkward tension stretching between them. The marquess was right, but Finlay’s concern for Charlotte was fierce. He wouldn’t allow himself to consider why.
Instead, he asked himself why someone had tried to abduct her. Aside from her beauty, she didn’t possess wealth or connections to make her a valuable target. With a jolt of insight, Finlay remembered how her expression had shuttered when he’d asked her why anyone would seek to take her. She claimed not to know, but her demeanor proclaimed her a liar.
Such a discovery only led to more questions.
Why would she lie about the villain’s motives? It was obvious she was terrified by what had occurred. When he’d first noticed her sitting in the Campbell House drawing room, he’d been struck by how pale and small she looked. In their few encounters, Charlotte had never been small. She’d lived large in his memory for over a year. Yet, when he took her slender hands into his own, he’d noticed they quivered.
She’d been frightened, yet she didn’t want to reveal why. What was she hiding?
Why did he care?
Finlay inhaled, the crisp air dispelling the tightness in his chest. The tandem sound of their footsteps on the path was lulling, in spite of the bustle and noise of the city around them. Soon, he was able to temper his concerns for Charlotte and focus on his meeting with the formidable Earl Matthews.
“Matthews will tell you to keep your nose clean and your name out of the papers,” Inverray intoned as they came to a stop in front of a dignified white townhouse around the corner from Belgravia Square. “It’s imperative the voters believe you are someone they can trust to push through reforms. Someone who will make their interests paramount.”
The marquess looked up at the home, his expression speculative. “I’m still trying to discover more about Abernathy, but the Tories love to tout his ties to the church. Apparently, several of his uncles are vicars, and one is the undersecretary to the archbishop. You can wager your quarterly allowance there’s a scandal lurking somewhere.”
Finlay chuckled, but the Scotsman’s mien was grave.“You have more ground to cover in convincing people you’re serious about standing in Parliament. If this were one of your father’s pocket boroughs, no one would care. But it’s not, which means you’ll have to work for it. So while playing knight for Mrs. Taylor is gallant, it’s also foolish.”
Inverray climbed the steps and dropped the doorknocker. “For all his clever strategies and liberal ideas, Matthews is a horrible snob,” he shared under his breath. “He will find fault with you no matter what you do, so I’d prefer not to give him additional ammunition.”
“Kind of you.” Finlay felt a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth at the man’s disgruntled tone.
The Scotsman’s snort was cut off when a dour-faced butler opened the door. He nodded his gray head when he saw the marquess, stepping back to allow the men entry.
“Good morning to you, my lord.” He assisted Inverray with his coat while a footman appeared to take Finlay’s.“If you gentlemen would follow me, His Lordship awaits you in his study.”
Finlay trailed behind Inverray, discreetly peering through the open doors of rooms they passed. His quick, cursory glances revealed stately rooms decorated in subdued tones of beige, creams, and umbers. Gold leaf wallpaper ran up and down the hallway, and he rolled his eyes at such a display of wealth.
