Page 50 of To Resist a Scandalous Rogue
“Her attractiveness is a bonus,” Finlay conceded.
“Yet…I don’t detect much interest from you.”
“Yes, well.” Finlay signaled for another cup of coffee as well, desperate for a distraction.
“Matthews would deem her a prime candidate for a wife,” Inverray pushed, regarding him with his mouth quirked.
“Then perhaps he should marry her,” Finlay bit out, before he snapped his jaw shut. “My apologies. I shouldn’t be directing my annoyance at you.”
“If I were considering a bride based solely on her suitability to host political events,” Inverray said, his lips tilting up, “well, I would be irritable, too.”
“You don’t seem to have been hurt by your lack of a wife.” Finlay cringed at the peevish tone of his words.
“That’s because I have two sisters who’ve served as my hostesses. Juliana is a natural. Welcoming, clever, and well versed on the issues. When she plays hostess for Ashwood and me, the event is sure to be a success.” The marquess’s expression darkened for a moment. “I never really know what kind of hostess Flora will be. There’s no doubt she can be charming, and when she’s in the mood to please she has even the most curmudgeonly old MPs eating out of her wee hands. But…” He chuckled, the sound more frustrated than amused. “But all it takes is one remark, one cutting comment, and well, Flora’s set-downs can be brutal.”
“And yet, you continue to ask her to serve as hostess for you.” Finlay swallowed down a flick of amusement. He’d always enjoyed Flora’s no-nonsense personality, but he could definitely see how it would be problematic in a delicate political setting.
“It’s time she grew up and embraced her position in life. Our father has indulged her terribly, and now I fear she will never settle down.” Inverray’s voice dropped to a growl. “Never be tamed.”
Finlay took a long sip of coffee as he considered the marquess’s words. It wasn’t his place to argue for or against Inverray’s assessment, and he suspected Lady Flora needed no champion. Familial strife was something he was infinitely familiar with.
“I’m certain Allie would consent to serve as hostess for any events I may host,” he said, easing the direction of the conversation away from Inverray’s family troubles.
“Matthews did want Her Grace and Darington to lend you their support.”
“But he still wants me to marry.” Finlay tipped his head back to look at the ceiling as if it contained the answer to the earl’s mandate.
“If not Miss Eddington, who else would you consider?”
Charlotte.
Her name was on the tip of his tongue before his brain had even caught up with the question. The woman was an ever-dwelling specter in his thoughts. He hadn’t seen her since he’d left Campbell House two days prior, but Lady Flora’s maid had delivered a note to his valet telling him that she was well and determined to start teaching again. Flora insisted she continue to stay at Campbell House for at least a sennight longer, until they were certain any danger to her had passed.
The problem was they weren’t certain from which direction the danger was coming. Although she’d denied it, Finlay was still convinced her attempted abduction was tied to her former in-laws.
The sound of a throat clearing jerked him back to the moment. He met Inverray’s diverted gaze. “I beg your pardon. I was woolgathering.”
“I assumed.” There was a smile in the marquess’stone.“And has your woolgathering allowed you to remember another possible viscountess candidate?”
Finlay scrubbed a hand down his face. “At this time, there are no young ladies on my list.”
Inverray chuckled and shook his head in much the same manner as his youngest sister.
As a ball of stress coiled in his gut, Finlay flipped through his papers absentmindedly while his thoughts dwelled on his supposed wife hunt. He was scheduled to meet with Earl Matthews later that day; the man wouldn’t be pleased to discover Finlay’s marital prospects had remained unchanged since their initial meeting. But lud, he’d seen to everything else on the earl’s list. Surely a confirmed bachelor such as Matthews wouldn’t fault Finlay for not embracing such a suggestion with arms wide open.
He was certain the earl wouldn’t see it that way, however.
“Mrs. Taylor resumed her teaching schedule today,” Inverray interjected suddenly, his voice seeming to carry above the din of the coffee shop. The man gazed about the shop impassively, and yet, Finlay suspected the marquess was attuned to his reaction.
That knowledge did not stop his mouth from dropping open for what felt like an entire first act before Finlay managed to wrench it closed. He snatched up a spoon and stirred his coffee, although he had not added anything to it. “That’s good news, I’m sure.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw the marquess drum his fingers on his knee. “She was quite anxious to return to her post. Outright refused my suggestion to wait a few more days. She seemed convinced that any danger threatening her had passed. Still, she wasn’t forthcoming about what constituted that danger.”
“Do you think perhaps”—he took a bracing gulp of coffee and tried again—“what I meant was, do you believe the trouble has passed?”
Finlay was aware his question was infused with a fierceness he’d be hard pressed to explain as a friendly inquiry. Thankfully, the marquess did not appear surprised by it. He instead narrowed his eyes in consideration.
“There is definitely something else there, but I don’t know what. Mrs. Taylor continues to avow she’s unaware of why she was targeted, so there’s not really any concrete evidence to pursue. That Flora convinced her to stay on at Campbell House was a miracle in itself. Mrs. Taylor is inordinately stubborn. But then, so is Flo.”
