Page 64 of To Resist a Scandalous Rogue
Finlay chuckled, but it was hollow sounding. “She only discovered the truth when the pair confessed to her they were expecting a child.”
…
Finlay experienced a grotesque sort of satisfaction in watching the color seep from Charlotte’s face. It was validation, in a way, that the truth of his father’s actions was as heinous as he believed.
“B-but where is this child? Were you able to find him? Or her?” she asked around the fingers covering her mouth.
He hesitated. The rational part of his brain knew he was about to take a great risk. Only a very small group of people knew the secret of his birth, but for some perverse reason he needed her to know. Needed her to know that while she worried about the scandal she could bring down upon him, he was born into a scandal so great it would shock even jaded Londoners.
“You’re looking at one half of the pair she birthed.”
“Oh, Fin.” Her eyes widened before she clenched them shut. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yes, well.” He cleared his throat. “It’s no real mystery now why she was unhappy.”
“Her husband and sister betrayed her in the most excruciating way.”
He swallowed.
Her whisper seemed to echo. “What happened to her? Your real mother?”
“She died in childbirth.”
“Oh.” He heard the sound of hair rustling and knew she was fidgeting with her curls. “And the countess just accepted you and your sister as her own? Lud, I can’t imagine how painful that was.”
“Despite her sins, the countess loved her sister. And she sadly could not have children of her own.” He massaged his temple. “When my father pressed us on her, I think she felt helpless to say no.” He remained quiet until she looked at him. “Would you have said no?”
Her blue eyes were sad. “I do not know.”
Finlay leaned back on the pillows, a lump in his throat. Whenever he thought of his mother—the countess—and tried to decipher her actions and motivations, he came to naught. “If she had refused to accept us, if she had turned us away, my life would be very different than it is now.”
Charlotte considered him, a haunting emotion shining in her eyes. “It was incredibly selfless of her.” She bit her lip. “Why did you tell me this?”
He adjusted the sheets. Studied his hands. Anything to not look at her. “You’ve been honest with me about your past. I wanted you to know that I trust you enough to share mine with you.”
He darted her a glance in time to see a peculiar look contorted her expression. It was quickly gone.
A change of subject seemed in order.
“If you were, heaven forfend, to be attacked again, would you know how to protect yourself?”
…
Charlotte blinked.“Uh, I believe so.”
Finlay cocked a brow.
She released a breath. “I hope so.”
“Show me,” he commanded, pushing himself off the mattress, landing on the balls of his feet.
Collapsing back onto the bed, her gaze fixed unblinking at the ceiling. He’d just shared a most devastating secret and now wanted to discuss her safety? She grappled for a response.
“If you’d rather nap…or conduct another test of your theory, I’m amenable.”
“I think we could both benefit from a rest.” Charlotte threw him an exasperated smile. It seemed he was done discussing his ruinous past, and she would not force him to answer any more uncomfortable questions. “I’m sure even you, oh God of Fornication, need a break every so often.”
“Not with you I don’t,” he returned, his tone low and gravelly.
