Page 19 of The Lady Needs a Rogue
Her gaze roamed over the man who stood by his side. Finn Caldwell met her eyes, his expression unreadable.Drat the luck.After the night before, she’d rather hoped that another ten years or so would pass before she had to look into those amber-brown eyes again. The notion that Finn, of all the men in London—on the planet, for that matter—would act as her protector was utter madness.
Jon leaned against his desk and stretched out his long legs. “He is our best choice.”
“Best choice?” She could scarcely believe her own ears. Her gaze darted between her brother and Finn. “Have you both gone daft?”
“Daft?” Her brother gave his head a rueful shake. “All those years of tutelage by the most refined governesses. Father’s money was indeed well spent.”
“I assure you, these are my censored thoughts. Even the mostrefinedof my governesses could not have exercised greater restraint in this circumstance.” She pulled in a low breath, as if that might calm her. “You would not like to hear my true opinion of the suggestion that Finn should squire me about town. Why, the very idea is beyond outlandish.”
Jon regarded her with a look of practiced calm. Years of dealing with their father had taught him to mask emotion. Cool and unflappable, no matter what he faced.
Or in this case, what he expected Macie to face.
“It is not a suggestion. It is the plan,” he said with a tone of finality.
“Yourplan. Not mine.” She hiked her chin defiantly. “I will have no part of it.”
“Be reasonable, Macie.” Jon’s tone had softened, if only just a bit.
She shifted her attention to Finn. The scoundrel with a newfound moral compass—the rake who wouldn’t even consider compromising her, not so much as to stir a biddy or two to gossip—was to serve as her escort about town in Jon’s absence. The very notion was absurd.
“As for you, Mr. Caldwell, what leverage does he have over you? Whatever could have inspired you to go along with this nonsensical scheme?”
Finn folded his arms over his chest like a shield. A wry grin played on his full mouth.Damn the man and his tempting smile.
His amber eyes gleamed. “You doubt my penchant for chivalry?”
She shot him a scowl. “I’d sooner believe you’ve a wish to tame some wild beast in the circus.”
“A lioness, perhaps.” His wry tone left no doubt to his meaning. Good thing for him, she didn’t have her parasol at theready. She might well have given him a taste of it, right in the breadbasket.
For his part, Jon frowned. A developing-a-whopper-of-a-headache type of frown.Good enough.Her brother deserved a touch of misery, given what he proposed to inflict upon her.
“If you claimed to be jesting, I would believe you,” she said to her brother. “We’d have a chuckle over it, and then we could put the matter to rest.”
“I am entirely serious, Macie. I must leave for Scotland. But you do have a choice.”
“Good.” She studied him, her flicker of optimism doused as she took in his gloomy expression. “Why didn’t you mention that earlier?”
“Because you’re not going to like the other option.” Jon was more blunt than usual. “It’s quite simple, really. You can tote your camera about London, accept a sufficient number of invitations from Lady Drayton and her ilk to humor Father, and accept that Finn will watch over you. For your safety as well as Nell’s, I might add. Or you both shall pack your things and board a train for Bristol before I depart.”
“Simple? How easy for you to say!” Macie fought to keep her tone measured and controlled. “You endure no such constraints. No asinine requirement to tolerate a nanny.” She shot Finn a glare. “A nanny who could use a good shave, no less.”
It was Finn’s turn to send a scowl her way. “I cannot imagine yer parents ever managed to keep a nanny on staff. Even when ye were a wee lass, I’d wager ye ran about, getting yerself into every fix ye could conjure up.”
“I was a studious child,” she countered. “I spent many an hour with my face in a book.”
Finn’s eyes flashed. “And just as many driving yer governesses to drink.”
“In that case, I hope you possess an ample supply of liquor to see you through the next fortnight.”
“My account at the Rogue’s Lair is in good standing. I expect that will suffice.”
Oh, what a frustrating man!
“I do not appreciate having my wings clipped.” She punctuated her words with another glare. “Nor do I intend to be put up for inspection, night after night, an heiress up for bidding.”
“Believe me, I have no intention of clipping yer blasted wings,” Finn said, heat penetrating his tone. “Personally, I could not give a rat’s arse about the balls ye attend or whether ye’re spotted at the right party. As for yer photographic endeavors, I have no reason to stand in yer way. I will escort ye about the city as needed, standing at the ready should ye require my assistance.”
