Page 20 of The Lady Needs a Rogue
She planted her hands on her hips. “I do not foresee a need for anyassistanceyou might render.”
“I had not taken ye for a naive lass. Surely ye can envision Lord Roaming Hands seeking to take advantage while Jon is not around. If ye need protection, I will be there.”
“I have my own methods to deterLord Roaming Hands,or any other stoat-faced bloke who grows too bold. I am quite adept at using my own weapons.”
“Weapons, my dear Miss Mason?” Finn regarded her with a lazy half-smile. “And what might those be?”
“A well-placed knee works wonders,” she replied, as Jon nodded his agreement. So, he recalled the rather infamous incident with the Earl of Addlepate, or whatever the sot’s blasted name was.
“She’s right,” Jon said, adding a small wince for emphasis. “You taught the man a lesson he won’t soon forget.”
“A fan snapped against the knuckles sends a powerful message. As does a parasol to the midsection or across the bridge of the nose,” Macie went on, proud of her repurposing of classic instruments of feminine wiles.
His expression glum, Jon raked a hand through his hair. “Again, she’s right.”
“And it goes without saying that a lady will be forgiven for not-so-accidentally tipping her sherry onto a persistent suitor if he becomes overly vexing.”
Finn’s gaze met hers. “So, ye’ve got it all figured out, do ye?”
“I believe I do.”
His expression shifted to something less inviting. Nearly grim. “Ye’re prepared for civilized men in environments which rein them in. But there are men out there, Macie—and women—who view others as prey. Are ye prepared for that?”
“Well,” she said, gathering her thoughts. “I do not associate with those sorts.”
“Yes, ye do.” Finn’s tone had gone hard, raw at the edges. “The predators are there, hiding in plain sight. Yer bony knee and trusty fan will not deter them from taking what they want.”
She met his eyes, hoping to spot a trace of humor. But there was none to be found. “It isn’t like you to be so dramatic.”
Slowly, he shook his head. “Ye’ve never been on your own, Macie. Never been in the city without yer brother or someone else who might shield ye from its ugly underbelly.”
“It’s not as if I intend to roam the likes of Whitechapel,” she scoffed.
“Come now, Macie. Surely ye realize a gentleman garbed in finery may pose a greater threat than a cutpurse roaming the rookeries. Not even yer parasol will protect ye if a predator sees ye are without an adequate defense.”
“And that’s where you come in?”
“I blend in with the dandies in the ballroom. But I’m not one of them.” Finn’s gaze hardened. “They know it. They won’t try anything with me around.”
“My, my, Mr. Caldwell. I’d no idea you had such a dangerous side. Is there something shocking in your past?”
He chuckled, an unhappy sound. “More than ye would want to know.”
Something about Finn’s expression intrigued her, even as a knot twisted deep within her.Dash it all. She did not want to admit it. But he was right. Even with Nell by her side, she was vulnerable. Especially if an unscrupulous man saw a ruthless path to her dowry.
Staring down at the intricate pattern on the Aubusson carpet, she mulled her options. The very thought of returning home so soon landed in her belly like a lead weight. She had only begun to capture the images for her exhibition. She certainly wasn’t about to stop now. Besides, if they were forced to make a premature departure, Nell would be devastated. Her friend had so eagerly looked forward to this time. But remaining in London alone was not entirely practical, especially if Macie planned to be out and about, capturing the history and beauty of the city with her lens.
Dash it all.The rogue-turned-saint was her best hope. She had wanted to enlist him in tarnishing her blastedgood name.But now, Finn was to be her protector.
How bloody ironic.
She’d simply have to make the best of it. Finn’s presence might actually prove useful. She supposed she could endure a bodyguard. Especially one who could give Adonis a run for his money. She could go along with Jon’s scheme.
But onherterms.
“As much as it pains me to say it, I agree with you.”
As her brother appeared ready to sigh with relief, a look of surprise washed over Finn. “I can’t recall ever hearing those words from yer lips,” Finn said.
