Page 66 of The Lady Needs a Rogue
Macie shook her head. “Do you give up, Mr. Aylesworth?”
“I surrender,” he said. “But only to you, Miss Mason.”
She bit back a grin. “Finn, if you would be so kind as to end the suspense.”
“Henry Jekyll,” he said, his tone gruff. “Or, if ye prefer, bloody Mr. Hyde.”
“Heisthe more interesting of the two, isn’t he?” Aylesworth replied dryly.
Finn nodded. “The dangerous half of a man always is.”
Aylesworth glanced past them as a female voice called his name. “Blast it, she’s here.”
“She?” Macie repeated curiously.
“Lady Fenwick’s aunt. She’s been after me to appraise her collection.” He sighed. “I’d hoped she’d was still on the Continent.”
“Ye could always hide behind that blasted hat.”
“It’s too late for that.” Peter Aylesworth turned back to Macie. “I meant what I said, Miss Mason. Do give it some thought. I trust you know how to reach me.”
“I do,” she said. “I expect I’ll soon be in touch.”
“Believe me, I will be waiting,” he said. “Try to keep out of trouble, Caldwell.” Tipping his hat again, he took his leave, heading to meet the bird-thin woman whose calling of his name seemed a summons.
When Aylesworth was well out of earshot, Finn leaned closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“Am I to assume ye’ve changed yer mind about chasing off every man between the ages of twenty and eighty?”
“Not at all.” She shot him a little scowl. “Why would you even consider the thought?”
“Ye didn’t look like a woman who wanted me to chase off the intrepid professor.”
“I presume you are referring to Mr. Aylesworth.”
“The one and only.”
“As a matter of fact, I was enjoying our discussion. He is a fascinating man.”
Finn took a drink from a passing server and regarded Macie with a look she couldn’t read. “Fascinating, eh?”
“He’s brilliant, you know. My grandfather held him in high regard.” Macie took a sip of her champagne. “He is a true scholar and quite an explorer.”
“A man who knows how to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, eh?”
“Ah, you were paying attention.”
He nodded. “So, what did the man want ye to think about?”
“If you must know, he suggested I might join his research team on a future expedition.”
“Ye’d tote yer camera around some old ruins?”
“There’d be a bit more to it than that,” she said. “I expect I would relish the experience.”
“If it’s adventure ye seek, ye should pursue it.” Finn rubbed his jaw, seeming to mull over the thought. “Ye would do a fine job.”
Macie had been prepared for a flippant response, but she detected nothing of the sort in his tone. Nor on his expressive features. She couldn’t quite explain why, but suddenly, she felt a bit off-kilter. She pulled in a calming breath. “You mean that, don’t you?”
