Page 16 of When the Rogue Returns
“No need to go to that trouble,” Isa put in. Was she trying to protect her husband? Or herself?
“But it’s no trouble at all,” Lochlaw protested. “I enjoy looking things up. Almost as much as I enjoy experiments.”
“Experiments?” Victor couldn’t help asking.
“Rupert is a chemist,” Isa explained. “A very good one.”
The man colored to the tips of his ears. “Well, only an amateur chemist and not very good yet. But I hope to be.” He cast her a worshipful glance that set Victor’s teeth on edge. “Mrs. Franke inspires me.”
To do chemistry? What did Isa know about chemistry? And why the devil was she “inspiring” this stripling to do it?
Lochlaw studied Victor. “I wonder why Mother never told me you were coming to visit. That’s odd indeed.”
Damn Lady Lochlaw for insisting that her son would never question her subterfuge. “It was a sudden thing. I had some business in Edinburgh, so I paid a call on her. Family courtesy, you know. Your mother and I actually only met for the first time today. She was kind enough to overlook the fact that my mother married beneath her and was cut off from your family.”
That was sort of true, though in reverse. Victor’s mother had married faraboveher station, and his father had been the one cut off from his family. Or rather, he’d cut himself off with his own unthinkable act.
Lochlaw was gaping at him now. “My mother overlooked that?” He eyed Victor more closely. “Are you sure you metmymother? Because that doesn’t sound like her. She’d be more likely to give you the cut direct. Mother can be... well...”
“Unpredictable,” Isa supplied, as if she performed such a service often.
“I was going to say rude,” Lochlaw retorted, “but I suppose one shouldn’t call one’s mother rude. Even if she is.”
Victor couldn’t begin to know how to respond to that. The baron was proving even less what he’d expected than the dowager baroness.
“So how long do you mean to stay in town?” Lochlaw asked with seemingly genuine interest. “I’d be delightedto introduce you about, show you some of the sights, bring you to visit the Royal Society of Edinburgh. You could witness some experiments.”
“Oh, I’m sure Mr. Cale has no time for that,” Isa put in, a panicky note in her voice. “If he’s here on business, he’s probably going to be busy.”
“Nonsense,” Victor said, determined to be the fly in her ointment until he found out what he needed to know. “I can mix a little pleasure with my business.” And hewassupposed to be finding out more about Rupert’s relationship with Isa.
“Wonderful!” Lochlaw said. “It’s not often I have a cousin in town. They tend to avoid Mother, especially the male ones.”
Victor actually found himself sympathizing with the man. “They’re probably just intimidated by such a beautiful and elegant lady.”
“No, I think they hate that she keeps touching them,” Lochlaw said matter-of-factly. “They seem to find it uncomfortable.”
“Rupert!” Isa chided.
He blinked. “Too direct?” He glanced at Victor. “I have a bad habit of saying what I mean, and not what Ishould. It gets me into trouble.” He smiled shyly at Isa. “Mrs. Franke helps me with that, too.”
Victor was flummoxed. The baron sometimes seemed more like a schoolboy than a man, but he was definitely infatuated with Isa.
Her feelings weren’t quite as clear, though she and the baron were obviously close. And that irritated Victor more than he liked.
“It appears that Mrs. Franke helps you with quite a few things,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Indeed she does,” Lochlaw answered. “She’s teaching me Dutch, so I can read Dutch articles about chemistry. There aren’t many, but I hate to miss anything. I already know German and French, so Dutch isn’t too difficult.”
“Rupert is writing his own article,” Isa explained. “He knows a great deal about something called atomic theory.”
“Speaking of that,” Lochlaw said to her, “I need Dalton’s book. I plan to read it this evening and start work on my article tomorrow.”
“You’re not going to the theater?” Isa said.
“The theater!” Rupert slammed his palm against his forehead. “I forgot all about it. Is it Saturday already?”
“I’m afraid so. But if you would rather not go—”
