Chapter 19
Nineteen
The mood in the hired rooms of His Grace, the Duke of Selkirk, in Russell Square was of a very different order.
Alec was completely out of sorts again. This time, it was the cold-blooded “purchasing” of a wife continuing to rankle him.
Or, perhaps, the sale of himself and his estate to the highest bidder?
Regardless of all the rationally argued reasons why he was doing so.
Mayhap it would have been easier if Miss Hardcastle had turned out to be a complete nonentity or utterly mad, and thus, easily dismissible.
His brief conversation with her, during the times she found her voice, had shown him she was a person, and one who was clearly intelligent, well-read, and funny.
These were not qualities which one necessarily was supposed to look for in a wife but, when one encountered them…
Damnation, she would be able to see right into him.
She would think him a downright adventurer, only after her fortune.
Which he was. Yes, the rankling was fierce.
Blast!
A bad temper and Archibald with a razor attempting to shave him resulted in a number of nicks and cuts, so when Finn arrived to fetch him for their call on the Wentworths, he found his friend’s face liberally speckled.
Finn’s arrival coincided with the return of Marjorie from the park, which was not a quiet event but instead involved the slamming of doors, the pounding of running feet, and heartfelt sobbing.
“Lord, my head,” Alec roared. “Peg, what is that infernal racket?”
The flustered young nursemaid ducked into the parlor and, after a bobbing curtsy, gasped out, “If you please, Your Grace, she was waiting for a friend at the park, and the friend never came.”
Alec had a moment’s compunction for his daughter’s disappointment. That was swiftly squashed by the throbbing in his head, and he roared loudly enough for Marjorie to hear in her bedchamber, “Friend or no friend, she is to stop that bawling at once!”
“Yes, sir,” curtsied Peg again, and hurried away as soon as she possibly could.
Alec let out a deep sigh, rubbed his temples, and stood. “Please excuse me for a minute, I have a child to attend to.” He stepped out into the hallway and knocked on his daughter’s door. “Let me in, Marjorie,” he said. “Your grouchy Papa wants to see how you are.”
“Go away, you horrid Papa! I do not want to see you ever ever ever again! Peg!” she shouted. “Tell him to go away!” There was no response to that but a momentary silence, and then Alec attempted to open the door.
“No, go away! I don’t want to see you! You said I was bawling!” The voice climbed in pitch to a near-shriek. Alec stepped back as his daughter hurled herself against the door and shut it with a bang. Admitting defeat, he returned to the sitting room.
Finn greeted him by steepling his fingers and sinking more deeply into his chair. “Chez Raeburn. Such a pretty spot. Always such a respite from the demands of a glittering society.”
“Oh, don’t you start!”Alec resumed his seat and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.
His cousin only cocked an eyebrow at him, in a perfect echo of his mother.
“Tsk, tsk. I know your ways, dear friend and comrade. And I know you will not consent to go anywhere until this current contretemps is resolved. She will not speak with you. But perhaps Marjorie will accept me as a negotiator and allow me to bring you two together to draw up peace terms with dispatch, eh?”
And, with that, he languidly stood, left the room, and returned a few minutes later with a young lady possessed of still dripping eyes who was struggling to hold in her sobs.
As she entered the room, Alec opened his arms and Marjorie launched herself into them with a fresh flood of tears while he softly stroked her head.
Eventually, they subsided for good. With a little sigh of contentment, she curled up into his lap and rested her head against him.
“I’m sorry, Papa. Does your head hurt dreadfully?”
“No, it’s not my head, puss. It’s only the thoughts inside it.
Things fathers have to worry about. You mustn’t take it so to heart, imp.
If your friend did not come today, perhaps she will come tomorrow.
Now, on your feet. I need to change my shirt—you have watered it thoroughly, and I need to be at my most elegant to make some calls. Pax?”
“Pax.” And she climbed down from his lap, smiled a blinding smile at Finn, and headed out of the room to find Peg. Finn shook his head, obviously stunned at the speed by which this complete reversal of mood had been accomplished.
Alec smiled ruefully and stood. “Clearly you are not a parent, cousin. Heartbreaks may be frequent, but the recovery is glorious and a blessed relief. At least with Marjorie. Archibald! I won’t be but a minute, Finn.”
“Take your time. Take your time.”