Chapter Twenty-Eight
“I hear congratulations are in order,” Viscount Dunbar said while Baron Addington snickered.
After spending the afternoon with the men, Finn didn’t think Lily’s sisters quite so awful, for their husbands were far worse.
Finn tilted his head. “For my marriage?”
“No. My wife said Lily is with child.”
Finn wondered if Lily had changed her mind about telling her sisters about the bairn. She’d been set against it, but now these men knew.
Finn smiled. “Aye. It is true. We were waiting to announce it, but since you know, I don’t mind telling you, I’m quite pleased.”
“So long as it’s an heir. Then you can get past this whole business of being married,” the baron said, earning a nod from the viscount.
Harry Reynolds, Earl of Bennington, just stood there in what Finn thought was his normal stoic countenance. Martha’s husband didn’t talk much, and Finn was beginning to wonder if the Earl found the other brothers by marriage as tedious as Finn did.
Lily’s brothers and father were just as bad. The younger men spoke only of whoring and gaming and their father seemed proud as punch that they were following in his footsteps.
Finn hoped he’d be a better father.
“I’m sorry the marchioness was unable to make it,” Finn said, thinking Lily’s mother should have been here when the news of her next grandchild was announced.
The marquess frowned and waved off Finn’s comment.
“Better she’s not. She would just find a way to make it about her,” he slurred. He was already deeply in his cups as he tracked one of the maids when she entered with a message for Finn.
Finn opened the folded piece of paper and closed it just as quickly.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he said, leaving the men to their debauchery.
Climbing the stairs, Finn entered his bed chamber to find Lily there. She offered a strained smile when he entered, and for the first time since the crowd descended on Gealach Castle, Finn worried that her family’s visit might be too taxing for his wife.
“Are you well?” he asked as he reached to pull her close.
She shook her head, though he felt it rather than saw it.
“Should I call for the doctor?” he was quick to ask.
“No. It’s just…” She winced as she looked up at him.
“They are awful,” he guessed what she wanted to say but was too polite to put to words. “We won’t last the week.”
Her eyes went round and then the two of them broke into laughter at the same time. Finn was near to falling to the ground and Lily couldn’t wipe the tears from her cheeks fast enough before another eruption took hold. At one point the room fell into silence as they did their best to draw enough air.
“Hideous,” she agreed, though it took some time to get the word out.
“Why did we invite them?” he asked.
She shook her head and pointed at him and he knew what she would say as soon as she could.
“I know it was my idea, but you should have stopped me.”
Still laughing, she pointed again.
“Yes, you said they were difficult. You didn’t say they were utterly despicable.”
They laughed until the situation was no longer funny.
“I’m sorry they are so horrible. How do we get rid of them?”
Finn rubbed his forehead and shook his head. He didn’t know what could be done except to hide away in their rooms until they left.
“How long do you think before they would become bored and leave?”
She frowned. “So long as you have food and whisky I doubt they will become bored enough to find their leave.”
“I could say we have run out of whisky,” Finn suggested, but Lily only needed to tilt her head and raise her brows for him to realize why that wouldn’t work. “Aye. You’re right. No Scot would ever run out of whisky.”
Normally men of the ton found Scots beneath them except when it came to drinking.
“Hmm…” Finn said with a smile. “I might have an idea. I need to get to my study without drawing the attention of any member of your family. Except perhaps Harry.”
“Martha’s husband barely speaks.”
“Aye. That’s why he’s the only one I can tolerate for longer than two minutes time.”
“Do you want me to cause a distraction so you can escape to your study?”
Finn looked down at his wife and a smile pulled up on his lips. Now that he was looking at her, he surely wasn’t thinking about her family but rather the way the woman was able to distract him.
“Let’s not be hasty. We are here, and there’s a bed.”
He watched her gray eyes go darker with interest and her smile was certainly a reflection of his own.
“I’ll lock the door.”
*
Two days later, Lily tiptoed past the drawing room to escape out to the gardens when Oliver opened the door to let in two very loud men.
“Where is he?” one of them said.
“He went and married without inviting us. He must pay for his insolence,” the other said with a heavy burr.
Lily might have been worried for her husband, but knew Oliver wouldn’t offer such a hearty greeting to anyone who was a true threat to the duke.
“Where have ye lads been hiding? You haven’t been to Gealach in an age. Lord knows it might have helped for His Grace to have had some company.”
“Don’t blame us. You know how Finn gets. He said he wanted to be alone when being alone was the worst thing he could be.”
Oliver turned and saw her. Offering a smile, he turned back to the men.
“Your Grace, might I make known to you Lord Flemming and Lord Breckenridge.”
“This is Finn’s lass?” Lord Flemming said before letting out a whistle. “You’re a lovely bit. Now I know why he didn’t want to wait on us to arrive before snatching ye up.”
“More like he was afraid we’d steal her away from him.”
Lily’s eyes must have been wide. She’d never met such loud, boisterous lords before. At least not ones she wasn’t related to.
“Ah! You’ve arrived,” Finn said, coming into the foyer from his study where he’d most likely been hiding.
“Aye. We came right away as ye requested. Where’s the rest of the guests?”
Finn gave Lord Flemming a hug and a sound pat on the back before turning his affection on Lord Breckenridge.
“You don’t have to start straight away. Did you meet Lily?”
“Aye. We’ve shocked her already,” Lord Breckenridge said and sent a saucy wink in her direction.
Lily couldn’t help but take a step closer to Finn. She was sure they posed no danger, but it wouldn’t hurt to be closer to her husband.
Finn chuckled at her reaction and pointed to Lord Flemming first. “This is Shay. I’ve known him since we were eleven when he came to Heriot’s. Could barely make out a word he said. Still not always sure. And this is Reese. I’ve known him even longer than Shay. We’ve been in trouble more than a few times.”
“And have the scars to prove it.” Reese pointed to a scar that bisected his brow. “Your husband did this to me. I was mere inches from needing a patch.”
Before Lily had a chance to say anything, Mrs. MacDougal came rushing into the foyer. They all hugged and greeted each other heartily.
“The boys used to spend time here when we were lads,” Finn explained. “Everyone liked my family and being here at Gealach . Shay didn’t really have family and Reese had too much.”
“I see.”
She felt as if she’d been caught up in a wave as the men filled the foyer with boisterous laughter. Finn led them to the drawing room where her family lounged about.
Lily thought it went much like letting two wild dogs into the palace. Reese and Shay were loud and only got louder as they were introduced to her family. When her sisters attempted to escape to another room, the men split up.
Lily could tell by Finn’s smile he was happy to see his friends, but Lily wondered why he would have invited them now when they already had more people than they wanted in the castle. The Scots were clearly frightening the other guests with their lewd comments and crude manners.
And then the whisky came out.
At half past eleven in the morning.
Finn seemed caught up in the frivolity as well. He laughed loudly and sang even louder. By dinner, her sisters asked for trays to be sent to their rooms. And later as Lily was heading to her chamber, she was stopped by her father.
“This is a mad house. We will be leaving in the morning. I’m not surprised you’ve no control over what happens under your roof. You were always a timid thing. I’d suggest you find your spine before your child is raised to become a barbarian.”
Lily opened her mouth to defend Finn, but found she was too exhausted to bother. As long as her family was leaving, she would find a way to deal with Finn and his friends later.
Truth be told, she found them to be charming, in the way of naughty little boys. It was amusing to see Finn behaving so unlike himself. She liked seeing him smile and laugh. Even if he couldn’t carry a tune in two buckets. He needed to have a bit of fun.
Her maid helped her dress for bed and Lily frowned over at the empty place where her husband normally slept. Would he not come to bed?
She’d no sooner thought it before she heard three loud Scots ascending the stairs while singing a bawdy song about a wench and perhaps a swan?
“G’night, gents. I’m into my bed with m’wife,” Finn slurred loudly.
“Give’er a kiss for me,” Shay said.
“And me!” Reese added. Good lord, they were going to wake everyone in the castle.
“Aye, I will! Three kisses it is!”
The door burst open and Finn stumbled inside, slamming the door behind him. She worried he would fall and hopped out of bed to help him.
Except he stood upright and smiled at her.
“Did you hear the news?” he asked with no hint of slurring.
“News?” she asked, befuddled by his abrupt change from drunkenness to sober as a stone.
“Your family is leaving in the morning.”
“Yes. My father told me.”
He picked her up and spun her around. He kissed her and she winced in anticipation of the heavy scents of whisky on his breath, but there were none. Not even the subtle smoky flavor from a single drink.
“You’re not drunk,” she said.
“Nay. Me and the boys haven’t had a drop.” He frowned. “Though Reese spilled a good bit on himself. A waste of good spirits, that.”
“It was all an act,” she said, finally fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together.
“Aye. Your family seemed fit to overstay so I decided to send them on their way.” He touched her cheek. “That is what you wanted, isn’t it? You’re not angry?”
“No.” She began laughing. “It was perfect.”
He smiled back at her. “Good. Because I’ll need your assistance with the final act of our play.” He pulled off his boots and coat. Then reaching for her, he went for the bed. But instead of lying down, he stood up on the mattress and helped her to her feet as well.
He began jumping as a child would, but the noises he made were most definitely that of an adult. Groans and moans of passion filled the room as the bed bounced loudly against the wall.
Lily was faster to realize what he was doing this time and began giggling.
She did her part by taking his hands and jumping with him. Throwing in an occasional shriek which made her laugh even more.
Finally, their ruse surged into a few last grunts and they flopped down on the bed, bursting into quiet giggles like rowdy children.
“That should certainly do it,” she said.
“It will not shock me if they leave in the dead of night. Especially your brothers. I would love to see the looks of disgust on their faces having heard such things from their sister.”
Lily laughed again. “It serves them right for speaking of their doings in front of me all those years. They’d ruined more than a few meals.”
Lying next to each other, they shared a look and then Finn rolled closer and kissed her slowly. Heat built between them as their tongues met and flirted with one another.
“Now that they’ve surely covered their ears, I can make you groan for real,” he said before kissing her.
The next morning Lily suppressed her wide grin to go downstairs and see her family off. It wouldn’t do for them to know how pleased she was. Let them think she was sad to see them leave.
Millicent was the first to say her goodbyes. She looked Lily over with a look Lily could only call dissatisfaction.
“I don’t know what he sees in you. All I can say is enjoy him while you can. A man with that kind of passion will soon grow bored.”
“Pleasant travels, sister,” Lily said with a smug smile that seemed to infuriate the woman even more.
“Well done,” Martha said. “Your husband and his friends could always find work on the stage if necessary.”
“You know?”
She laughed. “It’s something I would have done myself to get rid of them.”
“I did enjoy our visit, Martha.”
Martha nodded. “I hope to see you again. It would be nice to have a real relationship with my sister.”
Lily gave the woman a hug and didn’t have to pretend she was sad to see her go.
Maribel was next.
“He may be a duke, but he’s no gentleman. I wish you well, Sister. You have made your bed by marrying such a man. Now you must lie in it.”
“As I’m sure you heard, we don’t just lie in our bed.” Lily quite enjoyed making Maribel’s lips pinch up with just a few words. She was getting the hang of it.
“You did that on purpose,” Finn said as he came to stand beside her.
“I learned from the best.”
Whatever Finn might have said next was cut off when Max and Matty came to hug her, while flashing disapproving looks at Finn.
“If you ever need us, Sister, don’t hesitate to call,” Matty said.
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him.
“I don’t see how, but best wishes on your marriage and the babe.”
She hugged her favorite brother then turned toward Max.
“You owe me a mare.”
Max winced and punched Matthew before turning back to her looking forlorn. “As soon as Father loosens the purse strings, I’ll be able to replace her.”
Lily doubted that would happen.
Her father was the last person to leave, stopping to speak to Finn rather than her.
“We never did get to speak about the dowry.”
Finn put up a hand.
“It’s not necessary. I ask that you put it in an account for Lily to use as she sees fit.” Finn smiled at her. “I never want her to find herself without funds.”
Lily’s heart stuttered at his words. He’d found her at her lowest. With nothing to her name and nowhere to go, and while he’d stepped in and saved her from some horrid fate, he was also providing security for the future.
“Thank you,” she said.
Her father grumbled and left.
When the last of the carriages were out of sight, Shay and Reese came down the steps and greeted them. Gone were the loud, boisterous men, though Shay’s brogue was still heavy.
“Now, Lily, you will truly get to meet my friends.”