“I think she would wear your guts for garters if you so much as suggest it.”
“I see you’ve met her,” Julius said with a smile. Her brother enjoyed her antics, it seemed. She was lucky to have such a brother, because some families would censure her more severely. It actually made him think better of the Henningtons, but then, considering their father’s total and complete lack of care for society and its rules, it was hardly surprising that they weren't the strictest advocates for polite etiquette.
“I think I’ll step outside for a while and get some air,” Finn said. It was starting to feel warm and stuffy in the cards room, and he wasn’t going anywhere near the dancing where the Forthills would likely hound him into participating again. Once was enough to reach his tolerance.
“Have you seen Miss Hennington?” asked that young man she’d been associating with.
“Can’t say that I have,” Finn answered, and I’m better off for it. The man continued his search, and Finn let himself out of the door into the darkened veranda outside. A couple stood talking further down, people he didn’t recognize, and he felt awkward disturbing them, so he continued down the steps into the garden. The light from the house barely lit it, and the moonlight helped. It was dark, but not so he couldn’t see the walkways.
Fresh, crisp air filled his lungs and he exhaled slowly. In all, the evening had been enjoyable, but he really needed to convince the Forthills that he wasn’t worth them investing their time in. It could be that they hounded him until he actually married someone else. That might be true for all of them. London could be out of bounds until such time, and Bath would be even worse.
Sniffling was heard, and he didn’t understand that someone else was there until he stumbled onto a figure sitting on a bench. “My pardon,” he said.
“Go away,” came the crisp voice of Octavia Hennington. He couldn’t see her eyes, but he could see that she wiped them. There had been tears.
“You are upset,” he pointed out, not knowing what else to say.
“Very observant, now go away.”
Finn felt torn. It wasn’t really in him to walk away from a distressed woman. “We shouldn’t be seen together,” he stated. It would be terrible for her reputation.
“Why are men so awful?” she finally said accusingly. Something must have happened, and possibly related to the man who’d been searching for her.
“I believe Mr. Fervoy is seeking you.”
“He can go jump in the stream. I should never have invited him. I should have known he would be utterly disappointing, because you all are.”
“I am glad to hear that I’ve been included in that company.”
“How can you not be? My sister-in-law is with child, by the way, so there is some eminently good news.”
“Then she has my deepest congratulations. Julius as well. He seems very happy.” It might be the wrong thing to say, because she groaned slightly. “You don’t approve of his choice?” And Eliza being with child didn’t surprise him in the least. Her husband would be an utter idiot to ensure that didn’t happen.
“I never said that.”
“I have seen that they seem to be very considerate of you.”
“Yes, they are trying to unwelcome me into my own family.”
“I am sure your brother would do no such thing.”
“Of course he wouldn’t,” she said defensively.
Still, it would make it awkward for her if her brother’s new wife treated her like the poor relation, someone given charity. It wasn’t an enviable position she was in, and now her hopes for Mr. Fervoy were dashed. Finn had no advice to give in this regard. Finding a suitable wife was proving very elusive. “Us seekers will simply have to keep looking. At least you aren’t being hounded every time you leave the house.”
“You are very eligible. Word has gotten out that you seek a wife,” she said, a note of defiance in her voice. “It would have the moment you showed up for the season.”
Did it sound like there was a certain degree of guilt there?
Chapter 15
SITTING IN CAIUS’ HOUSE, Octavia stared out the window. It was raining heavily today, and the fire couldn’t quite clear the damp. The slight clink broke the silence as Eliza returned her teacup to its saucer.
“Have you heard from Julius?” Eliza asked.
“Not a word. Not that I expected to. He’s much too focused on the here and now to think about sending word to us back home. I’m sure he’s having a grand time.”
On a rainy day like this, no one was in the mood to call. Since returning to London, she’d been staying with Caius, rather than on her own in the family townhouse.
“James Fervoy hasn’t come to visit,” Eliza said, trying to shift Octavia’s somber mood into conversation. “I expected we would see him.”
“I told him not to. I’m through showing any interest in him.”
“Whatever for?” Eliza asked, looking concerned.
“I simply didn’t like some of the things he said.” Now she hoped Eliza didn’t press, because the specifics of what he’d said wasn’t something she wanted to talk about. “I’ll simply turn my attention to someone more interesting. Did you notice Barnaby Hallaway? He is rather handsome.”
Mr. Hallaway was new to London, and quite an attractive man. His prospects weren’t ideal, but they weren’t disastrous. A bit of a stepdown in her situation didn’t bother her, provided she got a good marriage in return. And Mr. Hallaway seemed a nice man, unlike some of the miscreants the finer universities churned out to attend their first season. It seemed he was well-liked, and didn’t display any crudeness in either attitude or speech.
“I can’t say he made an impression.”
“That’s because you’re not looking.”
“Octavia, you are more than welcome to
