by Wendy Vella
He’d danced with Lady Croxley last night, and every time he was in her company he felt more assured that she would make him an ideal wife. She was calm and composed. He’d never heard her raise her voice and she was never outspoken, unlike some. She came from an excellent family and would be a steadying influence on the twins.
Finn liked to make lists, and had done just that for his future wife. It was tucked away where no one could find it, but he’d pulled it out last night and Lady Croxley had met all his requirements. On a whim, he had run Phoebe through the list and found she met only one, which only confirmed what he already knew. He was physically attracted to her, but she would make him a terrible wife.
He rode hard for a while as his mind processed thoughts, worked through plans for the future and those he had set for the next few days. When he was sure Titus had run enough, he pulled him to a walk and relaxed the reins, giving them both time to regain their breath.
The park was empty except for the two men who were here most mornings doing tricks on horseback. He’d wondered if they were from a traveling show, or The Royal Amphitheatre? It was entertaining to watch them climb under their horses’ necks and pick up things off the ground while cantering. This morning, one man was leading the other’s horse in a circle while the other was standing on the horse’s back.
Moving closer, he watched as the man held out his hands to balance. It would take some skill, Finn thought, to do this.
“Ha, can you see, Moses? I’m doing it and you said I wouldn’t.”
He knew that voice. Urging his horse closer, he looked at the slender figure standing above him.
“Phoebe?”
She heard him, because she turned and then he watched in horror as her foot slipped.
“Phoebe!” Finn couldn’t reach her, nor could the man holding her horse as she fell the opposite side to where he rode. He watched her tumble to the ground, landing with a loud thud.
“Christ, are you alright?” Leaping off his horse, Finn was at her side in seconds, his hands reaching for her.
“Bloody hell,” she snarled, slapping his hand aside as she climbed to her feet. Finn watched as she brushed her breeches to remove the dirt. The sharp inhalation of her breath told him she was hurting somewhere.
“Where are you hurt, Phoebe? Let me see.” He reached for her again but she took a step backwards, which put her up against her horse, and glared at him.
“You had no need to call out to me. Had you not I would never have fallen.”
“In my defense, it was a surprise to see that it was you I have been watching perform all manner of tricks for the past few weeks that, now I think about it, make my hair stand on end.” He looked her over, taking in the worn jacket and fitted breeches that molded to her long legs. “I heard your hiss of pain, Phoebe. Tell me where you hurt?” Her hat had come off and the long plait was now loose and hanging over one shoulder. How the hell had he mistaken her for a man?
“I’m not hurt,” she snapped, looking like one of his brothers on the rare times he had to wake them before they were ready to rise. Surly and rumpled.
“My question was one of concern, Phoebe, nothing more.” She heard the rebuke in his words and closed her eyes briefly before looking up at him.
“Yes, I know it was, and thank you for your concern, Lord Levermarch. However, I assure you I am quite alright.”
As far as apologies went it, wasn’t delivered in the most gracious manner, yet it was one nonetheless.
“Is it your wrist that hurts? Let me see.” Stepping closer, Finn lifted it before she could stop him. She winced as he pushed up her sleeve to examine it.
“Please, my lord, there is no need—”
He touched the area, gently moving the wrist slowly.
“Have someone look at it, but I do not believe it is broken.”
“Thank you, Doctor Levermarch.”
“Don’t be petty, Phoebe. It doesn’t suit you.” Finn pulled her sleeve back down and then lowered her arm to her side.
He saw the flush of red in her face before she turned from him and lifted her good hand up to grip the mane of her horse.
“Please help me mount, my lord. It is past time I returned home.”
Finn ignored the leg she stuck out for him to assist her up and instead placed his hands on her waist and lifted her, seating her gently on the saddle. She fussed with the reins and then looked down at him.
“Thank you for not commenting on what I was doing, Lord Levermarch, as I know you wished to do.”
He braced a hand on the saddle behind her thigh before speaking.
“Phoebe, were you a woman in my family I would have lectured you from sun up to sun down about how reckless your behavior has been. I would then sell your horse and set someone to accompany you the minute you so much as stepped one foot from the house.” Finn held her eyes. “But as you are not, I can only say that I hope you know that what you are doing could result in serious injury to you; indeed, it could take your life.”
A small smile played around her lips and then, to his surprise, she touched a hand briefly to his shoulder.
“Well, then let me say how pleased I am not to be a woman in your life and add to that a thank you for not lecturing me, Lord Levermarch.
Finn snorted at her sarcasm.
“But just so you know, my lord, riding is something I excel at.”
“Yes, I had already noted that,” he drawled, pulling reluctantly away as she removed her hand from his shoulder and prepared to leave.
“Have a care please, Phoebe. I would not like anything to happen to you.”
She simply lifted a hand at his words and then, with her groom, they cantered away. Finn remounted and followed seconds later.
Some man was going to have a hell of a life with that woman, but it would not be he. Ignoring the twinge of regret, he nudged Titus out the gate and turned for home.
Snapping open the paper an hour later, Finn tried to focus on the first page and then lowered it as he had yet to pour his tea. Bloody woman, she was disturbing the best part of his day. The vision of her long legs and the sweet curve of her buttocks in those tight breeches would not leave his head.
Finn liked his morning meal. He usually sat in wonderful solitude and partook of a lengthy and substantial meal, believing this was the most important part of the day. He would read the paper that was neatly folded beside his plate, from cover to cover, drink an entire pot of tea and consume most of the contents of the dishes on his table. He did not have things laid out on a sideboard as other houses often did. Finn had everything at his fingertips. It was his time to indulge and he did, daily.
This morning, he was having ham and eggs with fresh, crisp rolls slathered with butter.
“I bet he has a table full of food!”
“I could drink the tea direct from the pot!”
“I could eat a raw egg about now, it’s been so long since our last meal.”
“May God have mercy on my blighted soul,” Finn growled as the loud voices reached him. “Our peace is disturbed, Narrow,” he said to his butler, who was placing a steaming dish of eggs in front of him.
“So it would seem, my lord,” his butler said now, moving sedately toward the door where he opened it in time for Finn’s twin brothers to rush through the portal.
“By Jove, Finn, we are awful glad to be home,” Benedict said loudly as he threw his brother a brief wave before hauling out a chair and falling into it.
“Yes, indeed,” his twin brother added, offering Finn a cocky salute before doing the same.
“You will both go back out that door and up to your rooms to wash and change,” Finn said, looking at the dirt smeared on Ben’s face and Alex’s filthy hands.
“But my clothes are immaculate, Finn,” Alex said looking offended.
“Your hands, however, are not.”
“We’re famished, Finn. Have you no feelings for your poor, hungry brothers?” Ben added, looking pathetic which failed to touch
his older sibling.
“If I am to share my table with you both, you will at least be clean. Now, go and do as I say and I shall have Narrow heat tea and bring more food. It shall be awaiting you upon your return.”
Finn kept his expression somber as they dragged their feet to the door.
“If it was lunch he wouldn’t be so particular, Alex, but you know how he is about his morning meal.”
“Unfeeling is what he is.” Alex glared over his shoulder.
“I’m glad you’re home,” Finn said as they were about to leave.
His brothers grunted something but he missed it, and then slammed the door as they departed.
He had managed two full pages of the paper and a cup of tea before they returned. Alex, of course, looked his usual immaculate self. His brother had a flair and style rarely seen; however, it appeared to have escaped his twin, whose hair was standing on end and the edge of his collar was tucked inside his shirt. At least they were now both clean.
“Now, brothers, who is going to tell me why you have returned from my hunting lodge so soon. It is still in one piece, I hope?”
They loaded their plates and filled their cups before speaking. At twenty-two, Ben was a fair way towards developing Finn’s build, big and solid, but his eyes were brown, almost the color of Phoebe’s, and his hair was the same. Alex had his coloring but a leaner physique. Looking at them, he felt the familiar tug of protection he’d always experienced when they were near. He’d lay his life down for these two if need be.
“We simply missed you and the excitement of London, Finn. Surely there can be no further reason required for our return,” Ben said, holding his eyes steady.
Ben could lie better than anyone Finn knew, and had been doing so since he was old enough to know it got him out of trouble if he wasn’t caught in the act.
“Yes, we were simply longing to come back and enjoy the remainder of the season,” Alex said, looking at his plate. Unlike his brother, he couldn’t lie worth a damn. “And we had shot all the birds at your lodge.”
“If I thought you believed that ridiculous statement I would send you back to school, Alexander.”
He flushed, realizing just how foolish he had sounded, and stuttered something unintelligible while sending Ben a desperate look.
“Must we tell you?” Ben said, glaring at his brother.
“Did you kill or maim anyone?”
“No!”
“Destroy any property?”
“No!” they said, sounding totally affronted that Finn would even suggest such a thing.
“Gambled every cent you owned away and then borrowed to stake another run at the tables?”
Alex sighed loudly. “It happened four years ago, Finn, and has not happened since. We have never again stepped foot inside a gambling hell, nor would we go back on our word to you.”
Finn saw the memory of that day in the twins’ eyes, when he had hauled Alex and Ben from that hell. It was not a moment any of them would forget.
“Forgive me. I sometimes still see you as the small, defiant, twelve-year-old boys I found causing mayhem at my estate many years ago.”
“We no longer gamble, Finn, you can be assured of that if nothing else.”
Finn nodded at Ben’s words. “Then I fail to see the problem, because unless you ravished some poor innocent…Ah.” Finn could see the twin looks of guilt.
“But there was no ravishing. More’s the pity,” Ben added.
“My mind is at peace,” Finn drawled.
Alex was designated speaker after a shared look, and he began to tell a convoluted tale that Finn took several minutes to decipher.
“So let me see if I have this correct. You coerced two respectable young ladies to my hunting lodge where you intended to ply them with wine and then seduce them.”
“No!”
“We’d never do that!”
“They had their maids with them and it was merely going to be a picnic outside. The problem arose when we realized that neither lady had told their parents…”
“More importantly, their fathers,” Ben interrupted, his face suddenly anxious as he remembered the incident.
“We were cast in a dark light, Finn, as the fathers believed we were about to engage in nefarious activities,” Alex said.
“Which you were not?” Finn added. Had he ever been this young? He felt extremely old, even though he was only six years their senior, as he watched them start shoveling large quantities of food into their mouths again. Obviously, the trauma of the moment had passed now they had unburdened themselves.
“Absolutely not, and I’m insulted that you would think otherwise, seeing as it is you who has thumped manners into us for so many years I’ve lost count,” Alex looked indignantly at his older brother.
Finn held up both hands as he laughed. “I just needed to clarify everything in case a large Scottish gentleman or two knock on my front door. What?” he then questioned as his brothers stared open-mouthed at him.
“You just laughed. Did you see that, Ben? Finn laughed in the most natural way.”
Ben nodded, his eyes focused on Finn.
“I laugh.” Finn felt moved to defend himself. Surely he had laughed in the presence of his brothers before?
“Not really, not spontaneously. Usually when you are telling us off you have what we term your menacing look,” Alex said, refilling his cup.
“Yes, it’s more a scowl, wouldn’t you say, Alex?”
Tilting his head to one side which made his hair flop into his eyes, Alex studied Finn.
“Am I such an ogre, then?” He wasn’t sure how he felt about his brothers descriptions of his character. His life had been full of responsibilities since his father’s death and his mother’s move to France with her new husband. There had been no room for fun and laughter, he supposed, but Finn had always believed he could enjoy a joke when warranted and even make one himself if he felt the urge.
“Not an ogre precisely, brother,” Ben said. “We understand you have responsibilities, us included.” He looked at Alex, who nodded back encouragingly. “But you are a very serious chap. In fact, we had this conversation just a day ago, didn’t we, Alex, about how surprised we are that Will is your best friend considering his humorous disposition.”
“I can be humorous.” Finn could hear the defensiveness in his tone. His brothers wore identical expressions of skepticism. “I bloody well can!”
“There!” Ben pointed at Finn’s head. “That’s the menacing look.”
Finn gave up then; after all, his brothers were not the only ones who had alluded to his serious demeanor. Both Will and Phoebe had made many remarks to that end.
“Good God, is that a secretive smile?”
“What?” Finn glared at Ben.
“You just had a secretive smile on your face. What were you thinking about?”
“That’s a woman smile,” Alex said thoughtfully. “Have you a woman in your life, Finn?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I was thinking of my morning ride. A young person was doing tricks on the back of a horse.” It wasn’t a lie, she was a young person.
“Really! I would have loved to see that. We’ve decided to go to The Royal Amphitheatre one night, haven’t we Ben?”
“Indeed, then we thought to practice a few—”
“I forbid it,” Finn interrupted before Ben could finish his sentence. “The last time you two attempted to stand on a horse’s back Alex was in bed with broken fingers and a bruised head for days.” The twins gave him a smile which told Finn they had been doing what they did best, trying to get a rise out of him.
“We need new clothes, Finn, if we are to be seen about town.”
Finn picked up his newspaper and opened it. “Do you, Alex?”
“Yes, because while you have perfected the mourning look, we feel it is not right for us. Therefore, we thought to go shopping today if that would suit you?”
“And am I to fund this venture?” Finn left the mourning c
omment untouched, remembering Phoebe had said the same thing last night. Really, it was lucky his ego could withstand this constant battering or he’d be a gibbering wreck.
“Well, I have only made one investment, as you very well know, and Alex the same, although it’s my belief he has a bit of blunt tucked away and is not sharing it.” Ben glared at his brother.
“I’m simply doing as Finn suggested we do, Benjamin, and looking to reinvest.” Ben didn’t care for his brother’s lofty tone and lobbed a piece of toast at him.
“Cease at once!” Finn roared, knowing exactly where that action would lead.
Throwing his brother a look that suggested retribution was only on hold, Alex said. “We are merely poor young men finding our way in the world, whereas you, on the other hand, have far more money than—”
“I would leave the rest of that sentence in your head were I you, Alexander,” Finn said. “We shall leave in an hour and I shall accompany you to make sure you don’t bankrupt me.”
The twins moaned but fell silent when he lifted his paper and blocked them from his view, thereby signaling the end to the conversation.
“I have to meet someone first, then will catch up to you after, if that is alright. And if we are being honest, it is Ben who needs the new clothes. Actually, what he needs is a lesson in style. However, as he will not take it from me, perhaps you could guide him, Finn. He has your coloring, so muddy brown and soot black should be just the ticket.”
Finn waited for the explosion behind his paper, but to his surprise it never came.
“Can we take out your new grays, Finn?” Ben said instead, for once ignoring his brother’s taunts.
“No.”
“Perhaps we should go to Tattersall’s as well, Finn, as Ben and I are both in need of new mounts?”
Finn didn’t see his brothers nudging each other but he knew what they were up to. They both worked on the theory that if they asked for a few things at once then Finn would give in and relent to at least two.
“If you are going to pay for the said new equine purchases, I am more than happy to look them over before you buy.”
“You’re a terrible nip-farthing,” Alex moaned.