Page 25 of Calling on the Matchmaker
Madigan paused upon the landing, his handsome features schooled into innocence. “I was just delivering a message from my mam inviting your whole family to eat the gander with us on Friday.”
The lad was delivering more than a message from his mam. He was delivering flattery and charm. Riley should know, he’d once done the same thing, and in the process hadn’t thought twice about asking for a favor in return.
He’d put his old ways behind him long ago, even before Helen died. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t recognize when someone else was using the techniques.
Madigan loped down the rest of the stairs. A moment later, the building door opened, then closed.
Lorette didn’t move except to raise mortified eyes to Riley. “I’m sixteen, Riley. You have to cease treating me like a child.”
Shewasstill a child. At least in his mind. But he stopped himself from saying so. After living with four sisters, he’d learned to tame his tongue if he wanted any peace. “You’re my little sister. And I’m just trying to protect you from a rogue like Madigan.”
“He’s not a rogue.”
“Oh, that lad’s a rogue if I ever met one.”
“I think he’s nice.”
Riley snorted. “He’s being nice because he wants something from you.”
Lorette stiffened.
Riley examined her more closely, this time noting the way she wouldn’t meet his gaze. Anger pricked at him. “What did he do? Try to kiss you?”
“No, Riley. No.” Her voice fell to a whisper, and she still couldn’t meet his gaze. “I might be naïve, but I’m not that easily swayed.”
He released the tension inside and lowered his voice too. Thewalls were thin, and he didn’t want to embarrass Lorette any more than he had to. “If he wasn’t trying to steal a kiss, then what did he want?”
She stared at her boots.
“Be honest with me, Lorette.”
Finally, she met his gaze, her eyes as guileless as always. “He says he needs to know all the things that make you angry and that you don’t like.”
What in the blazes? “Whyever would he want—?” Riley paused as understanding hit him. Madigan wasn’t the one who needed to know. He was gathering the information for Finola.
Lorette’s expression turned earnest. “It’s only because Finola wants to learn as much as she can about you before your wedding. She sent Madigan to secretly find out.”
“I see.” Yes, indeed. He did see. In fact, everything was as clear as if a gust of wind had blown through him and cleared away the cobwebs. After puzzling over the conversation he’d had in the Shanahan parlor last night, now he knew exactly how Finola had managed to drive away twelve suitors in two years.
Finola Shanahan was as sly as a fox. That’s how.
He almost smiled, but he was still too surprised to do anything but stand with his mouth open.
“You can’t say anything to Finola.” Lorette clutched his arm. “Madigan swore me to secrecy.”
“Of course. Finola is only trying to ensure that I’m suitable for her.” Bother it if she was. No, she was collecting information she could use to make him failed-suitor number thirteen.
“She doesn’t want to trouble you or our family if the match isn’t suitable.”
“Right enough.”
Wrong. Finola wanted to figure out what would send him running from her as fast as a hound with his head in a hornets’ nest. The question was why? Why had she driven away herprevious suitors, and why did she want to sabotage a match with him?
Several children exited a door nearby and noisily clomped past. He and Lorette paused their conversation, waiting for the group to descend the stairs and move out of earshot of their conversation.
He didn’t know Finola well yet, but during the interactions he’d had with her so far, he’d sensed the potential for more developing between them. Surely he hadn’t imagined the glances that indicated she’d been aware of him, of his presence.
Even last night, when he’d taken her hand in both greeting and farewell, she hadn’t been able to hide her quick intake of breath or the slight tremble in her fingers, and he’d assumed she felt the undercurrent between them too.
