Page 43 of The Moonstone Marquess
“My lord?” He glanced hesitantly at Cormac and muttered a thank you at his nod.
“These little imps are my nieces, Lady Ella and Lady Imogen. Move over, girls, and make room for the lieutenant.”
Imogen smiled at the young man. “Uncle Cormac lost his arm. Are you going to lose your leg?”
Chloe gasped. “Oh, Imogen. It is not a polite question to ask.”
“It’s all right,” Lieutenant Brennan said, taking the chair next to Chloe. “I actually broke the leg years ago. The doctors say I will always walk with a limp. Some days it is worse than others. I strained it a bit yesterday, which is why I am now using the cane.”
Cormac settled beside Phoebe, but he engaged his nieces first. “What do we have here, ducklings?”
“Strawberry tarts, Uncle Cormac. They’re delicious,” Ella said.
“Hmm, then I think I must have three. Grab a handful for yourself, Brennan.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“Lieutenant Brennan here has been assigned to oversee construction of an army hospital in the area. Moonstone Landing is one of the sites under consideration.”
“It is only in the early planning stages. But the village already has an army presence and a good port that may need to be widened. It is definitely in contention, assuming the village council wants us here.”
“The army’s plans have been all the talk for quite a while now,” Phoebe said. “I’m glad it is finally more than mere gossip. Do you have family in the area?”
Fionn blushed. “I have no family. That is…none that I have ever met. I grew up in a London orphanage, but left when they handed me over to a chimney sweep to work as his monkey.”
Chloe gasped. “As one of those little boys small enough to crawl up the chimneys and clean them out?”
He nodded. “Many of them die within the year, so I ran away. I preferred my chances living on the streets.”
“And now you are an army officer,” Chloe said. “How did that happen?”
“I was doomed to a life as a street urchin until taken in one day by Viscount Brennan. I’m not sure whatever possessed him to take me off the streets and give me a chance at a decent life, but who would ever refuse such a generous offer? I had no surname of my own, so he insisted I take his. He saw to my education and paid for my commission. I owe my life to him.”
“I knew him,” Cormac said. “He was a good man. Unfortunately, the new viscount leaves much to be desired.”
“Oh, then he’s passed?” Phoebe asked.
The young man nodded. “Yes, recently. This is why I stopped in the church. I wanted to pay my respects. A quick prayer to honor him. Not that the viscount would ever hear me. Nor does it matter where I am when I think of him, I suppose.” He shrugged. “I don’t really know what led me to the church today.”
Imogen set down her strawberry tart and looked up at him with her smeared little face. “I know why you came here.”
He smiled at her. “You do?”
She nodded. “To meet us so we can be your new family.”
He glanced at all of them, quietly stunned. “Ah…erm…that is very kind of you, Lady Imogen. But I would not dream of imposing. However, I shall be glad to consider you all my new friends. How is that?”
She gave her approval.
“And I shall be certain to stop in to see your uncle when I am back in Moonstone Landing. With your permission, my lord.”
“Please do, Brennan,” Cormac replied. “I do not give out invitations lightly. You are most welcome.”
“Thank you.”
Imogen cast her uncle the sweetest smile. “And maybe those naked ladies will be gone by then.”
Phoebe choked on her lemonade.
