Page 66 of How to Cross a Marquess (The Way to a Lord's Heart 3)

“You’re not acquainted with Lord Macklin?” said Helena. Her manner was a consummate combination of surprise and pity. She turned to the earl. “These are the husbands of my late neighbor Fairclough’s daughters. Mr. Symmes and Mr. Gissing. I met them at their weddings.” Her tone implied they were the barest of acquaintances.

“Ah.” Arthur nodded. “I see now. We did hear that Miss Fairclough had fulfilled the dying wish of her father and married Lord Chatton.” He emphasized the title.

“We have no evidence of such a wish,” snapped Symmes. “Fairclough left no instructions on that subject.”

A fussy man, Arthur thought, realizing that this was young John’s father. That was why he looked familiar. Fleetingly, he felt sorry for the boy. “Well, Miss Fairclough—or, I should say, the newMarchioness of Chatton—would know best about that.” Arthur watched the title sink in. “As I understand it, she was eager to fulfill her father’s dearest wish.”

“By eloping? And causing a scandal?” asked Gissing.

He was a blusterer, Arthur noted. He probably got his way quite often, with people who were intimidated by a looming figure and a loud voice. Fortunately, there were no such people present. “Scandal?” Arthur repeated. “I believe they married privately in accordance with her father’s wishes.”

“Everyone hereabouts knows how he felt,” Helena said. Her raised eyebrows emphasized that they were strangers in the neighborhood.

Arthur hoped they hadn’t heard Roger’s reckless talk about his first wife’s death. Or about the letters. He had the sudden sensation of walking a tightrope over the lair of a couple of snapping beasts. He found he rather enjoyed it.

“You are condoning this outrage?” Symmes said to Roger’s mother. “How can you?”

“I’m extremely fond of Fenella,” she replied. “I think she will make an admirable marchioness.”

Arthur approved her repetition of the young lady’s new title. Surely the advantages of the match would sink into these fellows’ hard heads soon? If they could care about anything but their own consequence.

“We’ll disavow the thing,” said Gissing. “A runaway Scottish marriage! We’ll drag her back here and—” Seeing the others’ expressions, he fell silent.

Helena drew herself up, the very model of a peeress depressing pretentions. “Iftheysay they are married,” she began. “AndIsay they are married, I cannot imagine who would question the fact. Or spread malicious gossip that might harm the marchioness’swhole family. Who would be so mean-spirited?”

“One would be forced to contradict that kind of rumor,” added Arthur. “And discredit anyone spreading it. Among the people who matter.” He brought the full weight of his personality to bear on their unwelcome guests.

“I don’t see what right you have to interfere,” said Gissing.

It was difficult for him to give up blustering, Arthur noted. Intimidation was obviously a pleasure as well as a—usually—successful ploy for him.

But now Symmes plucked at his sleeve.

“Lord Macklin is a good friend of our family,” said Helena. “He is certainly not interfering. Indeed we appreciate his support as he is acquainted witheveryone.” Her tone implied that her visitors, on the other hand, were not, and that they certainlywereinterfering.

“We’d better go,” muttered Symmes.

“It is rather late,” said Helena, adding a jot to their transgressions.

Gissing glowered at them. “You haven’t heard the last of this,” he growled. Turning on his heel, he stomped out. Symmes followed, with one uneasy look over his shoulder.

“Do you think Mr. Gissing will make trouble?” said Helena when they were gone.

“I think his colleague will convince him to let the matter rest. And Gissing will calm down once he has no one before him to bully.”

“Attempt to bully,” said Helena. “That was masterly.”

“Your handling of your obstreperous guests, you mean?”

“Yours.”

They exchanged a smile.

“What do you really think of this marriage?” she asked him. Not for the first time. “The match and the…imprudent way of it,” she added.

“I think it has every possibility of success.”

“And yet a distinct danger of failure,” she said.

---