Page 79 of How to Cross a Marquess (The Way to a Lord's Heart 3)

“An idiotic attitude. You know I don’t share it. But I would be delighted to do this for you.”

She bowed her head. “Thank you.”

Roger rode over on the familiar lane and was admitted to the Clough House by a doleful-looking maid. He found that a very different atmosphere had descended over the place since he’d last been inside. What had been a warm, well-run establishment now felt slipshod. There was dust in the corners. Tension showed in the set of the maid’s shoulders as she took him upstairs.

Fenella’s brothers-in-law, when he was brought to them in the drawing room, scowled at him. “This is the height of effrontery, showing your face here,” said Gissing, trying to use his bulk to loom.

Macklin had warned Roger about the man’s habit of bluster. “We are married to sisters,” Roger replied, trying with his tone to suggest that it was best they get along.

“Now that Fenella has money,” replied slender, satirical Symmes, openly mocking. “When you refused her before.”

Roger’s temper flared, but he suppressed it. He wasn’t going to be baited or pulled into side arguments.

“And you’ve caused a scandal,” said Gissing. “An outrage!”

Roger raised his eyebrows. This couldn’t be allowed. “I beg your pardon?” He outranked them, and he offered Fenella every advantage. Though he didn’t enjoy the process, those points had to be made. The brothers-in-law had no worldly reason to object to the match.

“Running off to Scotland,” said Gissing. “Disgraceful. Not to mention inconvenient. Kept us hanging about this wretched place far longer than we planned.”

“You might have gone home,” said Roger.

“With this scandal hanging over us?” asked Symmes. “I think not.”

“I really don’t know what you mean. We have been staying with Fenella’s grandmother, her favorite relative. Are you acquainted with Lady McClaren?” He knew that they’d barely met her. They didn’t move in such exalted circles. Pretension was tiresome, but these two deserved a setdown.

“Sheis part of this?” said Symmes.

“Our marriage, you mean? Of course.” And if this suggested that she’d known in advance, well, Fenella’s grandmother had agreed to the plan.

“We are looking into having this runaway marriage set aside,” said Gissing. “There is a case to be made.”

Pure bluster, Roger thought. Macklin was right. Gissing was accustomed to getting his way by intimidation. Still, Roger couldn’t believe he would dare hint at annulment. That was out of the question. He hated the very idea. He gave the two men his coldest, hardest stare. “If you try, you will be very sorry. Your wives will not appreciate the results.”

“Do you dare threaten us?”

“I defend my own,” replied Roger. “With every resource at my command.” He didn’t need to say that these were considerable. Here, in the neighborhood where his castle dominated the countryside, this was obvious.

The two men looked as if they’d tasted something foul.

“Perhaps we could get to business?” Roger continued. “And put the rest of this nonsense behind us.” He didn’t like them, but he didn’twantto be at odds. They were the ones fomenting trouble.

“We have no—” began Gissing, but Symmes silenced him with a gesture.

“You’ll receive Fenella’s portion of the estate,” said the latter sourly. “Most of that will come once this place is sold.”

“I might take the lead in that,” Roger offered. “I’m right here and know the local values.”

Gissing scowled at him. “We’ve already written to a top fellow in London,” he said. “Handled the sale of Rivington last year.”

“We should get a good price,” Symmes added. The thought seemed to lighten his mood. “I’ve ridden about the land. It’s in good order.”

Roger couldn’t resist. “Fenella did a superb job managing it throughout her father’s illness.”

“Did she say so?” Gissing’s laugh was patronizing. “I expect that was the steward. Already living under the cat’s foot, are you, Chatton?”

He meant it as an insult, but Roger didn’t care. It was a step toward accepting their marriage, and that was all he wanted from these two. Along with an honest accounting of Fairclough’s legacy, which he would see that they got. Beyond that, he and Fenella would let some time pass, and then they’d see them only at family gatherings now and then. He would do his best to get along with his new in-laws, if it was humanly possible.

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