Page 15 of The Lady’s Reckless Abandon (Safely in Scotland #1)

T he next morning when Lily didn’t come down to breakfast, Finn worried she’d found a way to leave in the dead of night to take up her journey to London.

Unfortunately, he learned she was not well enough to make the journey down to the breakfast room, let alone into another country.

“The dear thing has come down with a chill,” Mrs. MacDougal told him when he asked after Lily.

Finn took the stairs two and three at a time in his hurry to get to her. If she was in need of a doctor, he would send for one straight away. In the dimly lit room, he heard a sniffle followed by a cough. It was not proper at all for him to have entered her room without knocking or being permitted to enter after ensuring she was properly dressed. Hell, even then he shouldn’t have been in her room alone.

Where was Mrs. Prichard to push him out of the room to protect Lily?

“Lily?” he said as he went to the window to let in enough light to see.

She was settled against a pile of pillows. Finn imagined Mrs. MacDougal had fluffed each one before placing them for Lily to lean upon.

Lily’s hair was down. Brown ripples flowed over her shoulders, obscuring her breasts from his view. She was pale, but not dangerously so, in his opinion. Her cheeks still went rosy at his presence.

“Are you well?”

“Just a bit of sniffles. Mrs. MacDougal insisted I stay in bed this morning so she can fret over me. I feel I upset her yesterday when I left, so I’ll allow her fussing today to make amends. It seems only fair.”

Finn chuckled, so glad to hear she was not desperately ill. He relaxed and carried a chair over next to the bed.

“You upset me yesterday as well, so I hope you’ll brave a bit of fussing from me.”

“If I must,” she smiled.

“I will allow Mrs. MacDougal to descend on you with her magical broth. In the meantime, I shall retrieve a book from the library to read to you. Do you have a preference?”

“Something with a mystery. I like to try to guess at who is deceiving everyone. I hope to better sharpen my skills so I do not fall prey to such lies ever again.”

He shook his head and stood to leave the room. He hated the man even more than he already did for stealing Lily’s belief in herself. Wherever the man was this day, Finn hoped he was crippled with guilt. Or something more sinister than guilt.

Spending the day in Lily’s room was easier than Finn would have thought. Yes, she was still deliciously tempting, even with a runny nose, but he knew the cost of giving in to his desires. And even more so, the cost of not being strong enough to conquer the temptation. For he had hated not seeing her and spending time with her.

If he had no choice but to test himself with her closeness, he would do it so he would prove himself safe to be with her. He would no longer hide away. All that did was make him want her even more.

He chose a book and read until she drifted off for a rest in the late morning. He returned later when she was awake again. This time, Mrs. Prichard was there, frowning at him for being in the room with Lily when she wasn’t dressed for visitors.

In the end, she didn’t make him leave when Lily begged the woman to allow him to stay.

“Please, Mrs. Prichard, I’m wearing a robe, and I do feel so much improved when the duke reads to me.”

Finn winked at her.

The woman offered a disgruntled “hmm” before falling asleep in the corner. They had won this round.

*

Lily was well enough to get out of bed and come down for breakfast three days later. In truth, she had been well enough the day before, but she would admit to no one that she drew out that final day just so Finn would come sit by her bed to see to her amusement.

Along with things she would never admit were her two faked sneezes, a half dozen faked coughs, and wishing Mrs. Prichard would have reason to leave so they could be alone.

That last thing was a foolish fantasy and she was glad for her chaperone’s constant vigil, despite her sporadic slumber. Even sleeping, the woman’s presence was enough to keep Lily from doing anything improper.

When Finn smiled at her that morning as she stepped into the breakfast room, she was warmed through. All memories of the chill long forgotten.

“It is most wonderful to see you walking about this morning, Lady Lily. Won’t you join me?”

“Yes, thank you.” She made her way to the sideboard where the footmen helped her fill her plate. But Finn stood and took over for the footman who attempted to help Lily to her seat.

She saw a fleeting glimpse of his dimple as he took in her heaving plate. But of course, he was too polite to make mention of a lady’s considerable appetite.

“I do feel much recovered,” she said. “Thank you for your attentions despite it being my own fault I fell to illness.” She felt her cheeks heat at her silliness. What he must think of her, knowing all her long list of mistakes since they’d met.

The duke waved off her concern with a flick of his sturdy hand.

“I’m glad you decided to stay.” As if that was all he had to say about her blunder. So odd, when she was used to hearing endless warnings and admonishments from her family for the simplest infractions. It was the reason she preferred to stay quietly in the background and not call attention to herself.

Finn chatted easily during their meal, telling her of the improvements he’d made to the far field by assisting with a drainage ditch.

“It was good for me to get out and help with the work. To see what is involved. I’ve always allowed my steward to oversee such matters. While he does an excellent job, I think it was important for my tenants to see I care about their success.”

“An admirable thing, Your Grace. It should be a relationship, shouldn’t it?” she asked, thinking of the way her father couldn’t be bothered with anyone on their lands. And how shabby some of the cottages were when last she was permitted to go riding near them. “The tenants rely on the castle, but the castle also relies on the tenants. An equal partnership.”

He smiled at her and nodded.

“How right you are. Did you learn that from seeing how your father manages his properties?”

Her smile faded slightly as she shook her head.

“No. I’m afraid he has not been a good example of this practice. I read about it in a land management book.” She knew him well enough by now not to have bothered hoping that would be the last of that topic.

Which is why she was not surprised when he leaned closer and asked, “You read books on the subject of land management?”

She pressed her lips together hoping to hold in the explanation, but that lift of his eyebrow practically dared her to share her secrets with him.

“I had been listening in when my father and brother were arguing. The topic was not so interesting so I hadn’t noticed when someone came close to the door between my father’s study and his drawing room. So, I grabbed up a book so to look as if I’d been reading it.” He chuckled, and she went on.

“I was only glad to have picked it up correctly so it wasn’t upside down.”

He was laughing fully now so she continued.

“Max saw me and was quite displeased. He accused me of eavesdropping—which, of course, I was—so to prove him wrong, I settled in for the next two hours and continued reading the book. In truth, I found it so interesting—far more intriguing than hearing my father berate my brother for spending too much at the gaming tables—I took it to my room that evening to finish it.”

Finn was wiping tears from his eyes from laughing so hard. She was happy to have provided some happiness after everything he had done for her.

“Would you feel up for a ride today, so I might show you?”

“That would be lovely. I feel I have been inside for far too long. While I adore the violets in my room, I’d like to see some real flowers today.”

Mrs. MacDougal came through with finding a riding habit in June’s things. While it was dated, it was in good repair and fit well enough for Lily’s needs.

“I hope seeing me in his sister’s clothing doesn’t cause the duke any pain,” Lily said as Mrs. MacDougal helped her dress.

“Nay, lass. I’ve known him since he was a boy and can say he will only be glad they are put to use. Besides, I doubt the duke notices what ye are wearing when he looks at you.”

“Mrs. MacDougal!” Lily’s scold lost any real threat when she laughed.

“It is a shame Mrs. Prichard won’t be able to join you as she doesn’t ride. You two will have to be on your best behavior.”

Lily’s cheeks went warm at the woman’s insinuation. But Lily didn’t bother to lie and say she wasn’t glad her chaperone could not accompany them. She was looking forward to being with Finn alone.