Page 26 of The Lady’s Reckless Abandon (Safely in Scotland #1)

“T hey are coming. All of them,” Lily said in surprise as the missive in her hand fell to her lap. It had been over a month since she’d written to her family to tell them their happy news. Finn had all but assumed they weren’t going to respond.

Fortunately he had many ways to keep her from worrying about it. They found endless opportunities to steal away to make love. The bench where they’d kissed had been put to better use than just kissing.

They couldn’t get enough of each other. Her appetite for him seemed endless. He wondered if it might be because of her condition. He’d heard from married men that a woman in the early months of pregnancy were hungrier than usual. He was happy enough to keep up with her.

“I told you they would come,” Finn said, because a husband did not miss a chance to say so when he could.

“It seems they will be here in the next few days.”

His smile dropped away when he saw his wife turn pale.

“Should I have not encouraged you to invite them? Do they cause you such distress?”

She shook her head.

“In truth, they never have. I’m just surprised they wish to come all this way. To see me.”

“They are your family. Of course, they would want to see you happy.” Though he wasn’t certain this was true of Lily’s family. From the things she’d said, and the way they were in no kind of hurry to bring her back home when she might have needed their assistance and understanding, they were nothing like his family. Or how his family had been.

“Yes,” Lily said with a shaky smile. “I’m sure you’re right.”

As it turned out, he was not right.

*

Millicent and her husband, Baron Chanting, were the first to arrive. Lily thought it might be best to start off with the worst of them. The baroness was eight years older than Lily, so it might seem they should be the closest, but the furthest thing was true.

“Lily,” her sister said with her gaze on Lily’s husband instead of her. If the flare of her eyes were any indication, her sister found the duke impressive. Who wouldn’t? He stood over Chanting by nearly a foot and was handsome in a stormy sort of way. She knew how his face, shaven closely that morning, would be growing rough this late in the afternoon. And how that felt along her thighs. She let out a huff. Visitors meant she wouldn’t be able to drag Finn to the settee.

Millie’s own husband was rather dowdy. He was ten years older than Millicent, and Lily had heard Millie tell Maribel she couldn’t wait for him to pass so she could be a widow. They had a small son, so Millie’s future was set.

Lily’s brother by marriage gave a small bow and nod to her and Finn.

“Congratulations on your marriage. I hope it is a happy one.” He couldn’t have looked less enthused. Lily refrained from asking the man to take care with his health so as to put a wrench into Millie’s plans.

Instead, she smiled and simply said, “Thank you, my lord. We are so pleased you and my sister have come.”

Millie was still looking at Finn as one might consider a delectable dish, when he placed his hand on Lily’s lower back and escorted her into the house.

“You must tell me how this situation came to be,” Millie said as if there was some scandal involved. The fact that there was a scandal involved should not have been relevant.

She and Finn had only just solidified the story for her family.

“We have plenty of time for that. And we should wait until the others arrive so we only have to tell it the one time,” Finn suggested.

Lily pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. She wondered if the reason he only wanted to tell it once was to avoid the chance they would deviate. Heaven forbid each member of her family heard a different account.

In the foyer, Oliver waited for instructions.

“Please see the Baron and Baroness to the Jasmine Rooms.”

“This way.” He led them upstairs followed by a line of footmen carrying more trunks than was warranted for two adults. Lily wondered if her sister planned to leave before Christmas.

Dear God, please let this visit go well.

*

“Are you saving the Rose Room for Maribel as it is her favorite?” Finn asked when they were out of sight.

“I knew Millie wouldn’t want to share a room with her husband so the Jasmine rooms will give them space.”

Finn nodded and hoped he’d never find himself in the same predicament. Spending his nights next to Lily had quickly become one of his favorite things.

It was only a few minutes before they were back out on the steps awaiting another carriage to come to a stop. Her father and brothers stepped down. Matthew, the youngest, came forward and picked Lily up as if she were a doll before he spun her around.

Finn’s heart fairly leaped into his throat. He’d been so careful with her and now this man was tossing his pregnant wife about. Before he managed to reach out to stop him, he set Lily back on her feet. She smiled, seeming in fine health, but he looked for any sign she was hiding her pain.

“I’m fine,” she assured him, likely to relieve his worried frown. “This scamp is my younger brother, Matthew. This is Maxwell, and this is my father, Lord Devon.”

Finn pressed his lips together when remembering the marquess’s name was Marcus. Marcus the Marquess. He found it more amusing than Lily had. He returned their bows.

“Your Grace,” Matthew said, but he was looking at Lily with a smirk. It took a moment before she looked up, realizing he was speaking to her. Finn found that amusing as well. “It’s so strange to think of you as a duchess. I do believe that will be the last time I call you that.” He shook his head in distaste.

“Sister,” Max said, avoiding the title completely.

Her father followed suit, with a simple, “Daughter.” He looked her over quickly before turning his attention to Finn. “Are we to stand about out in the poor weather?” With that he turned and went into the house.

Finn and Lily exchanged a look of confusion.

“Do you think he called me “daughter” because he’s forgotten my name?” she asked with a wince.

“Of course not.” Though he couldn’t be sure. As they followed the group inside, Finn spared a moment to look out at the clear blue sky.

This visit was sure to be a mistake his wife would remind him of for all his days.

They were brought out to the steps twice more when Maribel and her husband arrived. Followed by Martha.

After giving their guests time to be refreshed in their rooms, they gathered in the drawing room before dinner. The room was full of chatter, the way such rooms should be. Filled with family.

He gave Lily’s hand a squeeze and she cleared her throat before speaking.

“It is time to go into dinner. I thought perhaps after dinner we could gather in the music room and I can entertain you by playing,” Lily offered after sending him a nervous smile. He’d encouraged her to play for her family, for surely they would be awed by the experience.

“Rather than sitting around, I think we would be better entertained with a game of charades,” Maribel said, and Millie quickly agreed.

“Oh, certainly,” Lily was quick to change her plans to appease her sisters. Finn wanted to speak up, but his wife sent him a quick shake of her head.

“A game of whist would be fun,” Max suggested.

“I believe you’ve lost everything but your shirt on whist, what else do you have to offer, brother?” Matthew taunted his older brother who winced.

“What is this?” the marquess asked. Max punched Matthew in the arm before turning to face his father.

“It is nothing of note, Father. Matthew exaggerates.”

“Not by much,” Matthew muttered loud enough for all to hear.

“I don’t know why young men insist on gaming and drinking and carousing. Such a waste of time. I hope you don’t allow your husband to overspend his fortune.” Millie leaned closer and whispered to Lily. “If you can’t keep him in your bed, at least you should be allowed to buy nice things.”

He expected Lily to stand up to the vile wretch and tell her Finn was a faithful husband. That she needn’t worry about where he spent his nights for he was smitten with Lily, but he watched as Lily seemed to shrink right before his eyes.

His brave wife didn’t speak up. She just stood there twisting her fingers as her sister continued on.

“Men like the duke will want the attentions of a more alluring woman,” Maribel added. Finn noted Martha didn’t say anything. She was not as despicable as the other two, but she didn’t defend her younger sister either.

“But I’m sure he’ll want an heir, so you will enjoy his company for a while at least. Unless,” Millie looked at the jewels at his wife’s neck. “Has he given you any extravagant gifts? That’s a sure sign he has a mistress already.”

Lily placed a shaking hand on the diamond dangling at her throat, a gift he’d given her just the day before, and the sisters laughed as Lily’s face went pale.

Finn had seen enough.

He cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention and in his most arrogant, ducal tone addressed the evil creatures he’d mistakenly invited into his home.

“I would remind you all, that Lily is my duchess and outranks everyone in this room, with exception of me. As such, she has chosen the entertainment for this evening. I would certainly think the children of a marquess would understand the proper way for a guest to behave. Did your older daughters not have the benefit of being taught such things, my lord? They do you a grave disservice.”

The marquess glared at his older daughters and whispered, “Hold your viper tongues.”

Finn knew better than to think he’d done such to come to his youngest daughter’s defense, it was only because a duke had called out his children’s poor conduct that he had acted.

The baroness gave Lily a snide grin before offering a bow so low it could only be called mocking. “I am most looking forward to hearing the duchess play for us. I do hope you’ve improved so we will not have to watch you stumble over the keys.”

“My wife is the most accomplished musician I have ever heard,” Finn said and cast the ruthless woman a stern look before sending a bright smile to his wife who looked as if she wanted to escape the room. He would have happily gone with her.

“Shall we?” Lily said before leading them all into the dining room where things were surely bound to get worse.