“Meaning that she’ll arrive and perhaps spend a half hour before she vanishes. Unfortunately, the gossipmongers haven’t been as forthcoming in the identity of the man—or men—she’s chosen to accompany, if that’s even what she’s doing.”
“So you’ve chosen to malign her reputation within our family based on hearsay?” Finn snorted. “Since when do you put much stock in what comes from the gossips?”
“When the Storme name is continuously bandied about,” Andrew said with narrowed eyes. “I’ve worked too hard to keep our family in respectability, and I’d assumed the danger had passed once William married.” He leveled a look on the inspector. “However, Isobel is proving that not only have I been wrong, but that she’ll soon bring scandal right to my doorstep.”
“Drew is correct. I’ve also been concerned about Isobel’s comings and goings.” William nodded as he poured out a measure of brandy into his own snifter. “Or at least I was a few weeks ago. I’d even seen her sneaking out of the house well after dark. She doesn’t return until the wee small hours of the night, always disheveled.”
Bloody hell.Royce took a rather large gulp of his port. Would their indiscretions soon be discovered?
“Indeed. I’ve heard the same.” Slowly, the earl nodded. “However, I’d hoped she’d finally come to her senses, for the gossip had died down in recent days, and from everything I’ve seen, she’s stuck close to home.” He shrugged. “You’ve even confirmed that, William.”
“I have.” The inspector drained his brandy in two large gulps. “She’d been quite sad for a long stretch of days, as if her best friend had died, but since Isobel doesn’t have many close friends, I doubted that was the cause.” He heaved a sigh as he set his snifter on the table. “Then last night when I came to relieve Francesca at my mother’s bedside, I witnessed my sister sneaking down the corridor. She was dressed in dark clothes no doubt clearly chosen to help her blend in easily with the shadows.”
Finn fought off the grin that tugged at the corners of his lips. “Perhaps her clandestine behavior was for something else entirely. There’s no evidence she was going to meet a man for a tryst. There is every possibility she wished to attend a secret meeting for the advancement of women’s rights or some other such business.”
Andrew scoffed. “Except our cousin hasn’t shown a proclivity since we’ve known her.”
Out of necessity, Royce took another gulp of his port. Last night with Isobel had drawn him closer to her than ever before. It hadn’t been his intention to have relations with her, but once the discussion was underway and she’d let him see her vulnerability when she’d never done so prior in their relationship, it had seemed the next natural step. And during that intimacy, he’d felt as if he’d given pieces of himself to her, that they might have come to a mutual understanding. So much so that they’d lain together in the empty clinic for a couple of hours following coitus. There had been no commitments, no decisions, no realizations that they were probably not well-suited. He’d simply held her, and it had been the most glorious night he’d ever spent with a woman.
Something he refused to share and would guard possessively.
“This is rather a sensitive subject and one that should be discussed among family,” he said with a healthy dose of wariness. “So why am I here?”
All three men focused on him. So much so that he had to quell the urge to tug at his suddenly too tight cravat. It was the earl who broke the silence.
“You are an honorary Storme and a doctor besides. I thought you might bring a different insight to this discussion.”
“On whether or not Miss Storme has taken a lover? Sometimes there are no obvious signs.” At least he hoped not, but then he hadn’t exactly seen Isobel outside of their clandestine meetings…
William rolled his eyes. “My sister has always been a bit on the wild side. She hasn’t appeared changed, this is true, and she remains the same tart-mouthed sibling she’s been in recent months.” He shrugged. “Perhaps she hasn’t found a lover, but I don’t like the idea she’s sneaking out of the house.”
“I rather think Cousin Isobel is more intelligent than to stumble back home looking like she’s been thoroughly bedded,” Finn added in such a droll tone that Royce couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. “And if that’s the case, then the man she’s taken as a lover must be quite clever as well.” For a fraction of a second, the man glanced at him with speculation in his gaze before sweeping his regard to his brother. “Regardless, if this is what she wishes, it’s her life and her decision. We have no part in it.”
“Poppycock!” The earl’s exclamation made Royce flinch in his seat. His face reddened, but then he took a few deep breaths and eventually he calmed. “I am the head of the Storme connection now. The lives of my brothers and cousins are my responsibility.” Again, he drew another deep breath and let it ease out as he looked at all of them around the table. “Even when you’re married and settled, I will still worry over you.”
William snorted. “Don’t you have your hands full with a new baby?”
“Don’t you with an increasing wife and a newlywed at that?” the earl shot back, but both men wore cocksure grins that alluded to a life Royce was quite left out of. “It’s because of your distraction that Isobel is in this mess.”
It was Finn’s turn to laugh. “Knowing our cousin as we do, I’m rather certain she’d find and coax trouble even if none of us were married. I knew it as soon as she read those pieces of erotic poetry last month.”
Both Royce and William exchanged amused glances. Oh, if only these men knew that evening had been the jumping off point to scandal he continued to chase with Isobel.
“Undoubtedly, that is true.” Andrew sobered. He took a sip of brandy. “However, if she lands in more disgrace than she’s currently courting, it will reflect poorly on all of us, and now we have another generation to worry over. The children don’t need any sort of taint on their names.”
Knots of anxiety pulled in Royce’s belly. That was something he hadn’t considered. To say nothing of the fact that he and Isobel hadn’t been as careful as they should have each time they’d indulged in intercourse. If something occurred, it would change both of their lives forever… and she would hate him for just as long. “Surely it’s not as bad as that.”
“Perhaps not just yet. What she needs is to be matched.” The earl glanced about the table. “Does anyone have a qualified candidate that has the nerve and drive enough to tame her?”
Royce frowned. “Why would you want Miss Storme tamed? Yes, her personality is a touch more wild than other women, and yes she’s a bit more unstable than others, but if you match her with a man who’ll take that from her, will she be the same woman?” His chest tightened with annoyance, for he didn’t like the thought of any other man being in her company.
“Interesting theory, Doctor.” For long seconds, Finn rested his gaze on Royce’s face. Could he tell just by looking that he’d been lying? That it was he who’d willfully engaged in illicit activities with the major’s cousin? “And one we should all consider, for when we married our wives, we certainly wouldn’t have if they hadn’t met us toe-to-toe in all matters.”
“Hmm.” The earl sat back in his chair. “Meanwhile, ponder your connections. The trick is to see her hooked before she realizes she’s caught.”
Sitting there casually discussing Isobel’s potential future brought back the urge to retch. She was not an obligation to drop if one was tired of her, nor was she a piece of meat dangled to the nearest lion. Quickly, before he could voice unwelcome outrage, Royce took another sip of his port. “Where is Miss Storme tonight?”
William sighed. “She mentioned going to Radford’s ball but that if it proved dull, she’d come home early.”