To Resist a Scadalous Rogue_Once Upon a Scandal by Liana De la Rosa

Author:Liana De la Rosa [Rosa, Liana De la]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Action & Adventure Romance Fiction; Historical British Fiction; Historical Regency Fiction; Regency Historical Romance; Women's Historical Fiction; Historical Fiction Short Stories; Historical Fiction; Historical European Fiction; Romance; Love, Earl; Viscount; Jewish; Historical; Political intrigue; Redemption; Politics; Forbidden love; Secret; Widow; Teacher; Across the Tracks; Reformed bachelor; Entangled; Single Title; Historical Romance; Regency Romance; Diverse Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Amara)
Published: 2019-05-30T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

“What else is on your schedule?”

Finlay pushed an empty coffee cup aside and glanced at the agenda his secretary had included in his stack of paperwork for the day. As his eyes focused on the long list, he quelled a sigh. “Several meetings, including one with Matthews, before your dinner party. Then I leave to Weobley tomorrow for canvassing.”

Inverray relaxed back into his chair and propped a booted foot over his knee. Although the coffee shop they’d convened at was filled to the rafters with MPs, secretaries, barristers, and the like, their collective noise resembling a busy hornets’ nest, Inverray somehow appeared unperturbed. “Gad, I don’t envy you.” He leaned over to glance at Finlay’s list. He stabbed a finger at a line. “Kiss babies, commiserate with the elders, and talk cricket with the men in the pub. Once you buy them a round of ale, they’ll be slapping you on the back and buying you pints.”

“I’m beginning to think this standing for Parliament business merely involves a whole lot of pandering,” Finlay said on a chuckle.

“Grasped that lesson already, have you?” Inverray raised his hand to summon a server and ordered another cup of coffee. “Sometimes you will find the easiest path is to grin and laugh.”

Propping his elbows on the table, Finlay massaged his temples. He’d been traveling back and forth to Weobley, meeting voters, attending party meetings, shaking hands, and doing a lot of smiling. He was done with smiling. He just wanted to sleep.

“The Eddingtons will be at dinner.” Inverray paused as he accepted his cup of coffee from the server. After taking a sip, he regarded Finlay over the brim. “I take it Miss Eddington is a candidate for the future Lady Firthwell.”

Finlay shrugged, even as his palms grew sweaty. “Eddington has been generous with his connections. If I must listen to his daughter play the pianoforte as compensation, I will gladly do it. At least she is semi-accomplished at the instrument.”

“And she’s quite bonny.” Inverray’s gray eyes held a smile.

“Her attractiveness is a bonus,” Finlay conceded.

“Yet…I don’t detect much interest from you.”

“Yes, well.” Finlay signaled for another cup of coffee as well, desperate for a distraction.

“Matthews would deem her a prime candidate for a wife,” Inverray pushed, regarding him with his mouth quirked.

“Then perhaps he should marry her,” Finlay bit out, before he snapped his jaw shut. “My apologies. I shouldn’t be directing my annoyance at you.”

“If I were considering a bride based solely on her suitability to host political events,” Inverray said, his lips tilting up, “well, I would be irritable, too.”

“You don’t seem to have been hurt by your lack of a wife.” Finlay cringed at the peevish tone of his words.

“That’s because I have two sisters who’ve served as my hostesses. Juliana is a natural. Welcoming, clever, and well versed on the issues. When she plays hostess for Ashwood and me, the event is sure to be a success.” The marquess’s expression darkened for a moment. “I never really know what kind of hostess Flora will be.

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