Page 54 of The Best Marquess

“Speaking of wives…how is Lady Pippa? She must have whiplash as well.”

Finn nodded. “She is upstairs right now helping to bath and dress Father’s body. I’m not sure how I will ever make this up to her. Do you want to be introduced? I can go and get her.”

“Not today,” said Abby gently. “I need to manage my own thoughts and emotions about Pinehurst’s death before meeting anyone. But soon. Now, I need to get this poppet home for her nap or she’ll turn into England’s smallest despot. Take care, Finlay. And know there is a friendly ear and sticky toddler hugs at Golden Square whenever you need them.”

He swallowed hard. “I am grateful to have you in my life.”

“I feel the same about you. But Nessie isn’t the only one who needs a nap. You look dreadful. Off you go.”

Finn laughed reluctantly.

About the soundest advice he’d heard all day.

Chapter 11

The amount of horseshit she had heard today was more than any woman should endure.

“Bless you, my dear, for granting Lord Pinehurst’s final wish. How fortunate you are to have married the son of a truly exalted man.”

“You must be devastated at the loss of a fine, upstanding peer.”

“We shall miss Pinehurst terribly in the House. And at our club. Won’t be the same without him. My word, the entire city should be shrouded in black at the demise of such a lion.”

“He was a great leader, who worked tirelessly to stamp out sin in this realm. But also, a splendid husband and father…”

Pippa’s smile was so fixed, so frozen in place, she might not ever be able to talk again. Everything about this occasion was her personal purgatory; trapped in a soulless, black-draped drawing room with a dead body, hundreds of people traipsing through and draining their supplies of tea and brandy, the conversation nothing but long and detailed anecdotes of an utterly vile man. And it wouldn’t be over anytime soon. Hanover Square had become the busiest place in London, with carriages jostling for place and grooms holding horses on the grass while lords and ladies and politicians and clergymen paid their respects. Or on a more uncharitable note, ensured they were seen doing so by others.

A heavy wooden trestle table had been set up in the middle of the room, and atop it lay Lord Pinehurst’s intricately carved coffin. His body had been wrapped in a black silk shroud; she would probably have nightmares forever about the preparation of his body for this damned circus. At least it was winter though. Heaven knew how families managed all this in the heat of summer; every so often the putrid stench of death would assault her nostrils, and it didn’t seem to matter how many wreathes of mint and camphor they put around the body. On several occasions she’d been forced to press a scented handkerchief to her nose so she didn’t cast up her accounts all over someone’s shoes.

The only saving grace was that Pinehurst would be entombed later this afternoon.

“How are you, Pippa? Or should I say Lady Knighton?”

She turned in genuine joy to see Natalie Voyce. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you. Perhaps a turn about the room?”

Her friend nodded and offered her arm. “That bad?”

“Oh no, much worse. You know how I felt about him. He treated Finn and her ladyship abominably. But for an entire day I’ve been forced to listen to stories about how wonderful he was. What an example of saintly moral virtue. All while wearing black bombazine and rustling like I’m making a nest in the middle of a shrub.”

“Then I’ll not ask a single question about his lordship’s passing. Instead, I’ll demand you share all the details of how you foiled your grandmother. My aunt is torn between glee and shock at the news you married Knighton.”

“Not sure I did foil her,” Pippa admitted. “As soon as I learned that the old marquess was poorly, I rushed over here to support Finn. Then Lord Pinehurst insisted we get married, and Lady Pinehurst became hysterical and begged us to. Everyone was staring at me and Finn, including the archbishop himself…and I found myself agreeing to a wedding. I got dressed in Lady Pinehurst’s chamber, they fetched Exton and other members of my family, and we were married in the marquess’s bedchamber by special license. Something that Lord Pinehurst had arranged, by the way. So, it wasn’t me that foiled my dastardly grandmother, it was an evil marquess on his deathbed.”

Natalie’s eyed widened. “My goodness.”

“I know. It is quite a tale. To add to it, his lordship passed the following morning.”

“Then I’ll ask you once again, and I truly want to know the answer…how are you?”

Pippa straightened her shoulders against a wave of pure weariness. “I don’t even know, to be honest. I think at some point I will fall over on the floor and need to be carried to a room where I’ll sleep for a week. The events of the past few days…the macabre things I’ve had to do…” she finished with a full body shudder.

Her friend wrinkled her nose. “Oh God. Preparation of the body?”

“Indeed. I swear I’ll never read another gothic novel, now that I’ve seen death up close.”

“I would feel exactly the same. And how is Lord Knighton faring? I was going to congratulate him on being fortunate enough to marry you, but the wall of women around him cooing and offering handkerchiefs and hot tea was several feet thick. They all know he is a husband and not a bachelor now?”

Pippa snorted. “I’m not sure that would even deter some of them. The brunette who keeps patting his arm is going to lose that hand if she doesn’t cease and desist.”