Page 66 of The Best Marquess

Pippa went still as various conversations began clawing at her brain.

“Good morning, my lord. Are you here to visit Miss Abby?”

“Is she here? I thought Abby usually went visiting at this time.”

“She is next door, visiting Miss Bridget. They often take tea together. Would you like me to go and fetch her?”

“No! Ah…no. I shall see her next time.”

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Finn had been so tense.

“Who is Abby?”

“An employee here. The one I told you about, with the little girl. I’m overprotective of her privacy; in the past she has been treated so badly by those around her.”

A little girl.

“Many noblemen are complete arses about baby girls. But they are wonderful and precious…”

Pippa held her head as black spots danced in her vision, and for one horrible moment she thought she was going to faint.

No. No. No.

A hand began rubbing her back, alongside Lilian’s voice in her ear encouraging her to take deep breaths. But a scream of denial bubbled in her throat.

Finn had said she didn’t have to share. That he had a particular preference for spectacle-wearing Pippets.

“He kept my handkerchief,” she croaked, all strength, all composure gone as the earth rocked wildly beneath her. “He said he loved me.”

“I’m sure Finlay can explain,” said Georgiana, her hands fluttering in distress.

“Certainly, he can,” soothed Lilian, patting Pippa’s arm.

“Don’t be foolish,” said Lady Kingsford smoothly, her eyes bright. “When it is yellow and quacks and paddles, it is a duck. But if you think this no more than gossip, go to Golden Square without invitation. Find out for yourself.”

Trapped in the worst hell imaginable of possible Finn betrayal and her grandmother being correct, Pippa could only nod. Facts. She needed facts.

“I will.”

At the Golden Square townhouse, Finn closed the thigh-high gate behind him, glancing left and right past the mews. The entire journey here he’d felt the oddest prickling sensation of being followed. But when he’d looked around, all he’d seen were people going about their day; carts and carriages and hackneys minding their own business.

Gah. This whole inheriting a title nonsense had scrambled his wits. But he’d needed to come here today to talk to Abby about meeting Pippa. Now that he was the marquess, they could construct any story about her past that Abby wanted, so she and Nerissa could visit. He was certain that Pippa would get on marvelously with his sister, and Nessie was just so much fun. Between her and Amanda, they would have plenty of opportunities to spend time with young ones until they decided to have children of their own.

“Sweetie!”

At the crow of delight, Finn laughed and crouched down on the tiny courtyard, waiting while Nessie staggered toward him on her plump toddler legs, Miss Wabbit clutched firmly in one hand. When she reached him, they went through their usual greeting ritual of a kiss for the rabbit and a hug for her. How long she indulged him depended entirely on how tired she was, then she would start patting his cravat in search of her favorite treat which would magically appear in his hand. He’d even purchased fresh marzipan for the occasion.

“Nessie!”

They both looked over to see Abby appear at the door of the townhouse, looking flushed and flustered.

Finn sent her a sympathetic look. “Do I take it that her presence out here is a surprise?”

“Not a surprise, but Nessie moves so damned fast. If I look away for a minute, she’s gone. My only saving grace is the fence, otherwise who knows where she would end up…Finlay, you’d better not be feeding her marzipan, I swear to God.”

Nessie beamed at her mother, took the orange square out of her mouth and offered it over. “Sweetie is here.”

“I have no idea where she got that,” said Finn innocently.