Page 66 of Almost a Countess

“Let us say I take caretae put my ear tae the ground and listen tae what people say.”Uncle had a knack for gathering information, true. He’d beeninquiring about Sir Harry from the moment they arrived in Town.“What I have learned does no’ agree with yer estimation o’ theman.”

“Do you malign Sir Harry’sreputation?” Downing puffed out his chest like a bantamrooster.

“I dinna dae that, mylord. However, on behalf o’ my nephew, I have looked intae SirHarry’s bona fides and I must say he is no’ what he may seem.”Uncle looked down his nose at the viscount.

“What can you have heard?I only met Sir Harry when I was in London, just last month. LordSwindon introduced us.”

“Swindon?” His unclesniffed. “No’ ’tall surprised then. A more thoroughly despicableman I’ve ne’er met. Sir Harry’s no’ in that league, thank God, butstill he’s got some shade in his past. Did ye ken he’s been widowedthree times?”

That took Finn by surprise. His earsperked up. No one should have so many wives, save Henry theEighth.

“Well, no.” Downing’smouth twitched, and he glanced away. “I knew he was widowed, but Ibelieved only the once.”

“Sadly, the first waskilled by a runaway carriage. She and Sir Harry had only beenmarried a year. He said he loved her and regretted they hadn’t hadchildren, but he married within a month o’ the woman’sdeath.”

Terribly hasty to wed so soon aftersuch a tragic death. Especially when there were no little ones tohave to look out for.

“The second one died inchildbirth, with her second child.”

“Well, there’s no fault tothat, my lord.” Lord Downing came to sit across from Finn and hisuncle.

“Likely no’. But it washer second child in eighteen months.”

“Egad.” Startled, theexpression slipped out of Finn’s mouth. How unkind to hiswife.

“Sir Harry apparentlywishes for masses and masses o’ children. He came from a family o’fourteen and believes it is his duty tae populate theworld.”

Scowling, Downing sipped his drink. “Isuppose the third wife died in childbed as well?”

“Nae, she apparentlytripped going down a flight o’ stairs. Broke her neck.”

Wincing, Finn glanced from his uncleto Lord Downing’s shocked face. Sir Harry’s wives certainly hadsome of the worst luck imaginable. How could Downing countenancesending his daughter off to what would probably be a deathsentence?

“Poor lady.” UncleAbernethy shook his head. “They too had been married about a year.Also without being blessed with children.”

A sickening realization had Finn readyto leap up, grab Dora, and head for the Scottish border. He’d neverallow her to marry this madman and end up constantly breeding ordead of a well-timed accident. “My lord,” Finn rose and stoodbefore Dora’s father, “I have every intention o’ making yerdaughter happy for the rest o’ her life, if ye will allow me t’ daesae. Whatever ye require in the way o’ settlements, my uncle willsee tae it.”

“I still do not believeSir Harry—”

“What my nephew hasneglected tae tell ye, my lord, likely from the embarrassment o’the situation, is that he and yer daughter contracted a match someweeks ago.”

Covering his face with his hand, Finnturned away from Lord Downing. He’d hoped his uncle would not haveto divulge his and Dora’s faux indiscretion, but if Downing wasstill dead set on Sir Harry even after that scathing indictment ofthe man he’d just heard, it was time for desperatemeasures.

“That’s no concern ofmine, Lord Abernethy.” A sneer appeared on Downing’s face. “Mydaughter has not reached her majority and therefore cannot sanctionher marriage to anyone.”

“Perhaps no’. However,both yer daughter and my nephew have confessed that on the strengtho’ that contract, they anticipated the wedding night,” his unclestared into Downing’s unhappy face, “several times in theensuing weeks. We are awaiting news noo as tae whether or no’ MissHarper is, in fact, increasing with a child that could be mynephew’s heir.”

The more his uncle talked, thenarrower Lord Downing’s eyes became until they were mere slitsspitting loathing at Finn. “Nevertheless, I have, in good faith,given my word to Sir Harry.”

Uncle Abernethy rose, tall andimposing. “I’m certain, should the word get out about the youngcouple’s scandalous liaison and Miss Harper’s ‘interestingcondition,’ that Sir Harry will be verra forgiving o’ her, with herruined reputation. And the child she would bear who would no’ be o’his getting.”

Downing rose, his face florid to thepoint of apoplexy. “Fine, let the two marry. I’ll be certain to getmy pound of flesh in the settlements.”

Letting out a breath he seemed to havebeen holding for hours, Finn had to restrain himself from shoutingto the rafters. A moment before, he’d all but lost hope, the manhad seemed so determined to marry Dora to Sir Harry. Thank goodnessand his uncle’s unblinking countenance, he and Dora could lookforward to a wonderful life together.

“I’ll call around tomorrowabout the settlements.” Uncle Abernethy bowed, a slight smile onhis lips. “Meanwhile, Aberfoyle and I will apply at the Archbishopo’ Canterbury’s office tae acquire a special license. I believe thecouple means tae marry as soon as possible.”

“That they will not.” LordDowning looked up at his uncle, a fierceness in hisstance.