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“Did you expect me to bring her in through the front door?” Finn glared at Claire. She didn’t understand anything about his world, its hierarchy, or his responsibilities.
“She is not a maid.”
“That’s for damn sure,” Finn said under his breath.
Claire punched him in the side. Hard enough to make him grunt. “What was that for?”
“For being a dolt.” Claire crossed her arms beneath her breasts and glared at him.
“It’s all right, Miss Thorne. I understand,” Katherine said. Apparently, her fire had been quite effectively stamped out. When he’d met her, she’d been sweet and charming and not a mouse of a woman. He wasn’t attracted to this Katherine at all. Which was good, because the faerie beside him drew all his attention.
What the devil was he going to do with Katherine?
***
“You can send her to your house in Bedfordshire,” Claire suggested.
“Charming place,” Katherine said.
“You’ve been there?” Claire couldn’t help but ask. Of course, Katherine had been there. She had been his mistress.
Katherine raised a brow at her. No response was necessary. “Haven’t you?”
“Of course, she hasn’t been there,” Finn said, denying her knowledge of the place.
“Of course not,” Claire muttered. “I only arrived a few days ago.”
“From where is it that you hail?” Katherine asked.
“I’m sure you’ve never heard of it,” Claire responded.
“Where have Lord and Lady Ramsdale been keeping you?”
“In the country,” Finn interjected.
“Alone?”
Katherine was interested in her life story. And Claire couldn’t share any of it. There was no reason to explain Claire’s hair color or the fact that she was at that damn ball in the first place, since Katherine would hopefully never see Claire again. Ever.
“The new Duchess of Robinsworth, Miss Thorne, and their older brother lived with their grandparents most of the time,” Finn said. He shot Claire an apologetic glance. It was hard to talk about her parents, since she didn’t know them well. So, she appreciated his help. “I suppose in the morning that I could send you to Bedfordshire.”
Katherine nodded. “I just need to stay out of his reach for a time.” She laid a hand on her still-flat stomach. The baby couldn’t possibly be Finn’s. He hadn’t lain with Katherine in months. “If you could help me, I would be grateful.”
“I’ll send word to the house tomorrow. And then you can travel in a few days.”
“And stay with you until then?”
“You’ll stay with Miss Thorne at the Hall. As her guest. I’ll return to my house.”
“Are you certain that’s a good idea?” Claire asked, suddenly unsure of being saddled with Finn’s former mistress.
“I’m not certain of anything,” Finn said as he scrubbed a hand down his face. “I probably shouldn’t leave the two of you in case Mayden comes looking for Katherine.” He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn’t.
The coach rumbled to a stop, and the footman lowered the step and opened the door. “I’ll wait for the carriage to take me around to the back,” Katherine said.
“You’ll do no such thing. You heard him. You are my guest.”
Katherine may have had a rough start in life, but Claire refused to let her be treated like the working class, not with that wounded look in her eye, even if she was a former mistress. She took Katherine’s hand and pulled her from the carriage.
