“Oh?” Mother’s eyes darted between them. She did not seem as shocked as she ought to be.
“Yes. I do not believe we shall suit.”
“Oh.” Again, Mother glanced to Lucas. “And you do not like this?” she asked him.
Lucas sighed. “Charlie has courted her enough that Miss Faraday will suffer ill effects of his decision.”
“I see.”
The room was filled with an awkward silence that spoke of her disappointment. Somehow, though, Lucas felt it was aimed at him, thoughhewas not the one abandoning a woman to the gossip mill.
“What do you propose we do, then?” she asked.
Charlie’s expression registered surprise. Lucas felt similarly. What could they do outside of Charlie marrying her? Which, despite how Lucas might be acting just then, was the last thing he wanted.
“Well?” she prompted.
“I could marry her,” Charlie said, speaking Lucas’s thoughts with a tone that left no one confused at his feelings on such a possibility.
Mother shook her head, clasping her hands in front of her stomach. “No. No, I do not wish you to be in an unhappy marriage. But I agree with Lucas that this will negatively affect her, and so we are honor bound to do something to address it.”
Honor bound. Yes. Exactly. See? Mother felt the same as he, and Charlie was not accusing her of anything.
“We can have her and her guardian for a... dinner?” Charlie offered.
Mother nodded her head slowly. “If we make a show of friendship with the family, maybe we can convince thetonthat that is all it ever was.”
Neither son had any other suggestions. Mother pursed her lips. “I will think on it.” She pierced Charlie with a look. “You think on it too.”
Charlie nodded.
With one last glance at each of them, she swept from the room. Charlie fell back into his chair, cutting his eyes to Lucas. “I notice she did not askyouto think on it.”
“It was not my mess to fix,” Lucas said, returning Charlie’s stare with one of his own.
“Are you certain of that?” Charlie quirked a brow.
Lucas lowered himself into his chair. “What do you mean by that?”
“You do not have a monopoly on reading the newspaper, you know.”
Lucas froze for half a second then continued his sitting. He grabbed at a ledger and studiously avoided looking at the paper beside it, still opened to the gossip pages.
Charlie’s tone was amused. “It seems you are doing more to hurt Miss Faraday’s reputation than I.”
Lucas read the ledger’s first line, waiting several long seconds before responding to his brother. “Yes, I suppose it was not so smart a thing for me to agree to your plan after all.”
Charlie chuckled, coming to his feet. “Perhaps one of the solutions I will present to Mother will involve you. You did say you would marry Miss Faraday if needed.”
Lucas’s gut clenched not unpleasantly, and that was terrifying on its own. “IfI were to blame for her predicament, I would.”
Charlie tsked. “It would certainly uncomplicate things.” He tilted his head, as though truly considering the possibility. Lucas’s mind raced, trying to see the situation from all angles.Shouldhe marry Miss Faraday? Father wanted him to marry. Mother too. It would help Miss Faraday herself...
Charlie suddenly shook his head. “I know, I know. You need not say anything. You are far beyond her in rank. Society would not look well on the match at all. She has not been raised to be a marchioness. Etcetera. Etcetera.”
Lucas’s mind came to a stuttering halt. Thank the heavens for Charlie saving Lucas from himself. He could not marry Miss Faraday. That was not the plan. It was the farthest thing from the plan.
“Well.” Charlie stood, stretching. “If you come up with any brilliant ways to appease Mother, I will take any enlightenment I can get, but for now, I intend to go to the club. A few rounds are sure to get my mind moving.” He left, leaving the door open in his wake. Lucas stood to close it, trying to rid his body of its sudden influx of nervous energy. It made no sense. He was saved from helping Charlie court Miss Faraday. He no longer needed to spend time in her disconcerting company.
