Out the back window, two excessively large dogs bounded across the grass. Danish mastiffs, by the looks of them. One picked up a stick before dropping it in front of Lord Finchley’s polished black boots.
Sophia was already outside, standing beside Prudence and their aunt as they observed the earl’s interaction with the dogs. Isaac’s chest tightened at the sight of Sophia, eyes fixed on Lord Finchley and his fine attire. She had been waiting four years for the chance to be a countess or something of similar rank. If she was this close to succeeding, nothing could stop her now.
Isaac took a deep breath as he opened the door. The moment he stepped outside, both dogs looked in his direction. Fortunately, he was fond of dogs, otherwise he would be intimidated by the size of them. The darker of the two dropped the stick that had been in his mouth, a stream of drool following it to the ground.
Then they both bolted in Isaac’s direction.
He braced himself for their enthusiastic greeting, but Lord Finchley called them away just in time. They seemed to be well-trained and obedient, at least.
“My apologies, sir, I hope they didn’t startle you.” Lord Finchley strode toward Isaac. His pale hair was formed in stiff, uniform curls, like that of a statue. The knots of his cravat wereelaborate, the fabric just as stiff as his hair. In Isaac’s nightmare, Lord Finchley had been much more imposing, with a large stature and dark eyes. In reality, his frame was rather slight, his eyes a pale, icy blue.
“Not in the slightest,” Isaac said. He forced himself to smile as he walked farther onto the grass.
Lord Finchley chuckled. “I am glad to hear it. In truth, I never trust a man who is intimidated by dogs, especially such gentle creatures as these.”
“Nor do I,” Prudence said with a laugh. “How could anyone dislike James and Ronald?” She stared lovingly at the dogs, so Isaac could only assume those were their names.
Sophia exchanged a glance with Isaac, her lace gloves interlocked in front of her. No one would ever know that she was hiding a devious plan behind her polite expression. “I wholeheartedly agree. If a man does not appreciate dogs, I instantly assume other unforgivable flaws must exist within him as well.”
Lord Finchley smiled, seemingly pleased by her assessment. It put a bitter taste in Isaac’s mouth.
Mrs. Liddle, Sophia’s aunt, piped in. “My late husband disliked dogs, but he was still a very agreeable man.” A few wisps of dark hair stuck to her forehead. Despite the chill in the air, her face was flushed.
Prudence covered her mouth with a laugh. “I’m sorry, aunt. We did not mean to discredit Uncle Liddle. He was very agreeable, indeed.Isimply could never marry a man who wouldn’t adore my dogs as much as I do. It is my own preference, I suppose.”
Mrs. Liddle withdrew her fan, batting away a fly as it buzzed near her face. She kept her eyes fixed on the dogs as they chased one another in circles across the lawn. “We are each entitled to our own opinions, I suppose.”
Isaac could hardly believe the luck of their conversation. It was the perfect prelude to Sophia’s plan. “Does Mr. Percy Ellington like dogs?” she asked her sister in a casual voice.
Prudence gave a firm nod. “I believe so. He didn’t show any signs of objection when I told him about Flora and Thistle.”
Isaac figured this was the best time to provide his contribution. He cleared his throat. “It is my understanding that my cousin despises dogs. Almost as much as he despises all other animals.”
Prudence’s forehead creased with a deep scowl. “That cannot be so. Stepfather has told me how intrigued Mr. Ellington is by his collection at Blackstone’s.”
“Perhaps we should put him to the test,” Sophia said with a shrug. “We shall see how he responds to James and Ronald when he arrives.”
Lord Finchley laughed loudly, and the sound grated on Isaac’s nerves. “How could anyone not love them? It would be impossible not to.” He walked closer to Sophia and extended his arm, which she took with a grateful smile. A set of dimples appeared in her cheeks.
Isaac looked away, and the knots in his stomach tightened. He could easily envision Sophia being a countess. Her mother’s marriage to Lord Blackstone had given her valuable connections, and now her dream was within reach. His heart sank like a rock to the bottom of a lake, stirring up his buried emotions like silt. If he had the power to interfere, he would. But he felt helpless. He was there to help drive Percy and Prudence apart, yet now he lacked enthusiasm for the task.
There was a different courtship that he would much rather sabotage.
“I do not see a picnic,” Mrs. Liddle muttered. She had meant it only for Prudence’s ears, but Isaac overheard. “I was told there would be an array of cheese and crackers.”
“Not to worry, aunt. I expect Lord Finchley is waiting until the dogs are put away.”
Isaac was intent to ignore Sophia’s proximity to the earl, so he followed Prudence’s gaze toward the dogs instead, who had taken a moment to rest beneath the shade of a tree. Both dogs panted, massive ribcages expanding. Suddenly, they both froze, jaws closing around their bobbing tongues.
Their ears lifted, and they jumped to their feet.
Isaac turned just in time to see Percy stepping out the back door of the house. The gold buttons on his waistcoat gleamed in the sunlight, pulling tight around his figure. He didn’t seem to notice the dogs as he stepped out onto the lawn. He held a gilded black walking stick in one hand, digging it into the grass without a care for Lord Finchley’s landscaping.
A deep bark came from one of the dogs.
Percy’s smile fell, and he retreated a step. The dogs closed the distance between them in seconds, and Isaac had only a brief second to wonder why Lord Finchley hadn’t called off their approach like he had with Isaac.
He glanced to where the earl and Sophia had been standing but found that they were no longer there. Had Sophia led Lord Finchley away for that very purpose—to leave Percy at the mercy of the dogs? Isaac knew they were harmless, so he had no intention of intervening either. He held his breath as he watched the scene unfold.
