Finn gestured to his clothing. “I would hate to ruin your sofa fabric.”
“Nonsense,” Liam said and took a seat, gesturing for Finn to sit down, too.
Taking a seat on the opposite side of the fireplace, Finn shook his head. “You really have landed in it, haven’t you?”
Before Liam could answer, the same maid who’d shown him inside stepped quickly into the room.
“Madeira,” was all Liam said to her, and once again, she vanished.
Finn smiled again. They’d never drank anything except ale.
“So are you going to tell me how this is possible?” He gestured at the lavish surroundings.
“I will, I will.” Liam cocked his head. “If you tell me how you’re not a ghost. I still can’t believe I’m looking at you. After the sinking, I remembered thinking,Damn, I told the unlucky blighter not to sail.If you’d only listened to me.”
Another servant, a slightly older woman, brought in a tray with a decanter full of luscious red wine and two crystal goblets. She set this on the table between the men.
“Shall I pour, sir?”
“No, I will,” Liam said, not looking at her.
Still, she stood waiting.
“Thank you,” Finn said.
Liam burst out laughing. “She’s not waiting for you to thank her for doing her job. She’s waiting for me to dismiss her.”
Finn felt himself redden. He was perfectly happy to thank anyone who waited on him or showed him kindness, and he wasn’t too keen on someone who didn’t. He wondered how Rose treated her servants, as they’d never been together in such a situation. Just as quickly, he decided she must be as kind to them as she’d been to him.
“You can go,” Liam told the woman.
She nodded and nearly made it to the door when Liam said, “Wait.” Then he turned to Finn. “Will you stay for dinner?”
Finn thought about it. What else did he have to do? Even though he might wish to be sitting with his old friend in a home-style Italian café in the North End — and even though something about this new wealthy Liam might rub him slightly the wrong way — a meal together would set things to right, he was sure. He nodded.
“Set another place,” Liam told the woman, and she exited with the slightest nod of her head.
Liam leaned forward and poured a generous amount of the heady red wine into both glasses. He held one out to Finn.
“To being alive,” he said.
Finn nodded and took a sip. It was sweet and nutty and fruity all at once. For some reason, it reminded him of Rose, and he had a feeling she would enjoy it.
“So tell me,” Liam said, “and don’t leave anything out.”
Finn did as he was instructed and explained his entire adventure, leaving out only any mention of Rose, which seemed like omitting his reason for surviving. When he got to the part about thinking men were trying to kill him or at least shove him into a carriage, Liam exclaimed aloud.
“Did you report it to the police?”
“Not yet.”
“Why ever not? The first thing I would do is talk to the local force.”
Finn considered.Why hadn’t he?Because he wasn’t sure what was real or whom he could trust, or even that the police wouldn’t somehow make it worse. And the more people who knew about him, the more endangered Rose might be.
He merely shrugged. “Your turn, old friend. How did this come about?” Finn gestured his wine glass toward the opulence of the room once again.
Liam offered a wry smile. “Investments.”
