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“Tell me you didn’t go to the house. Was Georgiana unbearable?”

He shook his head. “No, I didn’t go to the house. I have a contact here who I’ve asked to keep an eye out for you.”

I shook my head at his admission he’d kept tabs on me. “Of course you do.”

“At any rate,” he said, “I have something for you.” He handed me a calling card. On it was the name Mr. Henry Tomlinson. “That was your father’s solicitor. I’ve asked about his reputation and learned he’s a good man. I was able to speak to him in person, and he let me know that he would be free this afternoon. We can drop by at any point.”

I raised a brow. “We?”

One side of his mouth rose in a half smile. “It never hurts to have someone with you who is familiar with financial dealings. But if you’d rather I didn’t come along with you…”

“Oh no,” I said, placing a hand on his arm and squeezing it. “Thank you. You are doing so much for me. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

His eyes settled on mine. “I am still in your debt. Since our names have been linked, I’ve been able to return home.”

I couldn’t help laughing. “How is it possible they ran you out of your own house?”

He winced. “I was more annoyed than anything else. I didn’t want to have to deal with all the women besieging the place.”

I pouted in mock sympathy. “Poor you.”

Our eyes held for several moments, then I realized I still had my hand on his arm. I snatched it back as though I’d been burned.

“I can’t believe the lengths some women will go to.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled with amusement. “I consider myself fortunate to have found one sensible young woman in all of London.”

I shook my head. “More of us exist, but they’re not foolish enough to throw themselves at the mercy of a Legend.”

When he gave me that lopsided smile again, I realized that I was in very real danger. I needed to remember that we weren’t friends and that he wasn’t actually courting me.

“What time do you wish me to collect you?” he asked.

“We can go now, as soon as I’ve said my goodbyes to the children. I’ve already been here for most of the day.”

He stood and offered me his arm. “Let us go plan your future, then, Miss Sullivan.”

Chapter 13

GREYSON

Tomlinson was a middle-aged man whose sparse hair was already well on its way to being white. His waistline, on the other hand, made up for his lack of hairline.

None of the Legends used his services, but I’d been able to learn enough about the man that I felt confident Claire was in good hands. We just had to discover if she’d been left an income. Hopefully it was just a matter of her stepmother holding back that information.

He welcomed us into his office with a beaming smile. “I wasn’t aware matters had progressed so far between the two of you. I saw the speculation in The Mayfair Chronicle, but given your need to see me today, should I expect that congratulations will soon be in order?”

Claire was immediately flustered by the understandable conclusion the man had drawn. “Oh no, not at all. There will be no marriage between us.”

Tomlinson frowned. “Then why are you here?”

“Are you familiar with the details of my family’s financial affairs?” she asked. She took one of the two guest chairs while I took the second.

Tomlinson rounded his desk and settled behind it. “I looked over the details about your family’s holdings in preparation for this meeting.”

She smiled. “Oh, good.”

Tomlinson cast a wary glance at me. “Since we’re not going to be talking about weddings and marriage settlements, Lord Greyson doesn’t need to be here. Such matters can be discussed between the two of us privately.”