Chapter 101

“On behalf of the young Viscount, I should extend a hearty thank you,” Finn had not expected to find Mendora sneaking into the vast library housed at the far corner of the house. He’d spent most of his days in here solving cases when his parents disowned him. Now that his practise was growing they’d reached out offering to restore his fortune. An offer he’d not refused since he had a birth right but that did not mean that he was ready to face them just yet.

Mendora leaped backwards at the sound of Finn coming up beside her. The lantern clutched carefully in her grasp rattling from the movement. “Mr. Grueland,” Mendora breathed his name and there was something about the way it came forth that had Finn’s pores roaring awake.

Strange. He shook the sensation away as she composed herself and regulated her breathing. “I thought everyone already asleep,” she inched in further, placing the lantern down. Her nights were becoming restless despite the peace and tranquillity she was afforded.

Not that she was much surprised. It was not every day she was made to run away from a man she loved. Although, it was beginning to seem like a pattern. Worrying, of course,

“I am a nocturnal creature.” He shrugged, it had become the norm and Finn found himself producing his best work and break-throughs in the dead of night.

“As I am,” she paused, “as of late,” she added in softly as she took to hugging herself. Her late night rendezvous with Solaire had conditioned her to a flirtation with the night hours. Now that she was free and away from him, and his club, her mind rallied most nights. She found herself unable to relax or calm her emotions in the manner she would during light hours.

Nights were hard. Tonight was no different. Her emotions were threatening to get the better of her. To drag her down and drown her in a sea of sorrow and regret.

“Is something the matter?” Finn could not stop himself from questioning the sorrow he saw mirrored in her eyes despite the perfectly pleasant smile she portrayed. But Finn would rather talk of anything than to be swept up in Mendora’s aura. “The closer I look at you the more I wonder if your happiness here is merely for show,” he could not contain his observation, after all, on the night of her escape the girl had announced her engagement, choosing to flee with strangers across the country.

There was much he had not sought to be appraised of. Until now. Now, when he was all alone with Mendora. Her hair wild and beautiful and her voice sultrier than ever in her hushed tones.

“Of course not!” she was quick to dispute, “although, in the interest of transparency, I should admit that I am not as happy as I know I can be,” her eyes lowered while she fidgeted with the strands of her hair falling over her shoulder.

“If there is anything more we can provide, I shall be happy to notify the Viscount and I am certain—”

“Oh no,” she snapped to attention, “that’s not what I meant,” she inhaled, uncertain if to divulge the thoughts she’d been nursing in her own mind over the past days.

“I should not usually ask a lady to enlighten me on certain sensitive topics but if she is so inclined, I shall be most willing to listen,” Finn attempted to provide her with an avenue to unburden her mind for it was clear to his eyes that her mind was troubled.

Mendora swallowed past the growing lump in her throat as she nodded, considering the offer and whether she should accept it. “It’s not that I find anything lacking in my new adventure here with you and my brother, it’s just that when I left my home I was already heart broken.” Her eyes misting over despite the subtle smile gracing her lips. “I assure you I am more lively here than I would have been at home having nothing else to focus on other than how stupid I’ve been,” she dabbed at her cheeks with a singular swift motion, appearing once more as if nothing was bothering her.

“Does this matter relate to your fiancé? The Marquess was it?” Finn directed her to have a seat at one of the tables while she nodded, sinking down into the chair.

“What was the occurrence between you?” he followed up, not having enough faith that she’d willingly offer up more information.

“Nothing novel,” she admitted, “I was stupid enough to think our feelings matched. To think him as astounded by me as I were of him,” she had not thought too much of the words as they presented in her head, but following it passing her lips, Mendora covered her mouth with her hand, “forgive me my bluntness,” she had not wanted to be likened to some lovesick fool. That was not her. Not in the slightest.

“No reprehension to avoid,” Finn responded. He’d usually find himself rolling his eyes whenever he was made to listen to young women speak of being slighted by love but he had no such urge at this moment. “The marriage was a mutual decision? Not one crafted by the families?”

“It was his decision and I thought that meant more than it did. I am utterly embarrassed,” she chuckled miserably. “and yet…”

“What?” he prompted her forward.

“And yet I cannot quell this burning rage inside of me.”

“Perhaps it is not meant to be quelled, but explored.” Finn advised but Mendora had no idea what that exploration would include. But what she did know was that she could stand no more humiliation and rejection. Solaire’s dismissiveness of her had been the dollop of sugar cubes meaning to overflow her cup.

***

“What exactly do you mean when you say ‘you do not know where she is’?” Solaire was trying harder than he ever had to in his entire life to understand the absolute nonsense spouting forth from Lavinia’s lips.

“Mendora has not been forthcoming with her precise location—”

“Hell and damnation!” he raked his fingers through his hair while Lavinia continued speaking, “but she has assured us that she is safe and her letters have been rather frequent, My Lord,”

“And how do long do you think she is to be missing for before you are to be worried?” he didn’t give two shits about letters written in her hand. His mind was already racing, already thinking of measures to implement to drag her back home to him.

“Mendora is smart and resourceful. I have decided to trust her. I will not force her, not when it is clear it is you she’d run from.” Lavinia was growing annoyed by Solaire’s condescension. It was beneath her to point fingers, she knew but the more the Marquess questioned her decision to remain calm in the wake of Mendora’s absence, the more she second guessed herself. The more she was becoming anxious for her daughter.

Solaire groaned in irritation, “Let it be common knowledge, mother,” he breathed the title with vengeance, “she can run, but she’ll never be rid of me,” he bowed a final goodbye to Jonathon and Teresa, who’d been observing in silence all the while. “I’ll find her since I am the only one concerned.” He announced to the room as he vacated it.