Page 40 of When the Scoundrel Sins

Lady Ainsley cupped Belle’s face. “A husband provides support in so many intangible ways. Without a husband, who will be there to laugh with you and cry with you, to share all your frustrations and all your joys?”

Who, indeed? Belle didn’t doubt the veracity of Lady Ainsley’s words. Just having Quinton here for the past sennight had eased her burden, giving her someone to talk with and to lean on for help. It made obvious a gaping hole in her life she didn’t know existed until he was there, filling it.

She swiped at her eyes. Oh, the devil take him! Quinn always managed to cause problems for her, even when he wasn’t in the room.

“You do not have to marry Sir Harold. You do not have to marry at all, if that is what you wish.” With an empathetic but faint smile, the dowager placed a motherly kiss to Belle’s forehead. “I will always love you and do the best for you that I can.” Belle’s heart leapt at Lady Ainsley’s quiet concession…until the viscountess sadly shook her head. “But I cannot save Glenarvon for you if you do not.”

Numbly, Belle nodded and blinked back her tears. She should be grateful for all that Lady Ainsley was offering, that she would be able to stay with her in the dower house in London and continue on as they had…lady and companion, the daughter and mother neither possessed. It was more than Belle should ever have had, given her past. But knowing how fortunate she was didn’t lessen the sorrow over all she’d lose if she didn’t marry.

So she was back to where she’d begun. Having to marry a man who didn’t love her so she could stay in her home.

Lady Ainsley kissed Belle’s cheek. “Do not lose hope yet, my dear. If I have my way, everything will work out well in the end. Time will bear it out.”

But time was the one thing Belle didn’t have.

“You will find a good man to marry, I know it.” Lady Ainsley gave her a conspiratorial smile.

Belle returned her smile, even as her hopeless heart sank to the floor, not at all certain of that herself.

Shouts rang out from downstairs—male voices raised in anger, followed by the sounds of stomping boots and slamming doors. She exchanged a worried glance with Lady Ainsley.

Oh no.

The viscountess bit back an unladylike curse. “What have those two done now?”

They hurried downstairs toward the commotion, arriving in the entry hall just in time to see one of the gentlemen callers turn to shake a fist at Robert and Quinton as they followed the man toward the front door. The same man Belle had seen ride up less than fifteen minutes earlier. His face was nearly as scarlet as his fancy silk waistcoat.

He saw Lady Ainsley and straightened his spine with an expression of pure righteous indignation. “You—” He snatched his hat, gloves, and walking stick from Ferguson as the butler stoically held them out. Then he gestured angrily with his stick to indicate the two Carlisle men. “You would condone this—thisoutrageousbehavior, my lady?”

Quinton and Robert stiffened in response. The amusement Belle thought she’d glimpsed on their faces when they’d entered the entry hall had vanished, replaced by hard-set jaws and narrowed gazes. Two nearly identical mountains of men as they stood shoulder to shoulder, their feet wide and their muscular arms folded across their chests.

Belle bit her bottom lip, worried that one wrong word from the visitor would get him pummeled before she could stop them.

Lady Ainsley imperiously lifted her brow, as if offended. “Sir, my nephews haveneverbehaved outrageously in their lives!”

Belle nearly choked at that whopper of a lie. But Robert and Quinton simply exchanged silent glances, then returned their stares to the man.

“They are acting at my behest.” The viscountess leveled that comment with all the authority of her position. Belle could almost feel the iciness in her voice, as well as the unspoken dare for the man to contradict her.

“Then you need to speak with them. The things they had the nerve to ask me!” He jabbed his stick at them, and Belle caught her breath, wondering which of the two Carlisle men would first let fly his fists. “About my intentions, my net worth…if I’d ever seek a divorce— Surely you didn’t authorizethat!”

The dowager’s eyes flicked curiously to Quinton, then narrowed on their visitor. “Did you think I’d so easily hand over my companion to the first dandy who arrived at my doorstep with posies in hand?”

At her subtle accusation, the blood drained from his face. His lips parted, as if to fling back some cutting reply. Then he clamped his mouth shut, wisely thinking better of leveling an insult at the viscountess beneath the Carlisle brothers’ watchful eyes. Except to trade glances, the two hadn’t moved an inch during the exchange. Like life-size copies of the Colossus of Rhodes.

He stalked toward the door. “I came here to pay my respects to Miss Greene. I didnotcome here to be insulted.” He flung open the door without waiting for Ferguson to come forward and stomped outside. “Good day!”

Quinton closed the door after him. “And good riddance.”

Momentary silence fell over the entry hall, then Lady Ainsley blew out a hard sigh and shook her head. “What onearthdid you two do to that man?”

Quinton shrugged. “Exactly as you asked of us.”

“Keeping the wrong men away from Annabelle,” Robert clarified.

Then both men folded their arms over their chests again and leaned back against the wall. Belle blinked. It was like seeing double.

“But that man wasn’t here long enough for you to find out anything about him,” the viscountess scolded.