Ronan arched an eyebrow. “You mean Heather? Not well at all. She’s very close with Dahlia and cried along with her every time Dahlia burst into tears. I spent the entire time trying to calm both of them down.”
Joshua nodded. “Heather is very soft-hearted. She adores her sisters. It could not have been easy for her to see one of them suffering. She was supposed to make her come-out with Dahlia, but I think both of them just want to hide out in the Farthingale home until the season is over. Of course, Holly is completely overset by what happened. She cried all night, too.”
Ronan was not surprised. Holly was the eldest of the three and extremely protective of her sisters.
“I think Holly expected everything to be right as roses once she gave that book to Dahlia.” Joshua shook his head and sighed. “Instead, she saw her sister humiliated and spurned. She blames herself for not seeing Wainscott for the bastard he is. Now that the damage has been done, she doesn’t know what to do to make things right.”
“Holly doesn’t need to do anything. I’m working on the problem.” Ronan took a deep breath and leaned forward in his chair. “I’ve agreed to read The Book of Love with Dahlia.”
Robbie shot out of his seat. “Are ye bloody insane? Och, ye looby. Ye know what’s going to happen next. Ye may as well pick out a ring and stick it through yer nose, for she’s going to be leading ye about by it before ye finish reading the first chapter.”
Joshua’s mouth was agape. “Good Lord, not you, too? Are you sure about this, Ronan? Robbie’s right. Have you lost your sanity?”
He arched an eyebrow. “Did you?”
“No, of course not. Marrying Holly is the best thing I ever did.” Joshua rolled back his head and groaned. “What is it about Brayden men and Farthingale women? First Romulus. Then Finn. Then me. Now you. I’m not one for superstition, but there is something about that book. If you read it with Dahlia, just know that you are done for. There is no turning back.”
Ronan winced. “Josh, I know. I think it is already too late for me.”
His brother’s eyes widened, and he laughed in disbelief. “Blessed saints! You’re serious?”
He nodded. “But Dahlia isn’t ready for another suitor yet. Wainscott completely destroyed her confidence. Worse, he’s destroyed her trust in men. So I’m not going to say anything to her until we finish reading that book. And I have another plan I’d like to discuss with both of you.”
Robbie had crossed to the window to stare out at the Thames, taking a moment to watch the boats sailing along swiftly flowing waters. He now turned back to Ronan with a dazed look on his face. “This is a calamity. All my friends married. My own brother is married, and so’s my cousin, Thad. All because of that damn book.” He ran a hand roughly through his hair. “I want it next. Will ye give it to me when ye’re done with it, Ronan?”
“You too, Robbie? But it isn’t his to give away,” Joshua said. “Heather is getting it next. You’ll have to ask her permission for it.”
“The pixie? Och, so be it. Let me know when ye’re done with it, Ronan. I’ll approach Heather then.”
“Fine.” He shook his head. “Why do you refer to Heather as a pixie?”
Robbie settled back in his chair. “Have ye taken a good look at her? Did ye not notice her big eyes? Her little ears that stick out. The mischievous arch to her eyebrows. Her light step. The twinkle in those big eyes. A pixie.”
“Well, now that’s cleared up.” Joshua turned to Ronan. “What’s this other plan you mentioned?”
“I’m going to buy a house in town and ask Dahlia to decorate it.”
He endured more groans and snorts of disbelief from Joshua and Robbie. Finally, his brother quieted and began to ask his questions. “Miranda is going to eat you alive for this. You’re her baby boy. The youngest of her four sons and the only one still at home. She isn’t going to let you go so easily. Then she’ll be alone in that big, rambling house.”
“She will manage. I’m not going to spend the rest of my life living with my mother. She’s your mother, too, Josh. And Finn owns the house. Let her be his problem. Or Tynan’s. He’s the bloody earl. But you have to promise me you’ll keep this quiet. No one can know my intentions toward Dahlia or the real reason I want to buy a house. I want your oath on this. Yours too, Robbie. This stays between the three of us.”
Joshua sighed. “Fine. You have it. I give you my oath.”
“Mine, too. Ye have my word.”
“Are you going to take Dahlia on the house search?” Joshua asked.
“As you did with Holly? No, I was thinking of asking Miranda to help me out.” This was how her four sons always referred to their mother, for she was tall and fierce, more resembling a warrior out of Norse mythology than a sweet, booties knitting, gray-haired matriarch. Miranda’s hair was flame red, and she’d bring her broadsword down on anyone who dared suggest she used a henna dye to keep it that color. “I thought it might ease the transition to involve her in the search.”
Joshua snorted. “Or she might set a torch to every house you visit just to make certain you will never leave her.”
“She would, too.” Ronan sighed. “I’ll have to think about how to approach her. I don’t want Dahlia searching with me. She’ll begin to suspect my intentions if I bring her in on it. But the decorating? She loves that aspect, and she’s very good at it. However, the bastard beat her down so hard, she no longer has faith in herself. Having her decorate my new home is the best way I can think of to restore her confidence. However, I’m not going to ask her straight out.”
“Why, no’?” Robbie asked.
“I want her to offer to help me. I want her to think our working together on this project is her idea. And I’ll be more than happy to accept her offer.”
“And she’ll never suspect the house purchase or the decorating is part of yer grand plan?” Robbie leaned back and clasped his hands behind his head. “Och, Ronan. Ye seem to have it all figured out.”
He shrugged. “I hope so. I’m going to stop by the Farthingale house after work this evening to pay a call on her. I want to discuss details of where and when we’ll meet to read that book. Obviously, we need to find somewhere private. But it has to be somewhere properly out in the open as well.”
Joshua pursed his lips. “Why not here? It worked for Holly and me.”
“No, that was during grouse hunting season, so nothing was going on in Parliament. We had the place to ourselves while the lords were up in Scotland shooting.”
“They’re all back now,” Robbie said. “Pains in my arse, they are. I’ve been caught up in meetings all week long and have accomplished no’ a damn thing.”
“I wasn’t thinking of here. Not your house either, Josh. That’s where the bastard broke Dahlia’s heart. Too bad, really. Your place would have been perfect. Holly could have chaperoned her sister and still been discreet enough to give us time alone to read that book together.”
Joshua arched an eyebrow. “Do you have another place in mind?”
“Yes, I was thinking of asking Violet if we could meet at her house since she lives right next door to her aunt and uncle on Chipping Way. Dahlia and Heather are living with the aunt and uncle now, so I thought it would be convenient. With Romulus out of town, Violet isn’t doing much entertaining. I think she would be more than happy to help out her cousin.”