It didn't matter that Miss Evelyn had been incapacitated for an extended period.  The fact was that in all likelihood the potion had a certain half-life, and that while Finnegan was certainly severely affected, the effects should not last significantly longer for him than it had for his unfortunate date.

Finny tried to flirt, but he was entirely off his game.  Alyssana felt a prickle of annoyance to go with the pity, but suspected his thoughts were beyond helping.  It was like tales of Cupid's arrow -- he'd seen her first, and so his obsession was with her.  He hardly owed her anything, save perhaps sense that he never quite managed to show.

And then he tried to stand, and ended up colliding with Walter.  The younger man was unharmed, and yet Finnegan seemed to think otherwise.  Now Alyssana felt guilt.  She might have pulled Finny out of the way as well as herself.  She was fast enough, most likely.  But her distraction slowed her as Finny stumbled forward, landing atop her in her chair before she could rise to catch him.  Nor was he any help in untangling himself -- and as if things weren't bad enough already, the door opened and Lady Sylvia entered.

Walter tried to excuse the situation.  Alyssana herself couldn't care less what the new arrival thought, though she knew that gossip could be cruel indeed.  At least Finnegan was sufficiently distracted that he stopped flailing, and she was able to straighten him up, turn him round, and escort him back to his chair.  "Now is not a good time," she said shortly, not bothering to look at Lady Sylvia.  "Lord Oaks has had a...minor laboratory mishap, and is in no state for entertaining guests."  She didn't say the other woman should leave, but she hoped Walter would, and gave him a pointed glance.  Alyssana would do it if needed, but it should come from one who actually owned the place.