“Where did you get money for currant rolls?” Violet asked as Joshua pushed past the clothing hanging on the line and came into view before her closet door.
“King,” he said, biting into a roll as though this answer was perfectly reasonable.
She went very still. “King? But I told him to—” She closed her mouth, realizing she hadn’t yet concocted a story for King’s disappearance.
“You told him to leave. Yes, he told me you kicked him out.”
“What?” Georgie said, mouth full of roll. “You made Pa leave? Why?” He came to stand before Joshua.
Violet took a breath. “First of all, he’s not your pa. Secondly, I told you he was only here for a little while. He has his own life, and he needs to sort that out. Why would he want to stay here and work in a tavern?”
“Because he’s a markiss,” Georgie said, his lower lip beginning to stick out and tremble.
Violet cut her gaze to Joshua, who raised a brow.
“I never thought you’d lie to us, Vi.”
Her mouth dropped open.
“I found King. He was sleeping on a bench at Hyde Park. He didn’t want to leave us.”
“We’ll talk about it later,” she said, shooting a meaningful glance at Georgie.
“Why? Georgie loves King too. We all do. Even you, Vi.”
“No, I don’t, Joshua.”
“You don’t love King?” Georgie asked.
“No.” She shook her head and hoped she sounded convincing. “Not like he wants me to love him. Trust me to understand men better than you do, boys. King thinks he loves me, and if I don’t love him back, over time, he’ll be angry. He’ll leave, and then we’ll all be hurt.”
“I’m hurt now,” Georgie said, starting to cry. Violet went to him and wrapped her arms around him. She felt like crying too.
“So am I,” Joshua said. “So are you, Vi. You do love him, or you wouldn’t have been crying.”
Her head shot up. “I wasn’t crying.”
“I heard you, and your eyes are all red and swollen. If you love him, why did you send him away?”
“Why, Vi?” Georgie echoed.
“I don’t have to explain everything,” she said. “Sometimes you just have to trust that I know what I’m doing. Believe me, I’m saving you a lot of heartache later. He thinks he loves us now, but he’ll leave one day.”
“You can’t know that,” Joshua said. “You’re just afraid he’ll leave, so you sent him away so you don’t have to wonder and worry about it.”
“Everyone leaves, Joshua. You think a marquess will stay? No. He’ll make us all fall in love with him, and then, once we depend on him, once we need him, he’ll go.”
“What if he stays?” Joshua asked. “What if he’s the one exception? He loves you, Vi. I think he loves me and Georgie, too. We should give him a chance.”
“No.” She rose. “No,” she said more forcefully. “He’s gone, and that’s the end of it.”
“You won’t even give him a chance?” Joshua said, hands on his hips.
“Please, Vi,” Georgie said. “For us. Don’t be scared. You always hold my hand when I’m scared. If you get scared, I’ll hold your hand. Like this.” He took her hand and squeezed it.
Violet felt like crying all over again. She must be incredibly transparent for six- and thirteen-year-olds to see right through her. She had been scared. She wasstillscared, and maybe, just maybe, she had let her fear control her. She, who hated being helpless more than anything, had been so afraid she’d be hurt, she’d ended up hurting everyone, including herself.
She swiped at her eyes, which were watering again. “Well, it’s too late now. He’s gone.”
