Colin shrugged. “I know you have always been afraid of becoming like him, and though you and Mother both whisper about the past whenever it comes up, I have the hearing of a bat. He has never sounded like a nice man, and I know he was not nice at all to you and Mother.” He smiled sadly. “I think he hated me.”
“He did not hate you,” Nathaniel replied, but it fell flat.
“He did.”
Nathaniel decided to be honest, bracing himself. “Father was not well in his mind when you were born. He thought you belonged to another man which, of course, you do not.” He paused. “But if he had been well, he would have cherished you.”
“The same way he cherished you?” Colin raised a knowing eyebrow. “He was crueler toward you than anyone else, was he not?”
It was Nathaniel’s turn to shrug. “He did not know how to be a father or a husband. Indeed, I think he was unwell in his mind long before I was born and long before Mother married him.”
“And you fear you have the same disease of the mind that might appear at any moment?” Colin was wiser than his years, Nathaniel realized. Everyone dismissed him as a harmless, sweet sort of fool with his love of plants and animals, carrying around a sparrow like a baby, but Colin was far sharper than anyone gave him credit for.
Nathaniel managed a smile. “Not anymore.”
“Then, why break the courtship? In what way did you upset Leah?” Colin seemed frustrated, like he had discovered a new species only to find out that it had already been discovered.
“It was something I had to do,” Nathaniel replied. “And as I said, nothing has been decided, so do not mention it to anyone.”
Colin took a bite of toast, chewing thoughtfully. “I will get to the bottom of this, one way or another. When I do, I shall make it my mission to push the two of you back together again.” He swallowed. “She was good for you, and she was my friend. I am not losing a friend because you have… made a foolish mistake.”
“Will Robin be joining us at the ball?” Nathaniel needed to change the conversation. Talking of Leah just hurt.
Colin rolled his eyes. “I have his tailcoat ready. But I mean it—if you will not fix this, I shall.” He got up, heading for the French doors that led into the garden. On the threshold, he turned. “Oh, that is what I meant to say. There is someone waiting for you outside. He has been walking back and forth for half an hour, and I do not know him, and mother is not here, so I am guessing he is here to see you.”
“What does he look like?” Nathaniel’s stomach clenched, braced for a description of Jonathan. After all, there had been nothing in the scandal sheets about Nathaniel’s father either, which meant Jonathan was either biding his time or waiting for Leah to do the dirty work for him, considering the nature of their last conversation.
Colin frowned. “Old. Thin. Scruffy. I am surprised no one has summoned the constables yet; he does not look like he should be in Mayfair, if you understand my meaning.”
Is it Bill?Astonishment lifted Nathaniel out of his chair, driving him toward the front door of the townhouse. He had missed his old friend, but as he had not returned to the warehouses to box, intending to go back for one last fight when the news hit of his secret identity, so he could validate it, he had not known when he might see Bill again.
Opening the door, Nathaniel peered up and down the street beyond, spotting the scrawny, grizzled man on the pavement opposite, leaning against a lamppost as he smoked his pipe.
Nathaniel put his fingers to his lips and whistled sharply. Bill’s head whipped around, a brown-toothed smile spreading across his face. Glancing around to ensure no one was watching too closely, Nathaniel headed over to join his friend but walked straight past him, entering the private garden behind them. It was surrounded by a black, wrought iron fence and defended by a locked gate that only residents had the key to.
Bill followed without question. “Ashamed to be seen with me, eh?” he teased.
“Afraid you might be carted away by constables,” Nathaniel corrected, leading Bill toward a sheltered bench, tucked behind tall trees and bushes. They would not be disturbed there.
Bill sat down with a groan. “That’s nice on me weary legs, I’ll tell you.”
“Have you decided to abandon that shack by the water? Were you perusing for property? I have always thought you would make an excellent lord,” Nathaniel teased. “It is good to see you, Bill.”
Bill chuckled. “Half these lords are worse than the owners of the gamblin’ halls. I probably know most of ‘em which is why they’ve not sent for them whistleblowers to come and nab me.” He paused. “It’s good to see you too. Glad you haven’t come back to the warehouses, o’ course, but nice to see you anyway.”
“So, you were just passing by to ensure I was well?”
Bill pulled a face. “Aye and nay. I had me a visit from a couple of determined lasses the other day, askin’ all manner of questions about you. Now, I didn’t say aught that’ll get you in bother, but I thought you should know they’d come to find me.” He hesitated. “They were sayin’ they’d been told you were “the Highwayman,” but they wanted to know more. Wanted to know what your character was like.”
Grimacing, Nathaniel took a breath and explained everything that had happened that night on the balcony, and all of things he had told Leah about himself. All of his secrets laid bare. “Did the ladies give their names?”
“Phoebe and Matilda,” Bill replied.
Nathaniel nodded. “They are Leah’s dear friends.”
“Well, I don’t think they believe the story you gave her,” Bill said, but he did not seem angry. Instead, he seemed amused. “That Phoebe lass kept askin’ if you were protective by nature. Asked if you’d mentioned Leah to me. That’s the only part I answered honestly.”
“Bill!” Nathaniel stared at him, aghast. “I did this to keep her safe, to keep my mother and brother safe! And, as far as I know, I have not said anything about Leah to you. There is nothing you could have said.” But in the back of his mind, he wondered if that was why he had not seen any articles about the broken courtship. Perhaps, Bill had inadvertently given Leah some hope by way of her friends.
