“Indeed. A pirate with papers. The Royal Navy can only be improved by Lucinda’s collusion with its efforts.”
“I’ll take it up in the Lords.”
Selina laughed, a warm sparkling sound in the musty dimness of Barrett’s. His heart did a strange slow roll as he looked at her, flushed and happy.
She washappy, here in this dusty shop, buying furniture for his awful empty house.
It felt as fragile as the calm surface of a pond. As easily shattered. If they did not get the children, would she look at him this way again?
“Come,” she said, tugging him into the next room, away from Freddie and Lu. “I want to show you something.”
But once they crossed the threshold, she maneuvered him around a series of dark mahogany sideboards and enameled end tables into a shadowed corner.
He tried for a grin. “You wanted to show me dusty plaster?”
She rolled her eyes. “No. We’ve enough of that at home.”
Home.There went his stupid heart, thudding against his chest to the rhythm of the word. Solid and steadfast and terrifying.Home. Home. Home.
“I wanted to talk about the children,” she continued, as if his vital organs weren’t splayed open in front of him for her to trample upon. “Peter, this is brilliant. They’ve come to you of their own accord. Surely Eldon will take that into account at the hearing.”
“Yes,” he said, trying to focus on her words. “Yes. I hope you’re right.”
“I am certain I’m right. We’ve less than two weeks until the hearing, but that’s plenty of time to discreetly ensure Eldon knows the children are living with us. We might invite the Eldons over for dinner—or, no, perhaps that’s too obvious. We can endeavor to run into Lady Eldon in the park. Make mention of the children’s new residence with us. Or”—her eyes lit up—“even better, I can ask Lady Eldon for a recommendation for a tutor and governess.” She bit her lower lip as she thought. “I can call upon her tomorrow.”
She was so damnedcertain, his wife, and the confidence in her tall golden form drew him like a magnet.
“We cannot let them go,” he said, surprised to hear the rasp in his voice.
Selina blinked up at him. “The children, you mean? But they’re here now. Where would they go? Andwhy?”
“Lu, she…” He hesitated. “She doesn’t trust me. My father… our father. He wasn’t a trustworthy sort. He left no provisions for them.” Shocking, how it still blazed up, the fury and resentment toward Silas Kent. “Freddie wants to believe, I think. That we can all be together. But Lu is poised to bolt.”
One corner of Selina’s mouth quirked up. “Then we shall haveto make everything too tempting for her to depart. And, given enough time, she’ll realize there’s nowhere she’d rather be.”
It was painful, how much he wanted it all. Wanted the world she imagined so easily, where the children came home to rooms of their own, to dinner and kittens and adults who kept them safe. Wantedher—so much he was afraid to touch her for fear he might hurt her by grasping too tightly.
“Peter?” Her wolf’s eyes had caught on him, clear and penetrating. “Are you quite all right?”
He wasn’t. He wasn’t all right. He felt too much, too hard, and it terrified him.
Two days later, Selina ladled coddled eggs onto plates for Freddie and Lu.
“And a kipper?” said Freddie. His hazel eyes were wide and guileless, his cheeks flushed.
Selina pretended not to notice the gray kitten twining about his ankles and added a kipper to his plate.
She crossed to the dining table—a great polished thing from Barrett’s that would serve excellently for hosting Peter’s political allies—and laid the plates before the children. Rolls and butter and fruit decorated a sideboard, and a newly hired footman had poured them both cups of frothed chocolate.
“Tomorrow,” Selina said, “your tutors will attend you. And your governess arrives, Lu.”
Lu snorted.
“Do not forget our bargain.Yourefrain from scaring off the governess for three weeks, andIshall take you to a private boxing exhibition.”
Lu didn’t respond but dug into the eggs with relish. Evidentlythe food at Great-great-aunt Rosamund’s had been less salubrious than one might have hoped.
Peter came into the dining room then, and at the grim look upon his face, Selina rose to her feet. “What’s happened?”
