“Still nae a sentence. But ye should ken, it’s illegal here too. Most dinnae care what folks get up to in the privacy of their own beds. Same as London, I expect. But some will. Ye’ll need to be a wee bit more discreet.” She hopped onto the dining table—entirely free of Fenella’s droppings—before scooting back to sit.
“You truly don’t intend to tell anyone?” I reiterated dully, dragging a hand through the hair Tom painstakingly righted.
“As I said. I dinnae care what ye do.”
“You’re remarkably calm about this.”
“Mam wasnae exactly a lady. If ye ken...”
A missing piece slid into the puzzle. “But your father was a steward?”
She shrugged. “He was… fond of her. Offered her a bit of security when her circumstances changed. But she dinnae want me ignorant of such things. Though… she neglected to explain that not all men would be kind like my pa.”
“And you're determined not to give me a name?”
“Yer not my father or my brother.”
“That doesn’t mean I cannot call the man out.”
“Do ye ken how to shoot?”
Not well enough to stake my life on it.“A bit.”
She raised a skeptical brow. “Of course ye do. Regardless, I dinnae wish to marry him. So if ye survive, ye’ll have to duel me to get me to wed him. An that much gun powder cannae be good for the babe.”
“What are you going to do? When the time comes?” Tom asked, earnest interest in his beautiful eyes.
“I dinnae ken. Yerfriendupended my plans a wee bit.”
“We’ve time to discuss it,” I added.
“Oh, we do, do we?” Sorcha asked in a tone designed to let me know I had overstepped.
“If you want.”
“Better. But the two of you’se ought to set yersels to rights before Lock returns. He was bringing a few people from town. Dinnae want to bring undue attention to yersels.”
Tom squeezed my wrist before making his way to his room off the kitchens. I lingered as Sorcha pushed herself off the table and returned to the wall she had been peeling.
“You could stay here. If you wanted.”
She turned back to me, lips parted and brows raised. “I’ve fleeced ye for years. What makes ye think I willnae rob ye blind?”
I shrugged. “It wouldn’t shock me if you tried. My sister has as well. And Gabriel would’ve. It’s the Hasket way—seems I’m the odd one out, if I’m honest.”
“I’ll agree yer an odd one. But sharing a bloodline disnae make us kin.”
“Technically it does. But I take your meaning. Gabriel is gone, and I cannot ask him. But I believe he gifted me this place as an escape. He knew someday I would need a place away from society—and father’s reach. That he won it in an ill-considered game of hazard and left behind a child in the process so perfectly summed up his life that I honestly do not know what to do besides laugh.”
“And ye would just let me live here until what? I’ve annoyed ye too much?”
“Davina perpetually annoys me and I’ve not done a damn thing about it except settle funds on her and try to keep her out of ruin.”
“I’m not yer sister.”
“No, you’re my niece.”
“And the babe?” She rubbed a hand along the curve of her belly again. It was a protective gesture I’d seen Mother do with Davina.
