"You saw how they were during our travels, Anna. With the questions." Helena sighed.
Mama chuckled as she passed around the tea cups. "I don't believe I've heard the wordwhyused so many times in a single sentence." She slid a look at Percy. "At least, not since this one was in her leading strings. She was the most inquisitive poppet."
Percy rolled her eyes.
"You do encourage the boys, my love," Nicholas reminded his wife. Picking up his cup, he said, "Helena claims curiosity is a hallmark of intelligence."
"They are such clever little fellows, and I should hate to dampen their natural interest in the world," Helena admitted. "Well, I shan't worry about it. When the boys want to know where babies come from,"—she aimed a sweet smile at her husband—"Harteford will handle it brilliantly, I'm sure."
Nicholas choked on his tea. "Why me?"
"Because you are such a wonderful papa. The boys believe everything you say." Helena's eyelashes lowered demurely. "Besides, I'd say the matter falls under your expertise."
A flush crept over Nicholas' jaw at his wife's teasing. Percy exchanged amused glances with her mama. In truth, marriage had done wonders for Nicholas. He'd gone from a stoic, somber sort to one who showed his emotions more freely. He smiled and laughed more often, and there was no doubting his devotion toward his marchioness and their brood.
Of course, this made Percy think of Gavin. It fueled her hope: lovecouldchange a man for the better. If Nicholas could overcome the horrors of his past, then why couldn't Gavin?
"Nick, could I speak to you? In the garden?" Percy blurted.
The laughter fled his eyes. His grey gaze grew wary, and his shoulders stiffened, as if he had been expecting this. "Of course," he said.
"Now, Percy, do not go pestering Nicholas—" Mama began.
"'Tis fine, Anna." This came from Helena, who gave Percy an encouraging nod. "We came so that Harteford might speak with Percy. And while they are busy, I was hoping you might help me with selecting colors for the new nursery..."
Percy led the way out into the garden. The sun was out, showcasing her mother's prized rose bushes in their rainbow glory. Beside her, Nick walked silently, hands clasped behind his back.
Plucking up her courage, Percy said, "I have questions I want to ask you, Nick. I am afraid they are personal."
"After the events of two nights ago, I don't have many secrets left," he said.
"I know how you value your privacy, and I am so sorry to pry into your past." She bit her lip. "But the thing of it is, Gavin is not as wicked as he seems. He believes he was wronged, and I think if he understood the true circumstances of that night, he would relinquish his desire for revenge."And give our love a chance.
"Huntwaswronged. I left him there. Left him, when I should have taken him with me from that hell hole," Nicholas said in stark tones.
Poor Nick. How long has he carried the weight of that guilt?
"You were just a boy. You could hardly fend for yourself let alone another," Percy said.
Though his gaze remained bleak, he replied, "Helena said you would think that."
"'Tis what anyone would think," Percy insisted. "The true villain was not you, but Grimes. Grimes and whoever set the house on fire. And that is the question I have been mulling over. If you didn't start the fire, who did?"
Nicholas ran a hand through his dark hair. "I have been asking myself the same question. 'Twas nearly twenty years ago, Percy, and for so long I have tried to block it all out."
"Can you recall who else was in the house that night?" she asked.
"There were a dozen boys at least. Nameless, broken wretches Grimes kept chained like slaves." Nick's jaw looked harder than granite. "Pathetic as it sounds, I doubt any of them would have set their only home aflame."
"Did Grimes have any enemies? Perhaps one of them seized the opportunity to destroy his place once and for all," Percy mused.
"Any number of men wanted Grimes dead." His brows drawn, Nicholas hesitated before saying, "When I was discussing this with Helena, I did recall one man in particular. A rival cutthroat whose feud with Grimes had caused bloodshed on both sides."
"What was his name?" Percy said eagerly.
The sun glinted off the silver at Nick's temples as he shook his head in frustration. "I never knew his name. He went by Jack Spades."
"That's not his real name?" Percy asked.
