18
James thought to enquire at the stables first as both boys had agreed to be taught to ride by the head groom. They'd been told that when Piper thought they were sufficiently experienced they would be given a mount of their own – not the thoroughbreds they'd hoped for but something they were less likely to break their necks on when riding.
Lucifer was now back in his box, snapping and biting as before but he whinnied hopefully when he saw James approaching.
'I'm sorry, Sofia's not with me.' He pulled the long black ears and for once he wasn't bitten. 'I'll be back later with her and we can go out together.'
He was aware that stable lads were listening to him converse with his stallion and probably thought he'd bats in his attic.Tant pis! He cared not for the opinion of these boys – the only person's opinion that mattered was his future wife.
He found his nephews just completing their lesson. Piper touched his cap respectfully.
'They're doing all right, my lord, picked it up a treat. I reckon they'll be safe to hack out with me in a couple of days and be able to ride unsupervised by the end of the week.'
'Excellent, good man, I can't have my nephews unable to ride.'
The boys rushed up to him. 'That was the best morning of my life,' Rupert said, and his younger brother grinned and nodded.
'I'm glad. A gentleman must be able to ride. When you've mastered that, I'll teach you to drive. Now, before you go in, I need to talk to you.'
He gestured that they follow him and they did so without quibble. What he wanted to ask them couldn't be done where anyone might overhear. When he was sure there weren't gardeners lurking in the bushes he stopped and pointed to a secluded summerhouse.
'There, this will do perfectly.' He waited until they were settled and then began his interrogation. 'I want to know the details of your life over the last few years. Why you're not at home mourning for the death of your father.'
He'd no intention of telling them what he suspected, what their little sister had possibly revealed, he wanted to hear it from them.
The boys exchanged a worried look and then Rupert rubbed his eyes. 'Mama said we weren't to talk about it, we were to lie to you, but you're our guardian now and we owe no loyalty.'
This was a worrying statement. James hid his disquiet.
'I'm waiting. Please tell me your story and make it brief, just the pertinent details will do.'
'My parents have never enjoyed each other's company. I believe that my father was fond of her initially but she was never happy, always criticising, and I think she drove him mad.'
'Mad? Do you mean he became angry with her? Mistreated her? You arrived here half starved, how did that occur?'
Jonathan took up the story. 'Rupert means that Papa lost his mind, that sort of mad. I don't think it was anything to do with Mama, I can remember him wandering about the place talking to himself and waving his hands in the air long before he became very unwell.'
'I see, that must be very difficult for all of you. How long was he unwell before he died?'
'I think it was after Eloise was born. I was eight,' Rupert said, 'and I can remember hearing our mother crying and thought at first that the baby must have died. From that point I think life became very difficult for our mother.'
He rubbed his eyes again and James felt a brute to press him for further details that he had to know. 'So, for the past eight years your father was a lunatic?'
'No, no, not at all,' Jonathan interrupted. 'Papa did have bouts of melancholy when he locked himself away, but he wasn't cruel to any of us, he just ignored us. When he recovered his spirits, the house was happy enough. We had tutors —.'
'You don't remember, you were still in leading strings, I'm the one who should tell the story you're just repeating what our mother told you to say.'
'Jonathan be quiet. Rupert, continue with your story.'
'Mama moved us to the Dower House, she said we weren't safe in the Hall anymore. I don't know if that was entirely true, but it was certainly quieter and more pleasant away from him.
'Over the years the things we used to have disappeared. He never came to see us, and we were forbidden to go and see him. The staff we brought with us were all we had; our tutors were dismissed a year ago.'
'And Lord Upminster? Was he completely insane by then? Who was running the estates? Why didn't your mother get in touch with me? I still can't comprehend how you come to be in such a sorry pass.'
'We were summoned to the Hall; we'd no choice but to go.'
The boy stopped and was almost too upset to continue. James put his arm around his shoulders and the boy leaned gratefully into his embrace.
