“Why are you and Adam not living with your family, Ruby? I know you have more siblings, as Ella told me.”
“They live in the country.”
He raised a brow, and she thought she owed him some honesty. He’d been only kind with her. Perhaps if she did tell him something, he may be more inclined to share a confidence with her.
The thought of deceiving or manipulating him made her feel ill.
“My father was mean to Adam. He is the youngest, you see, and there are seven of us, all boys except me, and when Adam was born, his legs did not work. My father could not tolerate what he saw as an imperfection.”
“What about your mother?”
“She does what my father tells her to.”
“Your siblings?”
“They are the same, except my eldest brother. Adam told me that Ezekiel sometimes was kind to him.”
“That night my hackney hit Adam, where were you going, Ruby?”
She remembered the desperation she’d felt. The need to get to safety, in case her father found them.
“That was the night we ran away. Miss Kent had worked with me, teaching me to be a lady; we had become friends. She knew what my family were like and sent me her address in London to write to if I wished to correspond.”
“You didn’t correspond, you decided to flee to her?”
Ruby nodded. His jaw was clenched, eyes narrowed and filled with anger on her behalf. It was a heady feeling to have all that focused on her. To know his anger was due to the way she was treated.
But I must betray him.Betray him or leave.
“How did you escape?”
“I planned it. I… ah.” She looked down at her hands. Stealing wasn’t something she was proud of, but it seemed to be part of her life now. That and lies and betrayal. “I stole money from my father’s desk.” She raised her chin. It had been necessary for her brother’s safety.
“As you should have. Clearly the man deserved that from you and more,” he said calmly. “But what was the catalyst that made you leave then?”
She met his eyes again.
“Sometimes the need to talk outweighs the need to stay silent. Often the words pour out when you do not expect them to, and the recipient is not who you would normally confide in. Speak freely, Ruby.”
“My father told me I was to marry and that he had selected my future husband.”
“And you did not like the man?”
“He was old enough to be my grandfather. He was also natured similarly to my father, and a nobleman. My father wanted a title in his family, the man wanted my father’s money. I knew my life would not be a happy one. But the main reason I did not want to wed him and leave was Adam. I was the only one who really cared for him. He never left his room; my father would not allow it.”
The hand on his thigh clenched.
“So, I packed what we could carry, and we slipped from the house.”
“Which can’t have been easy.”
“No. But we made it. When we encountered you, I had feared we were about to spend the night on the streets. Your hackney ensured we did not. Miss Kent took us in, and then we moved into our room.”
“So, you were raised in a family with money and servants?”
She nodded. She’d told him a great deal more than she should have, however there was also a great deal more to that story, but as the carriage was rolling to a stop, Ruby thought that was more than enough sharing for today. In fact, ever. This man was dangerous to her. He melted her resolve and made her feel, and they both knew that was not wise. He lived a gentleman’s life, and she was his daughter’s tutor.
“This life you now live must be very different to the one you left,” he said quietly.
