Percy, of course, said nothing.
Rebecca’s grin was more grim, but still coiled Sebastian’s insides.
He didn’t like that. He straightened and poured her a glass of wine. “You realize the proprietor and his wife believe you’re my wife?”
Rather than being stricken with his words, her features twisted in annoyance.
He wondered briefly if she would still be annoyed if she truly was his wife. Stunned by that incongruent thought, he shoved it away. Did nothing rattle this woman? He desperately wished to throw her off her game. If only to ascertain her as human and not some life form conjured from the constellations.
He doubted she was reviving her plan from seven years ago on the night of her season debut. The plan that had included her search for a suitable marriage. These recurring thoughts grew tiring.
He couldn’t very well ask such a thing with her in front of her children. He suspected his suspicions were unfounded. What drove him mad was the not knowing, not after what he’d overheard her telling Percy. The conundrums were hitting him from all sides.
He came around the table and held out a chair for Rebecca. “Shall we sit?”
“Thank you,” she murmured.
The boys scrambled into their own chairs.
For a small inn, dinner was spectacular. It appeared the owner’s wife had taken a liking to Sebastian’s “duchess.”
Percy couldn’t take his eyes off his mother. It was if he’d never seen her before. It was both touching and confusing.
Sebastian listened as Peter carried most of the conversation through dinner, explaining how Duke had gotten away from him and the maid in the yard and had ended up needing another thorough rinsing. His rendition had Rebecca laughing until tears streamed down her face. There was nothing coquettish or pretentious in her joy, and Sebastian found he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. Even while her conversation with Percy replayed in his head.
“You realize you’re safe now, don’t you?”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“I know this might not make sense, darling, but talking about bad things will help dispel the nightmares.”
“It’s true,” she insisted. “When I was young. Somewhere near your age, I believe. I witnessed something truly horrid.”
Sebastian hadn’t heard Percy’s response. He’d whispered.
“My governess, Miss Velinda. She had taken me to study some plants near a creek. I ran ahead of her—”A long pause had followed.“Some bad men came upon her. They attacked her.”
Again, his whisper was undecipherable. Then Rebecca’s.
Her voice rose once more to something audible.“I ran to the village for help, but by the time I arrived with help, the men were gone. I had nightmares for years until my Aunt Isolde took me aside and dragged the whole terrible ordeal out of me. I felt guilty because I was too late to help her.”
Percy’s voice was louder now. His words stopping Sebastian.“Did she die?”
“Not for a long time,”she’d answered softly.
Laughter broke into Sebastian’s thoughts, jarring him back. Percy was nodding and mumbled something that sounded similar to yes, but not quite.
Rebecca beamed the child with the brightest, proudest smile Sebastian couldn’t believe he envied. At the same time, he felt somewhat thrilled and proud of Percy himself.
Supper dragged on for another hour with giggles from the boys. Despite Rebecca’s elation over Percy recovering his voice, Sebastian couldn’t help noticing her preoccupation. She did well hiding it from the boys, buthecould see it as if were engraved in leaf gold and headlined in theGazette.
Rebecca rose from the table. “It’s time I got these two to bed. We have a long day tomorrow.”
“Actually, the day mightn’t be all that long,” Sebastian said. “If I could have a quick word…”
Clearly, she was looking for any excuse to avoid him, but something primal snapped in Sebastian and he refused to let her maneuver out of a private tête-à-tête.
He gave her as bright a smile as the one she’d graced Percy, only it held none of the warmth. She was hiding behind those boys… she thought she could sneak out behind them? He strode to the door and slammed his palm against the oak. “Not so fast, Lady Rebecca.”
