“Not that I heard.”
Trevor leaned closer. “What about the man who sold you to Macgregor? What was his name?”
“Percy Featherspoon,” Norman said before taking a big bite from a pastry.
The name didn’t sound familiar, but at least Trevor could have the man investigated. “Where did you live with Mr. Featherspoon?”
“In Scotland.”
“Very interesting.” Trevor scratched his chin. “Can you tell me anymore about Louisa? When she used to work for Macgregor?”
“I don’t know. Macgregor’s children don’t talk very much. We see each other in the morning before we leave to work the streets, and we return late at night, very tired.”
“Think, Norman. Tell me anything that might help Louisa get her memory back.”
The lad was quiet for a few moments as he munched on his food. Finally, he lifted his wide eyes to Trevor.
“I remember Macgregor was having her do bad things.”
Trevor’s chest tightened, not knowing if he really wanted to hear this. “What sort of things?”
“Louisa was one of the oldest, and Macgregor trained the older ones to do more than just steal.”
“Go on.”
Norman shrugged. “He wanted Louisa to find more children and bring them to him.”
Trevor lost his breath, either that or his heart had stopped beating. “Are you talking about kidnapping?”
“Aye—kidnapping.”
“How… how did Louisa do this?”
“I don’t know, m’lord. I just know that she would be gone for a few days and when she returned, she had a new child with her. Macgregor was very happy with her work. He said Louisa was very good with children.”
A quick shaft of fear entered Trevor. Would Louisa take his twins away? No, he reasoned, they were too young. If his chest continued to tighten, he would not be able to endure the pain. He swallowed, moistening his suddenly dry throat. “What else did she do for Macgregor?”
Norman finished the last bite and wiped his mouth on his sleeve again. “Well, there was this other thing, but I don’t know if it really happened.”
By the way the lad cringed and hung his head, Trevor could tell it wasn’t good. Did he really want to know? What could be worse than kidnapping children for Macgregor’s torture pleasure? But even if he wished he hadn’t started this conversation, he still opened his mouth and asked, “What is it?”
“I’d heard…” He heaved a deep breath. “I heard she killed someone for Macgregor. One day he was upset when Thomas didn’t bring any profits for the day. Thomas wasn’t very good at stealing. Anyway, Macgregor made Louisa take Thomas away… and kill him.”
Oh Lord, no!Trevor’s stomach lurched, and he feared he’d empty it right on his lap.
“She returned the next day and said she took care of it for Macgregor.” Norman shrugged. “We all suspected she had killed Thomas.”
“Did she actuallysayshe killed the boy?”
“No, just that shetook care of himfor Macgregor.”
Tilting his head back against the wall, Trevor inhaled deep breaths, trying to clear his mind and calm his stomach. This couldn’t be right. The woman he’d known since running her overwith his landau, wasnotcapable of murder. She wasn’t even capable of kidnapping children. She’d been the one who watched the twins so carefully when they were with Mrs. Jacobs. Louisa had been nothing but attentive and loving to Adam and Amanda.
Yet, was this how she was able to coax the other children away from their families and bring them to Macgregor?
Pain throbbed in his head, making his confusion greater. His heart told him not to believe, but there was that niggle of doubt knocking inside his subconscious that wouldn’t leave. He wanted to believe the best of her because he loved her. The woman he’d come to know could not possibly have done all those terrible things. Because her past was still unknown, perhaps she could have done these horrid acts in able to survive Macgregor.
“M’lord? Can I leave now?”
