Daffin hammered one of the nails into place before glancing at her. “No. One was fearful of her father, and the other wanted protection for her jewels.”
The smile remained at the corner of her mouth. “You were hired to protectjewels?”
He nodded. He couldn’t help but smile, too. It sounded ridiculous when said aloud. He reached for another nail and Regina handed it to him. Their hands brushed again. He blew air into his cheeks.
“And you took the assignment?” she continued.
“I did. That particular bit of employment was when I was much younger and would do just about anything involving security for money.” He arched a brow. “I take it you don’t worry that your jewels will be stolen, my lady?”
She laughed. “Never. I don’t have many jewels, and the ones I inherited from my mother are much less important to me than, say, my friends and family. I would give away every jewel I’ve ever owned to have John back.”
Daffin nodded. “Of course.” Their banter made it easy to forget the circumstances under which they’d met. She must miss her cousin terribly.
“Have you ever had anyone close to you die?” she asked next.
He stared, unseeing, at the windowpane for a few moments. “Yes… my mother.” He shook his head and gestured to Regina to hand him another nail. When their hands brushed again, a current rushed through him and settled in his groin. He turned away from her to study the windowpane. He needed to change the subject. “I’m happy to say that I no longer take on cases involving jewel protection.”
“Thank you for taking our case,” she said softly.
Daffin hammered the nail into the window frame. “I’m notabout to sit by and allow my friends to be hurt if I can prevent it.”
Regina nodded. “I hope you consider me a friend, too.”
“I’d like that.” He turned to her and grinned. “Do you think you can be friends with a Greek god?”
A smile tugged at her lips. “It shall be a challenge, but I do believe I can manage it.” She gave him the final nail, then rubbed her arms as if she were cold. The fireplace was lit, but it was across the room. “What about the other case?” she continued. “The one where the lady was afraid of her father.”
“Yes,” Daffin replied. “He’d married her off to a wealthy viscount, hoping to get back some of the purse. His daughter refused to give him any money, however, and he threatened her.”
Regina sucked in her breath. It was barely perceptible, but he heard it. “I cannot imagine a father being so awful to his own child.”
Daffin made use of the final nail. He couldn’t imagine a father being good to his child. “I’ve seen my share of fathers be nothing but hideous to their children.”
“That’s a shame,” she murmured. “I’m sorry to hear that.” To his amazement, her eyes were misty. “Was your father hideous to you?” She searched his profile.
Daffin clenched his jaw. Why were her tears affecting him? He shouldn’t have been so blunt with her. “In his own way.” Damn it. Why did he say that?
“He didn’t… beat you, did he?” Regina asked, her eyes wide.
“No. But if there’s one thing I cannot countenance, it’s a grown man harming a child. I recently put a bloke in the bowels of Newgate for just such an offense.”
Regina’s arms fell to her sides. She stepped toward him. “You’re noble, aren’t you?”
His brow furrowed. “I wouldn’t say that.”
“Yes, you are. You’re a good man, Daffin. I could tell it the moment I met you.”
Daffin shrugged as if to divest himself of her words. No one had told him he was a good man before. No one had ever told him he was noble.
“My father was a good man, too,” Regina continued, glancing out the window. “But he died young. Is your father still alive?”
“No.” Daffin’s throat tightened at the sadness in her voice, but it was better for her to talk about her family than ask about his. “Your mother was the duke’s sister. Is that right?” He hammered the final nail into the window frame.
She nodded, meeting his gaze again. “Yes. My mother, Uncle Edward, and Mark’s mother, Aunt Mary, were siblings. They each had one child, me, John, and Mark.”
Daffin whistled. “Not a prolific family, were they?”
“No.” Regina shook her head sadly. “Now John’s dead. We have only Mark to rely on to carry on the family line.”
