“You know that’s not the reason I’m speaking to you about bringing him here.”
Yes, she knew but still felt justified in continuing her present interpretation. “No, but you are being most unkind to a child who is an orphan.”
“You are deliberately misunderstanding everything I say.”
“Then what is your reason for not wanting him here? Is it that you simply don’t like him because he has no surname, no family, and no home?”
A grimace narrowed the duke’s eyes. “What I don’t like is that you’ve welcomed him into your home and your life when you don’t know anything about him.”
“That’s not the point. No matter who he is, he is part of my household at this time and should be treated with the same respect given to all our servants when visiting your home. I am not asking for special treatment for him.”
Loretta stopped walking and stared at the duke intensely. “But I do say this. If Farley isn’t welcome in your home, then I shan’t be, either. I’ll have to ask you to make arrangements and we’ll leave immediately.”
“Will you?” he asked, stepping closer to her.
“Yes,” she answered standing her ground, knowing the last thing she wanted to do was get back in the coach.
“Now that I have you here, Loretta, do you really think I am going to let you go?”
Her chest heaved with deep, heavy breaths. His words and tone sounded possessive and— “Do you realize you just called me Loretta?”
“That’s your name.”
“But you can’t use it.”
“By now you should know that I don’t always follow the rules of polite Society.”
Oh, yes. She knew. “And you should know by now that I don’t always follow them, either.”
She was pretty sure he gritted his teeth for a moment or two before he nodded. An attractive grin lifted the corners of his lips when he said, “You are a worthy opponent, Loretta.”
Oh, he knew just what to say to settle her anger, to calm her spirit, and to thrill her heart.
“But I am being rational and you are not,” he continued.
“Ah! That is not a valid argument and you know it.”
“We don’t know who he is. You don’t know where he came from, where he was going, or what he’d planned to do.”
“That’s not entirely true anymore. I don’t know his full name or where he lives, but I now know a little more about him than when you last saw him. I’ll be happy to tell you what I’ve learned.”
The duke’s expression softened. He stared at her for a long moment as if he were taking stock of what she’d said. “All right, if it would please you to do so, I’ll listen.”
“I won’t go into all the details, but briefly, he has no family that he knows about. He lives under the steps of an old, abandoned building in London. Near St. James Park. He was abducted from a street near there and locked in a wagon with other boys who’d suffered the same fate. Hewas told they were being taken to a workhouse, where they were to be sold. The man would get money for delivering the children he’d stolen from the streets,” she said with disdain. “They were traveling somewhere near Mammoth House when the abductor realized Farley was sick. He didn’t want the others boys to catch the fever and die, too. That would keep him from getting any money. So he threw Farley out of the wagon and left him beside the road. Alone!” Loretta choked on the last word and had to suck in a deep breath.
“I’m sure it’s all true,” the duke said in a soft understanding voice. “And that it happens far too often in London.”
“Yes. I only wish I could save them all.”
He gave her a kind smile. “You know that’s impossible, don’t you?”
She nodded and realized she’d clasped her hands together so tightly they were aching. “But I can save Farley.”
“You know, I believe I’ve changed my mind. I’m actually glad that you brought him.”
“Are you?” she asked hopefully. “Truly?”
“Yes. Now that he is here, I’ll take over caring for him and ease that burden from you.”
