“So you need money?” His mother’s tone was crisp, but not terse.
“Lena,” Reggie cooed, drawing out her name.
“I want to be clear about why you’ve come.”
Reggie reached his hand out, and Leo was up like lightning. The hand that was about to touch his mother’s knee never made it to its destination. Reggie’s teacup rattled on his lap and spilled onto his trousers.
“Don’t touch my mother,” Leo growled.
“What’s this?” Reggie said, irritated, brushing the beaded liquid off his trousers. “How do you think you got made in the first place?”
Behind him, Prudence coughed politely into her hand, reminding them that there was an audience for this family drama. Leo was embarrassed that she had to witness this. All of the worst of him on display for her to judge.
“Thank you for the tea, Mrs. Moon. I very much appreciate seeing you again,” Prudence said, getting to her feet.
“Mrs. Moon?” Reggie echoed, then moaned in a playful tone. Leo could see all of Reggie’s clumsy manipulations laid bare. “Not you, too, love.”
For the first time since Reggie walked in, his mother looked down. Her fingers clenched together, making strange shapes in her lap, her knuckles going white with the pressure. “I assumed you didn’t mind, since you had set up housekeeping in the next county over. What was her name? Tabitha? Tara? Talia?”
Reggie’s mouth gaped open, as it always had when he was called on the carpet for his own wrongdoings. He shook his head, making unintelligible noises. “You moved to London without me. What was I supposed to do?”
“That was long before London, Reggie,” his mother said. “There was a boy, wasn’t there? I’d say he would be about twenty-five now?”
Leo was shocked. This was new information. He suddenly felt like a child, being coddled and isolated. Why wasn’t he allowed to know? Why couldn’t he have a family? Why was he left out of the lives of all these people? Shame coursed through him, hot and liquid, that Prudence knew dirty secrets about his family that even he hadn’t known.
Reggie looked grim and serious. “He was Reginald Morgan Junior. And he died of a fever when he was about ten. So.”
His mother didn’t look at Reggie with pity. “So.”
Prudence stood stock still, as did Miss Pendansky. Leo had to admit, he would have no idea how to exit this room either. There was absolutely no graceful way to watch a train derail.
“And your daughter?” Lena asked, still polite.
“Daughter?” Leo asked.
Reggie cocked his head to the side as if he were being put upon. “She’s gone as well. I’m not sure what it was. Some kind of sickness in the last few years.”
“I liked her, if that is any consolation.” His mother’s voice was calm and kind, which Leo didn’t know how she managed.
“You met her?” Leo asked. He didn’t realize he had any siblings, let alone two of them. And those were just the ones Reggie had admitted to having. The ones his mother knew about. He suddenly felt his world turn upside down. Since childhood, he’d believed that he had protected and cared for his mother, not realizing how different her perspective had been. How much information she’d had.
If he’d ever admitted to his mother how terrified he’d been that his father would find them again, would she have told him that he’d carried on with a new family the next county over?
“Of course, that’s where Granson came from.” His mother let loose all her knowledge with such casual indifference. “The boy’s real name is William, I believe?”
“You’ve an excellent memory, Lena,” Reggie said. “I liked having a grandson. Couldn’t stop bragging about him, so the name stuck.”
Leo felt another stab of betrayal. He was not that much older than Granson. He’d been prouder of his grandson than his actual son. This grifter, this thief. How could Leo feel so hurt by a man who valued nothing?
Prudence let out a low huff of a laugh. “Granson. Because he is your actual Grand. Son.” Leo felt as if he’d accepted an invitation from Eyeball to go a few rounds in a boxing ring. He wanted some of Prudence’s sweet Kentucky bourbon, and then he wanted to go to bed. Preferably with Prudence snug in there with him so he could smell her and be comforted by the warm weight of her body next to his. But she’d never lie next to him again. He’d had hope before, but Reggie waltzed in and pulled the walls down.
“We should really be going,” Prudence said.
“I would get up for you, but...” Reggie trailed off, gesturing to his tea-stained lap.
“Don’t fret, Mr. Morgan,” Prudence said. “We can see ourselves out, Mrs. Moon, Mr. Moon.”
The two women hustled out of the room. Leo didn’t blame them. This was no place for them to be. Leo watched them go, and wished they were staying. Or rather, he wished that Prudence were staying, as even her presence was a steadying force for him. Even if they were at odds.
