Just for a moment. Then he raised one hand to get the attention of the serving woman, and requested a bath be sent up to his room.
“Sim, senhor,” she replied. She smiled at Nick but suggestively trailed her hand along Zach’s jaw as she left.
“Are you waiting to toss her skirts until after you find the treasure?” Zach said as he lifted his glass. “Not that she’s actually wearing skirts.” He took a drink. “If you marry her, you won’t have to split the money.”
Nick didn’t know whether to laugh or plant Zach a facer. His statement was too close to the truth. “What makes you think—”
“Because it’s obvious you haven’t touched her. I saw how she reacted when you put your hand on her knee. Girl’s as untried as a six-month-old filly.”
Nick choked on his wine.
Zach thumped him between his shoulders. “There, there, lad. We can’t all be a dab hand with the ladies.” He refilled his glass and Nick’s with port. “Speaking of ladies, how is the Wind Dancer?”
Nick coughed and took a fortifying swallow of port. Then another. Oh, this was good. He sniffed it, swirled it, and watched the legs slide down the glass. He really must get some of this to take home. Half a hold’s worth, at least. He studied the bottle’s label and filed the vintage information away for later. “We took some damage leaving Corunna after we had a run-in with Ruford. He shot the sails full of holes with grape shot. Had to get out the spare set to make it to Porto.”
“Oh no, not the speckled pink sails!” Zach laughed. “I wish I’d witnessed your arrival. Must have caused quite a stir.”
Nick watched Zach, thinking about how thoroughly Zach kept track of the ship. “I’ve often wondered why Grandfather gave her to me instead of you.”
Zach shrugged one shoulder. “Because the old fart knew I’d sink her in a storm or get lost and wreck her on rocky shoals. Or worse, gamble her away while deep in my cups.” He briefly rested a hand on Nick’s shoulder, then patted his cheek. “Even as a beardless youth with your voice cracking when you called out orders to the crew, you showed an aptitude for navigation and seamanship far greater than I ever did. It was obvious to us both that the sea would be your mistress, lad.” He sipped his wine. “Me, I prefer something warmer. With lovely curves.”
The serving woman walked by them just then, her hands full with a tray of dishes and glasses. Zach patted her bottom as she passed. She smiled at him over her shoulder and put a little extra sway in her hips.
“Mother told me, you know,” Nick said softly. “About the masquerade ball.” With one finger, he traced a droplet of wine sliding down the outside of his glass. He needed to finally say the words but couldn’t bring himself to look at Zach.
Zach set his glass down with extreme care. “When?”
“Shortly before she died.”
“You were, what, eighteen when she died?” Zach let out a deep sigh. “That’s a heavy load for one so young to carry.”
“It changed everything I thought I knew about my life,” Nick said, trying not to sound bitter. “But it was also not surprising. Explained why Adam was such a harsh taskmaster. Mother wanted me to understand he meant well, that he was just trying to be certain I did not grow up to be like you.”
“A profligate. Wastrel. Drunkard.” Zach recited the words without emotion. They’d both heard them countless times before.
“When do you think she told him?”
“Never.”
Nick’s jaw dropped. He stared at Zach. “He had to have known, else why would he be so harsh with me? He was never that…” brutal, insensitive “…unyielding with my sisters.”
Zach drank deeply. “Oh, he knew. First time he saw your little bare bum.”
Nick fell back in his chair as though struck. “What?” Adam knew, Nick’s whole life?
“I’m afraid you have the same heart-shaped birthmark on your right cheek that I do.” Zach pointed to his hip, making clear which ‘cheek’ he referenced. “Which Adam did not have.”
Nick resisted the impulse to glance toward his backside, or Zach’s. Bullies in school had teased him about the mark when he was younger, and Nick had ended up in the headmaster’s office more than once for his flying-fists response. As an adult, several lovers had traced the mark with their finger. Or tongue.
Nick tried to rearrange the mental pictures he had of his childhood, what they meant. “But he did not act toward her as though he knew she had betrayed him.” He had often seen his parents kiss and embrace one another, especially the first few days each time Adam came home on leave.
Zach shrugged. “Apparently he forgave her. Understood her reason for doing it.”
Nick’s brows shot up. “Which was?”
“She was desperate.” Zach took a fortifying swig of wine. “After Audrey was followed by Bettina and then Caroline and Diana and Evelyn, she was desperate. Each baby took more out of her, and it took longer to recover her strength. Carrying and birthing Evelyn almost did her in. She believed she wouldn’t survive a seventh pregnancy, so the sixth child had to be the heir for Adam. I didn’t know it was her until after I was already—well, until it was too late.”
The couple who’d been eating at the next table finished and headed up the staircase. Nick watched them go, desperately wanting to hear what Zach was going to say. And also wanting to go up the stairs and not hear it. Ever.
