“I am well aware of what you were doing,” Colin said. “Are you aware that poaching is a crime?”
Lowering his gaze, Peter replied, “Yes.”
“Then why would you risk going to jail?”
“My mother and I were hungry.”
Colin frowned as he glanced over his shoulder at Arabella. “Are you not employed at Lady Langdon’s estate?”
“I am.”
“Then why are you still poaching?”
Peter kicked at a rock on the ground. “I don’t get my wages for another week,” he said, “and my mother just got fired from her job.”
“Why is that?”
“They accused her of having a child out of wedlock.”
“Are you illegitimate?”
“No, milord,” Peter responded, squaring his shoulders. “My father died in the war.”
Arabella stepped closer to Colin as he asked, “How long ago did he die?”
“Four years,” Peter responded.
Colin gave him a disapproving look. “Doesn’t your mother have proof that the wedding took place?”
Peter shook his head. “There was a fire at our house, and it burned along with most of our things.”
“It is not uncommon for women to pretend to be wed when they have a child outside the bands of matrimony,” Colin said.
“My mother is not a whore!” Peter exclaimed. “She married my father, and he left to fight in the war.”
“Have you never met your father?” Colin asked.
“I have met him,” Peter replied. “I would see him when he came home on leave.”
Arabella felt compassion swell inside of her for the boy. “Would it help if I saw to an advance of your wages?”
Colin turned to face her, his boots grinding on the loose rock. “How do you know he isn’t lying?”
“Why would he lie about such a thing?” Arabella asked, keeping her voice low.
“To stay out of jail.”
“I don’t believe that to be the case.” Arabella gestured towards the boy. “His cheeks are sunken in, and it looks like he hasn’t had a good meal in a long time.”
Colin considered her for a long moment, then said, “I will reserve judgment until I have spoken to his mother.”
“Please, no!” Peter shouted frantically. “My mother doesn’t know that I’ve been hunting on your land.”
“Where does she believe the game is coming from?” Colin asked.
“She thinks I work at the inn.”
“Why does she believe that?”
