She stepped closer to the stairs when the sound of Jacob’s footsteps reached her from the other side of the door.
After years of living with him— or rather, of sharing the same house as he did, Cora had learnt to sense his mood from the air itself even before he entered a room.
The cadence promised war. Her pulse quickened. David straightened. Not that Jacob’s foul mood was a surprise, especially after today’s incident. She’d hoped she’d had the time to pack a few things, grab her money, and leave.
“He’s coming,” David whispered.
“Listen.” She took his shoulders. “We must pack our things and leave. I’ll keep him busy for as long as I can, but you must be quick.”
Jacob pushed the door open and strode inside, his dark coat flapping around him. His cold stare wasn’t directed at David though.
Cora shielded David and braced herself for Jacob’s fury. “You shouldn’t?—”
“What is the meaning of this?” He took something out of his pocket and dropped it on the console table.
Cora let out a shuddering breath. Her letter to Mrs. Delois lay crumpled in front of her with the ripped envelope and stamps. “How did you get that?”
“What is it?” he demanded again, ignoring her question.
“It’s none of your business.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “In this letter, you wrote to a French woman that you have enough money to pay for a room. How? You stole from me. So yes, it’s my business.” He pressed his knuckles against the table. “What did you want to do? Leave me as you said to this Mrs. Delois?”
Cora didn’t reply, only to keep David safe. If she provoked Jacob further, David would be involved as well.
“Would you leave me and cover me in shame?” Jacob asked, clenching a fist around the letter. “And who would have you? A disgraced woman without honour. People will think you eloped with a lover.”
“David, go to your room.” She squeezed his arm when he didn’t move. “Go. Let me talk with your father.”
David hung his head, and the curtain of his curls fell over his face.
“You aren’t going anywhere.” Jacob seized David’s arm and dragged him closer. “I need a word with you as well.”
“Leave him alone.” Cora removed Jacob’s hand from David with a shove.
“I knew you would have said that,” Jacob hissed. “Always defending him. Always taking care of him. What about me?”
“He didn’t do anything wrong. Instead, you should be ashamed of yourself.” She pointed a finger at him.
“The rat disobeyed me.” Jacob’s voice acquired that low, calm tone, hiding his cold fury. “I gave him an order, and he refused to do my bidding before running away from me.”
“He did the right thing. The same can’t be said about you. Come here, darling.” Cora opened her arms, and David ran to her. “Why can’t you leave him alone?”
Jacob raked a hand through his hair as if genuinely trying to contain his temper. “Stop defending him. Don’t you see you’re ruining him? He grew up weak and pathetic because you coddle him constantly.”
She pushed David behind her. “Leave, Jacob. You need to calm down.”
He didn’t have the excuse to be drunk. Even when Jacob drank or indulged himself in opium, he never returned home intoxicated, and drugs didn’t affect him as they did other men. She knew of his vices only because he openly spoke about them. He had to exercise huge self-discipline though not to fall into those vices deeply enough to kill himself.
“Don’t tell me what I need to do.” He rummaged through his pocket again and fished out a gun.
Cora gasped. A gun. Jacob might be vicious, cruel, and violent, but he had never, ever wielded a weapon against David or her.
She stretched out a hand towards him in a pacifying gesture. “Jacob, please. Put that gun down.”
“I’ve had enough of you two defying me.” Jacob sounded too steady and determined. She would be less frightened if he’dshown doubt or confusion. “I’m tired. You never listen to me. You don’t respect me. But I am the one with the money and title, and you depend on me. I pay for your gowns and food and his education, and you repay me with contempt and disobedience. The little bastard will learn a lesson he won’t forget.” He cocked the gun.
“Mama.” David paled, grabbing her hand.
