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Bobby sat with his eyes closed, thinking.“Mary.Mary something.Give me a minute...Mary Trimble.That’s it.Mary Trimble.”
“Here in London?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll look into it.Are you in London for a few days?”
“Just overnight.I need to leave early in the morning when the first coach departs.Don’t want my horses to miss their oats.”
“I’ll have a room prepared.There is no reason you can’t stay here with us.”
“Oh, Mr.Hardy.I can’t bother you.Look at me.You shouldn’t have me in one of your fine rooms.The servant girls wouldn’t appreciate it, that’s sure.”
“Nonsense.I wouldn’t have it any other way.”Matthew stood to ring for a servant; a footman appeared a moment later.“Would you show my brother to a room?Have someone carry up pails of water and a hipbath tub.Then collect one of my linen shirts for him from my room.Be sure you knock so you don’t frighten Isaac.And have Sylvan take up a tray,” he said before addressing Bobby again.“Lunch is served at two.There are books in the library.A garden walk in the back.”
Bobby rubbed his nose again, waiting for the footman to walk toward the door.“I don’t know how to read.”
“One thing at a time.I will see you at lunch.”Matthew walked him to the door.
“Have you seen Archie?”Bobby asked.He was twisting his hat again.Matthew had found Archie Robinson first, in a purely cosmic meeting at the docks.Matthew had thought he’d met his twin.A few questions, a meeting with Archie’s mother, and it all became clear.Only then had it occurred to Matthew that he wasn’t the only one of Welliver’s bastards about London, and he chastised himself over the next six months about the amount of time he’d wasted when there might be others.
“Yes.He was well the last I saw him.On his way to New York with auction stock.”
“Will he be home after the auction?”
“Oh, yes.If any of us ever leave England, Archie will be the last of us to do so.”
“Good.I’d like to see him when he returns.Thank you for findin’ us, Mr.Hardy.It’s good to finally have real family.”
