AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Our uniforms had buckles made by your factory,” Isaac said. “I remember the insignia. There I was, on the other side of the world, wearing a buckle my brother had made. I wonder if Bram has anything you made, or Mother and Miriam.”
Instead of answering, Joshua focused on the walnut between the heels of his hands. It seemed a stupid, inefficient thing to do when he had a perfectly good nutcracker—also made by his factory—but he was not about to be outdone by his little brother, even if his little brother had spent fourteen years hauling ropes and rowing boats or whatever it was sailors did. Fortunately, he did manage to crack it, and grinned to pretend the red indentations in his skin did not sting.
With a derisive snort, Isaac went back to shuffling. Joshua plucked out fragments of kernel and tossed them into his mouth.
“Just tell her who Mrs. O’Dea is,” Isaac said, dealing the cards.
“It will upset her. It’s a betrayal.”
“The woman has nothing to do with you.”
“That’s not the point. If Cassandra learns the truth, she’ll be devastated.”
But neither did he want her to think Mrs. O’Dea was his lover. She had not cared before, back when they were strangers, but shared nakedness tended to change things. Heaven knew, he could not imagine even looking at another woman now, and the thought of her looking at another man…
If only he had told Cassandra that earlier.
When Isaac had dealt out the whole pack, they picked up their hands. Joshua had no idea what game they were playing, but he sorted the cards anyway.
Isaac put down a card. “You might think you are protecting her, but she’ll be hurt one way or another,” he said. “I think she’s strong enough to take the truth.”
“When did you become an expert on my wife?”
Joshua still had no idea what game they were playing. He tossed down a random card. Isaac didn’t object, so he must have done something right.
“Lucy says Cassandra works all day,” Isaac went on. “Running the estate, the household, visiting neighbors, looking after everyone in the parish, by the sound of it. She hardly has a moment for herself, or for them. Always busy, apparently.”
He had not known that about Cassandra. And yet—she had told him. How did he know things and yet not know them? What tricks his mind played.
“She need not do that,” Joshua said. “She has enough money to hire others.”
“Maybe that’s not what she needs.”
“Maybe you should shut up about things you don’t understand.”
Isaac tossed down another card. Joshua was good at seeing patterns but he had no idea what all these cards were about, so he chose another one at random.
“What’s the problem with their mother, anyway?” Isaac asked. “Lady Charles.”
“She’s unwell.”
“With what?”
Joshua didn’t know that either. He didn’t want to know. Go around asking people questions about their mothers and who knew what could happen. But he should know. He should be up there now, telling her about Mrs. O’Dea, breaking her heart. She would be upset, and he would comfort her, and she would expect to make love. He could not bear to make love to her tonight, and he could not bear to stay away.
Selfish coward. He hated himself, but his heart had already been broken today, and that was enough for them both.
Isaac didn’t press for an answer and they kept throwing down random cards until their hands were empty and Isaac shuffled again. It was not an exciting game, but it suited his mood perfectly.
“I found Mother and Miriam,” Joshua said abruptly.
Isaac’s hands jerked and cards flew everywhere. “You what? Where are they?”
“They don’t want to be found. I looked for them some years ago. After Rachel died.”
“And?”
“The investigator passed on a message from Mother. She said she and Miriam were well and did not want any contact with any of us.”
