“My father’s mother had them,” she said.
Adalina sighed longingly. “They’re so pretty. I wish I had pretty eyes.”
“What have I told you? You both have lovely eyes,” Sirius said.
“But your eyes are so wonderful, Papa,” Adalina said in frustration. “My eyes are plain.”
He cupped Adalina’s chin. “They are not plain. They are the color of warm chocolate to match your sweetness.”
Adalina blushed.
Pia felt herself blushing at well and it struck her again how much Sirius had changed. It was as though the man before her were a completely different man entirely. The hair was the same. It was hard to be certain of anything else. He’d lost more than eight stones at least. Sirius had been a very large man.
Yet the eyes still dumbfounded her. All the Hayes men had inherited those eyes, but Sirius’ seemed to glow in a way they hadn’t before. When she looked into those eyes, her soul called for Adam.
But Adam was gone, and this man was here.
The world was painfully unfair.
“Are you going to eat with us?” Adalina asked.
“No.” Pia stepped back. She wanted time alone. “I’d like to take my meal in my room, if that’s all right.” She looked up at Sirius.
He had an arm around both of his daughters now. “Of course. Take all the time you need. I’ll check in on you later.”
He’d check in on her? But she thought the only time they’d see one another would be at meals?
She didn’t ask for anything further.
Sirius saw a maid in the hall and called for her. “See that Lady Pia is escorted to her room and is given whatever she needs.” Then he turned to Pia. “You know you may come to me for anything, don’t you?” His eyes sought hers for confirmation.
Yet, she found it hard to confirm what she hadn’t known. Not really. A part of her wanted to ask Sirius if he were real or if this was all some sort of act. This could not be the same cruel man she’d once known.
If he were acting then he was very good.
Yet as his daughters clung to him and at the memory of finding him holding Georgiana when she’d walked into her private drawing room…
The rumors about Sirius hadn’t been a lie. He’d changed.
And Pia had no clue what that meant or if it should mean anything at all.
Realizing he was still waiting for her response, she nodded. “Thank you.” Then she followed the maid in the opposite direction… yet her thoughts stayed with the man behind her.
∫ ∫ ∫
0 9
* * *
“Pia, I’m so glad you’re finally here. You have no idea how dreadful life has been since Tobias’ passing.” Gillian pulled Pia away from the girls who were playing in the center of the room and toward the balcony. The afternoon had a bite to it, but it was not unbearable.
A maid brought them warm blankets to wrap themselves in, put pans under cushions to set on a bench, and warm bricks for their feet.
The luxuries Sirius provided were divine.
Gillian smiled at her. “I do this every morning. Does it not feel as though we are cheating the weather?”
“That is exactly what it feels like.” They were in the cold, yet not.
“He’s gone,”Gillian said. The words were similar to those Pia had spoken that morning. But the sentiments were different.
Adam would be missed. Tobias would not.
Gillian’s green eyes brimmed with tears. “I thought I’d die before he did. I truly thought he’d kill me.”
Pia squeezed her friend’s hands underneath the blankets. She’d known how evil Tobias had been to her. Her inability to bear him any sons had only made her life worse. She’d been forbidden from having friends or even enjoying the Season. He’d sent her daughters away to ensure that Gillian had no distractions from what he deemed to be her life’s sole purpose. Giving him an heir.
He’d never beaten her, but he’d taken his fury out on her in other ways. Terrible ways. He’d used her any way he saw fit, even while his wife did nothing but weep.
They’d been married for more years than Pia wished to think about. Like her and Sirius, the marriage had been arranged.
Gillian’s family was from the same town. Pia had found a friend in her when their families had begun to spend time with the Earl of Gordie. They’d known early on that they’d become sisters-in-law and had bonded.
Then Sirius had run off to marry an heiress, and Pia had been released from her contract. A blessing, she’d been sure.
Though now…
She set that aside and focused on the friend she’d not seen in some time.
Pia wiped her friend’s tears away. “I’m sorry I could not come earlier.”
“I understand,” Gillian said. “Your husband left you nothing. You had no choice but to make a living for yourself. Is the work hard?”
“Not in the least. I simply make calls and leave small gifts.” It reminded her that she had two assignments to do while she was here. She wondered if Sirius would allow her the use of his horse. If not, she’d find another way.
Gillian sighed. “I’m glad you are not exhausting yourself. Life can seem so hard at times.”
“Why is the world so full of horrible men?”
Gilliam smiled. “Perhaps, it is to balance out the extremely good, like Sirius.”
Pia bit back a groan. Why did it seem that every woman she’d met loved the man? Lady Sotton. His daughters. Georgiana. Now Gillian. “Has he truly changed?”
“He’s a completely different man, Pia,” Gillian said with a shake of her head. “A different man in every way. Sometimes, I think he’s someone else.”
Pia let out a great breath. “So, it isn’t only me.”
“He’s been so generous,” Gillian went on. “I was going to stay at my sister’s after Tobias died, but she wouldn’t let me bring the girls. She said the children caused her head to ache. She is just as disappointed in my failure as my parents are.”
Pia knew exactly how her friend felt. “You’re not a failure.”
“I am!” Gillian cried. “All I had to do was give him one son. One! And my life would have been better.”
“Well, at least you had children.”
Gillian shook her head. “You and I both know the reason you have no children does not rest on your shoulders.”
Pia looked away. “We can never be sure... Ginter had a mistress.”
“And I’m sure they did nothing more than play Rhymes with Rose together.”
Pia giggled at the image, but she still doubted if it were so. She was not so confident in herself as Gillian was.
But then there were things Gillian didn’t know, like the circumstances surrounding Ginter’s sudden death.
Pia looked her friend over. “But you are well here?”
She nodded. “Georgiana has been a saint. She is very good with the children. I admit, I was nervous about her at first, but I recalled all the wonderful things you said about her and I didn’t allow what the gossip said to sway me one way or the other. Adalina and Babbette adore her. My girls do as well. It’s lovely here. Honestly, if it were not against the law, I would have begged Sirius to wed me.”
Pia’s mouth fell open. “Gillian, do you love the earl?”
Gillian thought and then shrugged. “It’s hard not to love a man who provides you and your children with everything you could have ever hoped for. Also, I’ve met very few men more handsome than he or wealthy.”
Pia’s heart tripped over itself, and she licked her dry lips. “Have you and the earl ever…”
“Ever what?”
She looked away. “Never mind. It’s none of my business.”
“Oh! You mean are we having an affair?” Gillian laughed. “Oh, goodness no! I will die quite happy if a man never touches me again. Sirius has never even looked at me that way. He treats me as though I am his sister and the girls as though he’s known them their entire lives. Truly, I
could not ask for more.”
“Do you want more?”
Gillian sighed. “I don’t. In fact, he has offered to secure me my own property and I’m inclined to take him up on the offer.” She smiled. “Besides, he was always yours anyway, wasn’t he?”
Pia shushed her and looked around to make sure no one else was on the balcony.
“What?” Gillian asked. “It was never a secret that we were to marry Lord Gordie’s sons. Surely, the entire town knows.”
“Sirius seems to have forgotten.” He had yet to bring it up.
“One doesn’t forget a betrothal,” Gillian said.
“Then he hasn’t forgotten and simply wishes to forget. We should let the past rest.”
Gillian nodded and smiled. Her red locks had seemed to fade in color. She’d aged fast in her time with Tobias, but that smile bought back the vibrant woman Pia had once known. “Sirius said the same about the past. My future is mine now. I’m free to make my own choices.” She pulled in a breath. “Truly, I could not ask for more.”
Pia turned to look at the sky. They faced the sun and as its brilliance washed down on her, she, too, felt like something wonderful was coming for her.
∫ ∫ ∫
1 0
* * *
“My reports say that three storerooms were stolen from this year,” Porter said. “The most recent, which took place on the day of Tobias’ funeral, was the most deadly. The Collector and the two men on guard died. The place was ransacked.”
Sirius waved his hand. “That is information we already know. What I want is a list of everything that was taken from the others.” He knew about Tobias’ stolen Bellini. The painting had been recovered upon his death.
Lord Nicholas Childs said, “Aside from the Bellini, they took the coin trunks. The amount is somewhere around three thousand guineas altogether.”
Sirius whipped around. “That much?” He was surprised Cassius had done him the courtesy of informing him of Tobias’ coming demise.
But there was no way that Tobias had been working alone.
The storehouses were where the Duke of Van Dero kept the items he collected from those who owed him debts. Sirius had been a Collector for the previous duke.
From the beginning, he’d realized his mistake. The job had not been as simple as it would appear. Though he’d left the fight rings, more often than not he’d had to fight for his very life. And then came the children. People who’d been unable to pay what they’d owed had given him girls and boys who would either be placed into a factory where they would work until they died of exhaustion or be sold for the entertainment of other wealthy men.
Cassius, thankfully, did not accept children as payment, but the job of the Collectors was still hard.
Since Sirius had become the Earl of Gordie, Cassius had asked him to oversee the Collectors and to find the men his brother Tobias had been working with.
There was an uprising taking place, and it would end in bloodshed if Sirius didn’t take the leaders out and soon.
“These men clearly have money and know what they’re about,” Nick said. He was a tall, blue-eyed, blond man who was just as good at ending a quarrel as he was at ending a fight. Like Sirius and Cassius, Nick had been fighting since a young age. They’d all met in the ring.
“I want more men stationed at the storehouses.” There were five, placed strategically around England, making travel easier for those who owed the duke and were asked to pay more frequently.
“Asger was thinking the same and has already moved men into position.” General Asger was the leader of the Equerry. A former military man, he was deadlier than most and as far as Sirius knew, had no soft side.
Sirius took a turn around his office. “And we still don’t know who is behind this?”
“I collected the names of the men who attended the funeral,” Porter said.
Nick said, “My people have started looking into the guests who are known allies of Cassius.” They would look for traitors before they moved to the other names. “But so far, all seem loyal.” Nick had been a Forager for the old duke. His position was to gather secrets so that they could be placed into Cassius’ library to be used when Cassius saw fit.
Nick had hated working for the old man, but he’d put that aside after Sirius told him about the threat made to Milly’s baby. Cassius and Milly’s unborn child would live and grow surrounded by love so long as Sirius and Nick were alive.
Cassius deserved some happiness.
Sirius sighed and crossed his arms. “I can’t think of any man foolish enough to truly think he could win a war against Cassius, much less enough to pull off these attacks.”
Nick was leaning against the far wall by the door. “They don’t believe Cassius deserves the dukedom, and he only made matters worse when he married a girl from the gentry and not a lady.”
“You mean, not one of their daughters,” Sirius said as he thought of the men who’d already begun to approach him about Adalina. The girl was only ten. Sirius wasn’t sure he was ready to sign any contracts. It didn’t sit well with him, since he didn’t know who these young gentlemen would grow to be.
And shouldn’t Adalina be allowed to find love on her own? “We should likely look into men who’d approached Cassius about forming martial alliances.”
Nick nodded. “Good idea.” It was clear he hadn’t thought of it.
That was the advantage of being a father.
Porter stood. “I’ll see that missives with your direction are sent out.”
A soft knock came to the door. “Come in.”
Pia came in just as Porter left. She looked refreshed and bright. The pain of the morning was gone from her eyes. She smiled at him, but it fell when she noticed the other men in the room. “Oh, I didn’t know you were in a meeting.”
Sirius walked over to her. “I said to come to me if you needed me. What do you need?”
“A horse,” she said. “I wish to ride to Liverpool.”
“On a horse?” Nick asked in dismay. “In this weather? Alone?”
Pia seemed surprised by his outburst. Sirius was not, since he was thinking the same thing. “Perhaps, a footman could go with me.”
“You’ll have a footman,” Sirius said. “Two. And a driver and a carriage.”
Pia’s eyes widened. “Oh, but I don’t wish to inconvenience you.”
“It’s no inconvenience at all. In fact, I need to go to Liverpool myself. Can you wait until tomorrow? We can travel together.”
She looked hesitant but nodded. “All right. Tomorrow.”
He smiled.
She blushed and lowered her lashes. The look was sultry. He was certain she hadn’t meant it to be so, yet still, he hardened.
“Would you happen to be Lady Pia?” Nick asked.
Pia looked up at Nick in astonishment. “Yes. How did you…?”
“You are just as Sirius described you.”
Had Sirius described her in the past? Maybe once or twice. Surely not enough times for Nick to have remembered her in such detail.
But then there had been that song. It was the last time Sirius had allowed himself to get drunk.
Nick whistled a touch of the tune, taunting Sirius. “I’m Lord Nicholas Childs,” he said, turning toward her. “Sirius has spoken about you often.”
Often? Had he? He didn’t recall that either.
But then, he’d spent many nights deep in his cups. He had no clue what he’d shared.
Pia looked at Sirius with a lifted brow.
He was not Adam. Would it have been odd for Sirius to have spoken about her? He hoped that wasn’t so.
“It is lovely to meet you, Lord Childs,” Pia said.
“Nick will do. With two brothers, people rarely refer to me as Lord Childs. And honestly, Sirius has said so much about you over the years that I feel as though I know you.”
Sirius cleared his throat.
Nick look at him. Then his eyes widened. “Oh, sorry. Did I say too much?”
His expression was innocent, but he knew very well he’d said far too much for present company.
Sirius looked at Pia and found her watching him closely. She tilted her head in confusion.
The look was charming.
He wondered if it was a good idea for him to let himself be charmed. He was still adjusting to the fact that she hadn’t abandoned him for dead but had left him so he’d be free. He’d built his life on the fact that she’d turned away from him and had never loved him.
Now…
He didn’t know what her feelings were and wasn’t certain if they mattered. They were different people now. He had an entirely different identity and had no intention of telling another soul the truth.
They were watching each other again.
Then Pia turned away and for the second time in ten minutes, her cheeks turned crimson.
He smiled.
My, are we flirting?
“I’ll see you at dinner,” she said. Then she turned to Nick. “Will you be joining us?”
“Yes, I’ll be in residence for a few days.”
“Good,” she said. “I look forward to hearing more about what was said about me.”
Nicholas laughed.
Sirius placed his hand on the back of his neck in embarrassment.
Pia was smiling at Nick, but as her gaze moved to Sirius, she stopped. She looked him over and her breathing visibly began to rush and panic filled her gaze.
Sirius dropped his arm and reached for her. “Are you all right?”
She backed away from his hand. “I’m fine. I should go. I’ve stayed long enough.”
He reached out to tell her that wasn’t so, but she was gone before he could say a word.
“So, that’s Pia,” Nick said.
Sirius closed the door. “You talk too much. Sirius never had reason to speak of Pia to anyone. You’re going to give me away.”
“If that girl has always looked like that, then I would say half the men in London have reason to speak of your Pia. There’s no need to make much ado about it.”
He supposed Nick was right. Sirius could have easily said a word or two about Pia’s beauty. He sighed and crossed his arms. “All right, but don’t give her any details at dinner.”
The Secret Pleasures of an Earl: (The Valiant Love Regency Romance) (A Historical Romance Book) Page 6