Page 20 of Dubious about the Duke (Second Sons of London 5)

Knowing Charlie was the follower, he hoped his threat would work.

“Run, I said,” Freddie demanded, jerking back and forth, trying to free himself and seeing it was impossible.

“No,” Charlie said. “We stay together. Mum said.”

Both boys’ gazes turned to the empty bed and Win said, “Come in, Charlie.”

Charlie shuffled into the room and Win closed the door. Releasing Freddie, he stepped so his back was against the door, blocking their escape. Blumer moved in front of the window for the same reason.

“Sit,” Win said.

The boys went to the bed and sat.

“Where’s Mum?” Freddie asked, defiance in his voice.

He moved away from the door and knelt in front of them. “Your mother isn’t suffering any longer.”

“She’s dead?” Charlie asked, his eyes wide.

Win nodded. “She asked me to care for you before she passed,” he said gently.

“Why?” asked Freddie, suspicion in his eyes. “Who are you?”

He didn’t want to reveal his relationship to these young boys but he said, “I knew your father.”

“You knew him?” Charlie asked in wonder. “He died before Freddie and me were born.”

“I knew him,” Win repeated. “He would want me to help look after you since your mother can’t anymore.”

“Were you here when she died?” asked Freddie, his voice trembling.

“I was. I had brought a doctor. I did not know she was suffering so.” With another white lie, he said, “The doctor gave her something to help the pain and coughing. She fell asleep—and didn’t wake up.”

“Where is she?” Charlie asked, looking lost.

“The undertaker came and took her body away. She will be buried,” he explained. “You and your brother will come with me to the country. I live in Essex at an estate called Woodbridge. I will find one of my tenants for you to live with. I can even see that you go to school to learn to read and write.”

“We can read,” Freddie said belligerently. “A little. Mum was teaching us.”

“That’s very good,” he praised. “We can talk about your education and what you might wish to do when you grow up on the way to Essex.”

“She’s really dead?” Freddie asked, his voice cracking.

Win placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “She really is. But she loved the two of you very much. She wanted you to learn as much as you could and grow up to be big and strong.”

He thought how very thin these two were and how they had stolen food to survive.

“Come. We shall go to my carriage. We’ll buy some meat pies along the way. You can eat them as we travel to Essex.”

“Meat pies?” Charlie asked, his eyes widening.

“Yes. You may have as many as you would like,” he promised.

In the end, Win thought it was that promise of meat pies that convinced the hungry orphans to come with him and climb inside the carriage.

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