him to bobble the cup and appear less than stable. He didn’t want to think about the man who’d barely known Aaron or his mother sharing tales. “What about?”
“You.”
Good thing he’d set the cup down. “Me?”
Rigsby nodded and leaned forward to put his tea down and push it away. “Most mentioned how my veins held the proper mix of aristocratic blood, so I should be able to accomplish more than his accidental by-blow.”
It was a difficult idea to digest, the marquis using his illegitimate son as a measurement against his legitimate one. “I thought I was the ultimate example of the consequences of straying from the correct path.”
That was what Lord Lindbury had said to Rigsby that day. Aaron had stood there, unable to leave as they blocked the only door, and memorized every word he hurled.
Rigsby shrugged. “I think you’re his favorite example for everything wrong in life, whether it’s his own shortcomings or mine.”
“Makes one wonder why he acknowledged me in the first place.”
The macabre grin the other man offered sent a shiver across Aaron’s shoulders. “Because the soul is strengthened by being bludgeoned with guilt and the reminder of our own imperfections.”
Aaron blinked. “He said that?”
Rigsby gave a mirthless laugh. “No. A priest did.” He shrugged. “Well, those weren’t his exact words, but that was how I interpreted them.”
“How old were you?”
“Twelve.”
Aaron’s tumultuous upbringing was suddenly looking far better. Many of life’s avenues weren’t open to him, but for the most part he had turned into a sane, healthy, complete gentleman. “I’m beginning to think I may have gotten the better raising of the two of us.”
“I think I made it out alive. My mother . . .” Rigsby shifted in his seat. “My mother sees things differently.”
Discussing their shared wastrel of a father bothered Aaron far less than he’d expected it to, but addressing their different maternal experiences destroyed the small sense of ease they’d created. Social discomfort might often be to Aaron’s advantage, but in this particular case, he didn’t want it.
He cleared his throat and took another sip of tea. “Perhaps we should discuss the horse instead.”
Rigsby nodded. “It’s not as if we can change the history.”
“Do you intend to tell him?” Aaron didn’t identify whom he meant by the word him. He had a feeling the word would always have a certain understanding between the two of them.
Rigsby frowned. “I haven’t even told him my plans to race horses, much less race them in Newmarket. Unless I end up in the scandal sheets, he doesn’t seek me out beyond our quarterly account reviews.”
Everything Aaron thought he knew about Rigsby was melting in the face of this meeting. Why had he believed the marquis would somehow become an exemplary father to his legitimate children? Aaron shouldn’t have been surprised that the son didn’t fit neatly into the same box as the father. The rest of his life was in upheaval. Why not this as well?
He shoved a hand through his hair and leaned forward to brace his forearms on the table. Despite the softening of his thoughts toward the man he’d spent most of his life despising, Aaron couldn’t lower his guard. Their agreement hadn’t been set yet, and there was a good chance it wasn’t going to be a simple exchange of money for services. That was the way Aaron’s life had been going of late.
“Shall we talk business?” Aaron asked.
Rigsby leaned forward. “As I understand it, you want my horse, Sunset’s Pride, to cover one of Lord Stildon’s mares.”
Aaron nodded stiffly. It sounded as if Rigsby wanted to make this deal with Aaron instead of Hudson.
“I’m amenable.”
Yet again, it was time for Aaron to plunge in on a ludicrous idea or toss the entire consideration aside. “Stildon isn’t pleased with me right now.” That was putting it mildly. “I’d like to come to an agreement that alters that.”
Rigsby leaned back. “I can think of an exchange that won’t cost your employer a penny.”
Aaron’s jaw clenched. The lack of fee was certainly good news. Whatever replaced it wouldn’t be.
“Instead of money,” Rigsby continued, “I’d like you to do me a favor.”
That was what Aaron had been afraid of.
Twelve
Jonas met Sophia at the trees and showed her the way to the cottage he’d found.
With a large portion of roof fallen in and a wild tangle of brush and grass extending from a nearby grouping of trees, there was no question as to whether or not the place had long been abandoned. She dearly hoped