After a moment or so, she heard the outer door close and dared to hope that both Maggie and Jamie had given up and gone away. Cautiously, Bliss peered out of the armoire, only to see Jamie sitting on the bed, watching her.

“If you’re goin’ to act like a child, Duchess,” he said, “I’ll ’ave to treat you like one.”

Bliss was admitting nothing, but she did climb down and go back to her packing.

“Eleanor and I used to steal together,” Jamie said, just as if Bliss had invited him to unburden his soul. “I thought I loved her, though I realize now that I didn’t even know what love was then. You taught me that, Duchess.”

Bliss was unable to keep herself from turning and looking at Jamie, but if he thought she was going to forgive him, he could think again. She was through. She was leaving. . . .

“What happened?” she couldn’t resist asking.

There were sad memories in Jamie’s eyes. “Eleanor liked fights, especially if they were over ’er favors. It gave ’er a sense of power, I guess, to convince me that some poor bastard ’ad forced ’imself on ’er and then watch me kick in ’is rib cage. One night, I came ’ome early and caught the wrong part of the show—Eleanor and one of ’er beaus were ’avin a grand time in our bed.”

Bliss lowered her eyes, hurting for Jamie but unwilling to let him see that. “You were married to her, then?” she dared to ask.

“No,” Jamie answered. “Eleanor never demanded that of me, and I never offered.”

Bliss swallowed. “She didn’t have a father to force you?” she asked, hoping that the words sounded flippant.

Jamie gave a raspy chuckle. “No, Duchess, she didn’t.” His face was solemn again in an instant. “What she did ’ave was me child, growin’ within ’er, though I didn’t know that until after Reeve and I met up again.”

Wearily, Bliss went and sat down beside her husband on the bed. “Why didn’t you tell me, Jamie? I would have understood.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I was afraid,” he admitted.

Bliss knew the cost of those three simple words to Jamie’s pride, and she felt an aching warmth in her heart. She couldn’t speak, she was so moved.

Jamie got up and crossed the room, and for a moment Bliss thought he was going to leave her. Instead, he opened the door and the two little black girls who helped the housekeeper tumbled through the opening, giggling.

Bliss, familiar with the children by now, smiled and shook her head. “You know Goodness and Mercy, I assume?”

Jamie grinned, but he looked so tired that Bliss’s heart twisted. “Aye. Like you, Duchess, they’ve been grossly misnamed.” He frowned at the girls and added, “Tell Kala I want hot water and a bathtub!”

They scampered off in a gale of childish laughter to do as they were bidden.

“What do you suppose they hoped to hear?” Bliss speculated.