“How bad?” he asked softly.
Millie sighed. “My father was prone to snide insults. He was constantly exasperated by everything and everyone—especially his daughters. Eliza challenged him most often, but when Eliza misbehaved, many times she did not suffer because he couldn’t tell the difference between Cassie and Eliza.”
“So you bore the brunt.”
Millie nodded.
“I didn’t know,” Asquith said. He looked away, then swallowed. “I’m sorry. I should have known. Or at least guessed.”
“Should you?” She raised her brows. “What couldyoupossibly know about tyrannical males?”
He swiveled back. She’d meant the comment as a compliment, but something in his suddenly fierce expression left her chilled.
“Wasyourfather—?”
“No,” he cut her off. “My father was a prince. A gentleman through and through. I—I had no idea men could be any other way. Not, at least, until…”
She waited for him to continue. He only flushed and, again, looked away.
She gave the horse another pat and then placed a hand against Asquith’s arm. “Until what, Simon?” she urged, forgetting her present distress, calling him as she had when they had been children.
Asquith chuckled without mirth. “Unintentionally, you’ve cut to the matter’s heart.” He held her gaze. “I’ve known the cruelty of boys, and of men. I’ve experience enough to understand your reluctance to place yourself entirely in one’s keeping.”
She studied him, still skeptical.
He looked away. “At school, they used to call me Scared Simon. Lily-Livered Landon.”
“What? But you’re fearless,” she exclaimed. “With the right horse, you can jump any hurdle.”
“As can you, but that hasn’t kept you out of trouble.”
“No,” she reluctantly agreed.
“And, no matter what you think of my equestrian skills, even you told me you could not believeIhad put a gun to Harbury’s head.”
She had said that, hadn’t she? “Because Harbury is aduke, not because I thought you were a coward.”
His eyes went soft with gratitude, but they were still heavy with doubt. He couldn’t really think himself weak, could he?
“I wasn’t a coward, but neither was I prepared for conflict.” He snorted. “If anything my parents loved me too much. The first time I confronted true malice, I simply froze.”
She understood. Earlier tonight, she’d frozen herself. “Well,Itrust you and I don’t trust any other man.” Not just because Lenora thought him worthy of monuments to his likeness…and so much more. “Neville holds you in esteem, too. The bond between you is clear.”
He lifted her hand off his arm. “And I no longer need reassurance, much as yours is appreciated.” He closed his fingers over her own. “I just want you to know that I know what it’s like to be tormented.”
She frowned. “You’ve just given me a whole new reason to distrust men.”
He groaned as he rubbed his forehead. “That was the opposite of my intention.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
He placed his hand over his mouth and drew his finger down his face, as if he were smoothing an invisible beard. He dropped her hand, turned away, and picked up the lantern. Seemingly reluctant to meet her eyes, he adjusted its wick.
“Does this have something to do with Neville?”
Asquith turned to the horse. He gave the horse’s neck a long stroke. Then, he sighed.
“Neville and I were in school together.” He glanced over his shoulder. “He and Willard were of age and had been there longer.”