AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Richard frowned. He was not expecting any guests … other than … other than …Fuck!
“My son has arrived?” he asked below his breath.
“Yes, milord.”
Richard raised a hand to swipe over his face. He had planned to inform Sophia today about his natural born son and his imminent arrival. He had thought Ethan would not arrive for another day or two. This was too damn early. How could he spring this on her after the terrible night she had endured? How much could one woman be expected to forgive?
He ordered his butler to send his valet up to his rooms to help him dress. He refused to meet his son for the first time in his nightclothes.
One step at a time, Richard.
Swiftly, he walked down the hall to the entrance of his room. Shaw arrived moments later and quickly dressed Richard. Before he had much time to think, he ran downstairs to look for his man of business who had collected his son from the Davis family.
* * *
Richard walkedinto his study to find Johnson missing and Radcliffe standing beside a small boy of about four years old. The little chap possessed soft brown locks, and when he raised his face to look at Richard, he revealed the distinctive green eyes of the Balfour family. Richard could not deny that the boy must be related to him.
Richard shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, trying to decide how to greet his son. Did the boy know who he was, or must he explain their relationship? He was still pondering how to begin when the door behind him swung open.
“Who is this, Richard?”
Richard spun around to stare blankly at Sophia, words escaping him while several moments passed. How had she dressed so quickly?
“Richard, who is this?” Her voice rose to a shrill level, piercing his fog.
Richard opened his mouth. Then closed it when he still found no words to say. She stared at him expectantly, but he was speechless.Hell! What is this?He always knew what to say, but this past day was unprecedented. He had no experience to draw on, and he felt exposed emotionally.Emotionally? What the hell does that mean? When did I begin to wield emotions?
“Richard, I need to know, who is this boy?” Sophia asserted, maintaining a cheery tone likely intended to prevent the child’s alarm, but her smile was tense.
All Richard could think about was that redemption was difficult. Telling the truth was difficult. It was difficult to know what was the right thing to do. Life was complicated. He knew he needed to explain the truth but, though he opened his mouth to speak, still no words would form.
Sophia brushed past him to kneel before the little lad. “Hello. What’s your name?”
“Ethan,” said the boy. He gave an adorable little bow. “Pleased to meet you.”
Sophia stood to give him a solemn curtsy in response. “Sophia,” she replied. “I am Lord Saunton’s wife. And, who, may I ask, are you to Lord Saunton?”
“Is that Lord Saunton?” asked the boy, pointing to Richard where he stood in pained silence. Sophia nodded. “Emma says he is my papa, and I must listen to what he says. But he has not said anything yet.”
“I see. While we wait for your … papa … to speak, perhaps you would like to eat? I am sure Cook could find some milk and perhaps cake to go with it.”
Ethan’s eyes rounded in delight, and he nodded vigorously in response.
Sophia turned to Radcliffe, who was politely standing by and stoically studying the wall. “Radcliffe, can you see that Ethan finds his way to the kitchens and is well fed?” The butler inclined his head and took the boy by his tiny hand to exit the room.
Sophia waved her fingers to Ethan, smiling. As she turned back to Richard, her smile fell away and she glared at him. “Perhaps you should explain why Ethan thinks you are his father?”
Richard winced as he made his way to the drinks cabinet across the room. Then he recollected his promise to avoid spirits. He brought such chaos into the life of his bride; he owed it to her to attempt to keep at least one promise.
“When you asked me if I had any natural born children, I did not know about Ethan. Later that day, I came home to meet with my man of business, which is when … I was told about his birth.” He stared down at the decanter of French brandy with yearning.
Sophia was silent. So silent he was afraid that the silence would stretch out, wrap around the world, and all speech would be canceled for eternity. His own breathing sounded like a cacophony of sound in the deafening silence that—
“So, the people whom I do not like will no longer wish to associate with us,” she finally blurted out so loud it made him jump.
“Wait … I do not understand … what?” He turned to face her.
“So, we are to be a scandal. The members of the peerage whom I dislike the most will be the first to avoid us. I may never be required to speak to them again. No soul-draining small talk with my aunt’s friends; no chitchat with that obnoxious Lady Jersey or her husband. I can live with that. And our family just grew larger,” she finished in a pragmatic tone.
