“So, you brought him here?”
“There comes a time in life where a man has to stand up and do what’s right. I was hoping you’d do that today.”
I nodded, swallowed the lump in my throat that had been sitting there during the entirety of this conversation. “What’s wrong with his mother? Is she okay?”
“She will be, God willing. She had a fall. Putting up stupid Christmas decorations.” Rudolph scowled. “It’s what happens when you refuse to let a man into your life. She hasn’t wanted to let any man get too close since you . . . you know.”
“No, I don’t know.” It was the truth. I’d never had a relationship with his daughter. A one-night stand, sure, definitely, according to the paternity test, but not more than that.
“She doesn’t trust easily.”
“Do you need money for her medical bills?”
“That would help.” Rudolph gave a nod. “What I need is for Oscar to stay here for a while. He deserves a father, don’t you think?”
I nodded, unable to look at the boy in question. I wasn’t big on crying or showing emotion, but somehow I knew if I looked at the boy I’d cry.
“But I don’t want to stay here, Poppa.”
“You have to.” Rudolph crouched down and looked Oscar in the eye. “I’ll be back to check on you in two days. You have a phone to call me whenever you want. I’ll have your mum call as soon as she can.” He stood and looked at me. “I trust you’ll take good care of him.”
“I will.” I swallowed.
I stood with Oscar at the door as his grandfather walked to his car and drove off. We waited until he was out of eyesight but remained unmoved as I cleared my throat.
“I guess you should come inside.” I stepped back into the house. “Did you bring your things?”
“I brought this.” He picked up a small suitcase. “I didn’t pack much.”
“That’s okay. We can get you whatever you need.”
He smiled slightly, but couldn’t seem to look at me or meet my eyes. I didn’t blame him. We were strangers. Deeply tied strangers. I didn’t know the first thing about children. I was planning on learning when my nephew was born in a couple of months, but as I walked through the palace with Oscar, I knew that had to change now.
“This is big.”
“It is big.” I smiled.
“Are there ghosts? My mum says there are ghosts here.”
“I haven’t seen any, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“Will I have to sleep alone? I don’t like sleeping alone.”
“You can sleep in my cottage. It has three bedrooms. Is that okay?”
“I think so.” He was looking at everything as we walked. I had to try to figure out a way to tell my family. They were used to my charades, but a child was something they wouldn’t expect. Or maybe they would. Someone obviously knew about Oscar. Someone had been keeping me in the dark all this time. Footsteps rung out as we walked, and Oscar and I slowed down. My heart pounded. I hoped it was a butler or house maid, but braced myself for my brother, my mother, my sister-in-law. It was Joslyn, a confused look on her face when she saw the boy.
“Hello.” She frowned, smiling as she closed the distance between us. “Who are you?”
“Oscar.”
“Oscar. I’m Joslyn.” She shook his hand and looked at me. “And what is Oscar doing here?”
“He’s my son.”
Joslyn’s color drained from her face. “What?”
“My son. His grandfather just dropped him off.”
“I . . . ” She looked between me and Oscar and back at me. “May I speak to you?”
“Hey, do you mind waiting for us right here?” I asked Oscar. “I’ll only be a second.”
“That’s fine.” He shrugged and walked over to the painting beside us as I stepped out of earshot with Joslyn.
“A son?” she whispered. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just found out.”
“What?”
“I just found out five minutes ago.”
“Are you sure he’s yours?” Her frown deepened as she looked over at Oscar. “I mean, he looks just like you, but . . . he’s . . . how old is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? Who’s his mother?”
“I don’t know. Some woman named Esmée that I don’t recall meeting. A one-night stand the grandfather said.”
“Aramis.” Joslyn blinked.
“He showed me paternity papers.” I waved the crumpled folder. She took it from my hands and looked at it.
“It looks legitimate.”
“I know. He says I’ve been sending money all these years, but I haven’t. I couldn’t. I didn’t know.”
“So, who did?” She met my gaze.
“I don’t know.”
“Elias?”
“Maybe.”
“Would he not tell you?”
“My brother is my best friend. I love him to death, but he’s the King. Kings keep secrets.”
“A son, Aramis.” Joslyn’s voice was a whisper.
“I know.”
“Your family is going to . . . oh my God, we need to tell your mother to sit down.”
“We can’t warn them. I’m going to tell them and we’re going to pay close attention to each person’s reaction.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Where’s his mother now?”
“Hospital.”
“Oh my God, is she okay?”
“Her father says she will be. The boy has nowhere else to go.”
“Are you happy?”
“Am I happy? I’m too shocked to be happy.”
“Okay well, let’s get this over with. We’ll have to make arrangements for him to sleep in your cottage.”
“I already spoke to him about that.”
“Good.”
“I think maybe you should stay there as well.”
“In your cottage?” She frowned up at me. “Why?”
“I don’t know what to do with a child, Joslyn. What if I accidentally kill him?”
“He’s not a newborn.” She laughed. “He looks pretty independent to me.”
“Still. Just in case. The last thing we need is a lawsuit on our hands.”
“A lawsuit?” She laughed louder. “That’s what you’re worried about?”
“Please don’t leave me alone right now.”
Her expression turned serious. “I won’t.”
Chapter Six
Joslyn
“A son?” Adeline repeated for the fifth time.
I was grateful I’d had the foresight to ask Pilar’s fiancé, Ben, to go outside and hang out with Oscar before Aramis and I walked in to tell the family the news. Oscar seemed giddy to meet a footballer and this way, he wouldn’t have to hear the tone in their voices when they were speaking about him. It wasn’t the boy’s fault that his father was an irresponsible idiot.