Chapter XIII

The went outside and Eva waited patiently for his admonishing.

"He's really yours, isn't he?" he asked, more to convince himself than anything.

Eva just nodded.

"Than I guess we will have to welcome him in the family"

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Christian, thank you so much." She said as she flung herself into his arms. She had known he was not going to disappoint her. Thank God!

"He has your eyes…"he added almost ruefully and Eva did not comment on it.

"How did he… his scar?"

"He wasn't exactly treated right the whole time we were apart. I can't tell you how shocked I was to find him nearly dead… My father… " She trailed off, implying that her father had been the guilty one for the separation and everything. She knew that her story hung by a mere thread and that she would have to logically invent everything. Her husband would have more questions in the future and she would have to be ready. But now the boy was all that mattered. Someone had tried to kill him…She had to protect him at all costs.

Eva and Christian managed to discuss the implications of having a child and setting a room in the nursery for him.

"I still can't believe that he was the creature the villagers were complaining about."

"Me neither, I had no idea my father would...." she said and she regretted having to say such big a lie.

"Would leave him alone to fend for himself...and that burnt..."

"He has to see a physician. I shall send for him and maybe there is still something to be done with that scar of his... Although it does not look to be very recent."

"Yes, I thought that as well." She said and she sunk into a nearby chair

"I can't believe..." she choked the words out as she thought of the little boy.

"Shh" her husband said and patted her shoulder.

"It's not your fault your father is this cruel"

"Thank you again for taking him in, I know it was must have been such a shock.... I just did not know what to do."

"He's your son Eva.." He added but did not seem quite happy with the prospect.

"Thank you..."

"He's got your eyes....The exact same color. He must have been a handsome lad before..." he trailed off not wanting to upset her.

"I'll be in my office, I have to explain to the villagers that there is no danger.."

He left and Eva thanked God she had been able to keep the pretense. For the child's sake she had to maintain this charade.

Christian called his steward and explained as best as he could that everyone had been wrong and it had not been a creature but a child. Although his stewards was reluctant to accept the facts so easily, he recognized it was in vain to fight.

Left alone in his office, Christian poured himself a drink and ruminate on the past events...

His wife had a son from a previous affair. She had been so young.... He shook his head and realized that there was no point in dwelling on the matter since nothing would change the fact that he was suddenly a father. No matter how disturbed he was by the sudden news, he could not find it in himself to deny the child a home... Not after what he'd been through.

He was about to start seeing to some papers when the footman announced him that he had a guest.

"Who is it?"

"Lord Ashton, my lord"

"I'll see myself in, thank you" Lord Ashton said from behind the footman and entered the office.

"What brings you by?" Christian raised an eyebrow and put his papers aside. He motioned to the bottle of whiskey on the table and Robert accepted the drink.

He sat down on the chair in front of Christian's desk and sighed. He brought his glass to his lips and in two gulps the contents of the glass were gone.

"My father's dead" he said quietly.

"I can't say that I am sorry..." replied Christian.

"But I guess I have to call you Your Grace now."

Robert laughed bitterly.

"Yes I guess you should..."

"How are you dealing with...things?

"I am as fine as I can be given the circumstances... I haven't gone home yet... I can't bring myself to face Isabella."

Christian did not say anything. He knew his friend's history with Isabella, the title hunter bitch who had left him for his father. But now he was the Duke.... He wondered if things would change and she would pursue him now.

"You can stay here however long you want, you know that... Although you are in for a surprise. "

"A surprise?"

"I have a new son."

Robert looked at him as if he had gone mad.

"You, a son? Dunham, I know you better than you think. You would never be careless enough to leave a trail of bastards behind."

"That is true, I suppose, but my new son is not of my blood, unfortunately." He smiled ruefully and crossed his hands over his chest.

"Then?"

"My wife has a son. A five year old son..."

"You are jesting..."

"No, indeed, I am not"

"But...?"

"Well she said that she had an affair when she was sixteen and that her father took the boy away."

"And now?"

"You would not believe the whole of it. Honestly, I barely do."

So Christian proceeded to tell Robert everything he had heard from his wife.

"Is it bad... The scar?"

"It is. Please do not flinch if you look at him, the poor boy has been through enough already."

"I can't believe it." Robert sighed, staring at his friend.

"Did you manage to find something... about what I asked?"

"Oh, I did a little digging. I could not get to the bottom of if because I was informed of my father's demise and I did not exactly have a clear head after that."

"So what did you find out?"

"Five years ago your wife was caught in a compromising position with a man."

"A man?"

"Lord Rochester."

"Oh I can't say I know much about him. But how compromising?"

"Almost naked compromising" Robert answered.

"But it gets worse. Her father beat her in front of everyone and the man refused to marry her. Rochester told everyone that he was not the first one to sample the goods so of course he would not marry her. I have to say, I do not know exactly how much of it is true... you know how these gossips are."

"Yes, of course..." Christian replied pensively. He would never find the truth this way. He would have to ask his wife directly, but not now...

"Are you tired?"

"Yes, quite. I rode horseback"

"Then go and rest for a while and we shall meet at supper."

Both men rose and Robert was told to follow one of the servants to his room.

"Thank you" he told his friend .

"No, thank you" Christian replied and inclined his head.

Robert was led to a room on the second floor, where he was left by himself. He found the chamber quite to his liking but he realized that he bad forgotten his father's solicitor's letter.

"Damn it" he muttered under his breath.

He exited the room and collided with a woman.

"I am so sorry" she said first, trying to regain her balance.

"Eva?" He asked, placing his hands on her shoulders in order to support her.

"Robert?" She beamed at him and hugged him to her chest.

"It's so nice to see you.... but wait, what are you doing here?"

"I was hoping to take refuge here" he said jokingly. "At least for a little while..."

"Has something happened?"

"My father is dead." He said matter of factly.

"Oh Robert I am so sorry...." she placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him but little did she know that his father's death was the least of his concerns.

"It's alright, it's not as if he did any good by living" he shrugged his shoulders and put some distance between them, not liking to discuss his father.

"Well, I will let you rest, we can talk more tomorrow" she gave him half a smile .

"Good night."

"Good night Eva"