Page 22 of Take My Place

“It’s really happening, isn’t it?” I say. “We’re really going to get married.”

“We really are,” Romy agrees with a grin. “In fact, Dad asked if you could go see him later today. He wants to talk about wedding plans.”

“You mean tell me what I’m going to wear and how it’s going to go?” I roll my eyes.

“It won’t be like that,” Romy reassures me. “My dad’s not like yours. Although obviously he’s head of House Navarre so he has to make decisions based on furthering our position, he also cares about other people. I know he pressured you into this, but he wouldn’t have suggested it if he didn’t think we could make it work. He’ll want to make sure you’re happy with everything. After all, you only get married once, so you need to get it right.”

“Okay. In that case, let me finish my breakfast and I’ll go and see him. Might as well get that out of the way and then you and I can hang out and do… something.”

“Something?” Romy raises an eyebrow. “You mean..?”

“Uh-huh.” I grab a fistful of his t-shirt and pull him over to me for a kiss. “I need to be sure last night wasn’t just a fluke.”

* * *

I surreptitiously rubmy hands against my jeans, trying to cover up how badly I’m sweating as I stand outside Ben Navarre’s study, working up the courage to knock on the door. Romy made it clear his father wanted to see me on my own, but I’d much rather have my fiancé with me for support.

Fiancé. It is going to take a while for me to get my brain around the thought.

Come on, Ivy. The sooner you do this, the sooner you can leave.

I knock on the door before I can change my mind and run away.

“Come in!”

As I walk in, Ben gets up from behind his desk and comes round to meet me. He kisses me on both cheeks before grabbing hold of my left hand. “Let me see the ring.”

I stand passively as Ben runs his thumb over the stones set in my engagement ring, twisting it from side to side to examine it.

“My boy has good taste.” He nods his approval.

“We chose it together,” I tell him.

“Who says I was talking about the ring?”

I blush, as Ben goes back to his chair.“Please. Take a seat.” He gestures to the chair opposite him and I do as I’m told.

“I think it’s time we got to know each other a little better, Ivy, don’t you? After all, you are going to be an important member of the family. I feel we ought to establish a few ground rules, so there’s no misunderstanding between us.”

“Okay.” I shrug. Ben can be as polite as he likes and dress things up so they look good, but we both know that whatever he wants, he gets.

“I remember your mother, you know,” he says, surprising me.

“Really? You knew my mother?” I sat up a little straighter.

“Oh yes. She was an incredible woman. I was very sad to hear of her passing. I often wondered what would have happened if she’d made better choices.”

“What do you mean?” I narrow my eyes.

“I loved your mother,” Ben says. “We all did. There was something about her which lit up the room whenever she came in. Even though she wasn’t an heir to a house, we all wanted her.

“Your mother lost her parents and brother in a car accident when she was eleven and inherited a small house on the edge of town and enough money to go to King Academy. Me, Gabriel Knight, Claude Dauphin, and of course, Solomon, soon became her closest friends. We were all alone in our own ways, of course,” he pauses as I stare in shock.

“I was devastated when I heard she’d fallen pregnant and decided to marry Solomon. To this day, I wonder whether there was more coercion involved in that decision than she’d ever let on. If only she’d come to me, I’d have been more than happy to protect her. I would have taken you on as my own, offered you the same courtesy as if you were blood. It’s one of the reasons why I agreed to invite you into the family. If I couldn’t save your mother, I can at least honour her memory by saving you from your father. I know he’s your parent, but that man is evil. He’s always got some kind of scheme going on. He never does anything which doesn’t serve himself first and foremost. It’s no surprise he left you in foster care until you were old enough to use to further his ambitions. I’m just glad I am able to offer you sanctuary from him.”

“And use me to furtheryourambitions instead?” The moment I say the words I regret them, but Ben takes them in good grace.

“That’s a fair accusation,” he agrees. “But no. There’s a lot more going on behind my wanting you to marry my son than gaining an advantage for my house, although I won’t deny that it’s a factor. I know you have a lot to learn when it comes to the nuances of House politics, and I fear that your time spent elsewhere means you’ll never fully understand what it takes to be successful in this town. As an Archaic, I can only protect you to a certain extent. If your father were to insist I send you back to him, I would have to comply or risk starting a civil war. Much as I know my son is fond of you, I couldn’t do that for just any young girl who caught his fancy. But my future daughter-in-law? The woman who will bear the next generation of Navarre heirs?HerI can protect. I’m sorry I came across all heavy-handed when we first met, but it was crucial you agreed to be married then and there, otherwise I might as well have sent you back to your father’s.”

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