Page 21 of Forbidden Bastard
Sandi sipped her tea and acted like everything was fine as she said, “I met him when my parents accepted his offer.”
Clara turned toward Sandi, took off her frivolous Victorian cap, and shook her head, gray curls free. “Either my son wants to push you away or he suddenly acted out of character--which would probably be good for him.”
He jumped out of his seat. “Clara!”
She waved for him to sit down while she continued, “It’s true, and I apologize on his behalf. Charles often becomes sarcastic and abrasive when his heart is on the line which it seems to be.”
“I do not.” He plopped back into the chair.
He hadn’t expected Clara to ever think love was possible for him. With Sheena she’d been dismissive and he assumed she’d be the same now.
Clara held Sandi’s hand like she was explaining him to one of his teachers. “Once when Charles was in grammar school a kid said his mother was too old; instead of just telling me about it, he got into a fight with the boy, saying the boy’s mother was… well… impolite things. He doesn’t like anyone questioning his life and never has.”
His cheeks flamed as he remembered the black eye he’d given Stephen for talking about Clara. He'd hated that the boys in school made fun of him, in part because he was never formally adopted. The paperwork had gaps due to the revolution. Clara had kept him and gone to bat for him countless times as a boy.
Now he wished he’d never come here to relive his past. Sandi patted Clara’s hand and said, “I see. He speaks so highly of you and how you saved him. I don’t think I speak with such reverence about my own mother or father and I love them despite how they agreed to marry me off without asking me.”
Clara wiped her eyes and sniffed. “Charles and I saved each other that day.” She picked up her tea and sipped. “I had news at the train station that my daughter and her son were killed already. I was distraught and took Charles’s hand in a daze. Honestly, when he asked me so quietly if I’d be his mom… well we both won.”
Sandi put her cup on the table next to her and dabbed her eyes with the back of her hand. “That’s a beautiful story.”
Crying? His collar felt tight. With Sheena, Clara had sat there like she was to be catered to and hardly spoke a word. Now with Sandi, she kept talking—maybe too much.
His expression must have been easy to read as clued Clara onto her belief in love and such nonsense because Clara glanced at him, smiled like she won their argument, and then met Sandi’s gaze as she said, “And one I’ve never told a young woman Charles was interested in. He must be serious.”
This needed to stop. Love wasn’t real. He leaned in with his elbows on his knees. “Clara.”
Clara waved at the air like he was being ridiculous and asked Sandi, “He spoke to your parents?”
“Before we ever met,” Sandi said.
It was time for them all to know the same things. He brought his chair toward them like he might get between them on the couch and end all touching as he said, “The Avce matchmaker gave me Sandi’s name. I wanted to thumb my nose at their country’s belief that true love wins.”
Clara’s focus was on Sandi, and she squeezed Sandi’s hand. “Now that sounds truthful. Charles could never lie.”
Sandi’s knees knocked against Clara’s as she scooted closer. “Well, that’s really interesting. He doesn’t lie to you.” Sandi smiled.
Charles’s shoulders dropped but he walked across the room and patted the closest person he had to a mother’s back. She wanted him to marry Sandi. “No. Clara is the one exception.”
Clara took his hand and guided it toward Sandi’s until he pulled away. His skin still was aware of her touch though when she laughed and said, “Charles is nervous around you. I’m very intrigued, and I hope I get an invitation to this wedding.”
If he married, he’d want peace within his family. And this was it. He knelt down and wasn’t quite sure how to fix this situation. “Clara!” He’d been counting on her to stop the marriage. To be reasonable.
She patted his cheek. “Charles, I want you to be happy and in love. Plus, I’ve been looking forward to moving to your villa near the ocean in Avce, but knowing Sandi will be there too will make the transition so much easier.”
Good.
If Sandi came to Avce, then living there might not be so horrible and the plan to accept the title was always to ensure Clara’s retirement was easier.
Claiming his inheritance and not explaining who he was just meant everyone in Avce thought the worst.
Clara’s simple touch made him remember that there were good people too. “It will?”
Clara’s blue eyes glistened and she stared at her lap. “Yes, while I relearn the streets of my childhood, I’ll know my son is happy and in love.”
Son. Clara had always been the only person in the world that cared about him, ever.
He’d do whatever she wanted, including marry Sandi.
