Page 43 of The Viking Blues

“No contraception is foolproof, Ollie. I know that better than anyone. And I’ve seen the birth certificate. It’s legitimate. Oliver Ulysses Bennett is listed as the girl’s father.”

Ollie flopped back into the chair. “Well… shit.”

“Yeah. Shit.”

Panic warred with a sudden excitement that bubbled up inside him and made him grip the arms of the chair so tightly his knuckles blanched. This feeling, it felt a lot like fear. “What do I do?”

“What do you want to do?”

He didn’t even have to think about it. “If I have a daughter out there, I want her. I won’t abandon my child the way my mother abandoned me.”

Rafe nodded. “I thought you might say that. Come with me and you can meet Ella’s parents.”

“And the girl? Jesus, I don’t even know her name.”

“Her name is Sigrid,” Rafe said. “Sigrid Olivia Bennett.”

“Sigrid,” he repeated, smiling. “It’s old Norse. It means victory. And Olivia….” Ella had remembered his story about the Bennett family tradition. “Is she here? Can I meet her?” His heart beat at a mile a minute at the thought. What would she look like? Sound like?

What was he going to tell Mia?

“No, she’s in daycare today, but we can discuss that later. Right now we need to get some other things sorted out. Come on.”

Once introductions were made and everyone was seated, Ollie took the time to study the couple sitting opposite him. He could see the resemblance between Ella and the two strangers before him, and wondered again what Sigrid looked like. Would she favour her mother’s looks or his?

Mr Mulligan folded his arms over his chest and sniffed, his disdain for Ollie as clear as the nose on his face. “So you’re Siggy’s deadbeat dad.” He sniffed again. “I’m not impressed.”

“I beg your pardon?” Ollie’s temper flared. “How dare you accuse me—”

“Ollie.” Rafe gripped his shoulder. “Let me do the talking.”

“Mr Mulligan, as I expressed to you before, my brother was unaware of his daughter’s existence. If, indeed, she even is his daughter.”

“What are saying?”

Ollie had to agree with the older man. “Yeah, what are you saying?”

“The fact of the matter is that Ella lied to you all. She lied about Oliver to both of you,” he said, indicating her parents. “And she lied by omission by not telling you about Sigrid,” he said to Oliver. “How do we know she didn’t also lie about who her daughter’s father is? Maybe the reason she didn’t tell Oliver about her is because he isn’t actually her father.”

Ella’s dad slammed his fist on the table. “Are you calling my daughter a whore?”

“Not at all,” Rafe said, his composure unwavering. “But by your own earlier admission, and Oliver’s confirmation, Ella was in a relationship just prior to the time she spent with him. It’s possible this other man is Sigrid’s father but she used Oliver’s name on the birth certificate because they were friends.”

“But it’s also possible that Oliver is Siggy’s father, isn’t it?” Mrs Mulligan asked, a nervous edge in her voice.

Rafe nodded. “Yes, it is. Which is why I propose we conduct a paternity test to be sure.”

“And what’ll that cost me?” Mulligan grumbled.

“Nothing,” Oliver said. “I’ll pay for it.”

Mulligan’s dismissive gaze flicked over Ollie again, probably noting the black soot under his fingernails and the sweat lining his face. “You sure you can afford it?”

Now it was Ollie’s turn to scoff. He might not have been as wealthy as some of his siblings, but he did all right for himself. “It’s not a problem.”

After the Mulligans agreed to the paternity test, they readied to leave.

“How long until we know the results?” Mrs Mulligan asked as she dug through her handbag.

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