Page 103 of A Deal for the Duke’s Virgin

His mother did that. She always got the measure of a person before she spoke to them, Christian thought, biting his lip. Clever boy.

“Are you really my father, then?” Alex asked, breaking the silence.

Christian nodded slowly. “Yes, it seems that I am.”

“But… but nobody is to know?”

He frowned. “Why would it be a secret?”

Alex twisted his fingers together. “One of the sisters said that you might not want people to know that you have a son already. She said that it might damage your reputation, and that I should try and be obliging if you want it to remain a secret.”

Christian bit the inside of his cheek. “I already have a lot of secrets, Alex. They’re very tiresome. I don’t like them. I don’t want to have any more. I am not ashamed of you, so I shan’t hide anything. I don’t mind if all of London knows that you’re my son.”

Something in Alex’s face relaxed. “Mother always said that you might be a little ashamed of us,” he murmured. “I’m glad that it isn’t true.”

“So am I.” Christian nodded, crouching down before him. “I thought it might be nice for you to come and live with me, Alex. It would be a good way to get to know each other, don’t you think? And you can meet your grandmother and aunt—they’re very excited to meet you.”

Alex’s eyes went wide. “Really? I could come live with you?”

Christian nodded. “If you wish it.”

Joy passed over Alex’s face, only to fade a little. “But what about my other family?”

“Other family?” Thalia queried.

“I mean Nicholas and Sophia,” Alex murmured, glancing at her. “I’ll miss them. Sophia said that since none of us had any siblings, we should pretend that we were all siblings. I’ll miss them.”

“Well…” Thalia shifted closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “You will still see them, won’t you? They can come visit. They can stay with you for sleepovers. Wouldn’t that be nice? You don’t have to stop loving somebody just because you don’t see them every day.”

Alex wiped the back of his hand across his eyes. “No, I suppose not.”

She kissed his temple. “You can have a good life, Alex. You deserve it.”

Alex nodded tightly and glanced up at Christian again. “Shall I show you the dormitories?” he suggested, suddenly hit by inspiration. “I have some books and, of course, the marbles you gave me. And I can show you the playground, too. There’s a secret spot in the tree where you can hide things.”

“I would love to see all of that,” Christian responded gravely. A tightness was spreading through his chest, a new feeling that he was not quite sure how to manage.

My son. This is my son.

Alex darted forward, wrapping his arms around Christian’s waist and squeezing him tightly. Then he pulled back just as quickly, reddening.

Thalia met Christian’s eyes and gave a small, wry smile. “I think I shall leave you two alone,” she murmured. “Goodbye, Christian.”

He seized her arm as she walked by. “I would like to see you tonight,” he whispered. “We have to talk.”

Uncertainty warred with longing in her eyes. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because we don’t have anything to say to each other.”

“I beg to differ. We have plenty to say.”

Her shoulders sagged. “Very well,” she relented. “When?”

“About ten o’clock. I’ll send my carriage for you. It seems appropriate after all. It’ll honor our first scandalous meeting.”

Thalia gave a quick nod and made for the door.