“I haven’t seen any, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“Will I have to sleep alone? I don’t like sleeping alone.”
“You can sleep in my cottage. It has three bedrooms. Is that okay?”
“I think so.” He was looking at everything as we walked. I had to try to figure out a way to tell my family. They were used to my charades, but a child was something they wouldn’t expect. Or maybe they would. Someone obviously knew about Oscar. Someone had been keeping me in the dark all this time. Footsteps rung out as we walked, and Oscar and I slowed down. My heart pounded. I hoped it was a butler or house maid, but braced myself for my brother, my mother, my sister-in-law. It was Joslyn, a confused look on her face when she saw the boy.
“Hello.” She frowned, smiling as she closed the distance between us. “Who are you?”
“Oscar.”
“Oscar. I’m Joslyn.” She shook his hand and looked at me. “And what is Oscar doing here?”
“He’s my son.”
Joslyn’s color drained from her face. “What?”
“My son. His grandfather just dropped him off.”
“I . . . ” She looked between me and Oscar and back at me. “May I speak to you?”
“Hey, do you mind waiting for us right here?” I asked Oscar. “I’ll only be a second.”
“That’s fine.” He shrugged and walked over to the painting beside us as I stepped out of earshot with Joslyn.
“A son?” she whispered. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just found out.”
“What?”
“I just found out five minutes ago.”
“Are you sure he’s yours?” Her frown deepened as she looked over at Oscar. “I mean, he looks just like you, but . . . he’s . . . how old is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? Who’s his mother?”
“I don’t know. Some woman named Esmée that I don’t recall meeting. A one-night stand the grandfather said.”
“Aramis.” Joslyn blinked.
“He showed me paternity papers.” I waved the crumpled folder. She took it from my hands and looked at it.
“It looks legitimate.”
“I know. He says I’ve been sending money all these years, but I haven’t. I couldn’t. I didn’t know.”
“So, who did?” She met my gaze.
“I don’t know.”
“Elias?”
“Maybe.”
“Would he not tell you?”
“My brother is my best friend. I love him to death, but he’s the King. Kings keep secrets.”
“A son, Aramis.” Joslyn’s voice was a whisper.
“I know.”
“Your family is going to . . . oh my God, we need to tell your mother to sit down.”
“We can’t warn them. I’m going to tell them and we’re going to pay close attention to each person’s reaction.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Where’s his mother now?”
“Hospital.”
“Oh my God, is she okay?”
“Her father says she will be. The boy has nowhere else to go.”
“Are you happy?”
“Am I happy? I’m too shocked to be happy.”
“Okay well, let’s get this over with. We’ll have to make arrangements for him to sleep in your cottage.”
“I already spoke to him about that.”
“Good.”
“I think maybe you should stay there as well.”
“In your cottage?” She frowned up at me. “Why?”
“I don’t know what to do with a child, Joslyn. What if I accidentally kill him?”
“He’s not a newborn.” She laughed. “He looks pretty independent to me.”
“Still. Just in case. The last thing we need is a lawsuit on our hands.”
“A lawsuit?” She laughed louder. “That’s what you’re worried about?”
“Please don’t leave me alone right now.”
Her expression turned serious. “I won’t.”
Chapter Six
Joslyn
“A son?” Adeline repeated for the fifth time.
I was grateful I’d had the foresight to ask Pilar’s fiancé, Ben, to go outside and hang out with Oscar before Aramis and I walked in to tell the family the news. Oscar seemed giddy to meet a footballer and this way, he wouldn’t have to hear the tone in their voices when they were speaking about him. It wasn’t the boy’s fault that his father was an irresponsible idiot.
“One of you knew about him and I need to know who.” Aramis looked at everyone in the room. Everyone except for me. He knew I didn’t know. “His mother has been receiving money from me for years.”
“And you didn’t know he existed?” Adeline gasped, setting a hand over her pregnant belly. “My God.”
“Did you know?” Aramis looked at Elias, who shook his head.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t keep that from you.”
We all looked at the Queen Mother. She’d been the only one to have no reaction to the news. She flattened her lips as she looked at Aramis.
“Someone had to get rid of the scandal.”
I felt my mouth drop and looked at Pilar and Adeline to see theirs had also met the same fate.
“How could you keep this from me?” Aramis asked. “A son. Are you kidding me?”
“Why would you do that?” Elias asked.
“We could not handle another scandal. Our family has already been through enough. Our name has been dragged through the mud. Do you think a child would help matters?”