Lover Be Mine A Legendary Lovers Novel - By Nicole Jordan Page 0,86
Your children will save the House of de Villars. If I can have that, I can die content.”
The mention of his potential children affected Jack strangely. He wanted children with Sophie, more than he would have thought possible. An irrational desire, given the effort he’d made not to get her with child.
Yet he didn’t care for his father’s defeatist attitude—another strange development, considering that he’d spent his youth wishing for the man’s demise.
“You might not have to die so soon, your highness. I spoke to my cousin Traherne yesterday and described your injuries. He wants to examine your wound himself and obtain a medical history from your doctors here, so that he can confer with our best physicians in England.”
With his keen mind and lust for adventure, Quinn had dabbled in various sciences in the past, including medicine, although he was more recently intrigued by daring inventions such as the steam engine, which he prophesied would change the future of the world.
“As I told you,” Jack added, “Traherne has a colleague who is rather brilliant in his unorthodoxy and who may be able to aid you.”
Prince Raoul gave a wistful smile and wiped away a tear with the back of his hand. “It is enough that you are willing to be my son,” he said gravely, with utter sincerity.
My son.
Strangest of all, Jack didn’t wince at those words.
A procession of carriages left the royal palace the following morning, heading for Paris. Although the return journey was more enjoyable than the original for Jack, he still felt impatient and on edge.
Before reaching Dijon the first day, Ash and Maura parted ways from the family to continue on their wedding trip, but the other Wildes provided lively camaraderie and laughter for Sophie during the drive through France, switching carriages frequently in order to entertain and quiz her.
For propriety’s sake, Jack couldn’t touch her as he wanted, nor could he share Sophie’s bed when they twice stopped overnight at inns along the way. The passion they felt for each other, however, was evident in the silent looks and subtle gestures they exchanged. At the same time, he knew they were both fighting the underlying fear that their mission to win her parents’ approval was doomed. Furthermore, despite Jack’s determination to bend fate to his will, he first had to placate Sophie’s crotchety great-aunt.
Upon arriving at the Hôtel Portois, they discovered that Mrs. Pennant had regained sufficient health and energy to ring a peal over his head for his scandalous conduct. But Jack’s declaration of intent stopped her tirade right in its tracks.
“I mean to marry Sophie, ma’am, and I would very much like your blessing, as well as your help in overcoming the Fortins’ objections to our union.”
His marital aspirations mollified the elderly lady enough that she sniffed. “What choice do I have but to keep this disgraceful affair quiet? You know very well I would never broadcast to the world that you abducted her. But you confirmed my belief that you are the worst sort of scoundrel.”
Sophie spoke up to defend him. “Jack is not really a scoundrel, Aunt. I’ve known he is a good man since I first saw him at the Arundel Home for Unwed Mothers, where he is a trustee and major patron.”
Her gaze sharpened. “Is he now?” she asked, sounding impressed in spite of herself. “I am only acquainted with the director there, not the trustees.”
Sophie smiled up at him. “Jack does not like to advertise his altruism, but it is one of many reasons I want him for my husband.”
“At least you have finally come to your senses,” Mrs. Pennant grumbled. “Very well, then, I shall do what I can to help you challenge your obstinate father, Sophie.” She pinned her gaze on Jack once more. “But if you ever attempt anything so outrageous again, my lord, I swear I will have your ears.”
Jack thought it wise to assuage the lady’s ill-temper with a bland reply, and he kissed her wrinkled hand for good measure, which set her to flushing and earned him an exasperated dismissal as she muttered something about charming rogues.
Jack expected his confrontation with Oliver Fortin to be far more difficult. Upon their return to England, the tension rose the closer they came to London. Sophie couldn’t hide her fear that her father wouldn’t relent. Accordingly, it was agreed that she and her aunt would settle in at the Pennant mansion before Jack made an appearance there.