Read Online Spellbound Falls by Janet Chapman - Free Book Online Page A

friends’ wives back in Midnight Bay simply for mentioning that he’d like to change Henry’s first name along with his last. But his worst sin, apparently, had been to mention it in front of the boy, who had obviously taken it to heart.
But what had Delia been thinking when she’d given his son such an uninspiring, decidedly English name as Henry? From the day he’d met her, Mac had been totally honest about who he was—and despite not telling him she was pregnant, Delia had
known
she was giving birth to the grandchild of Titus Oceanus.
Mac snorted softly. Which was exactly why she’d kept her pregnancy a secret. It was also likely why she’d chosen suchan unassuming name, hoping it would help keep the boy’s parentage—and his heritage—free of public speculation.
Except her brothers had known who had fathered their bastard nephew. And after Delia’s death five months ago, upon learning that her closest servants were plotting to bring their young charge to the child’s father, the three Penhope men had mounted a campaign to kill Mac in order to keep control of the boy.
Thank the gods one servant had managed to at least reach Titus. And for that reason alone Mac was still alive, two of Delia’s brothers were dead and one had staggered home carrying his stones in his pocket.
The cabin door opened. “What do you think of
Dorian
?” Henry asked as he stepped onto the porch. “It means ‘from the sea,’ so it’s appropriate. And
Dorian Oceanus
has a noble ring to it, don’t you think, Father?”
Mac walked over and picked him up, then sat down in one of the wooden porch chairs, settling Henry on his lap. “Let’s start with
my
name, shall we? I’m thinking of changing it from
Father
to
Dad
. How does that sound to you?”
Henry’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You want me to call you
Dad
?” Down went those brows into a frown. “Just while we’re here at Inglenook, and then I should return to calling you
Father
when we leave?”
“Well, since I still intend to be your dad after we leave here, I thought maybe you could continue using the term.”
“But you call Grandfather
Father
, and when you came to his ship and stole me from him, I also heard you call him
sir
.”
Mac smiled to cover his wince. “That’s because my father scares the hel—the daylights out of me. And I rather hoped that by your calling me
Dad
, I would know that
you
aren’t afraid of
me
.”
“I’m not afraid of anything.” The boy suddenly looked away. “Except that something bad might happen to you,” he whispered. “Like your getting sick and dying just like Mama did.”
Mac cupped his son’s chin to face him. “Nothing bad isgoing to happen to me, Henry. I’m going to live for a long, long,
long
time.” He tapped the boy’s cheek with his finger. “And so are you. And for as long as I have breath in my body, even after you’re grown and leave home, I will be here for you.”
“Even if I do something really bad?”
“There’s nothing you could ever do that would change the way I feel about you, Henry. Nothing.”
Mac let go of his chin when Henry turned away again. “I disobeyed you, Fa—Dad,” he said, staring out at the lake. “I told Sophie that bad man hit her mama yesterday.” He looked at Mac, the moonlight revealing his apprehension. “I know you told me not to say anything because you didn’t want Sophie to worry, but she suspected her mother hadn’t merely fallen down. And she was imagining all sorts of bad things had happened, because… I think because she’s afraid her mama could die and leave her just like her father did.”
Mac cradled his son back against him with a heavy sigh. “Death isn’t some big bad terrible thing, Henry, even though it feels like it is to those of us still living. But fathers and
mothers
,” he said, giving him a squeeze, “don’t ever leave their children.” He placed his hand over Henry’s heart. “Your mama’s still right here inside you, Henry.