Chapter 147
Isabella instinctively tried to pull back, but Nathaniel’s grip tightened. “Relax. I’m taking you to the balcony.”
He led the way, her hand still enclosed in his.
The pond was designed with stone pathways that arched just above the water, weaving through the blooming lotuses.
She didn’t dare struggle, afraid she might accidentally pull them both into the water. She allowed him to guide her toward the garden’s edge.
They stopped at the railing. The night air was cool against their skin. Below, the city glittered with countless lights. Above, the sky was a blanket of stars. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The atmosphere felt intimate, almost dreamlike.
Against her will, Isabella found herself drawn into the moment. But she knew it couldn’t last.
She forced her eyes away, mentally rehearsing what she needed to say.
Just then, Nathaniel turned abruptly. His gaze was intense, direct. “Isabella,” he said, his voice low and steady. “I can give you a home.”
His words, carried on the breeze, made her heart stutter.
A home.
Was this a proposal?
It wasn’t the first time he’d expressed his feelings. Letting this continue was dangerous.
She pulled her hand from his, her expression turning serious. “Mr. Blackwood, don’t you investigate a person’s past before developing feelings for them?” Her pregnancy had been a well-kept secret, explained away as a prolonged illness and a trip to Africa. But a man of Nathaniel’s resources could uncover it if he tried.
“I’m drawn to who you are now,” he replied. “Your past doesn’t change that.”
“What if I told you I’ve killed someone?” she challenged. “Or that I was once pregnant? That I have a child out there somewhere?”
His brow furrowed slightly. A shadow crossed his features. Isabella braced for his disgust. A man of his stature would surely recoil.
Instead, his expression cleared. “If you killed someone, they must have deserved it. I’d help you finish the job. And a child?” A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips. “That would mean I get an instant family. Oliver would have a sibling to play with.”
Isabella was speechless. Did he think this was a joke?
“I’m being serious, Nathaniel.”
“So am I,” he stated, his face completely earnest. She stared, utterly stunned.
Was he? Did he truly mean he wouldn’t care? Even about murder? Even about another man’s child?
It seemed impossible. He must believe she was testing him. She drew a sharp breath, gathering her resolve. “Nathaniel, there’s something I need to tell you. Now is the time. We can’t be together because, five years ago—”
“Mr. Blackwood! Sir!”
Dominic’s frantic voice cut through the night as he sprinted toward them. “It’s Oliver! Something’s wrong!”
Nathaniel’s posture snapped to attention. “What happened?”
“He’s having seizures!” Dominic gasped, his face pale. “Violent ones!”
“Where is Sebastian?” Nathaniel demanded, already grabbing Isabella’s hand and pulling her back toward the house.
All thoughts of her confession vanished. The mention of Christopher in trouble sent a jolt of pure terror through her. She needed to see him. Now.
“We’ve contacted him,” Dominic said, struggling to keep pace. “But it will take him at least twenty minutes to get here.”