Chapter 898 - Christmas Day Divulges Ⅲ (1/2)
After a ŀȧpse of silence, Rowan changes the subject. ”And with the child, what will you do with him now?”
”I will blood adopt him as my own,” Georgine truthfully replied.
Rowan blinks in surprise and slowly nods her head. ”The child's very blood will change and become a part of you.”
”Yes,” Georgine murmured carefully glancing at her great-niece noting her reaction. ”Does it bother you that your mother's child will become my own?”
”No,” Rowan shook her head. ”Perchance if we had an existing relationship, but beyond having only been once in each other's presence, we have never interacted before. It is better this way for both parties.”
Rowan sighs, ”And it will be easier for Severus to accept a cousin rather than a younger brother. I fear otherwise he will come to resent and hate that child even if the child did nothing wrong except for its continual existence.” She paused and rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. ”Eileen has always been a source of turmoil for Severus. He both hates and loves her, and I cannot fault him for his emotions.”
The two of them gaze at the deeply sleeping child until Rowan says, ”Will you rename him?”
”Yes, Rodrigo Prince.”
”Rodrigo? Isn't that a bit je ne sais quoi?”
”I do not wish to completely erase the child's identity and Rodrigo also means Roderic.”
”I see,” Rowan muttered, before rising from her seat. ”I will take my leave now and let the two of you rest.” She only pauses to remove the silencing charm from the slumbering child.
Georgine watches her great-niece depart, before calling to Rowan at the door. ”Thank you,” she softly said with Rowan only pausing to glance back at her to nod, before departing from Georgine's chambers.
Glancing down at her soon to be child, Georgine's face softens with an unbelievable tenderness. She is not alone for long, when the door abruptly opens. It is she luck, she had her wand out or the door would have slammed hard enough into the wall to cause it to shake. She frowns at seeing the cold, stern face of her brother.
”Quiet,” Georgine icily warned her brother, before rising from place and moving to a gorgeous red and gold embroidered divan.
Reginald marches into her chamber and sits down across from his sister. His dark eyes flicker to the small bundle on the bed. His expression darkens even more dangerously. ”What is the meaning of this, Georgine?”
”The child is mine,” Georgine defiantly lifted her head. ”His name will be Rodrigo Prince and he will be my blood adopted son.”
”He is no blood of ours,” Reginald frigidly declared. ”My daughter Eileen Prince is long dead, and I have no further grandchildren except for Rowan and Severus Prince.”
”I will not argue otherwise, brother,” Georgine earnestly declared. ”This will be my son, Rodrigo, who I birthed in secret, and who I will now present to the world.”
Reginald loudly tapped his fingers against his chair, before glancing at the child again. His gaze lingered on the slumbering child. The furrow in his brow deepens in thought. He could not fully deny the child nor could he deny his younger sister's wish. Her wȯmb and child had died that day because of him. He could never make amends, but he could at least grant his sister's dearest wish.
After a ŀȧpse of silence, Reginald finally relented. ”Very well, I will acknowledge the child as my nephew, Rodrigo Prince, but you will be the one to discuss the matter with Rowan and Severus.”