He exhales heavily and puts his head into his hands. “I’m just…” He pauses. “I’m just asking you to slow down. I’ve already lost one son to a bad relationship. I couldn’t bear to lose you, too.”
“Dad, Penelope is different.”
“Is she, Charlotte?” He shakes his head. “When William met Penelope, we were warned by numerous people what she was like.”
I listen as I watch him.
“Both mine and Edward’s instincts told us that she was all wrong for him, but we trusted his judgement. Edward’s closest friend Alexander York came to us in the very early stages of their relationship and told us that he had seen Penelope with another man at a club.”
I frown. “When was this?”
“Before William even moved in with her.”
“I didn’t know this.”
“Edward blames himself for his brother’s heartbreak. He hates the fact that she holds Harrison hostage to William.”
Sadness fills me.
“Your brother cannot leave that relationship without leaving his son.”
I drop my head.
“He’s effectively trapped if he wants his son to grow up in the same house as him.”
“I know,” I whisper.
“Alexander York came to us again last week… to warn us about Spencer.”
I frown as my eyes rise to his.
“Charlotte, just as you feel now is exactly how William felt in the early stages of his relationship. He fell madly in love, rushed in and got burned badly. I just don’t want the same fate for you. And to make it worse, the press are involved in this now. Spencer Jones gets attention wherever he goes.”
“He didn’t ask for it, Dad.”
“Where there is smoke, there is fire, Charlotte. He gets attention for all of the wrong reasons.”
“He’s not Penelope. He’s a good man.”
“I’m not saying he isn’t. To be honest, he impressed me last night. I like the way he stood up for himself with Edward. I like the way he had a prenup contract drawn up to protect you, and I like the way he was offended by Edward’s lack of time for you. It showed me he has a backbone and that he genuinely cares.”
I smile, suddenly filled with hope.
He takes my hands in his. “But I cannot, with a clear conscience, let you move in with him just yet.”
I sit back in my seat.
“Charlotte.” He cups my face in his hand. “If you want to move to London, that’s fine, sweetheart. But get your own apartment and make an informed decision about your relationship. When he’s had time to prove himself… to all of us.”
I stare at him and exhale heavily. “Dad.”
“Don’t Dad me. You know I’m making sense. If you show me that you are
not being led like a fool, and that you keep your independence, I will happily support anything you do, or any man you choose.”
“What about Edward?” I ask.
“Edward will listen to me, and you must know that your brother acts out of love. He couldn’t stand to see you hurt like William is—it would kill him.” He smiles over at me. “You honestly can’t blame him for being concerned about Spencer when he has that appalling reputation of his.”