An Untamed Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

meant, of course, What are you going to do about this great lack in your character ? But could we be opening a doorway or at least a window to negotiating? His father loved nothing more than a good argument well presented.
    “What is it? Your face just announced it had joined the discussion.”
    Nils turned and focused on his father’s fingers. One forefinger tapped the other, a sure sign that he was running out of patience. “I have an idea, but I’d like to have some time to think it through before we discuss it.”
    RA heaved a sigh, paused, and then with eyes still narrowed, gave an abrupt nod. “Will you be home for supper tonight?”
    Nils knew that was not a question but a command. He’d not planned to be home for supper, but this was of sufficient importance to change his plans. After all, attending anothersoirée was not high on his list of enjoyments anyway. He was only going because it would make his mother happy. He could be home for supper and the discussion and still arrive fashionably late.
    “Yes, sir, I will be.”
    “Good. Notify Cook that we will both be there.” His father spun his chair and rose to his full height, a trick that Nils knew his father used when he wanted to intimidate someone. It used to work with his son.
    When had that changed? Nils almost pondered that as he made his exit. Feeling like a trapped bird newly freed, he whistled his way down the three sets of stairs and out onto the street. Instead of catching a hansom cab, he chose to walk the half mile back to the university campus. Good weather like this demanded that he take advantage of it.
    He nodded to the two young ladies he met and could feel their gaze on his back as he continued onward. Attracting the female population took no effort on his part. His mother had called his looks classic Norsk and pointed to his father as an example. Although Nils’s wavy hair was a darker shade of blond than his father’s had ever been, it was no less attractive. He nodded and tipped his hat to two older ladies, one of whom looked vaguely familiar. He had half an hour until his next class and needed to pick up his textbooks first.

    Nils enjoyed philosophy, more or less. This class was less. Much less. While the professor droned on about the importance of properly weighing the statements of Marcus Jakob Monrad—Norway’s foremost philosopher— when discussing governmental matters, Nils jotted down notes for his eveningmeeting with his father. It would look like he was studiously taking class notes. At the end of the lecture, he folded over the page in his notebook and carefully ripped out his notes, tucking the paper into his pocket.
    As he was walking out the door, Hans Boonstra fell in beside him, matching him stride for stride. The cheerful Dutchman was grinning, as usual. “Saw you taking class notes very studiously. So what were you writing down really?”
    “Classes like this one are better skipped.” Nils was grinning too. “You know me far too well, Hans. Will you be going back to Rotterdam when school is done?”
    “Probably. My father is lining up a job for me. I’d much rather stay here. Your father isn’t hiring this summer, is he?”
    “Not that I know of. I’ll keep you posted if something comes up. Don’t you want to go home?”
    “To a mother who constantly tries to make me perfect so I’ll marry well, and a father who constantly finds fault because I’m not exactly like him? Spare me.”
    “You too, eh?” So apparently Nils’s life was not unique. They chatted idly for two blocks before separating. Nils cut across the park and down the alley to his family’s home, where he’d been invited to join them for supper.
    “I’m home, Mor,” he announced as he stuck his head into the drawing room, where his mother was entertaining her sister for coffee.
    “Come and greet your tante Marit.” His mother beckoned him in.
    He kept from rolling his eyes by sheer force of habit, gave his aunt a sort of half bow