“I love you,” Rodolphus said simply, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. She knew him so very well.
“You know I have never blamed you for our lack of issue… but the fact remains, I will not allow the Lestrange legacy to pass to Rab or his issue. Honestly, the idea of divorce never occurred to me…” Rodolphus did not address the notion of killing her. They would both know it false should he say he had not considered it – as she was right. If he wanted a legitimate child, those were his only options. He was not concerned as much with legitimacy as with blood however.
“I will not have some mudblood mewling about the place or taking my name… but legitimacy… that is a matter of some debate. My concern is with blood. You know that dearest… I have always been ever so fond of blood. So long as the child is of my blood it can carry my name. I would prefer that you adopt it… we could pretend the situation a surrogacy if you were so willing as to be participant. As I would very much prefer you alive, I had thought to take a mistress of good breeding and put an heir or two on her. I did wish to discuss it with you first though… it would not serve to have you killing the girl and I would have you a part of this. I would have this be our child…” He was asking much of her, but in truth Rodolphus asked little of Bella other than that she be herself. Dangerous, unpredictable, full of fire… the knowledge that she could consider killing him with the ease that he considered killing her made him love her all the more. Rodolphus never claimed his affections for his wife were entirely sane. He knew long ago that they were largely one sided. It mattered not. But then again, little mattered to Rodolphus so long as he got what he wanted.