Charlie remembered the birds. The things Dante told him about how they’d saved the castle. He wasn’t sure what to say to her. Charlie was aware of them, but not much more. He looked at Duncan when he said her name.
“This is my mate. Judith and I are to be wed—when she says yes, that is. Mom told me long ago I’d be mated to one of her birds. We’re just getting to know each other.” Charlie asked her if she’d come into the house. “She thinks we should be alone. To catch up on our lives. I could only convince her to come with me, but nothing more.”
“Young lady, if you’re going to be wedded to my grandson, you’re going to be my granddaughter. So you get your bottom in here now so that I can get me a big hug from you. It’s been much too— I’ve not hugged anyone but my missus here in— I sure would appreciate it if you’d come on here and hug this old man. I’m going to get them from the two of you as much as I can from now on.” She did as he wanted and hugged him. It occurred to him that she was a delicate little thing, and he pulled back to look at her. “My goodness. You sure are a pretty little bit, aren’t you?”
“Thank you.”
Sara hugged her next, telling her how glad she was to have met her.
While they were standing there, the door still wide open, a man darkened the doorway. Charlie was embarrassed to have him coming around on a day like this one. This wasn’t the time for him to be collecting. Not that he had anything to pay him with anyway. However, before he could open his mouth to run the man off, Judith spoke.
“If you have anything to say to Mr. or Mrs. Beswick, you’ll contact their attorney. As of this morning, all their money issues have been taken care of.” The man, he didn’t know his name, snickered. “Would you like to be laughing out the other side of your face, Mr. Tumble? I’ll gladly fix it so you never laugh again without thinking about what I have done to you. I’m not one to fuck with. You’ll come to realize that if you don’t go away.”
“How did you take care of your money issues, Mr. Beswick? Last I heard, just yesterday, as a matter of fact, you didn’t have a pot to piss in.”
Charlie didn’t get a chance to speak to Judith when she told him she was sorry. The movement was nearly too fast for him to have seen properly. The man and his briefcase were just simply gone. Charlie looked at Judith.
“He was annoying. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve taken care that no one will ever come here again.” Charlie nodded at her. “That is if you decide you don’t wish to come to the castle and live with Duncan. And myself, I guess. I’d like for you to be there. Both of you.”
“Is that man dead?” Judith told him she’d taken care of him, but not killed him. “By taking care of him, I’m assuming I don’t want to know what that means.”
“I don’t mind telling you that he’s currently in the middle of his street in front of his house, dancing. I also don’t mind telling you that he’s buck naked, and tossing dollar bills into the air as he does it.” She grinned at him. “I don’t think he’s going to be collecting on innocent people again either. He was never turning in the money you and Sara gave him.”
“I figured he wasn’t. Not an honest man, then?” She shook her head. “Do you usually take care of nasty men by making them dance naked in front of their home?”
“No, usually I just kill them. But I didn’t want you to think badly of me on our first meeting.” He grinned back at her. “You’re going to be a lot of fun, aren’t you? My sisters, the other birds, they will have a wonderful time teasing you too, I’m thinking.”
“I’ve not had a great deal to be funning about, I think.” She told him she was so deeply sorry for that. “You know, I think you mean that. I mean, you’re not just mouthing the words because you think I need to hear them, are you?”
“No. I’d never do that to you. Or your wife. But I do want to warn you, I will tell you the truth. So be prepared for it.” Charlie stared at the woman. She was someone he could trust. Someone, he thought, he could depend on no matter what was going on. “I will protect you, with my entire being, should you need it. I won’t allow anyone to harm or take advantage of you ever again.”
“Thank you.” He finally closed the door. It was a good feeling, not having to worry about someone barging in on his and Sara’s life. Charlie looked around his home, the one he’d been living in for some time now. “I hate it here. It was all we could get into when the cottage fell down around our ears. We didn’t know what to do when we heard that our daughter was dead. Felt it like a dagger in our hearts.”
“We didn’t know you were around, or we, all of us, would have found you sooner. There wasn’t anything in the books about you. I think now it was to keep you safe. So no one would come for you to take over the lands and such she’d left behind.” Charlie told her he’d thought that was it. “If you come back with us, both of you, you’ll be safe. I’d like, and I’m sure the other birds would like to hear of Dante when she was younger. The queen was such a wonderful person.
