“Excuse me?” Jude stepped back as if the Earl had struck him.
“Your son was found on my doorstep weeks ago,” the Earl explained as he moved closer to Jude. Stepping back, Jude refused to let the Earl get any closer to him.
“Me son was taken,” Jude scowled.
“Not by me,” the Earl gasped. “I have enough problems without having to care for another mouth to feed.”
“Then why did ye take him in?” Jude asked.
“I was told to protect him from his father,” the Earl answered. “But clearly, that information was false. If you want your son, then take him. It is of no consequence to me.”
The Earl snapped his finger as his attention shifted to the servant still standing in the doorway. The beady eyed man nodded once and took off in a flash. Jude’s heart raced as he waited. He didn’t dare get his hopes up as his men’s warnings seeped through the cracks of his mind.
Each moment that passed, Jude grew more and more impatient. He whipped his head around to face the Earl.
The Earl smiled at him and lifted a glass as Jude’s ears perked. The soft patter of feet racing down the hard wooden floors caused his heart to swell.
“Hugh?” Jude gasped as his son turned the corner and ran into his father’s arms.
“Faither,” the boy cried. Jude dropped to his knees and took the child into his arms.
“I cannae believe it,” Jude said as he squished his son to his chest. “Are ye all right? Did they hurt ye?”
“Nay, faither,” the boy said. Jude pulled away and stared into his son’s golden-brown eyes. Tears streamed down the boy’s cheeks as he curled his small arms around his father’s neck. With his son in his arms, Jude rose to his feet.
“Thank ye,” Jude said holding on tight to his son.
“Think nothing of it,” the Earl said with a wry smile.
“I shall have me men release yer daughter now,” Jude said turning his attention back to his son. Although the boy looked a bit under the weather, and disheveled, all seemed well with him.
“My daughter?” the Earl chuckled. “I was not aware she was missing. It matters not, keep her.”
“What?” Jude dropped his eyes from his son and stared at the Earl with his mouth open.
“You heard me,” the Earl said taking his seat in front of the fire. “She is a loathsome thing. A burden really.”
“Nay child is a burden,” Jude hissed as he cupped his hand around his son’s head and held him tighter.
“Once you have her long enough, you may see it differently. She is incapable of doing anything right. She is a waste of space. I would have put her out long ago, but I swore to keep her. But now, you can have her,” the Earl raised his glass to Jude. “I won’t even ask for payment for her. Mind you, she is a slick and cunning thing.”
“Why are ye tellin’ me this?” Jude asked, slowly lowering his son to the ground and taking his small hand in his.
“Does it really matter?” the Earl asked keeping his eyes locked on the fire burning and spitting in the fireplace. “She has outgrown her usefulness and I have no reason to keep her.”
“But she is yer daughter,” Jude said glancing to his son. The little boy looked up to him and raised his narrow eyebrows.
“Yes, but she is no longer my burden. Now leave,” the Earl said. “Go in peace, for I have no quarrels with you, sir.”
Jude tilted his head. He knew his mission: retrieve his son at all costs. Now that his young Hugh was safe with him, there was no reason to retaliate. Turning on his heels, Jude started toward the door with Hugh in tow.
“Faither?” Hugh whispered. “Are we goin’ home now?”
“Aye, son, we’re goin’ home,” Jude answered as he winked at his boy. With his heart filled with joy at having his son returned to him, Jude couldn’t help but wonder if this really was the last time that he would see the Earl. There was something that just didn’t sit right with him. Yet he knew, now was not the time to address such issues. He hoped and prayed it would be, but the nagging in the back of his mind wouldn’t let him rest.
With his heart overflowing with joy and love, he scooped Hugh up and walked out of the study.
Perhaps there is somethin’ more goin’ on here than meets the eye. Best keep me eye peeled. And what am I to tell the girl?
Jude’s happiness was quickly swept away as he thought of his prisoner. He didn’t know what he was going to do with her. It was apparent her father didn’t want her by his harsh words. Yet, there was something about her that pricked his heart.
She is a beauty for sure, but should I let her go back to such a man? What would that say about me?
Swallowing the lump forming in his throat, Jude gave a sharp nod. He knew exactly what he was going to do. Although, he wasn’t so sure how the girl was going to take it. Glancing to his son, he flashed a small smile.
“Everythin’ all right, faither?” Hugh asked as he looked up with his big puppy dog eyes. Jude nodded as they crossed the threshold and stepped out into the sunlight.
The fog from the morning had lifted and it seemed as if a brand-new day had quickly replaced the worry and fear with hope.
“Aye,” Jude said as they rushed to the tree line. Adam and Felix’s eyes widened as smiles drifted over their lips. They dropped to their knees and threw their arms around Hugh the moment the young boy was within reach.
“Thank the heavens for this,” Adam said. “Ye had us so worried.”
Hugh smiled at them and turned to glance back to Jude. Jude moved with purpose as he glanced at each of his men.
“We go,” Jude said. “And quickly, lest we spark
