by Bree Wolf
Chapter Twenty-Six – The Meaning of Family
After a quick breakfast filled with palpable tension, Claudia left their room first and headed downstairs. At every step, she had to fight the urge to turn and look over her shoulder, assuring herself that Garrett was there.
He will not leave you! She reminded herself. He loves you.
That thought brought a small smile to her face, and she remembered the moment he had pulled her into his arms in Gretna Green, telling her that the time without her had felt as though half his soul had been missing. He truly loved her, didn’t he?
Amazement filled Claudia’s heart, and she let it grow as it was far better than the fear that sneaked in whenever she was not purposefully locking it out.
Although they had known each other only a matter of days, Claudia could not help but wonder how she had ever lived without him. They belonged together, and now that they had finally found each other, it was so obvious that no other man could ever have conquered her heart.
A chuckle escaped her lips as she stepped out of the inn and into the warm sunlight in the yard. “All my seasons were for nothing,” she mumbled, shaking her head. Still, if she had not met William and fancied herself in love, she would never have come to Gretna Green. Then she would never even have met Garrett, and she would never have known what she would have missed out on. Fate truly had a strange way of making itself heard.
Slowly, Claudia made her way down to the docks. Even this early in the morning, the streets were bustling with people. It seemed Glasgow was a town that worked late and rose early. Merchants and sailors were everywhere, stumbling in and out of taverns or going about their business before heading back to their ships. On the horizon, tall masts pointed Claudia in the right direction, and she wondered why Mr. Adams wanted to meet her at the docks.
Was Garrett right? Was the man planning on taking her and her son away? What would they do if that were his plan? Did he simply expect her to board the ship without objection?
Perhaps Mr. Adams truly did not expect resistance from her. Based on everything, she had learnt about him he seemed to be thinking of himself as her knight in shining armour. Perhaps he truly thought she would be grateful to him for freeing her and her son from her brother’s clutches. Had those not been his words?
But what would happen once he realised that she did not see him in that light? That she saw him as the villain who had stolen her child?
Claudia drew in a slow breath. She would have to be very careful not to anger him, not to say too much and weigh her words. A snort escaped her at the thought. Never in her life had she weighed her words. They tended to fly off her tongue without seeking her permission.
Perhaps her brother had been right. Perhaps she ought to have learnt what to say and what not to say. Now, it was too late for instructions. She could only hope that her instincts would not lead her astray and put her son in harm’s way.
Aiden!
Again, his name echoed in her heart, and she briefly closed her eyes when she spotted the first ship through the throng of people crowding around her.
The docks! What now? Was Mr. Adams around somewhere watching her? In his letter, he had not specified a time, and so, Claudia had insisted on arriving early, afraid he would get tired of waiting and simply leave, thinking she had decided not to come after all.
Seagulls screeched overhead as Claudia let her gaze glide over the tall ships moored along the docks, their sails neatly wrapped and stowed until it was time to leave Glasgow behind. A few sailors climbed in the rigging, but mostly the masts looked calm, birds sitting here and there on the ropes, watching the goings-on below.
Stepping to the side, Claudia retreated into a quieter corner where she was not constantly jostled along by the throng of people heading somewhere or other. Her eyes swept the many faces around her, trying to remember the one she sought. Although Mr. Adams had been in her brother’s employ for at least two years−as far as she remembered−Claudia had barely spoken a word to the man. Not even when he had been assigned to guard her after she had returned from Gretna Green. Sometimes, she had glared at him when he had reminded her not to leave the premises, but that had been it.
Shaking her head, Claudia wondered how he had ever taken a liking to her considering how rude she had been to him. If it had been she, she would never have felt tempted to help him in any way. Quite on the contrary, she would have loved to tell him off.
As her eyes swept the crowd, Claudia inhaled a sharp breath when her gaze settled upon a pair of familiar green eyes. A small smile drew up the corners of Garret’s mouth as he stood across the shipyard near a two-storey structure, his back to the wall and his head slightly lowered so as not to draw attention.
Claudia’s heart skipped a beat at seeing him so close, but then settled into a more normal rhythm as his presence slowly calmed her fluttering nerves. All would be well, she told herself. It had to be.
Walking up and down the small stretch of ground that seemed far enough outside the path people cut across the harbour to give her enough room, Claudia waited and waited and waited, her nerves wrung tight. With each step, each turn, each breath, her mind began to unravel, unable not to dwell on all that could go wrong. She alternately cursed herself for entertaining such thoughts and then allowed them to prepare her for what might lie ahead.
“You look well, Miss Davenport.”
The blood in Claudia’s veins froze at the sound of her name. Still, Mr. Adams’s voice did not sound at all familiar, and as she turned to face him, her mind wondered what he looked like. Dimly, she recalled a young man of slender build, an expressionless face, his hair a brownish shade.
When her eyes finally found him, there was nothing about him that made any kind of impression on her. She did recognise him. However, that was all. What in fact did catch her attention was that he had come alone.
“Mr. Adams,” she addressed him, reminding herself not to antagonise him. “Where is my son?”
An appreciative smile came to the young man’s face as he stepped closer, his gaze more intrusive than she remembered as it swept over her, studying, assessing. “Do not worry. I assure you he is well.”
Fighting down the urge to strangle the man, Claudia willed her voice to remain calm−even though her heart was battling to free itself from her ribcage. “You wrote that you would return him to me.”
“And I shall,” he assured her as though they were speaking of nothing more important than him returning her handkerchief.
“Where is he?”
“Safe,” was all Mr. Adams said before he stepped closer and leaned in conspiratorially. “How did you manage to escape your brother?”
Surprised by his question, Claudia blinked. “I simply left when he wasn’t looking,” she said, remembering her desperate run out into the night…and how she had come across her husband, not knowing who he was.
Mr. Adams chuckled, “I always knew you were a fighter,” he replied proudly as though her courage had somehow been his accomplishment. Then he sobered, and a deep sadness tinged with no small amount of anger claimed his eyes. “I cannot say how relieved I am to see you safely here in Glasgow, Miss Davenport. I also wish to apologise I was not able to protect you from your brother’s cold heart until after your son was born.”
Claudia gritted her teeth, remembering the night her brother had almost died−poisoned by the man who claimed to only want to protect her. “It was not your duty to see to my protection,” she said, trying her best to hide the tone of accusation her statement was meant to have.
“Oh, but I disagree,” Mr. Adams objected, his hand briefly coming to rest on hers. “After all, we are cousins. Our fathers were brothers, and, therefore, it is indeed my duty to see to your safety and well-being. I’m saddened to think that your brother does not feel compelled to do so.”
Doing her best to hold back the curses that wanted to fly from her lips, Claudia inhaled a deep breath and counted to five before she answered. “Well, all that
is in the past now.”
Mr. Adams sighed, “Unfortunately, the past has a way of overshadowing the present. As much as we tried, my sister and I were never able to overcome our past and be seen as more than the bastard’s society wanted us to be.”
Claudia frowned. “Your sister? I didn’t know you had a sister.”
Mr. Adams nodded. “I do indeed. Sophie is two years my junior and has suffered just as much as I did. Our father never acknowledged us, not deeming us worthy of his attention, his care, his name. Few people know of her existence as our father sought to keep it quiet that he had fathered yet another bastard with his mistress after the scandal that had ensued after my birth. Did your father never speak of it? Or your brother?”
Claudia shook her head. “I do not recall my father ever mentioning anything, and I doubt that my brother knew. When our mother informed us of your existence, he seemed honestly surprised.”
“Nonsense!” Mr. Adams snapped, and his gaze narrowed dangerously as he took a sudden step toward her. “He’s lying. Just like everybody else. All lies to protect themselves and their precious reputation.” For a moment, he closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Then he looked at her again, a hint of regret in his eyes. “I apologise for my outburst, Miss Davenport. I did not mean to frighten you.”
“It’s all right,” she assured him, unable not to feel for him and his sister considering all they had suffered. Still, that did not give him the right to interfere in her life and steal her son.
At her assurance, he gave her a grateful smile. Then his gaze briefly shifted to something beyond her shoulder and his eyes narrowed. “Did you come here alone?” he asked, and his pale blue eyes returned to meet hers.
Claudia swallowed, but forced herself to remain calm. “I did. Why do you ask?”
Sighing, he shook his head. “Nothing. It is of no importance.”
Claudia could only hope that he had not spotted Garrett. At Mr. Adams’ outburst, she suspected that her husband had been unable to remain calm and driven by his concern for her had acted less than inconspicuous, drawing Mr. Adam’s attention in the process. Hopefully, Mr. Adams had dismissed whatever it was that he had seen.
“How did you come to be here?” she asked, seeking to distract him. “Last I heard, you were to be tried for…I can’t seem to recall.” My brother’s attempted murder.
An evil snort left his lips. “I was indeed tried and convicted,” he spat, venom dripping from each word as though he had been an innocent in all of this and felt rightfully wronged. “I was to be deported to the colonies, but due to my sister’s interference, I managed to get away.” A small smile came to his face. “That is what family does. They protect each other. Still, it gave me an idea, which is why you are here today, Miss Davenport.”
Wringing her hands, Claudia waited to hear what he had planned for her and her son.
“I feel a duty to you and your son,” he remarked, and the gleam in his eyes spoke of how highly he thought of himself for feeling thus. “Therefore, I could not have simply left the two of you to your hopeless fate. I felt it was my duty to interfere and offer you the life that had been denied to me and my sister. While it sadly does not lie within my capabilities to change your family’s mind and have them accept you and your son as you deserve, I am able to offer you a new life far away from the censure and restrictions of English society.”
Claudia felt cold sweat break out all over her body. “What life are you speaking of? I thought I was here to collect my son.”
A rather indulgent look in his eyes, Mr. Adams reached for her hands. “I cannot in good conscience allow your son to stay in England. The life he would face would undoubtedly destroy him. No, he deserves more.”
Claudia swallowed. “Where…where will you take him?”
Mr. Adams’ face lit up. “To the colonies, of course. A new world for people who don’t fit in over here.” He scoffed, “To hell with all those self-righteous snobs. We shall go and create our own world without the restrictions and prejudices of this one.”
Claudia wanted to scream at the man. Did he truly believe that the colonies were any different? After all, they were populated by people who had once lived here in the old world. Certainly, change−if it ever came−could not be achieved that swiftly. A bastard in the colonies would still be a bastard and treated as such.
“The only question is,” Mr. Adams said, his eyes looking deep into hers, “do you wish to accompany him? He needs his mother, and I did what I could to ensure that he would have you. Still, the decision is yours. Are you willing to give up your old life, to give up everything and follow your child to a new world?” He smiled at her. “I assure you no one will find us there. We will be able to begin again as a family.”
His hands tightened on hers, and Claudia received the distinct feeling that he had matrimonial intentions toward her. Clearly, he had pictured their future in agonising detail, seeing himself as the hero who would save her and her son from her brother and bring them into a new world where they could start over.
As though to prove her right, he added, “I promise I shall raise your son as my own and never treat him differently from other children we might have. I’ve always looked out for you. Trust me now, and I assure you all will be well.”
Wishing she could jerk her hands from his grasp, Claudia pictured her son’s little face. The memory was already fading. The brief moment when she had seen his face was slowly slipping away. She needed him back.
Now.
“Please take me to my son,” she said, doing her best to give him a genuine smile. “It has been so long.”
“Of course,” Mr. Adam’s nodded, his eyes glowing with triumph as he clearly understood her question as her approval and consent for what he had planned. “I’ll take you to him right away.”
Taking his proffered arm, Claudia glanced into the crowd as Mr. Adams led her through the throng of people down the docks.
Garrett’s eyes, furious and dangerous, met hers, and she could see the tension that held him rigid, and she prayed that he would be able to keep himself under control and not do anything foolish.
Her son was almost back in her arms.
Almost.
All they needed was a little more time.
Chapter Twenty-Seven – Across the Sea
When Mr. Adams reached for Claudia’s hands, Garrett almost lost it.
His own hands balled into fists, and his teeth ground together so tightly that they sounded like mill stones, grinding grain into flour. Heat shot into his face, and his legs quivered with the need to cross the docks and pound that man into the ground.
And yet, he held himself in check.
It was the hardest thing he ever had to do.
With his eyes fixed on his wife, Garrett watched as they spoke to each other, wishing he could hear what was being said. Still, he could see the way his wife leaned back ever so slightly whenever Mr. Adams would step too close. He could see the tension in her shoulders and the way she wrung her hands.
Pride filled his heart that she was able to hold her tongue and speak to the man so civilly. Garrett was not sure he could have done so.
When Mr. Adams offered Claudia his arm, Garrett sucked in a sharp breath, wishing he was not alone, wishing his clansmen were by his side, wishing there had been time to deliver a message.
Meeting his wife’s gaze as they walked past him, Garrett nodded to her, assuring her that he was here, that she was not alone, that they were in this together. Then he slowly fell in with the crowd, carefully following without being spotted.
Craning his neck to keep them in sight, Garrett dodged a cart here and there and occasionally had to find his way through a group of sailors boasting about their adventures. Fear held his heart tightly, urging his feet on lest he lose them in the crowd.
Leisurely, they strolled along the docks, his wife’s hand tucked into the crook of Mr. Adams’ arm, the man’s other hand resting possessively on hers. Garrett wanted to wring
his neck!
On their way, they passed a number of ships, some smaller and some boasting three masts. Eventually, Mr. Adams halted his step next to a two-masted sloop, sitting low in the water. Sailors scrambled to load the last of their cargo into the merchant vessel’s hold, their movements practised and fluid as they prepared the ship for departure.
Garrett’s heart thudded wildly in his chest. Was his son on board this ship?
Inching closer, he tried his best to remain inconspicuous. However, in order to protect his family, he needed to know what was going on. Pretending to watch the sailors as they scrambled through the rigging like spiders, he strode closer. Still, he did not dare look at his wife for fear their reaction to one another would give them away.
“This is it, Miss Davenport,” he heard Mr. Adams say. “Now, you need to make a decision. The ship will set sail within the hour and take us across the ocean to the colonies. Will you join us? Or will you return to London?”
Garrett’s blood froze in his veins.
“My son is on board this ship?” his wife asked, her voice carefully controlled, and yet, he heard with perfect clarity the fear that lived in her heart. “I want to see him.”
For a moment, Mr. Adams did not answer, and Garrett felt compelled to turn and look. Moments before he would have lost the battle with himself, the man finally spoke.
“Certainly,” he said, a bit of an edge to his voice as though he was disappointed that Claudia did not have complete trust in him. “However, I cannot allow him into your care until you’ve made your decision.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Garrett saw the man raise a hand and wave it back and forth a couple of times, his gaze directed at the deck of the ship.
A moment later, a young woman stepped up to the railing, a small bundle in her arms as she looked down at them. Garrett squinted his eyes, thinking the lass looked familiar. Where had he seen her before?
“The nurse!” his wife gasped, shock and disbelief in her voice.
Garrett’s muscles tensed, rooting him to the spot lest he do something foolish and draw her into his arms.
