Page 7

W as this such a good idea? Payne still didn’t know.

But he was about to find out.

Less than an hour out of Blackchurch, he came across a small army heading in his direction.

He’d come into a clearing and, as the road carved through the green landscape into the distance, could see a collection of men and wagons about a half-mile away.

He didn’t usually make it over to this area, east of Blackchurch, and as he loped along the road astride his blonde beast with the black mane, he found himself looking at the heavy thicket of trees and smelling the wet grass in the meadows.

Everything was lush, dense with forest, and he knew that outlaws tended to populate this area.

But the only outlaw he was concerned with was a certain female pirate, and as he drew closer to the group in the distance, he could see that they had come to a halt.

Payne was alone at this point because the moment they’d spied the small gang of men in the distance, Cruz and Creston had ducked into the trees that surrounded the road.

However, now Payne was in a clearing, with the trees off to the north and to the south, somewhat far away.

He wouldn’t have immediate assistance if he needed it.

However, that was probably for the better.

He didn’t want his friends in the proverbial line of fire and could see that the group in the distance were on the defensive.

They’d even started bringing wagons that contained cannons forward.

That was when Payne moved swiftly.

He wanted to get close before they could line up those cannons.

It was perhaps a bit silly to produce cannons at the sight of a lone rider, but he had to respect them for being unwilling to take any chances.

He moved so fast that they didn’t have time to line anything up, but he could see a couple of the men producing crossbows.

Not wanting to be pierced by a bolt, he quickly dismounted and used his horse as a shield.

“I mean ye no harm!” he bellowed. “Stow yer weapons!”

“Not likely, little man!” someone yelled in return. “What’s yer business?”

Payne was peering around the breast of his horse. “I’ve come tae discover yer business,” he said. “Tell me who ye are and what ye want.”

There was a pause. “That’s brave talk from a lone man,” the same voice called out to him. “I dunna see much tae back up those words.”

“They’re in the trees.”

“I dunna believe ye, little man.”

“Test me and find out.”

Payne could see the men looking around, into the trees. His threat was enough to delay them. But more than that, he was focused on the man he’d just had the conversation with.

That voice .

He hadn’t seen his brothers in several years, but he knew the voice.

That smug voice that could only come from one person—that little toad of a bairn he’d most happily beaten down when they were children, a sibling he’d shared a most contentious relationship with.

But at this moment, he didn’t remember the anger and resentment.

He only remembered the love. When he realized that, he found himself fighting off a grin.

“Ah,” the voice said. “’Tis a challenge ye give me. I like challenges.”

“Ye dinna when ye were a wee lad with a runny nose,” Payne said. “Ye ran from challenges then. And ye ran from me, ye little coward.”

There was another pause, longer than the first one. “And just who are ye?”

“Can ye honestly say ye dunna recognize yer own brother?”

In the collection of men, a united grunt of suspicion went up. But amongst the sound, there was a shriek.

“Payne?” It was Maude. “Payne Matheson, is that ye?”

Payne came from around the horse. “Aye,” he said, standing tall and proud in the middle of the road and facing what was to come. “Have ye come tae kill me, Maudie? The last time we spoke, ye told me that I was dead tae ye. Have ye come tae finish the job?”

Maudie. That was what he’d always called his mother, what his brothers had called her as well.

Maude burst out from behind some men, her hair like flame, her pale face pinched with shock.

For a moment, she simply stood there and stared at her eldest son as Declan and Francis came to stand with her.

Francis was smiling from ear to ear, but Declan didn’t seem entirely happy about it.

Suspicious was more like it.

“Of course I’ve not come tae kill ye,” Maude finally said, misty-eyed. “It’s been a long time, lad. Have ye been well?”

Payne had to admit that he had a lump in his throat at the sight of his mother.

As much as he’d joked about her over the years, mostly at her expense, the sight of her took him back to the days when he was her shadow, following her around everywhere.

He’d described that to St. Denis, but it was never so strong in is memory as it was at this moment.

My mother.

“I have,” he said after a moment. “How did ye know where tae find me?”

“Yer father,” Maude said, taking a few steps toward him. “He told me ye’d gone tae Blackchurch. Ye never returned from it.”

Payne shrugged. “I’ve made a life here,” he said. “I’ve found a place where I belong, where I’m respected. The men I serve with are like my brothers.”

“Ye’re happy?”

“I am.”

Maude sighed, perhaps in relief. Her expression suggested that it did her heart good to see that Payne was well and thriving. Before she could say anything more, however, Declan came forward.

“Ye’ve got tae go home,” he said, pointing northward. “Da died during the winter of a poison in his chest. Ye’re the new earl, Payne. Ye must go home.”

That was shocking news, brutally delivered, and Payne’s eyes widened. “Da… he’s d-dead?” he stammered.

“I said he was,” Declan said. “But ye never went home tae visit him over the years, so what do ye care?”

“Shut yer lips, Declan.” Maude finally found her tongue, slapping Declan on the side of the face as she passed by him on her way toward Payne. Her focus was on her eldest. “I’d hoped tae tell ye in a gentler way. I know ye loved yer da, and he loved ye.”

Payne felt as if he’d been kicked in the gut.

The initial shock of the news was settling in to a deep and abiding grief as he watched his mother come closer.

“I did,” he said, sounding lost. “I loved him. I told him that every time I sent him a missive. I tried tae do it frequently, telling him about my life at Blackchurch and apologizing for not having the time tae return home. I should have, but my duties keep me so busy that… Christ, even as I say that, it sounds like a horrible excuse.”

Maude came to within a couple of feet of him and came to a halt, holding up her hand in a soothing gesture. “He knew ye loved him, Payne,” she said. “He knew ye were doing important work at Blackchurch. He dinna fault ye for it.”

Payne was on the verge of tears as he eyed his mother. “How would ye know that?” he said. “Ye’re at sea most of the time.”

Maude nodded. “I am,” she said. “But I’ve been home more than ye have in the past ten years. Think what ye will about my marriage tae yer father, but we loved each other in our own way. He knew what I had tae do. Who I had tae be.”

Payne had to swallow hard and avert his gaze. He simply couldn’t look at his mother, fearful he was about to break down for all to see. So he focused on his feet, on the ground in front of him, hands on his hips as he struggled to regain his composure.

But he couldn’t quite manage it.

“The last time I saw ye, ye told me I was dead tae ye,” he said, trying not to weep. “Now, ye come tae tell me that Da is dead and I’m the new earl, with no mention of the way ye and I left things when we last spoke. I’ve gone the past ten years thinking ye hated me.”

Maude sighed heavily. “I shouldna have said such things tae ye,” she said. “I was angry ye weren’t willing tae follow me tae sea and I let that get the better of me. I’m sorry, Payne. Truly. I dinna mean any of it.”

She may have been apologetic, but Payne realized that he wasn’t in a forgiving mood. The hurt he’d felt those years ago, something he thought he’d managed to overcome, was threatening to come forth again, like a scar that had been reopened.

A wound that never went away.

“And ye never thought tae tell me?” he said with some agitation. “Ye wait until now?”

Maude could see how upset he was. Not that she hadn’t been expecting it, but it was taking courage to face it. “The years have been very busy for me,” she said. “Keeping yer grandfather’s legacy alive. So much depends on me, Payne. I wish I could tell ye all of it.”

His head came up, angrily. “ What depends on ye?” he demanded. “What about a son ye disowned? Am I not more important than the ships ye command or the people ye rob?”

Maude was starting to struggle. “Look behind me,” she said.

“All of those men depend on me tae make them money. Most of them have families. Did ye ever stop tae think why I continued yer grandfather’s legacy?

It was because an entire world revolves around Medusa’s Disciples, and I have a moral obligation—”

He cut her off loudly. “A moral obligation?”

“Aye, a moral obligation tae continue yer grandfather’s profession so these men can send money home tae their wives and children,” Maude nearly shouted at him.

“Dunna judge me, Payne Matheson. Ye did it ten years ago and that’s why I told ye that ye were dead tae me.

Ye have no right tae judge me when ye serve at Blackchurch and train men tae kill and sack and conduct all manner of underhanded warfare.

Dunna pretend tae be so noble because yer hands are as dirty as mine, only in a different way.

If ye canna see that, then ye’re lying tae yerself. And I dinna raise a fool!”