To Love A Myth - Book 2: Mr. Higgs and the Lady 🎩✔️

25

"Whatever could ye want with that sweet boy after all these years?"

"Nothing, Ms. Dunbrough." Merida looked at him in confusion. "I don't necessarily want him back, but if you aren't going to give back my property then I would like to have compensation for it."

"Compensation?"

"Is it not clear that he was mine?"

"That's not what I mean. What do ye want from him or us?"

"Four years of payment." Merida lifted an eyebrow. "His price multiplied by four... plus interest."

"I'll give ye everra bit of money I own until-"

"Not to be rude, but I highly doubt you could pay his original price let alone four times as much in your lifetime."

"What about Mr. Higgs doing payments then?"

"Are you unaware of what a debt means, Ms. Dunbrough?"

"Ye cannae expect us to pay that and more in a lump sum."

"Why not? Does he not mean that much to you? You stole him from me and I'm gracious enough not to alert the authorities."

Merida made a face. "This is something I'm going to have to discuss with Mr. Higgs."

"You have until the end of the month to come up with something."

"The end of the month?! Do ye ken he shits golden bricks?!"

"Again, if the boy means that much to you, wouldn't you try your damnedest to keep him?"

Merida wanted to strangle him but looked back at the official document.

"May I keep this?"

Patrick snatched it from her hands. "And have you conveniently misplace it? I think not."

"How do I know that ye didnae get that done afore ye came here to claim him?"

"The boy signed it himself." He said, unfolding it again. "Any child adopted to be used for any sort of labor must sign the document themselves in understanding that they are an employee, not necessarily a son. They are required to sign their own name."

Merida looked at it. At the bottom were three signatures: Patrick's, the adoption house owner, and in childlike letters the word MUD."

"Mud?"

"Apparently that's what he went by at this time. I know I didn't name him anything while he was with me. If you have doubts, ask the boy himself."

"Oh, dinnae ye worry about that." She growled. "Is there anything else ye want to tell me while I'm 'in the mood'?"

"Yes, there is a strange man trying to get me to tell him details about that night at the party. He says he wants to know what Lord Northumberly -either of them- looks like."

"Did ye tell him?" she asked with a glare.

"No, but call it an additional incentive regarding payment or relinquishment. If I don't have Edgar or the payment I desire by the end of the month, I will tell this man all he wants to know and I will tell the authorities that you took advantage of a situation and stole what was rightly mine."

"Unlike ye, we arenae petty and ye'll get either or of yer bargain. As for Mr. Castell, the man that is asking ye these questions, an ye spill one detail about this family to him, then I can hold ye in contempt for assisting a man we have personally turned in to the authorities for trespassing and harassment. So ye had best withdraw that wee threat and things willnae get any uglier than they are."