Bridget crossed to her and shook her hand. “Bridget Lavery. I left my son at St. Dismas about five years ago. My husband and I were to be sent to Fleet Prison, and I didn’t want James to suffer with us.”
“I see.” She gestured to the chairs, and Bridget sat on the edge of one. “Shall I ring for tea?”
“That’s not necessary, my lady. I just came for James. I paid off my debt, and I have a good job now and a place of my own. I’ve been looking for him, but the old orphanage wasn’t there.”
“It burned down, yes.” She lifted a file she held. “Sanders said you wanted James, but I think the boy you mean is the one we call Jimmy.”
“Jimmy, yes. We called him that when he was little.” Bridget’s chest tightened. “He’s still here?”
“He is.” She opened the file folder. “James Lavery was surrendered by his mother, Bridget, and his father, Robert, in 1814. Are you Bridget?”
“Yes.”
“And Robert?”
“He passed away in prison. To tell you the truth, he wasn’t James—Jimmy’s real father. His real father couldn’t be here this afternoon. He had some...government business to attend to. But he wants us to be a family, as do I.”
“Jimmy’s father works for the government?”
“You could say that. In fact, we’re thinking of sailing to Canada. I know it would be a big change for Jimmy.” She was rambling now, but she was so nervous and anxious to see Jimmy.
“It would, but he’s an adventurous boy. I don’t think he’d have trouble adapting.” She closed the folder. “He’s always said you would come back for him. I don’t think any of us believed him, but here you are.”
“Then you’ll let me have him?”
“If he wants to go with you, yes. Everything you’ve said matches what I have in the file, even your description. I rarely see happy endings like this.” She rang a bell. “Let’s fetch him, shall we?”
The door opened, and the maid, Sanders, entered. “Yes, my lady?”
“Will you ask Jimmy to come down, please?”
“Jimmy?” Her eyes darted to Bridget. “Certainly, my lady.” She closed the door, and Bridget let out a shaky breath.
“You’re nervous. Don’t be. He’s a wonderful boy. He’s been waiting for you.”
“He’s been waiting a long time. I was afraid he’d think I forgot about him.”
“There might have been days when he felt that way, but a mother’s love can heal those small wounds.”
The sounds of thumping feet on the stairs drew their attention. “Ah, here he comes.”
Bridget stood, visibly trembling now. She’d never been so frightened in all her life. She clenched her hands together until her nails bit into her palms.
A knock sounded on the door, and then Sanders opened it, and a boy just over four feet with straight brown hair and bright blue eyes stepped inside. His gaze passed over Bridget and went straight to Lady Julia. “What’s wrong, my lady?”
Lady Julia smiled at him. “Nothing, Jimmy. In fact, I have very good news.”
His brows rose expectantly.
“For years, you’ve been saying your parents were in debtor’s prison and would come back for you.” He nodded. “This is your mother.” She gestured to Bridget. “She’s come back.”
The boy’s eyes flicked to Bridget, and she clasped her hands together so tightly it hurt. She tried to manage a smile, but it wobbled, and she felt tears in her eyes. “James—Jimmy,” she said. “I’m your mother, Bridget Lavery. I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
He stared at her, and she could see that he was working to try to remember her. She was trying to take the face she saw before her now and fit it against what she remembered of him as a baby. His face had grown and matured, but the eyes were the same, as was the nose and the expression he gave her. His hair had darkened, as she’d expected, and he looked fit and healthy.
“You’re my mother?”
She nodded. “I’ve been looking for you.”
He took a step closer. “Where’s my father?”
She looked down. “I’m afraid the man I was married to when you were born passed away in Fleet Prison. But your real father would very much like to meet you. He’s back from the war now, and you have his eyes.”
He touched his brow and took another step closer. “I do?”
“The very same.” A sob escaped her best efforts to hold it back. “James, I’m so sorry I had to leave you here. I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know how you can forgive me, but if you’ll let me, I’ll never leave you again. I’ll be a good mother to you.”
He ran into her arms and hugged her fiercely. “Don’t cry. I know you didn’t want to do it. I knew you’d be back.”
Bridget cried all the harder because he was comforting her. “I never stopped loving you.” She took his face in her hands. “Never. Not for a day or an hour or a minute. I thought of you always.”
“I thought of you too, Mama.” He hugged her again, and she pulled him tight against her. They stayed like that for a long time. Bridget didn’t ever want to let him go. She had him in her arms again, those arms that had ached in their emptiness were filled once more.
“You smell the same,” he said quietly. She drew back and looked at him. “I don’t remember what you looked like, but I remember how you smelled. It’s the same.” Tears shimmered in his blue eyes, and she kissed them away.
“Jimmy,” Lady Julia said quietly. “Your mother would like you to go with her. In fact, I think she and your father have plans to travel to Canada. Do you want to go with her? You don’t have to go tonight. You can think about it. Take a few days to decide.”
Bridget took a deep breath. Caleb didn’t have a few days, but she could hardly force the child to leave everything he’d known at a moment’s notice.
“I want to go,” he said. “But can I say goodbye to everyone first?” He looked at Bridget.
“Of course. Tell them you’ll write and send presents from your travels.”
He smiled. “I will! I’ll be right back. Don’t leave without me.”
She sat in one of the chairs. “I won’t move from this seat.”
He ran up the stairs, his shoes clomping loudly, and Lady Julia shook her head. “I’ll go pack his things.” She wiped one eye. “I’ll miss him, and if anything ever happens, know that you can bring him back with no questions asked.”
“Thank you. And thank you for taking such good care of him.”
Lady Julia nodded and left Bridget alone. Bridget pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and wept.
Eight
He’d fought as hard as he could until Bridget was safely away, and then he’d fought more. In the end, he was no match for four men. They’d bound him and dragged him away, all while startled grooms watched.
“I haven’t done anything to you,” Caleb argued as they shoved him inside a coach. “Let me go.”