Free The Dubious Heir by Lydia Clark Page B

waved him away with his free hand.
    This got Dale a sneer from the Duke before leaving the two of them alone.
    "Come sit with me, son, and have some tea and cakes while I look at this here book of yours."
    Dale sat across from the King at the small oval table and sipped tea and nibbled on cakes while he waited for comment from the King while he read the book. A few times the King's face become flush from reading certain passages and even looked up once to ask, "Did you read any of this book?"
    "Nay," Dale answered. "Those are my mother's private thoughts. I will only read them if necessary."
    "Then how did you know what was written in this here book? And, weren't you captured and being held captive by some Pirate's daughter?"
    "I escaped. A friend, the very woman who kidnapped me, told me about what was written in the book."
    "You call this woman who held you captive for ransom of her Pirate father a friend?"
    "Aye, she never meant me any harm. She was just looking for a way to get her father given back to her. She is not a terrible person. He, like my Mum, is the only family she has got."
    The King seemed to study Dale before reading on until he came to another passage. "You have your mother's eyes. Do you have this so called birthmark?"
    "You want me to show it to you? It is a private mark."
    "If you are my son as this indicates and had I known, I'm sure I would have seen it when you were a babe. Show me the mark as proof to match the book."
    Dale's face turned a bright shade of pink. He never once thought he would be doing this before the King of all people, even if he were supposed to be his father. "All right." He stood up and hitched up his shirt and dropped his pants. The dark colored birthmark covered one testicle and part of his manhood.
    "You are marked like a bull and built like one too, Son," The King emphasized the word son while he laughed at the sight.
    Dale quickly recovered his composer by hitching his pants back up.
    The two sat speechless for a few moments before the King finally spoke after a long sip of his tea. "All this time I did not know I had a son. You will have to move into the castle at once. There is a lot of work to be done and a lot for you to learn before you will take over the reins of the Kingdom. I thought for sure I would be forced to hand down the crown to Duke Ellington. Now, I'm glad to hear I have a better alternative. If you are anything like your mother, then you are the right choice to be my heir. We must send for your mother at once. I have missed her all these years. It's a wonderful surprise to know she is still alive after all this time."
    "I'm not sure she will come."
    "Is she still mad at me after all these years?"
    "Nay, it's that she still fears for her life."
    "But why? I can protect her. I can protect her more if she is by my side."
    Dale wasn't sure if the King knew who wanted he and his mother dead. Even Dale wasn't sure. Treea seemed to believe they were in danger from the Duke. If the Duke had been expecting to be the heir to the throne then, that would explain why he had been the one to order the soldiers to kill Treea's prisoner. He had to keep his mother safe and the only way was to keep her whereabouts hidden until the truth of the matter was dealt with by the King.
    "She is safe for now. I will be happy to send for her when I am sure all the danger is gone."
    "Well, then Son, we will have to come to the bottom of these threats and find out who is threatening her. Won't we?"
    "Aye, I plan on seeing to that."
     
     

Chapter 16
     
    Duke Ellington's hair felt as though it stood up on end when he laid eyes on the King's visitor. Then to learn that he was the one who was claiming to be the King's heir set him on flame. His soldiers told him they had killed the prisoner. They were supposed to find Hurley. But they never did. In fact, the man had not turned up yet. Had he double-crossed the Duke?
    There was only one thing to do to a Pirate to get even with them when