The Prodigal Son by Anna Belfrage Read Free Book Online

Nothing.”
    “Hmm.” Alex sounded anything but convinced. “I don’t like it.”
    “I know you don’t.” He flopped down to lie on his back, eyes on the wall.
    “And?” Alex prompted.
    “And that doesn’t change a thing, I’ll continue helping my ministers as much as I can.”
    Alex rolled over to face the other way.
    “Alex,” he tried.
    She didn’t reply, stiff as a board under his touch.

Chapter 4
    Margaret rode away at dawn next morning and a silent Ian moved in, following Alex when she guided him through the house, showed him the bed where he would be sleeping with Mark and Jacob, and helped him unpack his few bits and pieces.
    For the first few days Ian shrank back into the darker corners, speaking only when spoken to. His eyes followed them, seemingly sizing them all up, and at times Matthew would turn only to see Ian avert his face.
    “It’s disconcerting,” Alex said. “He sort of flits around, like a wraith or something.”
    “Aye,” Matthew said, his eyes drifting to the gangly lad who was sitting very much on his own out in the yard.
    Despite her initial reluctance, Matthew had to admit Alex did everything she could to welcome Ian into their home. Not that it helped much; the lad escaped from them whenever he could, spending most of his days in the woods.
    “It doesn’t help to talk to him, he never joins us in the evening when I tell them stories and it breaks my heart to see him this alone.” Alex sighed and frowned down at her knitting. “Why in the world did Margaret leave him here, with a family he barely knows?”
    “She has no one else,” Joan said. “You know that.”
    “Whatever; anyhow, after last night he probably thinks I’m the devil himself,” Alex continued, making Matthew smile.
    “Aye, even if cleanliness is not something generally associated with the underworld.” He chuckled. “It was right fun to watch.” Alex had chased after a half-naked Ian, threatening him with one dire punishment after the other unless he came back and let her finish washing him.
    Alex gave him a faint smile. “What do we do with him?” she said. “How do we help him fit in and become one of us?”
    “Give him time,” Matthew said, “it will sort itself.”
    Sometimes Matthew wondered if Ian had been regularly whipped, and it was only a week or so later that he understood that the reason for Ian’s shrinking existence was himself.
    “Nay, that isn’t true!” Mark’s voice came from above Matthew, from the hayloft. “You must take it back, you mustn’t say things like that about my da.” Matthew smiled at his son’s angry voice.
    “Aye,” Rachel piped up, “not about our da.”
    “But it’s true. You’re both too small to remember, but I was nine.” Ian’s voice froze Matthew on his way to the ladder.
    “Da doesn’t fight,” Mark said. “He says it’s wrong.”
    “He did then. He almost killed my father and he sliced off Father’s nose years ago.”
    “No he didn’t!” Mark sounded on the verge of tears.
    There was a muted yelp and from the scuffing above his head Matthew knew his son had hit his cousin. There was a loud slap, a surprised intake of breath. Matthew stuck his head through the opening. Mark was rubbing at his cheek, and Ian looked so ashamed Matthew felt sorry for him.
    “You hit him?” he asked, heaving himself onto the loft.
    Ian nodded.
    “Why?”
    “He hit me,” Ian said.
    Matthew raised one brow, he raised two brows and looked from Ian to Mark and back again.
    “Mark, did you?” Matthew stopped Rachel as she moved towards her cousin with a look on her face that indicated she intended at the very least to bite him.
    Mark nodded.
    “And why would you do something like that?”
    Mark just shook his head.
    “Son, I asked you a question.”
    Mark squirmed but continued to shake his head, eyeing his cousin from under his hair.
    “You know I don’t hold with fighting,” Matthew said. “And even less with not having my questions