Skipping the formalities that night, Joseph asked quietly, "Where is he?"

"He is asleep, M'lord," James answered, stepping aside so Lord Joseph could enter. "His room is at the end of the hall."

Nodding and walking quietly down to the last door, Joseph turned the knob and peered in. At once, his anxiety was calmed, when he saw a peacefully sleeping Lance under the covers. His cheeks glistened in the moonlight from the tears that he continued to cry, even in his sleep. Closing the door and returning to where the others waited, Joseph started to speak. "Thank you; for taking care of him. I should have known he came home to his mother." Flashing Rebecca a thankful smile, he continued. "Joshua and Justin will be duely punished for what they did to him. I do not allow such harsh words to be spoken in my family, but they seem to think otherwise."

James motioned for Lord Joseph to sit on the sofa as he and Rebecca each sat on a chair. "M'lord, I do not mean disrespect in any way," James began, "but what happened to upset our son so?"

Sighing and lowering his eyes, Joseph answered, "He simply was being himself. Joshua, my first husband, said somethings about how I would never love Lance as much as I do my first two, simply because he was born a farmboy. The truth is James..." Joseph trailed off for a moment, allowing his heart, and not his mind, to choose his words for him. "I think I love Lance more then I do Joshua and Justin."

Rebecca stared at the dark-haired lord, unable to believe what she had heard. "M'lord...you...you are serious about this?" she asked quietly.

"He came to me pure, untouched, and unspoiled of the luxuries in life," Joseph began. "He only wishes to please and cares nothing about his title. He is the complete oppisite of Joshua and Justin. I realized a long time ago that I no longer loved them; that I never loved them acutally. I thought I would never be able to love someone, to really love someone. But when Lance came into my family, I found that I was able to."

Rebecca's eyes glistened with tears as the questions she had about the sincerity of Lord Joseph's feelings for her baby were put to rest. "You truly do love my baby boy, don't you?" Rebecca asked.

"For your son, I would give up my title, my land, my wealth, whatever he asked me to give up, I would do so in a heartbeat."

The tears in her eyes began to cascade down her face. "I am assured now of your love for my son, M'lord," Rebecca replied, standing next to James. "I had promised Lansten that he would not have to return to your castle if he didn't want to, but I now know that his place is with you."

"Thank you Rebecca," Joseph stated. "But I will not force him to return with me if he doesn't want to. I cannot stand to see him missing you, the tears in his eyes and the saddness in his voice. He will be allowed to choose who he stays with."

"Mamma?" replied a quiet voice. All three turned to see Lance standing in the doorway, his fear-filled eyes locked on his mother. Seeing Lord Joseph, Lance moved closer to Rebecca. "M...M'lord," he whispered. "I...I am sorry for leaving the way I did. I did not mean to worry or upset you, but I...I..."

Turning and standing to quickly walk towards Lance, Joseph hugged him before holding him at an arms lengths. Gazing into his eyes, the strong Joseph broke down in tears. "I was so worried about you. I thought you did not want to be with me anymore."

"I...I am sor...sorry, M'lord," Lance replied, his own tears shining in his eyes. "I do want to be with you but Josh...Joshua..."

"They should not have to matter. What do you want?" Joseph asked. Lowering his eyes, he added, "If you want to stay with your parents, then I will not fight for you to come back home with me. I will respect your decision."

"Mamma, what should I do?" Lance whispered, looking at his mother. He knew she would help him make the right choice.

Shaking her head, Rebecca stood by James and replied, "I can't tell you want to choose Lance. But whatever it is you choose, we all will respect your decision."

Walking over to sit on the sofa, Lance looked up at Joseph. "Josh...Joshua said that I was nothing but a farm boy...that you could never love me or look at me the way you do them. That...that is why I left," Looking down as the tears slowly fell from his eyes. "Joshua was right. You could never love me they way you do them," he sobbed. "I coul...could never make you happy as they do."

Walking over and kneeling down in front of Lance, Joseph tentativly took hold of his hand. "Did you hear what I was telling your parents before you said anything to let us know you were standing there?"

Lance shook his head. "N...no...I.I didn't. I just woke up."

Smiling and reaching up to caress Lances' check in his hand, Joseph said, "I told them that I would give up my title, my estate, my wealth, all for you. That I don't love Joshua and Justin; I never have. But, I do love you. With all my heart. I only want to see you happy."

Lance gasped at Joseph's words. Looking from his mother and father back to Joseph, he found his voice again. "You...you do love me?" he whispered, fearful that he'd imagined Joseph telling him so.

"The few days you've been in my family Lance, I've grown to love you more then I do Joshua and Justin. I could care less that you came from the lowerlands. That makes no difference to me. I love you for who you are on the inside; not where you came from on the outside."

"But...but I...I can't read or write well," Lance started to protest. "I am not sophisticated or refined like Justin and Joshua...and I..." Lance got not further as Joseph put a finger to his lips.

"You are unspoiled and untouched to the finer ways of life," Joseph whispered. "You could care less about your title or the power that comes with it. That is one of the things I love about you Lance."

"I...I don't know what to say," Lance replied softly.

The room grew silent for a moment, until Joseph whispered, "I know you care about your parents, and miss them dearly. If you choose to stay here, then..." Taking in a deep breath to compose himself, he continued, his voice even softer. "Lance, whatever it is you choose, know that you will always be welcomed within my home, and my family. You will always carry a very special place within my heart."

The tears continued to fall as Lance looked at Joseph. "Oh, M'lord," he whispered, hugging his husband. "I...I love you so much."

Wrapping his arms securally around Lance, Joseph buried his face in his neck. It had only been a few hours since he discovered his precious angel was missing, but for Joseph, it seemed like an eternaty. "I love you too my angel. So very much."

Rebecca gently put her hand on Lance's shoulder. "Lansten, would you excuse yourself while your father and I talk to Lord Joseph alone please?" she asked quietly.

Joseph broke away from the hug and quickly wipped his tears. Lance looked down at him, and the elder one simply smiled and nodded his head.

"Yes, Mamma" Lance replied, obediently standing and walking to his room, closing the door. Once he had Rebecca turned to Lord Joseph.

"M'lord, it is obvious how deeply you love our son," Rebecca began. "But if Lansten chooses to go back with you, what is to prevent this sort of thing from happening again?"

"I will not lie to you," he began. "There is only so much I can do to protect him from what Joshua and Justin will do and say to him. They may only shun him and not speak to him or they may go to greater lengths. For now, they are banished to their rooms and are not to come out until I've said otherwise. But, I cannot keep them locked away in their rooms for the rest of there lives. Eventually, they will have to be let out and when that happens, I don't know what, if anything, they will do to your son. But, I will protect him as best I can." Looking up at her, he added, "I don't know if this is what you wanted to hear, but, it is very possible that this is what might happen."

James stood by his wife. "M'lord, please understand our position. You were not here and did not see the state Lansten was in when he arrived. He has done nothing to warant this kind of abuse. We need to know that Lansten will be safe and loved in Herfordshire, not treated like dirt simply because of where he comes from."

"Believe me James, I understand fully your position. I want nothing but the best for Lance, to see him safe and loved too. And I don't want to see him hurt either; but what can I do? I cannot change the way Joshua and Justin feel towards him. I can only go as far as ordering them to leave him be; and I don't even know if that will be enough."

"There is something you can do, M'lord," Rebecca stated quietly. "Just promise me that you will continue to love Lansten with all your heart and to be patient with him in teaching him what he needs to know as a member of the royal family. If you can promise this, then I will allow you to take Lansten back with you if he so chooses."

"You do not need to ask me to continue loving your son Rebecca," Joseph replied. "I do so without asking. And I promise I will be nothing but patient with him." Looking down at his hands, he added, "I said earlier that I would give up everything I had to make him happy. But...there is one thing I will never give up for your son."

James and Rebecca looked at Lord Joseph, both astonished. "And what is that, M'lord?" they asked.

"The love I have for him," Joseph answered simply. "I would rather die then have to give that up."

James and Rebecca smiled at him. "Thank you, M'lord for your honesty. We now know and are assured of your love for Lansten. You have our blessing to take him back with you if he chooses to do so." Walking into the hallway, Rebecca called softly to her son. Coming out of his room, Lance rejoined the others.

"Yes Mamma?" Lance asked timidly, looking from her to his father to his husband.

"What have you choosen my son?" she asked, her voice hiding the tears that stung the back of her eyes. "To stay here with your father and I, or return to Herfordshire with your husband?"

Looking at Joseph, tears shining in his eyes, Lance swallowed the lump in his throat. "I...I love you, M'lord," he whispered. "I want to go back with you and try again."

Smiling and holding his arms out for Lance to fill, the tears in Josephs' eyes spilt over. When Lance moved to fill his husbands' arms, Joseph broke down even more. "I...I love you too Lance. I love you so very much."

Rebecca slid down to the floor in front of the fire. She did not want to influence Lance's decision, but inwardly she had prayed that Lance would remain with her and James. It had hurt her deeply to see the state her baby boy had been in when he first arrived, and she was worried about him returning to the estate. She could only hope and pray that he would be all right. Her heart broke at the mere thought of losing her son again as the silent tears slid down her face.

Watching as Rebecca stared into the fire, Joseph formed an idea in his mind. "Rebecca," he called quietly as he pulled Lance into his lap and wrapped his arm around his husband. "Please, look at us."

"I...I can't," Rebecca sobbed. "The thought of losing my baby again is more than I can bear. I know how deep your love for him is and his for you, but..." Deeply sighing, Rebecca stood and turned to face Lord Joseph and Lance. "M'lord promise me something," she ashed quietly.

"Of course Rebecca. Anything you want, it shall be yours if it is within my paowers to do so."

Walking over and tenderly caressing her son's cheek, Rebecca turned to Lord Joseph. "Promise me that if Lansten is unhappy for any reason, no matter how small, that you allow him to return to us."

Smiling, Joseph shrugged his shoulders. "If you would rather have him back when he is unhappy rather then every weekend, then who am I to argue with my you?"

Looking from Joseph to James, Rebecca's hands flew to her face. "E...every weekend? You mean you will allow Lansten to visit with us every weekend?"

"Barring no prior engagements," Joseph started, the smile on his face growing at the reaction from Rebecca. "You will be able to see your son every weekend. That is, if you except?"

"Oh!" Rebecca exclaimed, hugging her husband. "Oh, thank you, M'lord. You have no idea how happy your words have made us." Looking at her son, Rebecca smiled. It would be hard to let him go, but she knew that Lance's place was with Joseph.

"M'lord, it is getting late. You should be starting back soon." James replied quietly as he gazed at his son. He, too shared his wife's concern for Lance's well-being at Herfordshire, but he was assured that Joseph would not fight it if Lance wished to return to the farm.

Looking out the window, Joseph nodded. "Yes, we need be getting back Lance." Tapping his husbands' hip lightly, Joseph waited for him to stand, then he too followed suit. "By the time we get back home, it will be well after dark. Perhaps closer to midnight."

Sending for Thomas, James had him prepare their horses. Once everything was prepared, James bowed. "Take care of Lansten, M'lord," he whispered. "He is very precious to us."

"I will James," Joseph answered as he waited for Lance to say his goodbyes. "I need only take care of him for 2 days, then he will be yours for the weekend." Seeing that Lance was embracing his mother, Joseph said that he would leave them alone and wait outside.

"Mamma," Lance squeaked as Rebecca embraced her son, "I...I want to go back, but I want to stay here, too. I'm scared, Mamma."

"Shh," she cooed, turning her head to kiss her sons' cheek. "You will be fine. Lord Joseph gave both your father and I his word that he would do his best to keep you safe." Holding her son at arms' length, she smiled and added, "The two days will go by fast, then you will be able to stay here. And each morning, I'll make you your favorite breakfast. Then you can go riding with your father, or swimming in the pond. You'll see, the next two days at Herfordshire will fly right by."

"I...I hope...hope so," Lance gulped, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. Hearing his father calling to him, Lance slowly walked outside to where the horses and Lord Joseph waited. Turning around, Lance took one last look at his mother before running into her arms once more. "Mamma," he whispered as she embraced him.

She said nothing as a few tears fell from her eyes. She prayed that each time she watched her son ride away from the house that she would be stronger then the last time, until finally it would be just a normal part of the week. She didn't want to be the one to push him away, the break the embrace, but she knew that they had at least an hour and a half ride ahead of them, and it was getting dangerously dark already with an impending storm, so she withdrew her arms from around his midsection and smiled strongly for him; taking a step back as she did so.

Lance looked at her, then turned to mount Midnight. Waving, Lance and Lord Joseph started for Herfordshire. Watching them until they became nothing but a blur in the distance, Rebecca finally let go of the tears she'd been holding. "Our baby is gone, James," she sobbed. "I had so hoped he would choose to stay here with us so we could watch over him."

"It was his choice Rebecca," James whispered. "We both agreed to except his choice. He will be fine with Lord Joseph. He's a fine man and true to his word. Our baby boy will be safe with him. You'll see Love. You'll see."

"I pray so, James," Rebecca eplied tearfully as they walked into the farm house. "I truly pray so."