When they came to the door of Wendy's house, she felt hesitant to end the
evening, having found such comfort in his soothing presence. But even as
she was pulled toward him, she remembered she had yet to know for certain
if her brothers were even at home.
"Thank you so much, James," Wendy eventually said after a moment of awkward silence.
"It was no problem, Lady Wendy," James replied comically, with a imitation bow.
"Your services, sir – "Wendy paused. "What was your full name?"
Wendy could have sworn she had seen him looking uncomfortable, but a moment later he was his normal gregarious self, "James Henry."
Wendy tried not to smile, "Henry? That sounds a great deal like a first name!"
"Well Darling sounds quite like a nickname I should dearly love to call you," James replied.
Wendy blushed at the forwardness, but suddenly was struck by a disconcerting detail – she had never told him her last name.
Internally shaking her head to clear it of such paranoid foolishness, Wendy convinced herself that she must have mentioned it, but forgotten.
Just then, Mrs. Darling burst out the door looking frantic, "Wendy! Oh thank goodness you're alright! Your brothers –"
"Aren't they here?" Wendy asked.
"They've been kidnapped!" Mrs. Darling replied tearfully.
"How can you be certain?" James asked, face full of concern.
"There was a note," Mrs. Darling replied, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "A ransom note."
"What are they asking for?" Wendy asked.
"That's the peculiar thing," Mrs. Darling replied. "It just says they have John and Michael, but it doesn't ask for anything."
"Is there anyone you can think of that bears a grudge against you?" James questioned.
Mrs. Darling shook her head, but Wendy could think of someone, The pirates. But why now? It's been a year since we killed their captain. Why now? "Were any of the other boys taken?"
"I've just checked with their school and all are accounted for," Mrs. Darling replied. The Lost Boys had been sent to a different school than Wendy, John, and Michael so that they could catch up to their level.
"Have you told the police?" James asked, slightly frowning.
Mrs. Darling shook her head, "The note told me I mustn't, or the boys will be harmed."
James nodded, "I think it is best that you cooperate with them."
Mrs. Darling began to nod, but stopped, "Forgive me but, who are you?"
Wendy cleared her throat, "Mother this is James, James my mother."
James bowed formally and said, "Milady, it is a pleasure, even under circumstances such as these."
"Thank you so much, James," Wendy eventually said after a moment of awkward silence.
"It was no problem, Lady Wendy," James replied comically, with a imitation bow.
"Your services, sir – "Wendy paused. "What was your full name?"
Wendy could have sworn she had seen him looking uncomfortable, but a moment later he was his normal gregarious self, "James Henry."
Wendy tried not to smile, "Henry? That sounds a great deal like a first name!"
"Well Darling sounds quite like a nickname I should dearly love to call you," James replied.
Wendy blushed at the forwardness, but suddenly was struck by a disconcerting detail – she had never told him her last name.
Internally shaking her head to clear it of such paranoid foolishness, Wendy convinced herself that she must have mentioned it, but forgotten.
Just then, Mrs. Darling burst out the door looking frantic, "Wendy! Oh thank goodness you're alright! Your brothers –"
"Aren't they here?" Wendy asked.
"They've been kidnapped!" Mrs. Darling replied tearfully.
"How can you be certain?" James asked, face full of concern.
"There was a note," Mrs. Darling replied, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "A ransom note."
"What are they asking for?" Wendy asked.
"That's the peculiar thing," Mrs. Darling replied. "It just says they have John and Michael, but it doesn't ask for anything."
"Is there anyone you can think of that bears a grudge against you?" James questioned.
Mrs. Darling shook her head, but Wendy could think of someone, The pirates. But why now? It's been a year since we killed their captain. Why now? "Were any of the other boys taken?"
"I've just checked with their school and all are accounted for," Mrs. Darling replied. The Lost Boys had been sent to a different school than Wendy, John, and Michael so that they could catch up to their level.
"Have you told the police?" James asked, slightly frowning.
Mrs. Darling shook her head, "The note told me I mustn't, or the boys will be harmed."
James nodded, "I think it is best that you cooperate with them."
Mrs. Darling began to nod, but stopped, "Forgive me but, who are you?"
Wendy cleared her throat, "Mother this is James, James my mother."
James bowed formally and said, "Milady, it is a pleasure, even under circumstances such as these."