A/N – You guys had me laughing! Thanks for the comments! Kelsey – Stay tuned! * Kikimoo – He won't get a title until they are married and then he can accept the title of Earl or no title at all since Emily is not first in line to the throne. Lol I did a lot of research for this story.

Chapter 18 – Out of Control

Jeffrey is beyond upset that Elizabeth had taken off. He had come home early to spend more time with her and when he found her missing, he completely lost it. Ruby had to finally come clean before he called the authorities.

He angrily strode up to them followed by Monica, who had been speaking to him prior. She had tried to calm him and explain the situation with Emily, but Jeffrey didn't care. He thinks Elizabeth is out of control.

"Father…" Elizabeth started to speak but Jeffrey cut her off.

"Come with me now."

Grabbing her arm, he began to drag her towards the carriage.

Jason ran up behind them. "Please don't be angry with her."

Jeffrey stopped and turned towards Jason. "You are the cause of all of this. Do you not understand that I just got her back? If you weren't in the picture, she wouldn't have accompanied Nikolas. I came home and yet again my daughter was missing. Do you have any idea what that did to me?"

Jason grimaced. "Please, sir, don't be mad at her. She was just trying to save my sister's life."

Jeffrey growled and pushed Jason backward which caused several guards to move towards them. Monica stepped in between them and called the guards off.

"Please, Jeffrey, you need to calm down. I understand that you're upset and why, but there is no need to take this out on my son."

Liz spoke up. "She's right. This is all my fault. I decided to come here. Jason was unaware."

Jeffrey swung around to face her. "I don't even know who you are anymore. Ever since you fell for Jason, you have completely changed. You are rash and impulsive and have completely lost focus."

Elizabeth didn't know what to say at first. She stuttered and then said, "You are treating me like a child. I am a grown woman."

"I'm beginning to think that this union is a complete mistake."

Jason's heart sunk.

"Father, you don't know what you are saying. Please stop this tirade before you say something that you cannot take back."

Jeffrey's eyes seemed to turn darker. "This courtship is off. We will return home and both of you will have no further contact," he bellowed as Elizabeth gasped and Jason got a murderous look in his eye.

"No," Elizabeth yelled as Jeffrey dragged her off.

Jason started to give chase, but Monica held him back. "No, Jason. You need to leave him be."

"You expect me to just let him drag her away like that and not fight for her."

Monica took his face in her hands. "He needs time. He will come to his senses. Now is not the time to anger him further."

Jason's chest physically hurt. He is having trouble breathing, so Monica made him sit on the ground. Johnny had seen the whole exchange and ran over to him and tried to get him to calm.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey pushed Elizabeth into the carriage. She is sobbing and purposely sat across from him wanting nothing to do with him. He is breaking her heart.

Jeffrey tried to ignore her sobs. She had brought this on herself, and he doesn't think he did anything out of sorts.

They traveled in painful silence for four hours.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

Jason retreated to the sitting room where he lingered for an hour. After breaking three glasses, he finally growled and stormed out of the castle, making his way to the stables. "Get my horse ready," he yelled.

Johnny tried to stop him. "Your mother is going to have a fit if she learns about this."

"I don't care. I love Elizabeth and there is no way I'm staying away from her. She is my heart."

Johnny stared at Jason. Frankly, he is still trying to come to grips with the fact that Jason is love drunk. He isn't used to his love-fueled behavior and it is confusing him to no end. "If you are determined to destroy your life by doing something as foolish as you're about to do, then I will not let you do it alone."

"Fine," Jason said quietly. He is in no mood for company or a lecture, but he still isn't stupid enough to travel without a guard especially at night. He prepared his horse and they took off toward Rothsbury.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

The sky was growing dark and the coachman stopped so he could speak to the Duke.

"Milord, it is almost nightfall and we still have a ways to the nearest town," he said with concern.

The Duke sighed. "We have no choice but to continue," he said tentatively. He hadn't thought about the fact that they wouldn't make it home by nightfall. There are risks involved with night travel and he hopes that they will not meet with any harm.

About twenty minutes later, a musket sounded, and the carriage came to a screeching halt. Elizabeth sat up and felt the panic start to rise. She looked over at her father who pleaded with her with his eyes move next to him. After pausing for a moment, she quickly switched seats and waited. The doors of the carriage flew open and they were pulled out onto the road.

"Well, well what do we have here?" the man sneered.

Elizabeth stared him down. It is the same man that had taken her before.

"I knew you'd come back to me," Anthony said smiling.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I thought you were dead."

"My demise was clearly exaggerated, my puppet." He touched her cheek. "John won't be happy about this, but I just can't help myself. You are so beautiful."

Jeffery made a move towards him and another man struck him, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Father!" He is unconscious and she can see blood.

Anthony dragged her away. "Take his money and then let us go," he barked before pushing her back into the carriage.

"Yes, sire," one of the men said with a smirk.

The carriage took off while Jeffrey was robbed and left for dead.

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A while later, Jason and Johnny came upon the scene. Jason jumped down and rushed to check for a pulse.

Jeffrey stirred and weakly looked up at Jason. "He took her."

"Who?"

"The man who tried to steal her the first time. He took our carriage and fled with her." Tears began to flood his eyes. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

"We need to get out of here."

"Leave me. You must go find Elizabeth."

"I can't just leave you here to die. She would be devastated."

"She hates me now anyway."

Jason tried to pull him up. "Nonsense, she's just angry with you."

Jeffrey's head is pounding. Every moment produced more pain.

Johnny spoke up. "Milo and Cody should be coming upon us any second. I had them follow us just in case."

Jason nodded. "I know." He had heard them at one point. And right on cue, they appeared.

"Milo, you two need to get Jeffrey back to the castle. He's been hurt."

"Yes, milord," Milo said moving him to the horse.

They helped get Jeffrey onto the horse.

"Jeffrey, can you describe the man?"

"He was older and had gray hair. He mentioned someone named John who won't be happy with him. Oh, and they called him sire."

Johnny thinks it could possibly be a smuggler or yeoman.

"Let's head to the next town. We'll see if anyone is around to ask about this thief's whereabouts.

"Find her quickly, Prince Jason, or I'm afraid he's going to do something vile to her," Jeffrey said, remembering the man's infatuation.

Jason nodded and they took leave for Wilshire.

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The only people they found there, due to the late hour, were prostitutes and drunks. They stopped someone to ask. "You there," Johnny said to a woman who is staggering about.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" she asked grinning.

"We were wondering if you knew an older man with gray hair who had a brother or son named John."

"You two are gorgeous. I'm sorry, what was the question?"

Jason rolled his eyes. They moved on and asked a few other people, but no one was in any condition to answer them. All but defeated, they turned their horses in the direction they had come from and someone stepped out of an alley.

Johnny moved his horse in between Jason and the man. "Show yourself!"

The man stepped out of the shadows and approached them. "I heard you asking about a man."

Johnny nodded. "You will be rewarded for your help."

The man nodded. "There is a man who lives over the hill there," he said pointing. "He is a thief and a murderer. He charges us to do business here. A mean one, he is, and he has a son named John and a daughter named Claudia. His name is Anthony Zacchara but he actually goes by the last name of the man he killed who owned the property previously, which is Zachary."

"Does he have a lot of men?"

"Yes, sir."

They are doing to need help, or they'll be outnumbered.

"Do you need help, sir?"

"Yes. You see, he has taken the woman I love, and I must find them before he harms her."

"If you're willing to pay, I can get you fifteen men by morning. They might be a little worse for wear, but they are all good shots."

Jason nodded. "I will assure you that they will be compensated well. Is there a place we can sleep for a few hours?"

"I only got a barn, but you're welcome to. I know it's not the castle but—"

"So, you know who I am?"

"Yes milord, I'm sorry but I wasn't sure if you wanted that known."

"I have no problem sleeping in a barn. Show us the way please and thank you for your help."

The man nodded and led them to his barn.