“Oui, but we are kin, are we not?”Jean winked at Adam.“So, my friend, your battles become my battles.”
Jonathan had jerked up at the intrusion, but he didn’t bother to let Elizabeth go.Slowly, he turned so they both could see the two gentleman arguing with each other and ignoring them.
“That may be true,” Adam said and folded his arms across his chest.“But I’ll ask for your help when I need it.”
Jean folded his arms in a stubborn stance also.“There are times, my friend, when you’ll not know that you need help,” he said with a grin.“Or should I remind you of Pierre’s right to the jaw?”
“Remember it!”Adam’s voice rose as he flung his hand in the air.“I still have the bloody bruise as a reminder.”
Jonathan had had enough.“Do you mind taking your conversation elsewhere, ol’ boy?Your sister and I were having a very serious conversation before we were so rudely intruded upon.”
Adam turned back to Jonathan.“I could see which way the so-called conversation was headed,” Adam said dryly.“You should know better than to compromise my sister.”
“I could still run him through for you,” Jean suggested amiably.
“Some friend you are,” Jonathan said as he glared at Jean.
Jean merely shrugged.“Blood is thicker than water, my friend.”
Elizabeth thought the whole thing quite comical.She was surprised at Jean’s easy wit.“Perhaps I was compromising Jonathan,” she suggested.“It was my idea to come out here, after all.”
“No one could compromise a rake,” Adam stated firmly.
“I take offense to that, ol’ boy.”
“Well?”Adam stared hard.“Is it not true?”
Jonathan shrugged.“In the past, perhaps.But I still take offense, especially since I’ll be marrying your sister in a fortnight.”
“Bloody hell,” Adam roared.But an easy smile played at the corners of his mouth, indicating that he was pleased.
“I’m truly offended that I was not invited,” Jean protested.
Adam cut his eyes at Jean.“I can’t invite you to something I know nothing about myself!”
“Are you not excited, Adam?”Elizabeth asked softly, gaining her brother’s attention.
“Then it’s true?”
She nodded.
Slowly, a grin spread across Adam’s lips before he reached over and clasped Jonathan’s arm.“It’s about time you came to your senses.”Then he turned and hugged his sister.“Of course I’m happy for you.See?I told you things would work out.”
“See?”Jean said with a laugh.“You were getting excited over nothing, my friend,” he said, slapping Jonathan on the back.
“Congratulations,” Adam said.
“Thank you, Adam,” she said, then kissed her brother’s cheek.“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must tell Jewel.We have a wedding to plan, and there is much to do in the next two weeks.”
“Two weeks?”Adam shouted, but Elizabeth ignored him as she hurried through the French doors.
At the moment, life was wonderful.
Chapter 7
The week was a whirl of activity.Elizabeth wasn’t sure who was happiest—Annie or Jewel.Every time Elizabeth saw Annie, she would grow misty-eyed and say, “My wee bairn is gettin’ married.But look at ye.Ye positively glow.”
As for Elizabeth, she’d never been happier in her life.She suddenly had the energy of three women, and it was a good thing, since there was so much to do.
