“Business?” Brianna took Liam again, settled him on her shoulder.
“Unfinished business.” Carstairs dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “I say, Brianna, this bread is tasty. Have a bit, do, Iris.”
“Johnny rhapsodized over your cooking. I’m afraid I got a teeny bit jealous. I’m a fair cook myself, you know.”
“A brilliant cook,” a loyal Carstairs corrected, snatching his wife’s hand and kissing it lavishly. “A magnificent cook.”
“Oh, Johnny, you do go on.” She giggled girlishly before swatting him aside. Then she pursed her lips and blew him several quick kisses. The byplay had Gray wiggling his brows at Brianna. “But I can see why he was so taken with the table you set, Brianna.” She nibbled delicately on her scone. “We must find time to exchange some recipes while we’re here. My specialty is a chicken and oyster dish. And if I do say so myself, it’s rather tasty. The trick is to use a really good wine, a dry white, you see. And a hint of tarragon. But there I go, running on again, and we haven’t dealt with our business.”
She reached for another scone, gesturing to the empty chairs. “Do sit down, won’t you? So much cozier to talk business over tea.”
Agreeably Gray sat and began to fill his plate. “Want me to take the kid?” he asked Brianna.
“No, I’ve got him.” She sat with Liam resting comfortably in the curve of her arm.
“What an angel,” Iris cooed. “And you’ve such an easy way with babies. Johnny and I always regretted not having any ourselves. But then, we were always off having an adventure, so our lives were full.”
“Adventures,” Brianna repeated. An interesting term, she thought, for bilking.
“We were a naughty pair.” Iris laughed, and the gleam in her eyes said she understood Brianna’s sentiments exactly. “But what fun we had. It wouldn’t be quite right to say we were sorry for it, when we enjoyed it so much. But then, one does get older.”
“One does,” Carstairs agreed. “And one sometimes loses the edge.” He sent Gray a mild look. “Ten years ago, lad, you’d never have pinched my wallet.”
“Don’t bet on it.” Gray sipped at his tea. “I was even better ten years ago.”
Carstairs tossed back his head and laughed. “Didn’t I tell you he was a pistol, Iris? Oh, I wish you’d have seen him button me down in Wales, my heart.
I was filled with admiration. I hope you’ll consider returning the wallet to me, Grayson. At least the photographs. The identification is easily replaced, but I’m quite sentimental over the photos. And, of course, the cash.”
Gray’s smile was quick and wolfish. “You still owe me a hundred pounds.
Johnny.”
Carstairs cleared his throat. “Naturally. Unquestionably. I only took yours, you see, to make it seem like a burglary.”
“Naturally,” Gray agreed. “Unquestionably. I believe we discussed compensation in Wales, before you had to leave so unexpectedly.”
“I do apologize. You’d pinned me down, you see, and I didn’t feel comfortable coming to a firm agreement without consulting Iris first.”
“We’re strong advocates of full partnership,” Iris put in.
“Indeed.” He gave his wife’s hand an affectionate pat. “I can truthfully say that all our decisions are a matter of teamwork. We feel that, combined with deep affection, is why we’ve had forty-three successful years together.”
“And, of course, a good sex life,” Iris said comfortably, smiling when Brianna choked over her tea. “Marriage would be rather dull otherwise, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re right.” This time Brianna cleared her throat. “I think I understand why you’ve come, and I appreciate it. It’s good to clear the air over it.”
“We did want to apologize in person for any distress we’ve caused you.
And I wanted to add my sympathies over my Johnny’s clumsy and completely ill-advised search of your lovely home.” She cut a stern look at her husband.
“It lacked all finesse, Johnny.”
“It did. Indeed it did.” He bowed his head. “I’m thoroughly ashamed.”
Brianna wasn’t entirely certain of that, but shook her head. “Well, there was no real harm done, I suppose.”
“No harm!” Iris took up the gauntlet. “Brianna, my dear girl, I’m sure you were furious, and rightly so. And distressed beyond belief.”
“It made her cry.”
“Grayson.” Embarrassed now, Brianna stared into her teacup. “It’s done.”
“I can only imagine how you must have felt.” Iris’s voice had softened.
“Johnny knows how I feel about my things. Why, if I came home and found everything topsy-turvy, I’d be devastated. Simply devastated. I only hope you can forgive him for the regrettable impulse, and for thinking like a man.”
“I do. I have. I understand he was under a great deal of pressure, and—” Brianna broke off, lifting her head when she realized she was defending the man who had cheated her father and invaded her home.
“What a kind heart you have.” Iris streamed into the breech. “Now if we could touch on this uncomfortable business of the stock certificate one last time. First, let me say it was very broad-minded, very patient of you not to contact the authorities after Wales.”
“Gray said you’d be back.”
“Clever boy,” Iris murmured.
“And I didn’t see any point in it.” With a sigh Brianna picked up a finger of bread and nibbled. “It was long ago, and the money my father lost was his to lose. Knowing the circumstances was enough to satisfy me.”
“You see, Iris, it’s just as I told you.”
“Johnny.” Her voice was suddenly commanding. The look that passed between them held until Carstairs let out a long breath and dropped his gaze.
“Yes, Iris, of course. You’re quite right. Quite right.” Rallying, he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, drew out an envelope. “Iris and I have discussed this at length, and we would very much like to settle the matter to everyone’s satisfaction. With our apologies, dear,” he said, handing Brianna the envelope. “And our best wishes.”
“Unfinished business.” Carstairs dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “I say, Brianna, this bread is tasty. Have a bit, do, Iris.”
“Johnny rhapsodized over your cooking. I’m afraid I got a teeny bit jealous. I’m a fair cook myself, you know.”
“A brilliant cook,” a loyal Carstairs corrected, snatching his wife’s hand and kissing it lavishly. “A magnificent cook.”
“Oh, Johnny, you do go on.” She giggled girlishly before swatting him aside. Then she pursed her lips and blew him several quick kisses. The byplay had Gray wiggling his brows at Brianna. “But I can see why he was so taken with the table you set, Brianna.” She nibbled delicately on her scone. “We must find time to exchange some recipes while we’re here. My specialty is a chicken and oyster dish. And if I do say so myself, it’s rather tasty. The trick is to use a really good wine, a dry white, you see. And a hint of tarragon. But there I go, running on again, and we haven’t dealt with our business.”
She reached for another scone, gesturing to the empty chairs. “Do sit down, won’t you? So much cozier to talk business over tea.”
Agreeably Gray sat and began to fill his plate. “Want me to take the kid?” he asked Brianna.
“No, I’ve got him.” She sat with Liam resting comfortably in the curve of her arm.
“What an angel,” Iris cooed. “And you’ve such an easy way with babies. Johnny and I always regretted not having any ourselves. But then, we were always off having an adventure, so our lives were full.”
“Adventures,” Brianna repeated. An interesting term, she thought, for bilking.
“We were a naughty pair.” Iris laughed, and the gleam in her eyes said she understood Brianna’s sentiments exactly. “But what fun we had. It wouldn’t be quite right to say we were sorry for it, when we enjoyed it so much. But then, one does get older.”
“One does,” Carstairs agreed. “And one sometimes loses the edge.” He sent Gray a mild look. “Ten years ago, lad, you’d never have pinched my wallet.”
“Don’t bet on it.” Gray sipped at his tea. “I was even better ten years ago.”
Carstairs tossed back his head and laughed. “Didn’t I tell you he was a pistol, Iris? Oh, I wish you’d have seen him button me down in Wales, my heart.
I was filled with admiration. I hope you’ll consider returning the wallet to me, Grayson. At least the photographs. The identification is easily replaced, but I’m quite sentimental over the photos. And, of course, the cash.”
Gray’s smile was quick and wolfish. “You still owe me a hundred pounds.
Johnny.”
Carstairs cleared his throat. “Naturally. Unquestionably. I only took yours, you see, to make it seem like a burglary.”
“Naturally,” Gray agreed. “Unquestionably. I believe we discussed compensation in Wales, before you had to leave so unexpectedly.”
“I do apologize. You’d pinned me down, you see, and I didn’t feel comfortable coming to a firm agreement without consulting Iris first.”
“We’re strong advocates of full partnership,” Iris put in.
“Indeed.” He gave his wife’s hand an affectionate pat. “I can truthfully say that all our decisions are a matter of teamwork. We feel that, combined with deep affection, is why we’ve had forty-three successful years together.”
“And, of course, a good sex life,” Iris said comfortably, smiling when Brianna choked over her tea. “Marriage would be rather dull otherwise, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re right.” This time Brianna cleared her throat. “I think I understand why you’ve come, and I appreciate it. It’s good to clear the air over it.”
“We did want to apologize in person for any distress we’ve caused you.
And I wanted to add my sympathies over my Johnny’s clumsy and completely ill-advised search of your lovely home.” She cut a stern look at her husband.
“It lacked all finesse, Johnny.”
“It did. Indeed it did.” He bowed his head. “I’m thoroughly ashamed.”
Brianna wasn’t entirely certain of that, but shook her head. “Well, there was no real harm done, I suppose.”
“No harm!” Iris took up the gauntlet. “Brianna, my dear girl, I’m sure you were furious, and rightly so. And distressed beyond belief.”
“It made her cry.”
“Grayson.” Embarrassed now, Brianna stared into her teacup. “It’s done.”
“I can only imagine how you must have felt.” Iris’s voice had softened.
“Johnny knows how I feel about my things. Why, if I came home and found everything topsy-turvy, I’d be devastated. Simply devastated. I only hope you can forgive him for the regrettable impulse, and for thinking like a man.”
“I do. I have. I understand he was under a great deal of pressure, and—” Brianna broke off, lifting her head when she realized she was defending the man who had cheated her father and invaded her home.
“What a kind heart you have.” Iris streamed into the breech. “Now if we could touch on this uncomfortable business of the stock certificate one last time. First, let me say it was very broad-minded, very patient of you not to contact the authorities after Wales.”
“Gray said you’d be back.”
“Clever boy,” Iris murmured.
“And I didn’t see any point in it.” With a sigh Brianna picked up a finger of bread and nibbled. “It was long ago, and the money my father lost was his to lose. Knowing the circumstances was enough to satisfy me.”
“You see, Iris, it’s just as I told you.”
“Johnny.” Her voice was suddenly commanding. The look that passed between them held until Carstairs let out a long breath and dropped his gaze.
“Yes, Iris, of course. You’re quite right. Quite right.” Rallying, he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, drew out an envelope. “Iris and I have discussed this at length, and we would very much like to settle the matter to everyone’s satisfaction. With our apologies, dear,” he said, handing Brianna the envelope. “And our best wishes.”
