Aubrey/Biebe/Skinner/Thorne: Touching the Flame

Directly continued from the end of Summer Sojourn

By Atonia Walpole

Part 1:

It would be the last time all four of the brothers would be together for awhile. Ludivine had set up breakfast in the dining area at the long table covered with a bright yellow cloth and an ironstone pitcher of sunflowers. It was more Sunday brunch than breakfast, but there was enough food to satisfy all of their appetites. She had insisted on preparing the meal herself, shooing Connie out of the kitchen and directing Donna outside when she came in to help. Toni was the last one of the women down, but that was good. She’d spent some time in bed with her husband Terry, who had been gone for three weeks, and Jacky.

She clasped her hands together and smiled when the four brothers gathered around the table, so handsome and manly, and the women all so beautiful.

“What time is your flight, John?” Terry asked as he sat down.

“We’ve got a 2:00 flight.” John settled in his seat and surveyed the table.

“I’m giving him a key to my flat. No need to be uncomfortable in a hotel.”

“I appreciate that, Max,” John answered.

“We’ve got a plane coming for us on Monday so we’ll see you when we get home.”

“Private jet?”

“Yeah, SI’s plane.”

“You’re splitting hairs there, Terry. SI belongs to you and therefore the plane belongs to you.”

“I never think of it that way, Max.”

“Must we speak of planes with this nice meal before us?” Jack frowned.

“I heard about your trip over here, Jack,” Terry smiled, helping himself to the dishes passed around the table.

“Memory tends to fail me.” Jack passed a dish to Connie.

“Just keep him out of the airport bars and he’ll do fine,” Toni grinned.

“I doubt he’ll have time. We’re gonna be cutting it close, especially since I got the car to return.”

“If you follow the route I mapped out for you, John, you should have no problem.” Max sipped his orange juice.

“It’s been really nice having you here, Donna. I hope you and John will come back.”

“We will, Connie, whenever we get a chance. School starts up mid-August and the kids will be back in school so we’ll be home for awhile.”

The chatter went around the table but Jack didn’t join in. He had that flight ahead of him to occupy his mind. True he had been well-lubricated the last time, but this trip he would attempt sober and alert. Max had given him a book to read so perhaps…”I’m sorry, you were saying?” he smiled at Connie, who had spoken to him.

“I said I’d like for you to come back sometime. If ever you get a chance or just want to, um, cross over.”

“Thank you for the invitation. Your hospitality here has been welcomed.”

After the meal John and Donna went upstairs to finish packing and Terry went outside to smoke. He also wanted a chance to talk to Jack.

“I want to thank you, Jack, for answering the summons. My back was against the wall. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Yes, well, I believe you put it there, did you not? You had prior knowledge of this trip?”

“No, actually I didn’t. I know that’s what Max thinks is true because I trained an elite team in Paris. I saw the need for that team and, in fact, that need came up sooner than I had anticipated. I knew there was a possibility three days before I left when negotiations began to break down. I didn’t like what I had to do to Toni.”

“There will be things of, course, that you cannot discuss with her about your work, Terry, but I think you should talk to her, especially if you intend to do this again.”

“Yeah, I have to do that, I know. I’m not good at it.”

Jack walked over to the stone wall in the front courtyard. “That’s a strange statement coming from someone who negotiates for a living.”

“Yes but this is Toni. Other things get in the way.”

Jack smiled. “Can you not tell me? Did this job involve Her Majesty’s family?”

“I can tell you but I will not tell anyone else. Yes, it did. A distant relation was snatched in Greece. His company happened to be insured with SI. The pressure was on; that’s why I took the job. I knew I could do it and I didn’t trust anyone else to go in.”

“I like that about you, self-confidence that never wavers. Perhaps you have made a friend.” He turned to see John coming out the door with luggage. “Oh, the time has come.”

“Thanks for looking after Toni.”

“It was a pleasure, Terry, but she is yours; that fact is quite evident. Now I must find my own courage. I am to fly.”

“Now that’s a strange statement coming from you. Courage and Lucky Jack Aubrey are one and the same.”

“You did say…lucky.” He chuckled and walked toward the door where Killick was exiting with their bags.

Toni came out to say goodbye to Jack. “I don’t know what to say. You’ve done it again. I wonder sometimes if I will ever see you when I’m not in some peril.” She kissed him and he put his arms around her.

“You may someday, Pet. I love you; and, Toni, try and understand Terry’s position.” He kissed her on the lips and turned to go, having said his farewells to Max and Connie before he came outside.

John waved, “See you in London!”

Max and Connie came out to wave goodbye.

“I hope you don’t have anything planned this afternoon, Max. I’m ready for a day of R&R.”

“No, Terry, I may go over to Duncan’s later. What about your Jean Paul?”

“He’s coming to London with us tomorrow, but if he’s okay to stay there another night…”

Connie laughed, “I am sure Penny will keep him if she can.”

“She couldn’t do much better, Connie. He’s a mate.”

“You’re on your own today, Terry. Just relax and enjoy yourself.” Max took himself back inside and to his study.

“Well then, Mr. Thorne?” Toni took his hands.

“I think I’d like to go for a swim and then just be lazy with you. You want to swim?”

“Sure, I’ll go find my suit. I think I brought it.”

“Well, if you didn’t, um, that would be okay, too…”

“Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you,” Toni winked and walked back inside.

Terry had no problem with stripping down to his underwear and diving in.

Toni was back in a few minutes in her bikini and had a pair of Max’s swim trunks for Terry.

“I guess you couldn’t wait. I have a swimsuit for you.” She piled the towels on a chair.

“I’m not as modest as you are. You didn’t used to be…at the House of Four Seasons.”

“If we were alone here it would be different, Terry. Anna’s going to bring Jacky down in a little while so you might think about that while you’re contemplating modesty.” Toni slipped into the pool.

Terry sighed and got out, stripping down completely and putting on Max’s trunks. “There always seem to be people around.”

“Jacky’s not people.”

“I wasn’t thinking about him."  He dove back in and came up beside her.

“What were you thinking about?”

“Some time alone with just you and Jacky.”

“Do you want to go somewhere for a holiday?”

“I can’t right now. There are things I have to do, something we have to do. We’re going to be presented to the Queen.”

“WHAT!”

“Yeah, you and me and Jean Paul. How about that?”

“Terry…how…what?”

“This mission I had was for one of the rellies. That’s why I had to go, Toni, and I couldn’t tell you.” He ran his hands up her arms.

“Terry…I am gobsmacked.”

“Don’t say anything about it…here.”

“No, but…Terry!”

“Sometimes you have to trust me, luv. I don’t take on things myself unless I see a need for what I can offer. It won’t be the last time. I’m being honest with you.”

“I know I’ve not been supportive of you at all. I’ve been selfish wanting you all to myself. I don’t stop and think about you and what you need to do for others. I should have been at home waiting for you instead of falling apart and causing you more worry.”

“I’m glad I found you here. When I left I had no idea how long I would be gone. We just got lucky. I don’t like to think of you alone.”

“But I can be, and like you said, I’m never alone. There are always people around, Anna and Wiggins and little Jacky.”

“Are you saying you didn’t need Jack?”

“Maybe I did this time but somehow it was different. You were never far from my thoughts. If you…see the need of your services again I can handle it and if it drags on for any length of time, I can come to Max and Connie or to John and Donna…if I need to. I’ve been like a spoiled little girl who’s toy was taken away…I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Toni.” He held her to him. “I thought this was going to be so hard to get you to understand. You know I’m a coward where you’re concerned.”

“I would never ever call you that. You’re one of the bravest men I have ever known. You just have to come back to me. I am so proud of you.”

Terry kissed her deeply and then pulled away. “Better not start that. Anna would never recover.” He smiled and went under the water, coming up on the other side of the pool. He never knew until that moment just how much he needed to hear those words from her.

Toni ducked under the water to cleanse the tears from her face. She wondered how she could have been so blind. His eyes always said so much more than he would allow himself to speak. She’d had a lot of time to think about him while he was gone. Who he was and what he was and it was time to let him be that person. This was, after all, the man she fell so deeply in love with.

Part 2:

Max was doing some thinking of his own as he prowled around his study. Something John had said about letting go the past where his Uncle Henry and Aubrey Duncan were concerned.  Aubrey was a businessman first and foremost. He’d seen an opportunity and took it, and it had made him rich. That was something Max understood. Personal feelings and conscience matters were put aside when money was the goal. He hadn’t liked it and had responded with an anger his uncle probably had never felt toward the man. It came to him that Duncan would have made a good trader.

“Are you ready to go, darling?”

“Um, yes, I think so.” Max picked up his glasses and pocketed them, following Connie to the door.

“Toni and Terry are…”

“In the pool, probably swimming laps or something.” He smiled down at Connie. He’d looked down from their bedroom earlier when he’d gone to change his shirt. At that time Terry was giving mouth to mouth to Toni.

Max was standing on Aubrey’s bricked courtyard looking out over his vineyards. Unlike La Siroque with its extensive gardens, Aubrey had planted grapevines. Only a narrow pebbled roadway separated his vineyard from the courtyard. His eye was drawn to two figures down the hillside amongst the vines, Penny and Jean Paul. They were standing much too close to one another to be discussing grapes, unless Jean Paul was hard of hearing. He smiled a little.

“Max,” Aubrey came outside and joined him, “come inside where it’s cooler. Did your brothers get off this morning?”

“Two of them. Terry is still with us at least until tomorrow.” Max followed him inside to his den where it was shaded and cool.

“Quite an arrival Terry made yesterday. I watched from the drive when they jumped from the plane.” Aubrey settled in his favorite leather chair. He was curious as to what brought Max over this morning, but he was a patient man.

“We had no idea he was in the plane. I worried it might top off my trees. He won’t say who the pilot was.”

“Neither will his lieutenant. Connie’s out in the garden collecting vegetables. I’m glad she came over to do that. The vines are heavy.”

“Um, the,, uh, harvest is coming up and, um, I’ve been thinking about it.”

“Yes, it sits on the horizon. Should be a good year for us, Max. The weather has been kind.” He narrowed his eyes wondering what was coming next.

“I’m afraid I’ve let my emotions get in the way of good business, the business of making wine. I’ve a lot more to think about now with Connie and my son on the way. I,t may not always be profitable for me to pop back over to London to keep my balance sheet in the black. I guess, Aubrey what I’m saying is…I’m ready to throw in with you if the offer is still open.”

Aubrey smiled a little but contained himself. “I’m glad to hear that, Max. Yes, this grandson is going to make a difference in our lives. You know since you and Connie have married I know she’s set for life. I trust you to take care of her and Penny…well, I don’t know about her. She seems to have fallen head over heels in the space of twenty-four hours for this Parisian commando. You might be interested to know his father is a banker. He’s well set up in Paris and owns a house in the country, all of which Jean Paul is going to inherit some day.He is an only child. What I’m getting at, Max, is this land here. Penny’s not going to make wine but I’m hoping my grandson will.”

“You’re the winemaker, Aubrey. I can only offer my grapes. I have neither the knowledge nor the taste buds for creating a sellable wine. I’m going to trust you to be fair with me and hopefully together we can produce something here worth inheriting some day. I find it very hard to trust anyone. It has not been easy for me to come to this decision.”

“You won’t regret it, Max. I think of you as my son and I would no more take advantage of you than I would my daughters. Well…this calls for a celebration of some sort. How about we open a bottle of our wine and have a cigar.” He smiled broadly.

Connie straightened up and rubbed her back. Her basket was nearly full but she didn’t think she could carry it. She shaded her eyes and looked toward the pebbled road, calling out for Penny.

“I need a little help here, Penny!”

Jean Paul came to her rescue. “You should have called sooner. It is too warm out here for you.”

“Thanks, Jean Paul.” Connie wiped her brow with the sleeve of her loose tunic.

“Connie, I can do this and bring whatever you want over to the chateau. What are you doing out here in the sun anyway?”

“Max wanted to talk to Dad. I thought it would give them a little privacy.”

“Oh, really? What about?”

“The vineyards. He’s caved in at last,” she smiled.

“Dad will be pleased about that. Don’t worry about it, Connie. It’s really a good thing he wants to do. He’s not going to screw Max over, you know.”

“I know…I’ll make sure of that. I’m keeping his books.” She flashed a grin at her sister.

“Bells?” Jean Paul said, “I hear bells?”

“They’re coming from Bonnieux. Sometimes when the wind is right it sounds like they’re right up the road.” Connie paused, listening.

“I hear bells in Paris all the time. You will have to come, Penny, to Paris…I would like for you to.”

Penny smiled, linking her arm in his. “I’d like to. I’d like that very much.”

Connie smiled, thinking her sister had no shame. The bells again…the wind was strong today. She thought about Max. He was the wind, his element at the House of Four Seasons. None of that of course played any part of her relationship with Max, but he was what he was.  Perhaps this was a good omen, the bells.

Penny was busy filling another basket for Max and Connie, homemade jams and jellies, some figs and plums, a loaf of bread.

“What’s all this, Penny?” Connie asked, pouring out a glass of lemonade.

“Sharing, Connie. I don’t know what Ludivine makes, but you know Marietta makes good jams. I’m so happy, Connie.”

Connie hugged her sister. “I’m happy for you, but this is awfully sudden, Penny. How can you know for sure?”

“I’ve known for a long time what I wanted, Connie.” She smiled a little. “You got to him first, and then there was Terry. I think there’s a little of both in Jean Paul and he’s absolutely yummy!” She displayed her dimples.

“Are we ready to go, love?” Max walked through the kitchen.

“If you are. Did everything go…?”

“I think so,” he smiled and picked up the baskets. “I feel much better now about it all.”

“I’ll bring Jean Paul over in the morning, Max. I’d like him to stay another night.” Penny bounced from foot to foot.

Max met her eyes. “Terry thought he might stay. Bye, Pen.” Max kissed her cheek.

Out on the courtyard Connie stopped. “Max, listen. You can hear the bells echoing though the valley. I thought they were coming just from Bonnieux but they seem to be bouncing from hillside to hillside.”

“Hmm, it is Sunday, Connie…the churches and cathedrals.”

“I know, but you don’t often hear them. The wind has taken a different direction.”

“I wish it would come through here and cool things down. Are you coming?” He waited at the narrow opening to the drive.

“Yes, I’m coming.” She smiled and followed him to the car. She hoped she got an opportunity to talk to Toni about the bells. Somehow she felt they were important, and Toni might know the significance of them.

Toni quietly eased herself off the bed where Terry lay asleep with Jacky curled up against him. The two most precious things in her life. She closed the door gently and met Anna in the hallway. She was doing Jacky’s laundry today, getting ready to pack up for the trip home tomorrow. She told her they were asleep and went downstairs to the kitchen for a cup of tea.

She took her cup outside to the shaded patio and sat down. A breeze blew through the tops of the trees and rattled the leaves. It would be nice,, she thought, if it dipped down. It was a warm day. She was soon joined by Max.

“I didn’t know you were back.”

“We just came in. Connie’s gone to take a shower and cool down. I think she got a little too much sun in the garden at Chambord. Where’s Terry?”

“Napping with his son,” she smiled and sipped her tea.

“I think I may have secured my son’s future this afternoon. I’ve joined forces with Aubrey Duncan.”

Toni put her cup down. “That was a big step, Max. I’m glad.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t easy. You know I don’t trust very many people.”

“I know you don’t, but he’s family. He’s your family, Max. My, my, you might have reached twelve years old today. There is hope for you after all.”

Max smiled a crooked grin. “Do you think so?  I’ve been doing some deep thinking…now don’t make a joke of that,” he smiled. “I have…really. Do you remember when you were here in February and I told you about that flashback I had? Well…I could have opened my eyes, Toni, and I would have been with you at the House. I didn’t open them…and when it was over I touched the stone table in the cellar and knew that was real. This here is my reality, this place and Connie.

“I’ve not behaved very well toward you while you’ve been here waiting for Terry. Sometimes it’s almost like a desperation. I was caught between two worlds. I wanted you and I wanted Connie.”

“Max, I know that feeling. I’ve been there many times. I think being separated from Terry this last time has opened up something in me, or maybe I’ve removed the blinders. I think I know what you’re trying to say, Max, and I understand. I’m there myself right now…today. We’ve come a long way and it’s not just us anymore. We have spouses and children, or you will have. Connie is giving you a son, Max.”

“I know and I love her for it. I’m thinking ahead and I think the decision I made this morning to talk to Aubrey and settle our differences has made a big difference for Connie and me. He’s going to leave his property to our son, so you see it’s all going to be one vineyard after all. I’ve made a commitment, Toni.”

Toni smiled and reached over and squeezed his hands. “I’m proud of you, Max. You know what…I think we might just become friends after all.”

“I hope so. I don’t want to lose you entirely.”

“You’ll never lose me, Max. Oh, finally that breeze that’s been teasing the treetops!” She closed her eyes as the wind lifted her hair.

Connie didn’t bother drying her hair. She pulled it back with a clip and went down stairs in a cool cotton shift. “I feel much better now.” She took a seat.

“There’s a breeze now,” Toni said. “It’s hard being pregnant in summer. You’ve got your own little heating element with you.”

“I feel it, too. You were lucky going through winter with yours. Where’s Terry and Jacky?”

“Napping together in our bed.”

“Would you like something to drink, Connie?” Max got up, feeling the conversation was going to pregnant issues.

“Yes, actually Toni’s tea looks good, if you don’t mind, darling. Yes, this breeze is nice. I wanted to talk about the bells. Maybe I’m silly, but when we were at Chambord we could hear the bells from Bonnieux and other villages around echoing from the hillsides. You don’t often hear that, only when the wind shifts or a change in the atmosphere. It just struck me as odd and somehow I wanted to connect it to Max. Am I crazy?”

Toni smiled, “No, Connie, you’re not crazy. The wind changed direction today and you know that is Max. He’s found something called maturity. Now he may have lapses because he’s…well, he’s Max, but we talked a little while you were showering. He’s committed and he’s going forward, not looking back. We’ve decided we can be friends after all. You have a very special man there, Connie.”

“Yes…I know what I have. Oh, thank you, darling.” She took a cup from Max.

“What do you have?” He sat down next to her.

“A special man, you.” She kissed him. “Not because of where you came from, Max, but where you’re going.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Part 3:

Jack Aubrey had been strangely quiet on the way to Marseilles, only listening part of the time to the banter between John and Donna. The plane awaited him. Another flight and this time he was cold sober. It was an unnatural thing for a man to fly though the clouds like a frigate bird. Once at the airport with their bags checked he chanced to meet Killick’s eye and he immediately straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin. It would not do to reduce oneself to a sniveling, quaking coward in front of one’s steward.

“You gonna be okay, Jack?” John asked as they lined up to board.

“Perfectly fine,” Jack said through his teeth.

There came the white-knuckled take off, Jack with his eyes squeezed shut. He had a first class seat all to himself next to a window, and after a while he chanced to open an eye and peer out the window. They were still climbing but he could see the land below and then water, nothing but water. He closed his eyes again and lay his head back on the seat. He allowed himself a thought that perhaps it was much like climbing the crest of a wave only instead of water buffeting the craft it was air. How powerful was air that could move a ship this size.

The plane reached its flying altitude and leveled out. Jack began to relax and opened the book Max had given him. A little later the stewardess found him and tapped his shoulder.

“Sir, Captain Aubrey? There is a…person who says you will pay for his drinks?”

“I will do no such thing! Do not serve him on my account. I will not pay.” Killick, he seethed. Never again would he bring him across the great divide of time and space.

John unbuckled his belt and moved back, squatting by Jack. “Doin’ okay back here?”

“Yes, actually I am,” he smiled slightly. “Killick is buying drinks with my money that he does not possess.”

“Want me to go sort him out?” John asked with a little grin.

“Yes, I do not think I want to move from this seat. Thank you, John.”

John ambled to the back of the plane and found a grinning Killick with a drink in his hand. He asked him how many he’d had and Killick didn’t know. John found the stewardess, paid for Killick’s drinks and told her under no circumstances was he to receive another. Jack had enough to deal with without a drunken Killick on his hands.

Back in first class he told Jack about the drinks and moved on back to his seat.

Jack looked rather grimly out the window. There was nothing to see but clouds…much like a fog bank on the ocean. He would be glad to get back to his ship, his crew and the life he knew so well. He didn’t mind it coming through to the other side for a while, but the last two weeks had not been easy. It had been different at the House of Four Seasons with only Toni for company. He’d stayed for months with her there. Of course it had been different when he had her in his own world for a month when he’d been ill, but there were underlying tensions he could sense at Max’s house. He’d been there with Toni, and although Terry had summoned him he could feel the disapproval.

He’d felt something else, too, for the first time with Toni. She still came to him sometimes with a passion, but it was Terry he was substituting for and he knew it. It might have been different had they been alone, or perhaps not. He hadn’t tried to influence her at all. He’d just been there for her to lean on and hold on to when she needed him.  He frowned slightly and stowed the book in the little carryon bag he had. It was a feeling of loss that he felt. Something they’d had together was no more. Pray it was not so.

He looked out again as the plane began its descent and remembered to swallow as Toni had told him to do on the flight over. Oh, God, just to have his feet on solid earth again! His heart was in his throat when they touched down and seemed to skid to a stop. It was some time before he opened his eyes and could breathe normally again.

Jack moved through the airport with John and Donna. Killick collected their bags after customs.

“What do you want to do, Jack? Wanna go find a place to eat or are you ready to go? Where are you going anyway?” John asked while they waited for a taxi.

“I wouldn’t mind a meal and a drink to settle my stomach, and then if you could get me to the Thames we’ll find passage there.

“Okay…well, I don’t really know where…”

“Do you remember the neighborhood where Terry used to live? There’s a cucina there, excellent food.”

“Oh, yeah, okay,” John grinned. Imagine Jack knowing where to go. “I’d like to stop off and drop our luggage at Max’s place first.”

They unloaded at Max’s and walked around, having a look-see at where Max lived in London. “Nice,” John said, “modern and all.”

“I love the view, John.” Donna walked over to his balcony and opened the door. “Right over the river.”

“That’s the Thames. It winds its way all through London.” Jack joined her, stretching over the balcony to see where the river went from here. He was familiar with it, but of course it looked very different now. He looked both ways trying to get his bearings from the curves in the river. “We’re upriver from where Terry used to live.”

“You’ve never been here, Jack?” John asked, joining them.

“No, not to Max’s flat. I was very familiar with Terry’s.

“This must feel very strange to you, Jack?” Donna looked up at him at her side.

Jack rested his eyes on her a moment. “It does, yes, it does.”

She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to travel through time the way he did. She wondered if she would be so adaptable if she were to travel back to his time the way Toni had. She had the strongest urge to put her arms around him and somehow comfort him. His hand was on the railing next to hers and she simply put her hand over his.

Jack looked down at her hand, met her eyes and moved his on top of hers. He smiled slightly and looked back down the river towards where he thought Terry had lived.

“Are you in any hurry, Jack?” John asked.

“Ah, I should like to make the river before nightfall. If we can get passage toward the sea we should find a packet out tomorrow.”

“What’s a packet?” Donna asked.

“They carry the mail, my dear. We came up on a packet.” Jack turned, hearing Killick bumping about inside. “I suppose we should go and find the Italian cucina. I think it was called Allegra or something like that. It’s on the river.”

“I’ll call down to the desk and have a Taxi called for us.” John went back inside looking for Max’s phone.

“You are very sweet to worry about me, Donna, and I thank you, but I have become quite adaptable to whatever circumstance I find myself.” He smiled at her, ran his hand up her back then went inside.

After that smile and his hand on her back, Donna took a deep breath and turned and followed him inside.

John gave the driver the address of the apartment building where Terry used to live and they got out and walked along the river until they found the restaurant. Killick stowed the bags inside the doorway and was about to exit to find a pub when Jack collared him and found him a table by himself near theirs.

“Once we cross back over I do not care if you drink yourself senseless, but you will attend me nevertheless. Buck up, man, we are nearly out of this.” Jack left him with a menu and went back to the table John and Donna had found.

“Will he be all right ordering?” Donna asked.

“I do not care.” Jack picked up his menu. “If he is hungry he will.”

“Maybe you could just send Killick back and hang around for a couple of days, Jack.”

“No, John, my ship should be ready and I have to get myself to Portsmouth. Perhaps some other time.”

“You ever find yourself up around Maine, I got a bigger dock built now. I don’t think you could get the Surprise in there,” he grinned, “but a schooner maybe.”

“Is that an invitation? I may take you up on that one day.” Jack smiled and folded his menu, aware Donna was watching him. He slid his eyes over her and looked away. He wasn’t sure what she was about, a little harmless flirting perhaps.

They had their meal and were back out on the narrow walkway next to the river. Jack remembered a dock where a river taxi stopped when he and Dino were questioning the captain back when Terry went missing on the river. They walked the two blocks and found the taxi just coming in.

John bought their tickets and handed them to Jack.

“Thank you, brother.” Jack hugged him and turned and hugged Donna and kissed her firmly on the lips.

Jack and Killick were on their way down the Thames. John turned to Donna. “What was that about?”

“What do you mean?”

“That kiss. Something goin’ on I don’t know about?”

“No, John, how ridiculous is that?” She ran her tongue over her lips, tasting Jack and fell in beside John as they walked back toward the building where the taxi had let them off. “You know yourself he only comes through for Toni or one of you.”

“I wasn’t talkin’ about comin’ through, Donna. Just…watch yourself with him.”

“You are so funny to even think…”

“I’m not gonna think.” John rounded the building and started looking for a taxi stand.

“You’re not jealous, are you?” She caught up with him and reached for his hand.

He looked down at her. “Do I need to be?”

“No, you don’t. I think he was just saying good bye, that’s all.”

John looked at her a moment and then began looking for a taxi to take them back to Max’s place.

“This view is really something at night with all the lights of the city on.”

“Yeah, it is. Kinda romantic, ain’t it?”

“Are you feeling romantic, John?”

“Well…yeah,” he chuckled and took another sip of the wine he'd found in the cupboard.

“We rarely ever get times like this, you know, no kids, no in-laws…just us.”

“That’s true. Gosh, I can’t even think the last time we had a night without a house full of people around. We could make all the noise we want.”

“You are feeling frisky. Might get a complaint from Max’s neighbors.”

“Hah, there is no telling how many women he’s had up here, you know. He was a single guy for a long time.”

“Yes, I guess he was. It’s hard to think of him that way now. He’s so settled in France with Connie.”

“Yeah, he seems like it. I just wish…I wish he’d get over Toni, you know.”

“You don’t think he’s still hoping for that do you? I mean they’re not…you know, sleeping together, are they?”

“I don’t know. Don’t know the answer to either question. I think he’d be a happier man if he let it go.”

“You did, didn’t you…let it go?”

“Yeah, I did, Donna. I had to and I’m a happier man for it.” He kissed her temple. “Let’s quit talking.”

“Umm, you looking for action?”

John kissed her, pushing her back down onto the sofa. “I’m a man of few words and a lot of action,” he growled.

“There’s more room on the bed for all this, um, action you’re talking about,” she said against his lips.

ON TO PART 4

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