"Pwomise?" he repeated, and Bryn realized that he was staring at Lee.
Lee solemnly returned his stare. "I promise, Adam." Keith decided to cut in on the action. He came plunging onto the bed, right in front of Adam.
"We're going to stay with real Indians, Adam!" Keith turned to Lee. "Can we paint our faces and wear feathers?"
Lee grimaced,then shrugged."Why not? But you'd better get some sleep, because you'll have to take a plane out early in the morning."
"A jet?"Keith asked."Umm."
"My father was a pilot," Keith said proudly. "Was he now? That's wonderful. One day you're going to have to tell me all about him. But for now...well...Indians do rise at dawn, you know."
Lee stood up, allowing Keith to crawl into the double bed. Brian rose and padded over to the cot. Lee walked to the door and placed his finger over the light switch, then paused with a frown as he realized Bryn was still lying next to Adam.
"I...I'm going to stay in here with them for a while," she said. She was, in a way, lying. She was going to stay there all night. She knew it, and Lee knew it.
Don't hate me! Bryn pleaded. Please don't hate me because I need to be with them tonight instead of you.
She couldn't tell what he was thinking. His golden gaze was unfathomable. "Good night," he told her softly.
He switched the light off, but Bryn noticed that, just as at home, the bathroom light had been left on.
She hugged Adam closer to her,then stretched her arm out to touch Keith's shoulder.
Sometime during the night, Brian had left the cot and climbed in beside her. She dimly remembered waking and hugging him, too. It was crowded in the bed, but it was crowded with love.
Bryn didn't go to the airport with the boys; Lee thought it would be better if she weren't seen driving away and then returning. Lee and the group owned a private Lear, and their pilot would do the flying.
It still hurt to see them go, but Bryn kept an enthusiastic smile plastered on her lips as she kissed and hugged them all goodbye. Gayle hugged her in the entryway, swearing that she would look after her charges with the diligence of a mother hen.
"And you do me a favor too, will you?" Gayle whispered, lightly inclining her head to where Lee and Phil Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
were exchanging a few last words.
"A favor?"Bryn inquired, whispering as Gayle had. "I'd love to, but what could I possibly do for you?"
"Look after my brother. Oh, Bryn! You're the first woman he's cared for--I mean really cared for--since Victoria. And all that was such a tragedy! I know that he can be as hard as rock and as cold as ice, but bear with him, huh?''
"Of course," Bryn murmured automatically. What are you talking about, she wanted to shout. But Phil was giving her a friendly hug next, and saying he would see her soon. She only had time for onemore quick kiss for each boy, and then they were on their way out. Bryn thought that Adam might shatter her cheerful composure by bursting into last-minute tears, but it seemed that Phil, as well as Gayle, knew something about kids.
He carried Adam and talked to him. "Did Lee tell you he had another sister, too? She lives near where we'll be staying, and she has five kids. And they have a stack of toys like nothing you've ever seen...."
Bryn waved until Phil's rented car was long gone. She closed the door and turned around to find Lee staring at her very strangely. As soon as he caught her eyes on him, though, the enigmatic assessment was masked with a smile.
"You okay?" he asked.
Bryn nodded."So what next, Sherlock?"
He chuckled softly. What next, he thought with bemusement. I'd like to scream like a bloodyconquerer , whip you into my arms and race up the steps to the bedroom. I don't think I'm really a savage of any kind; it's just that once man hath tasted the fruit...
She was still walking a fine line between courage and tears. It wasn't the right time to play Clark Gable in his stairway scene.
"Next," he said, "is that we join Barbara and Andrew and the rest over at theFultonplace. We work just like normal. You won't have to do anything but watch and supervise--everyone knew you were in an accident--but I think we should both be there. Then we'll have dinner and head for your house. What do you say, Dr. Watson?"
"I'm sure I could work, Lee."
"No way.You're too valuable to risk."
"You're the boss," Bryn said lightly.
"Hmmm.Why don't I believe it when you say that?" Lee chuckled.
Bryn smiled. As they walked out the door, she came up with another thought. "Lee, I'm going to need all sorts of things. Chemicals, paper. Almost everything I had was destroyed. But I'm afraid if I run into a camera store and start buying everything in sight, someone could get suspicious."
"Good thinking, Watson," Lee teased, "Give me a list and your door key. Mick or Perry can pick up the things and take them to the town house in grocery bags with bread sticking out of the top."