Marriage is Murder

Archangel flew back to Khaat and landed on her shoulder. He seemed to feel her stress. But he'd caught her rabbit. He was pleased. He nudged her cheek gently. She stroked him, shivering. Part of the shivering was the cold. The other part of it was nerves. She'd just gotten home, and they were already scouting her property to find her. It was unnerving. She did her best to try to use her energies to determine if there were any more intruders, but she couldn't 'see' any more.

Brian had nnot been able to keep his eyes off the yard. He didn't like her being out in the cold. He got her warmer coat, and Robert stopped him.

"She doesn't need a warmer coat," Robert said gently. "She needs less cold. She's been out long enough."

"Shall I have Steven go get her?" Brian asked.

"No," Robert said. "Let's try to get her to come back on her own. Give me a moment." He took a couple steps out into the yard and simply stood and looked towards where she was. He wasnt going to go get her yet. Not yet.

It took a couple moments but she finally saw him standing in the yard, waiting for her. She had no desire to go back, but being out here by herself was starting to be frightening too. And there he stood. Just waiting. Archangel nudged her again, ruffling his feathers now to get warm too. She knew he didn't like the cold for no reason either. She sighed heavily and started back slowly to the house, realizing how cold and tired she really was starting to be.

Steven staid watching seeing Robert walk out into the yard he took a few steps back and smiled as she saw Khaat turn to walk back to the main house he slowly turned to walk back to the green house. he paused to look at Jim and Jack both nodded and he continued. Jess shook her head and checked on the children all were bathed and settled ready for a book and there night time warm drink. Cassidy took care of that bit and each sat quiet as Jess read the story. Jess passed the book to Cassidy as she moved to a window seeing Khaat walk of her own accord back to the house. Jess moved down to the kitchen " Angus I think Khaat might like something warm when she comes in its rather cold out tonight" she said to him.

"I've got it covered," Angus said. "Oh, and I checked on Michael. He look ike he isn't going to wake up for a week. So I took the liberty of moving him back to his own bed. He nevver knew a thing."

"Thank you," Brian said. "I'll check him in a bit. My guess is the less fussing we do with him the better. I'm hoping she'll eat tomorrow for us."

"I've got that covered too. Not to worry," Angus said. Robert said nothing when she got to him. He merely brought her inside, his arm around her waist. She was shivering so hard it was becoming violent. He helped her sit near the fireplace and then started a fire there for her to warm her up with. He took her shawl and replaced it with a blanket for her to wrap up in. Angus brought her a large mug.

"Here. I know it might not be what you want, but the tea's not ready yet," he said to her gently. "It will warm you up for now. I'll bring you tea when its ready." She took the mug and found that it held his creamy cheddar cheese soup. The warm mug warmed her hands. He didn't say anything more. He just let her sit with it, knowing if he stalled on bringing her the tea, she might drink the soup in the meantime. So he intended to stall bringing her any tea as long as possible.

Jess sighed " I thought one of the men would have done that but thank you Angus" she said softly "Cassidy and I were preoccupied with the children" she said staying quiet as she saw Robert bring Khaat in and sit her by the fire Jess walked over with the shawl and handed it to Robert. She moved back as Angus brought a large mug of soup and she smiled knowing just what he was doing and why. " do you need a hand with the tea?" she asked hoping he would give her something to do. Steven had gathered blooms from the flowering plants and placed them in a vase in an arrangement and now walked into the living room holding them.

" ok where do you think these should go

"One of the men?" Angus asked. "Do my skirts betray me?" He was deliberately teasing her. So far as he knew, he was still one of the men. "I'll have to go get more almond tea from the store room in the basement," Angus lied. "We've run out and I haven't had time to go get it. I've got a batch of fudge cooking on the stove and I can't leave it to go down to the store room until the fudge is ready to pour into the pan to cool." The fudge making was correct. The tea supply, however, was not.

When Steven came in with the flowers, Angus said. "I haven't had a chance to change the flowers in Khaat's room yet either. They were looking pretty sad the day before yesterday but I haven't gotten to them. You might check and see if those roses finally gave up. If so, your flowers are just right to replace them." Angus had followed Brian's directions that Khaat's room never be without fresh flowers, but the last couple of days had been so hectic tat he hadn't had a chance to get to some of the finer details in the house that Brian liked.

Jess blushed at Angus remark and chuckled "sorry Angus of course your one of the men." Jess said smiling some what embarrassed. "You want me to look after the fudge or get the tea?" she asked knowing the tea supply was fine and she smiled at him. Steven chuckled and nodded he understood.

" Khaat's room it is " he said and headed to it finding the roses long dead . taking them out he placed the arrangement in its place he noted the room smelt lighter with the scent of fresh flowers. setting the bed to change its self for fresh sheets he took the vase and walked to the kitchen depositing the roses in the compost bin on his way to the dishwasher.

"Why don't you go after the tea?" he asked. He figured it was the most logical way to keep his charade going because Angus intimately knew where every item in his pantry was. Khaat wouldn't buy, not for one second, that he couldn't find the tea. Not unless he miscalculated he was out and had a reason to apparate to Robert's stash at the farm.

He returned to the kitchen to tend to the fudge. He had a few tricks himself to be able to create creamy, soft, fudge that his family firmly believed topped anything ever sold in Honeydukes. It was deep dark chocolate and had almost the buttery feel of a good truffle. He hadn't shared his fudge recipe with his new English family yet, but his grandfather had suggested it was time, so he had chosen to take his grandffather's advice and make it. He had added perfectly toasted pecans and a marbelling of caramel to half the batch and, to the other half of the batch, he added crisp toffee chips.

Jess stood watching as Angus took back over with the fudge " smells good " she said softly " I know jack will love it and the kids too, you have to give me the recipe for it " she said smiling as she watched Angus with the pot of fudge. Cassidy walked down and looked at every one taking out the chess board she looked at Jim.

" so you going for that rematch now or not?" she asked Jim chuckled and stood up walking over he pulled a chair under him and sat down setting up the black pieces. " Maybe I'll learn some thing this time" Cassidy said and Jim chuckled a little louder.

" ow and you didn't the first time?" he asked seeing her chuckle as she shook her head lightly.

" mustn't have if I challenged you again" she said as she smiled at him and placed her last piece on the board.

Khaat set her mug aside. Brian could tell she was finally getting tired. Having hot food in her stomach had helped her muscles relax a bit. He thought perhaps now he could manage to help a bit.

"Why don't you let me help you get a little time in the quiet," he said to her gently. Quiet--that did sound good. He reached his hand to her, and she took it. He helped her to her feet and excused the two of them. He wanted to get her into bed and let her rest. The cats followed and curled up on the bed as she began to finally try to settle.

It was nearly an hour before Brian returned. Robert looked up from his newspaper at Brian.

"She's asleep finally. I gave her a bit of a calming potion. She didn't really need a sleep potion. She needed to settle her nerves," Brian said.

"Good. Good job. Hopefully she's going to get a little rest now," Robert said. "It would certainly be a help."

"The door is open so that I can hear a bit better," Brian said.

"We'll help you listen," Kate said. "We're used to it."

Jess walked back in and smiled seeing Khaat and Brian heading up to her room she also saw Cassidy and Jim playing chess again and chuckled a she sat down with Jack leaning against him " Angus's fudge is coming along great" she said and Jack grinned and chuckled " No Jack it won't be ready yet" she told him and he pouted " besides I asked Angus for the recipe so we could make some at home " she said and he smiled again.

" thats' good " he said and Jess looked at Kate nodding.

" we will all keep an ear open" she said as Jack wrapped his arm around her waist.