A Birth day

"I passed the word on to Edward," Angus told her. "Well, to Sergio and Ana, to be specific. They'll tell Edward. And, so you know, they're coming. They're going to wind this thing up in Romania as soon as they can, and then they're coming with Edward and Anise and Jessie. For Sergio and Ana, if someone takes a swipe at me, that person has just taken a swipe at one of their own. They feel the same way that everybody else here does. I tried to tell them not to come, but that's just bloody pointless. We're going to need to put them up in another room over at Edward's because I won't be able to talk them out of coming."

At that moment, the girls came in from swimming, and they all headed to a different bathroom to shower and dress, and over next door, Simone and Tara stopped their gardening and went inside.

"Hey, Ruby," Tara said, in the door way between both sides, "we're going to get rained out from the rest of our gardening. How about we get together and put together some sandwiches or something for lunch? I know people will be hungry. Simone suggested some sausage rolls and some sort of a side. What do you think?"

"And I appreciate every one of them, believe me," Angus replied. "I am not concerned for myself. I know how to protect myself. That's not my concern."

"I think Angus has only ever had one concern, and the concern he has about Cora is the same concern he's ever had about Suzanne--that one of those dotty old crones would manage to get by him and hurt someone he loves. It bothers him that he's been benched again because that impairs his ability to defend his family," Marcus told Ruby.

Simone and Tara assembled the sausage rolls and they made a beautiful tossed salad to go with it, feeling that with two sandwiches that something light would be just the ticket. Simone made a fresh raspberry vinaigrette to go with the salad, and Tara made a fresh apple crisp.

While they were cooking, Robert came over, knocked and let himself in. He went over and sat down beside Angus.

"So," he said, checking Angus's dressing and incision. "Cora really has her knickers in a knot, does she?"

"Apparently," Angus said.

"Do I even need to ask what you're thinking?" Robert asked, putting a clean dressing on and disposing of the old dressing. "It looks good. It's improving finally."

"I'm wondering where this odd streak is going to end with my family," Angus replied. "And wondering if I could stop it by talking Edward into giving all of it to them. The money, the businesses--all of it, and leave Tuscany for good."

"I can't blame you for having that thought, but to what end, Angus? Tell me. How is it that Edward has so much wealth, and despite the fact that they're all a lot older, they have comparatively nothing.

"Because they mismanaged what they had, and he did not."

"Well, then, it seems to follow that they would only mismanage what Edward gave them, and then you'd be right back here. They'd come looking for you or Edward to make them more or give them more. You can't change who they are...."

"Then maybe I need to obliviate every bloody one of them," he lashed out, frustrated.

"Well, I can't blame you for considering that either. Son, this confrontation has been clearly decades in the making, and truth be told, it isn't yours. It's Edward's. They're only gunning for you because your set to be the one to get what they want. They have been smart enough to figure out that if they get rid of Edward, they'll have a much tougher time than if they leave him alive. You, however, are competition. They get rid of you, and they know Edward won't honestly give a damn about the money because the only one he's really loved of any of them is you. With you gone, they feel they can wear him down."

"I know," Angus said. "That's the same conclusion I come to, too."

"I have turned this over and over in my head like you have, and I keep coming back to the same conclusion. Edward is not going to change his stance just like you aren't. For you both to survive it, you have to continue to stand together, and you need to take the help that we can all give you. You know the skills of the fighters we have. They can defend themselves, and you know it. I have a damned army working for me, and you know it. Your family members do not. They can hire a man or two, or maybe three, but they'll be hard pressed to find the numbers I already have. Do the math, Lad. They might have two or three, but what happens if I call in every single fighter I have..."

"They don't work to protect..." Angus began.

"They'll protect whatever I send them to protect," Robert said, pouring Angus a fresh dose of pain potion and setting it on the end table. "Take that after lunch, and not before" Angus nodded. "They don't command themselves," Robert continued. "I do, and they get paid damned well for it, as you well know. If they want to war against you, they have to get past me to do it, and they don't have one clue how big a bastard I can be. Let them bring it. Let them come."

"They shouldn't have to..."

"But they will. If they know that you're the one in trouble? There isn't one fighter I have that won't come to stand with you. You've been a damned good friend and an ally to every one of them, and they'll come if I need them. Besides, they've been training to fight professional like Gelding. Your family's amateurs are not a problem. Now, get yourself some lunch and then take your pain potion. It might make you sleep for a bit, and if it does, then that's fine. Resolve for yourself that Marcus can stand watch for a little. If you want, you can spell him for a bit tonight so he can sleep later." Angus nodded.

"I've had all sorts of ideas going through my head," Angus told Ruby. "Doesn't mean I can do any of them."

"Well, and I can tell you he can come up with an endless list of plots and plans, and he's not going to be able to do a single one of them without me," Marcus grinned. Angus rolled his eyes at Marcus, knowing Marcus was right, and knowing that he honestly didn't mind having Marcus around anyway. Robert just cast an amused smile at them. He had no intention of changing Marcus's assignment right now.

"Thanks, Ruby," Marcus said, taking the plates and putting Angus's plate on the overbed table for him.

"I'm going to leave you to eat in peace," Robert said, hearing Simone calling the girls to lunch. Robert left to go back to the main house, and Tara, Evan, and the girls came in to eat.

"I forgot how good some of these old traditional foods are," Evan smiled, tucking in. "I got a lot of the cheese sandwiches when the girls were small. but its been longer than that since I've had a sausage roll, I'm sure."

"If I lived here I'd weigh two or three stones more than I do now," Evan teased. "Still, there is a lot to like about this place. It's funny. You lot find Tuscany relaxing, and we think this place is relaxing."

"I think it all depends on whether you think work is relaxing or not so much," Marcus said.

"Work and relaxation, I've always thought, were opposite terms," Evan said.

"Depends on the job," Marcus said. "Angus here finds mucking out stalls relaxing, or fixing a meal for 25 people."

"God, I wouldn't like either of those," Evan laughed.

"I miss it," Angus said.

"You'll be back there eventually, but you and I both know Robert isn't letting you back to either of those jobs until your shoulder can deal with it. You may need to complete quite a lot of physical therapy to rehabilitate that shoulder first," Marcus told him.

"You're full of good news, aren't you," Angus scowled.

"Eat," Marcus prodded him. "Pain potion hits harder on an empty stomach."

"And how would you know that?" Angus frowned.

"Experience," Marcus replied.

"Change of subject," Evan said. "Are there fish in that pond?"

"It's fully stocked. Why? Thinking of dropping a line in?" Angus asked.

"I am," Evan grinned. "Too bad you can't come with. It might be fun."

"Maybe we can find someone to go with you. Too bad Ruby doesn't fish. She might enjoy an afternoon without the baby," Angus said.

"I guess I"m fishing alone," Evan said. "I saw some poles in one of Edward's closet. I dont think he'll care if I borrowed it."

"Help yourself," Simeone smiled.

"I'll go with him if you can help me," Angus said. "I think I can watch a fishing pole."

"If you go, you're not going to be up to more than a short while," Marcus told him.

"I want to try," Angus said.

"Okay,' Marcus said. "You let me get a chair out there and a pole for you."

"I'll get the chair and the pole," Evan said. "Give me ten minutes."

"That'll give him time to finish his lunch," Marcus said. Angus was pretty much done anyway, and he decided to let the pain potion go for a bit because he didn't want to get groggy while he was out with Evan. Marcus didn't want im to let it go, so after a moment of a differing opinion, Angus agreed to take half. Then, when Evan had the equipment at the pond, Marcus helped Angus to his feet and apparated him out to the pond and helped him into the chair while Evan baited a pole for Angus.

"Shall I cast it for you?" Evan asked.

"I think I can manage that with my good hand," Angus said. He cast the line and then settled back to try to enjoy a bit of the outdoors in the quiet.

"I'll have tea," Tara told Ruby. "Surprise me. Whatever flavor you like."

"My favorite is still the almond, but I do have a new tin that Robert blended for early summer. I don't even know what flavor it is." She accio'd a new tin and opened it and found a piece of paper inside. It read "Berry Patch Tea."

"He's calling it Berry Patch Tea, whatever the devil that is," Simone said. She smelled it. "I smell strawberry, basil, and something else. Not sure. Maybe black currants, but I'm not certain. It's definitely berry and herbs. Should we try it?"