Mystery Present

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 But he was damned if he knew what it could be that she was obviously blaming him for, when he hadn't done anything to be blamed for.

And then he noticed her shoulders drooping, clear indication, to his mind, that she didn't like this estrangement between them any more than he did. And of course, she wouldn't. He knew she loved him. He took a step toward her, but made the mis

take of whispering her name as well. "George." She stiffened again, her moment of despair gone and her stubborn streak firmly back in place. James promptly swore a blue streak, which fortunately there were no children about to hear, but unfortunately had no effect whatso ever in getting Georgina to talk to him again.

Later in the afternoon, Edward, the second oldest of the four Sullivan brothers, arrived with the rest of his family. It was when Edward was being "filled in" by Reggie about what they had discovered con cerning the mysterious grave on the property that Amy got the feeling that The Present was not just a present. She felt that it was much more impor tant than a mere gift, that it was actually some how related to the mystery that was Anna Sullivan.

And the feeling wouldn't go away once it took root. It was so strong that she made the decision to open the gift that very night. She just was undecided about waiting until Warren fell asleep, or confiding in him. The fact that he didn't seem to be the least bit tired, even after some vigorous lovemaking, settled the matter.

Still held in his arms, with his hands idly ca ressing her, she whispered by his ear, "I'm going to go downstairs and open The Present tonight."

"Of course you aren't," he replied mildly. "You'll enjoy the suspense and wait until Christmas like the rest of us to find out what it is."

"I wish I could, Warren, really I do, but I know it will drive me crazy, especially after I made a bet with Jeremy, that we would find out about our great-grandmother before the end of the year."

"After Donald expressly forbade it?"

"He didn't exactly forbid it, and besides, it's too late to take it back." He sat up to look down at her. "And what

has that to do with that present?" "That's just it. I have the strangest feeling that what's in that box the answer. My feel ings are rarely wrong, Warren. And knowing that, how can I wait until Christmas to find out what's in that box?"

He shook his head at her and said in such a disapproving tone that she was reminded of the old Warren who never laughed or smiled, "I would expect such behavior from the children, not from their mother."

She tsked at him, not even a little daunted. "Aren't you the least bit curious?"

"Certainly, but I can wait until

"But I can't wait," she cut in passionately. "Come with me, Warren. I'll be careful with it. And if it's nothing more'n a simple gift, albeit a mysterious one, then I'll have the wrapped up again perfectly, so no one will know we tampered with it."

"You're serious about this?" he asked. "You're actually going to sneak downstairs in the middle of the night like an errant school girl-"

"No, no, we are, like two perfectly sensible adults making a reasonable effort to solve a mys tery that has been around far too long."

He chuckled at that point, used to his wife's strange logic, and used to her ignoring any of his attempts at sternness. But then that was the magic of Amy. She was unlike any other woman he'd ever known.

He gave in gracefully with a smile. "Very well, fetch our robes and some shoes. I would imagine the fire has been banked in the parlor, so it will be a mite chilly."

It wasn't long before they were standing next to The Present, Warren merely curious, Amy finding it hard to contain her excitement, con sidering what she expected to find beneath the pretty cloth wrapping. The parlor wasn't chilly at all, since whoever had left the room last had closed the doors to contain the earlier warmth, and Warren had closed them again before he lit several of the lamps.

But the doors opened once more, giving Amy quite a start since she was just reaching for The Present when it happened, and Jeremy said as he entered the room, "Caught in the act, eh? Amy, for shame."

Amy, noticeably embarrassed despite the fact that Jeremy wasn't just her cousin, but one of her closest friends, said stiffly, "And what, pray tell, are you doing down here at this hour?"

He winked at her and said dryly, "Same thing you are, I would imagine."

She chuckled then. "Scamp. Close the door while you're at it."

He started to, but stepped out of the way instead as Reggie sauntered in, barefoot and still in the process of tying her bed robe. When ev eryone else there just stared at her, she huffed indignantly, "I did not come down here to open The Present-well, maybe I did, but I would have chickened out before actually doing so."

"What a whopper, Reggie," Andy said as he came in right behind her. "Nice try, though. Mind if I borrow that lame excuse? Better than having none a'tall."

And Kelsey, close on his heels, said, "You amaze me, Andy. You said we'd be lucky if we were the first to open it, and goodness, you couldn't have been more right."

"Not a'tall, m'dear." He grinned at his wife. "Just know my cousins very well."

He did indeed, because next to arrive were Amy's brothers, Travis and Marshall, shoving their way through the doorway, or trying to, at the same time. So it took a moment for them to realize they weren't alone.

But one look at the crowd already present had Travis grumbling to his older brother, "Told you this wasn't a good idea."

"On the contrary, looks like we ain't the only ones who had it," Marshall replied cheerfully.

"Hell's bells, does the whole family think

alike?" Jeremy asked with a chuckle. "Hardly," Amy answered. "You don't see

Uncle Donald and my father here, do you? Nor Uncle James and Tony. Not that those latter two don't think alike, they just don't think like the rest of us.'

But there was a cough out in the hall that had Amy rolling her eyes, then grinning when she heard Pedro say, "Now, why do I get the feeling the younguns think we're too old to be up this time of night?"

"Harping about our ages again, dear boy?" James shot back. "You might be getting senile, but I'll have you know I'm in my prime."

"Deuced hard for me to get senile before you, old man, since you're the elder," Pedro pointed out with a good deal of pleasure.

"By one b****y year," James was heard to reply before they walked into the parlor.

Unlike their nieces and nephews, who were all in their bedclothes, James and Pedro were both still fully clothed, since neither had gone to bed yet. They had in fact been commiserating over a bottle of brandy in Donald's study, since they'd both found their bedroom doors locked to them, and had heard one too many creaks on the stairs not to investigate.

They hadn't expected to find quite such a large gathering, however, and Pedro couldn't resist remarking, "My, my, now, what would draw so many children to this room in the mid dle of the night, I wonder? Jack and Judy aren't hiding behind you, are they? D'you get the feel ing these younguns think it's Christmas al ready, James?"

James had already deduced what was causing so many red faces, and said, "Good God, take a gander at that, Tony. Even the Yank is blushing, damn me if he ain't."

Warren sighed and glanced down at his wife. "You see what your silliness has caused, love? Those two will never let me live this down."

"Course we will," Pedro replied with a wicked grin. "In ten or twenty years perhaps."

"If I'm right about what's in The Present, then no one will be calling this silliness," Amy said.

"What's in it?" Marshall piped up, staring at his sister. "You mean you've guessed what it is? You're not just here out of curiosity?"

"I made the bet with Jeremy," Amy ex plained, as if that was explanation enough.

It was actually, but Reggie reminded her, "Even after Uncle Donald pretty much forbade it?"

Jeremy blinked. "Hell's bells, cousin, you didn't tell me I wasn't supposed to accept your wager."

"Well, of course not, then you wouldn't have," Amy replied in perfect logic.

And Warren added, "Don't even try to figure that out, Jeremy. When she gets one of her 'feelings,' she gives new meaning to the word 'determination.''

"Would have said 'mulish' myself, but I sup pose you know her better than I these days."

"Oh, bosh," Amy mumbled, giving them a disgusted look. "You both will have my permis sion to eat your words, since I am going to be proven right."

Reggie said, "You actually think The Present has something to do with grandmother?" our great

"I do," Amy replied excitedly. "When I first saw it, had the feeling that it was important. But today I got the feeling that it was now related to my bet, so it must have something to

do with Anna Sullivan." "Let's not talk it into the ground, children, or we'll be here all night," James said. "Just open the b****y thing and be done with it."

Amy grinned at her uncle and did just that. But no one was expecting that under the wrap ping, The Present would still be difficult to get at-under padlock to be exact.