“You wish! So how’s your brother-in-law?”
“Better,” Tris said, smiling. “My dad’s a retired doctor and he said Jake’s injuries look good. They’re healing well and the prognosis is for a full recovery.”
“What about Nell?”
“She’s the happiest child on earth. Addy said they had to pull her away from Jake last night. And how about you and Mrs. F’s wish?” He looked down at her flat stomach.
“I bet you still believe in the Easter Bunny. Is this Merlin’s Farm as good as it says on the Web site?”
“You’ll have to judge that for yourself. But talk to Sara. She knows a lot about the farm’s history.”
“How many people am I going to meet today?”
“A dozen or so humans, and maybe Mr. Lang. He’s in a class all to himself.”
“Sounds interesting,” she said. “I’d like to hear about when the FBI agents were here.”
“We were overrun by them. And the Secret Service. Ask Mike. He’ll tell you all about it. On second thought, he probably won’t tell you anything. He’s a man who loves to keep secrets. Ask Sara.”
Tris turned into a driveway and before them was what Gemma knew was a very old house. Only many years could cause walls and a roof to sag in that particular way. She’d often paid entrance fees to visit houses just like it. “Oooooh,” she said, her eyes wide.
“You and Sara are going to be best friends,” Tris said as he parked the car in front of the house and gave a quick burst of the horn.
The front door opened and a pretty young woman came out. “Tris, if you wake my babies, you’re dead meat,” she said.
“Put some whiskey in their formula and they’ll go right back to sleep,” he said as he went to his trunk and opened it.
“I’m going to tell the La Leche League you said that, then see if you’re laughing,” the woman said as she turned to Gemma. “I’m Joce and I think I found Julian.”
“That’s great,” Gemma said. “Did you bring any data?”
“It’s only a few sentences and it’s all in my head.” They started toward the house.
“Hey!” Tris called. “I have lots of stuff to carry in and I need help.”
“After the horn and the whiskey crack, no woman is going to help you. Maybe I’ll send Luke out,” Joce said as she opened the door.
The next hour was a blur for Gemma. She met people she’d been hearing about since she arrived in Edilean, and it wasn’t easy to keep names and faces together.
Tess was an extraordinarily beautiful young woman, hugely pregnant, and married to a tall, good-looking lawyer named Ramsey McDowell.
Sara Newland was pretty in a way that made Gemma think of Raphael Madonnas. Everyone else had on jeans, but Sara was wearing a top of white lace and a skirt of pale blue linen. She too was expecting a baby.
When Tris paused in the hallway, his arms full of bags of ice, Gemma leaned near his ear and said quietly, “It looks like these people didn’t need any magic to make babies.”
“They aren’t Fraziers,” he said.
When Gemma looked up, she saw Tess staring at her. There was something about the woman that was a bit off-putting.
“I thought you were after Colin,” Tess said, her tone that of a challenge.
Gemma straightened her shoulders. “Colin is my employer’s son and he showed me around Edilean. That’s all.”
“Tess!” Sara said. “Be nice. Gemma, would you like to see the rest of the house?”
“I’d love to.” Gratefully, she turned her back on Tess. As soon as they were out of earshot, Gemma said, “Please tell me the town isn’t saying I’m going after Colin.”
“I think they’re hoping you are. He’s our friend and protector, but personally, he leads a lonely existence. Jean’s rarely around, and when they broke up a few years ago, we were all glad.”