Part Seven.

Jean-Luc made his way out of the barn and up towards the house. He had been out since early dawn. He had woken up early and had been unable to get back to sleep so he had decided on a ride. He had popped his head around Beverly's bedroom door to see if she was awake, but she had been asleep. He had stayed a few moments longer than he should have, just looking at her. His heart had sped up as he had looked down at her sleeping form. She had been curled up in the foetal position, clutching a spare pillow to her chest. He couldn't help but, feel a little envy towards the tightly held pillow. She had stirred, releasing her grip on the pillow and let out a small, almost inaudible whimper before settling down again. He had quickly retreated out of her room and made his way downstairs. Later, as he had ridden out his frustrations, he chuckled at the feeling of envy over the pillow. After all, it was an inanimate object and couldn't appreciate Beverly snuggling up with it the way he would.

He had been for his ride longer than he had planned and his aching muscles brought home the fact that he was a little out of condition to partake in long, strenuous hacks. He would have to make sure that when he returned to the Enterprise, he would book more holodeck time and concentrate on his riding programmes rather than his Dixon Hill ones. He was looking forward to strong coffee once he got back to the house.

As he opened the door to the house, he was surprised by the quietness. He had expected Marie to be in the kitchen with breakfast with Rene getting under her feet. Looking over the large grandfather clock that dominated one corner of the large, rustic kitchen, he noticed that it was a little after eight thirty. Perhaps they were having a lie in this morning. He set about making a fresh pot of coffee and was sitting down drinking some when Robert appeared.

"What are you doing here?" asked Robert as he poured himself a coffee.

"Good morning to you as well," replied Jean-Luc, looking at his brother over the top of his cup.

"Good morning," said Robert, sitting down at the kitchen table, opposite Jean-Luc. "Now, what you doing here?"

Jean-Luc looked at his brother and wondered if he had been working on the vines for so long that he was losing his mind.

"I'm staying here on shore leave," said Jean-Luc as he placed his cup down on the table.

"I know that," replied Robert. "I mean, why are you here and not at the market with the ladies?"

Realisation hit Jean-Luc like a Klingon running into him and knocking him to the floor. "Merde!"

"You forgot!" smiled Robert.

"When did they leave?" asked Jean-Luc, getting to his feet, fully intending to make his way down to the market.

"A little before I set off to the vineyard," replied Robert, watching his brother closely.

"And that was when?" asked Jean-Luc as he made his way towards the door.

"Six," replied Robert. "They will be on their way back now. Marie will have the crepes."

Jean-Luc sighed and made his way back to the table. The market had been one of the reasons Beverly had agreed to come to Labarre with him. He had been the one to tell her about the market and he had been the one who promised to take her there.

He hadn't kept his promise. He had been out on horseback, enjoying the French scenery while it had been left to his sister-in-law to accompany Beverly to the market. He was sure Marie wouldn't have minded taking his place on the trip to the market. The two women had immediately struck up a friendship, but he was sure that Marie's company would not make up for the fact that he had forgotten about the market. It had only been last night when Marie had knocked on his door and reminded me tactfully that the market was in town and they would be setting off early in the morning. He had set his alarm clock ready and had gone to bed, looking forward to the next day.

As Jean-Luc sat in the kitchen trying to piece together his memory, his brother watched him with growing amusement. Never in all the years since they had discovered the delights of the opposite sex had Robert seen his brother so undone. Robert was beginning to agree with his wife that there was more to the friendship than just plain, old friendship. The evident look of frustration and despair etched across Jean-Luc's face was the all the evidence Robert needed to fully agree with Marie.

"I set my alarm," Jean-Luc finally said. "I woke before it and decided that an early morning ride would be just what I needed. I would have been back in time."

"Then why didn't you make it back?" enquired Robert as he poured them another cup of coffee.

"Beverly was sleeping," he said, not really knowing he was talking aloud.

Robert's eyebrow arched and he leaned forward. "You old goat! Right under my nose and I didn't suspect. Marie did. I'll never live this down."

Jean-Luc turned his head and looked at his brother. "Suspect what?"

Robert rolled his eyes and wondered how his brother managed to run a starship when he could be so slow on the uptake at times. "You and the good doctor, sharing a bed."

"We're not!" replied Jean-Luc as he felt his ears beginning to warm up. "It's not like that."

Robert scratched his head before adding another sugar to his already very sweet coffee.

"We're just friends," Jean-Luc continued. "The best."

"So how did you know she was sleeping?" asked Robert, hiding his amused smirk behind his coffee mug.

"I looked in on…" Jean-Luc began before quickly changing what he was about to say and hoping his brother was a bit slow on the uptake. "I mean, it was very early in the morning, she was bound to be asleep."

"How in earth are you a diplomat?" questioned Robert with a grin. "I can see right through you."

Jean-Luc shot a warning glare towards Robert before taking another swig of his coffee. He didn't appreciate his brother's attempts of teasing. There were right and wrong moments to tease and this was definitely not a right moment. Jean-Luc realised that both his brother and Beverly shared the same sense of humour when it came to teasing him. The only difference was that Beverly got away with it because secretly Jean-Luc liked it when she did.

"I hope you have a suitable apology prepared Jean-Luc because the women have returned," said Robert as the sight of his wife coming up the path caught his eye.

The kitchen door banged open and Jean-Luc flinched slightly as Rene came running past him. The young boy threw the fresh crepes on to the table before dashing upstairs. Robert watched his son with amusement as he returned moments later wearing on of his old work aprons.

"Helping me on the vines, today?" Robert asked.

"No, Papa, Beverly is going to tell me about the herbs she bought today. I am going to help her mix some together," answered Rene as he got two plates down from the plate rack and unpacked two crepes.

Robert glanced over at his brother and saw that he was looking out of the window, staring at something. Robert leaned back on the two back legs of his chairs and saw what or whom had captured his brother's attention. Marie and Beverly were stood outside by the picnic table, talking. The sound of Rene pouring some coffee into a spare cup jolted Robert from his spying and nearly made him lose balance and fall backwards on his chair.

"How many sugars does Beverly have in her coffee, Uncle?" asked Rene.

"Two," answered Jean-Luc, never taking his eyes off Beverly.

"You were missed at the market, Jean-Luc," said Marie as she came into the kitchen.

"I know," replied Jean-Luc, looking down at his hands. "I'll go and explain my stupidity."

"I wouldn't yet," advised Marie. "Give her time. And besides, she and Rene are busy with the herbs she bought."

Jean-Luc nodded and knew Marie was right when she said to give Beverly a little time. He had been on the receiving end of the Howard temper many times before and if she was upset with him now, he knew better than to go and see her.

"Come and get your hands dirty," suggested Robert, standing up. "I could do with an extra pair of hands today. Got a worker off sick."

"I'll just go and change," said Jean-Luc, rising from his chair and making his way upstairs.

Robert made his way over to Marie and wrapped his arms around her. She returned his embrace and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

"I don't know why he just doesn't tell her," he whispered softly.

"She is wondering that as well," replied Marie with a smile.

"I've seen that look before, ma cherie," said Robert, looking at his wife. "What are you up too?"

"I'll tell you as soon as I figure something out," she assured him. "Now eat your crepes before they are ruined."