CHAPTER 56
"Adam, can you help me a minute?" Beth called upstairs.
Adam was still buttoning the cuff of his shirt as he rushed down to see what she needed.
"I think this bird put on fifteen pounds in the oven." She said as she passed him the oven mitts.
"And I'm trying to be good … no heavy lifting."
'I've got it." He replied, moving the roaster from the lower oven to the counter top. "Is this all
right?" he asked.
"Perfect, thanks." She smiled as they shared a short kiss.
"Don't tell me he had anything to do with the main course." Duncan's voice sounded from the
doorway as he, Amanda and Richie came in the main room with Joe not far behind.
"You're right on time." Beth wiped her hands on a dishtowel before she went over to greet them.
"Claudia just went up to change … she's been here in the kitchen with me since early this
morning."
"I can't get over how she's taken to all this holiday domesticity." Duncan remarked. "And you
don't look like you slaved away in a kitchen all morning. You're positively stunning." He gave her
a quick kiss on the cheek before letting her move on to greet the others.
Beth had the front of her dark hair pulled loosely back in soft waves, with a few stray tendrils
brushing the sides of her face. And she was wearing her first official maternity outfit, having
realized nothing in her closet or even her jeans would fit now that the baby was growing so
quickly. It was a simple, black velveteen dress with a full skirt and little ties on the side of the
waistline that would extend as needed over the next few months. The rounded neckline
displayed the necklace Adam had given her perfectly against her fair skin.
"There's a lot more to Claudia than you might think. Her perfectionist nature and attention for
detail really came in handy when we were working together on the meal. I think she enjoyed
driving herself in another direction." Beth commented as she received a big hug from Joe.
"What can we do to help?" Amanda asked.
"Most everything is warming in the shop ovens, so we'll need to move them to the buffet. I think I
have enough hot plates spread out." Beth began. "And there are a couple of cold salads and the
cranberry mold in the cooler."
"Mind if I put a few bottles of wine on the table?" Joe asked.
"Go right ahead Joe." She replied, laughing at how quickly everyone sprang into action.
The doorbell rang just as Adam was helping Beth move the turkey from the roaster to the platter.
Richie called out that he would get it, becoming wary when he sensed the presence of another
immortal.
Less than a minute later Richie came back into the main room with a curious look on his face.
"Duncan, were you expecting a friend for dinner?"
Duncan handed Amanda the glass of wine he was pouring and turned in time to see 'his guest'
step around Richie and move to the middle of the room.
"I hope it's all right that I didn't call to let you know I'd changed my mind and decided to take you
up on the invitation Duncan." Cassandra asked as she smiled confidently.
"My invitation?" Duncan stammered a little, taking a quick look over his shoulder in Adam's
direction to see how he was going to handle her intrusion.
"Don't tell me you forgot inviting me to spend the holiday with you and your friends?" she replied
as she gave him a little hug and kissed him on the cheek, ignoring the look of complete
disapproval he was giving her. "It's only been a few days since I saw you in Chicago."
Amanda raised an eyebrow. She didn't know that was why Duncan had gone out of town so
suddenly. She knew very well who Cassandra was and that she and Duncan had been 'close'.
Somehow Adam managed to cover the shock of seeing Cassandra, and finished helping Beth
with the turkey without tipping the platter off the counter. He quickly tossed the oven mitts aside
and stepped out of the kitchen to stand in front of her.
"Hello Cassandra." He said flatly, his eyes turning a steel gray as he watched her carefully.
"Methos" she replied. "Or, I'm sorry … it's Adam these days isn't it?" the smile never leaving her
face, but her gaze very direct.
"Amanda, could you get another place setting out of the china cabinet behind you?" Beth asked
as she came to stand beside Adam, who slipped an arm around her protectively.
Duncan knew he needed to do something, but couldn't see any way out of this without appearing
to be rude.
"I'm sorry Beth. I ran into Cassandra on my trip to Chicago, and when she declined my
suggestion to come to Seacouver for the holiday, I didn't expect her to change her mind. I hope
you don't mind."
"Nonsense Duncan. There's always room for one more." She smiled, moving forward to take
Cassandra's hand. "I'm Beth Parker, Cassandra. And I'm glad you could join us."
Duncan and Adam exchanged a worried look over the two women's heads. Both knew
Cassandra was here for a reason. They only hoped they could keep her from whatever trouble
she wanted to make before she had the chance.
"I believe besides Claudia, who should be down in a moment, you know everyone else." Duncan
said, taking her arm and beginning to lead her toward the office. "Could I have a word with you?"
"What are you doing here?" he asked in a low but very direct tone as soon as the door closed.
"Celebrating the holiday." She replied, wrenching her arm free.
"Don't give me that."
"I decided to give Methos the answer he wanted." She said flatly.
"I doubt that." Duncan replied. "You're here because you wanted to see who she was and are
hoping to cause problems for him if you can." He accused.
"I admit I was curious. That's why I decided I wouldn't give him the answer until after dinner."
She admitted.
"And what else?" he knew that look and he knew there was more. "You are up to something."
"If Methos wants the answer then you'll both play nice and let me stay. Or I could just leave and
he'll never know."
"Let her stay." Methos said, having excused himself to follow them.
Cassandra smiled, but he didn't let her reply before issuing a warning.
"But here me and here me well. Beth is a kind and gracious woman, and this is her home. If you
do or say anything with the intention of hurting her or making her uncomfortable in any way, we
will have a problem."
"And you just remember that I have something you want." She replied, brushing past him and
putting on a dazzling smile before facing the others.
Claudia had come down and Beth announced they should serve themselves from the buffet.
Duncan introduced the young immortal to Cassandra, who greeted her casually. Claudia could
see from the looks being passed between Amanda, Duncan, Adam and Joe, something was
amiss.
"Who is she?" Claudia whispered to Amanda after Cassandra was out of earshot.
"Trouble." Amanda replied, none to happy about the woman's presence, for more than one
reason.
"Adam, can you help me a minute?" Beth called upstairs.
Adam was still buttoning the cuff of his shirt as he rushed down to see what she needed.
"I think this bird put on fifteen pounds in the oven." She said as she passed him the oven mitts.
"And I'm trying to be good … no heavy lifting."
'I've got it." He replied, moving the roaster from the lower oven to the counter top. "Is this all
right?" he asked.
"Perfect, thanks." She smiled as they shared a short kiss.
"Don't tell me he had anything to do with the main course." Duncan's voice sounded from the
doorway as he, Amanda and Richie came in the main room with Joe not far behind.
"You're right on time." Beth wiped her hands on a dishtowel before she went over to greet them.
"Claudia just went up to change … she's been here in the kitchen with me since early this
morning."
"I can't get over how she's taken to all this holiday domesticity." Duncan remarked. "And you
don't look like you slaved away in a kitchen all morning. You're positively stunning." He gave her
a quick kiss on the cheek before letting her move on to greet the others.
Beth had the front of her dark hair pulled loosely back in soft waves, with a few stray tendrils
brushing the sides of her face. And she was wearing her first official maternity outfit, having
realized nothing in her closet or even her jeans would fit now that the baby was growing so
quickly. It was a simple, black velveteen dress with a full skirt and little ties on the side of the
waistline that would extend as needed over the next few months. The rounded neckline
displayed the necklace Adam had given her perfectly against her fair skin.
"There's a lot more to Claudia than you might think. Her perfectionist nature and attention for
detail really came in handy when we were working together on the meal. I think she enjoyed
driving herself in another direction." Beth commented as she received a big hug from Joe.
"What can we do to help?" Amanda asked.
"Most everything is warming in the shop ovens, so we'll need to move them to the buffet. I think I
have enough hot plates spread out." Beth began. "And there are a couple of cold salads and the
cranberry mold in the cooler."
"Mind if I put a few bottles of wine on the table?" Joe asked.
"Go right ahead Joe." She replied, laughing at how quickly everyone sprang into action.
The doorbell rang just as Adam was helping Beth move the turkey from the roaster to the platter.
Richie called out that he would get it, becoming wary when he sensed the presence of another
immortal.
Less than a minute later Richie came back into the main room with a curious look on his face.
"Duncan, were you expecting a friend for dinner?"
Duncan handed Amanda the glass of wine he was pouring and turned in time to see 'his guest'
step around Richie and move to the middle of the room.
"I hope it's all right that I didn't call to let you know I'd changed my mind and decided to take you
up on the invitation Duncan." Cassandra asked as she smiled confidently.
"My invitation?" Duncan stammered a little, taking a quick look over his shoulder in Adam's
direction to see how he was going to handle her intrusion.
"Don't tell me you forgot inviting me to spend the holiday with you and your friends?" she replied
as she gave him a little hug and kissed him on the cheek, ignoring the look of complete
disapproval he was giving her. "It's only been a few days since I saw you in Chicago."
Amanda raised an eyebrow. She didn't know that was why Duncan had gone out of town so
suddenly. She knew very well who Cassandra was and that she and Duncan had been 'close'.
Somehow Adam managed to cover the shock of seeing Cassandra, and finished helping Beth
with the turkey without tipping the platter off the counter. He quickly tossed the oven mitts aside
and stepped out of the kitchen to stand in front of her.
"Hello Cassandra." He said flatly, his eyes turning a steel gray as he watched her carefully.
"Methos" she replied. "Or, I'm sorry … it's Adam these days isn't it?" the smile never leaving her
face, but her gaze very direct.
"Amanda, could you get another place setting out of the china cabinet behind you?" Beth asked
as she came to stand beside Adam, who slipped an arm around her protectively.
Duncan knew he needed to do something, but couldn't see any way out of this without appearing
to be rude.
"I'm sorry Beth. I ran into Cassandra on my trip to Chicago, and when she declined my
suggestion to come to Seacouver for the holiday, I didn't expect her to change her mind. I hope
you don't mind."
"Nonsense Duncan. There's always room for one more." She smiled, moving forward to take
Cassandra's hand. "I'm Beth Parker, Cassandra. And I'm glad you could join us."
Duncan and Adam exchanged a worried look over the two women's heads. Both knew
Cassandra was here for a reason. They only hoped they could keep her from whatever trouble
she wanted to make before she had the chance.
"I believe besides Claudia, who should be down in a moment, you know everyone else." Duncan
said, taking her arm and beginning to lead her toward the office. "Could I have a word with you?"
"What are you doing here?" he asked in a low but very direct tone as soon as the door closed.
"Celebrating the holiday." She replied, wrenching her arm free.
"Don't give me that."
"I decided to give Methos the answer he wanted." She said flatly.
"I doubt that." Duncan replied. "You're here because you wanted to see who she was and are
hoping to cause problems for him if you can." He accused.
"I admit I was curious. That's why I decided I wouldn't give him the answer until after dinner."
She admitted.
"And what else?" he knew that look and he knew there was more. "You are up to something."
"If Methos wants the answer then you'll both play nice and let me stay. Or I could just leave and
he'll never know."
"Let her stay." Methos said, having excused himself to follow them.
Cassandra smiled, but he didn't let her reply before issuing a warning.
"But here me and here me well. Beth is a kind and gracious woman, and this is her home. If you
do or say anything with the intention of hurting her or making her uncomfortable in any way, we
will have a problem."
"And you just remember that I have something you want." She replied, brushing past him and
putting on a dazzling smile before facing the others.
Claudia had come down and Beth announced they should serve themselves from the buffet.
Duncan introduced the young immortal to Cassandra, who greeted her casually. Claudia could
see from the looks being passed between Amanda, Duncan, Adam and Joe, something was
amiss.
"Who is she?" Claudia whispered to Amanda after Cassandra was out of earshot.
"Trouble." Amanda replied, none to happy about the woman's presence, for more than one
reason.