CHAPTER 15
Duncan and Richie stayed, but they stepped back as mere observers.
"Adam I know you are angry, but you don't understand ." she began.
"Just what part of you saying you would stay away from Garrett do I not understand? The part where he has his arm around you, or the part where you are sharing a song book?" Adam interrupted, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.
Duncan winced silently. He knew Beth had promised to stay away from Garrett and he hoped she had a good explanation.
"This is not a game Beth. I wouldn't have asked you if it hadn't been important." Adam finished. It was then that she saw past his anger and noticed the pain in his eyes. He felt betrayed.
"It's not what you think. I know you think I lied to you, but I didn't ." Beth tried to touch him, but he pulled away.
"Please . hear me out." She plead with him and he waited for her to explain.
"When I sat down before the service began, Rayna and my Father were sitting on either side of me. Garrett came in and Rayna called him over and insisted he sit with us, and then she moved over so he would have to sit between us." Beth told him, but he still didn't seem to hear her.
"Adam, I was taking Cassie out of her coat and didn't realize who she had called over until I looked up and found Garrett sitting beside me. I don't have radar or whatever it is that alerts you. I only have two eyes and they were focused on the baby. "
She realized her frustration was coming out in her voice so she took a deep breath before continuing. "The service was starting and Rayna was reaching over Garrett for the baby. I started to make an excuse about not feeling well and leave, but you had the car ... With my luck if I said I wasn't feeling well my Father would have asked Garrett to drive me home. And if you are worried I wouldn't have told you about it if you hadn't come in, you are wrong. I wouldn't have kept my seeing Garrett from you."
Adam saw the sincerity as well as the pain in her eyes and knew she was telling the truth. She couldn't help what happened, and by jumping to the worst conclusion he'd made them both suffer. Damn his cynicism. Yes it had helped him survive, but it could also be wickedly sharp when someone he cared for came in contact with it.
"Please believe me." She reached to grasp his crossed forearm and this time he did not move away.
Duncan and Richie both held their breath. Her explanation had been reasonable, but with Methos . you could never tell.
"I believe you." He said after a long pause, opening his arms to hold her. Beth let out a little sob of relief as she buried her face in the front of his coat. "I wouldn't lie to you Adam . never to you." She whispered as he mentally kicked himself for putting them both through this. He kissed the top of her head and then wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"What are you going to do about Garrett?" she hated to even mention it, but wanted to deal with all of it now while he was open to her.
"Nothing" He replied. "I've asked MacLeod to find out more about him. But unless he does something to hurt you . or foolishly challenges one of us. He has nothing to fear."
"I know you are angry with him for not being honest when he met you." Beth said. "I saw how he reacted when Duncan walked in. He knows."
"That's not your concern." Adam told her. "We know you are his friend and even if he weren't, none of us have any reason to challenge him. But we need to find out if he has a teacher and who that is."
"Richie, Amanda and I will take care of learning about Garrett. You and Adam need to concentrate on the vows you will be taking Tuesday night. This should be a happy time for you and I can't see letting the presence of another immortal, particularly one you are close to, ruin that." Duncan added. "You trust us right?"
Beth nodded that she did.
"No harm will come to him unless he does something to warrant it. I don't take pleasure in using my sword and you have my word." He continued. "You've known him all your life Adam says. Can you imagine him provoking anything?"
"No. He's a musician. A little stubborn and head strong when he gets an idea into his head, but he's never been the violent type." Beth confided. "But I haven't seen him in three years. I worry about what learning of his immortality might have done to him. And I worry that he doesn't know how to survive in your world." She admitted.
"He knows enough to carry a sword." Adam added. "Question is, does he know how to use it?"
"Which is my concern." Duncan reminded him firmly, knowing that Adam and his temper needed to steer as clear of Garrett as he could.
The minister walked back in the door. He'd been greeting the congregation as it filed out of the sanctuary. He saw the small group near the edge of the room and came over to greet them as well.
"Leandra it was so good to see you in service this morning. I hope it won't be long before you find your way back to the choir loft." He said as he took one of her hands in his own.
"Pastor Bowen, I don't believe you met my fiance' Adam Pierson." Beth introduced the two men who shook hands.
"I saw you come in with Leandra Christmas Eve, but in all the excitement I didn't have the opportunity to welcome you." Pastor Bowen replied. "I look forward to talking with you more and getting to know you. I hope this is more than just a visit and that you will be making your home in our community. You could do much worse than to raise your daughter in a loving community such as ours."
Adam thanked him, but didn't make a commitment. He noted that the friendly man seemed to be sizing him up just as Beth's father had.
"And these gentlemen?" Pastor Bowen nodded toward Duncan and Richie.
"Duncan MacLeod" Duncan introduced himself and shook the man's hand. "And this is Richie Ryan."
"They are friends of ours from Seacouver who came in for the wedding . and I hope will stay awhile." Beth told him as she gave Duncan and Richie her brightest smile.
"We plan to stay for a few weeks at least. This is a beautiful town." Duncan replied and Richie agreed.
"I'm so pleased that you decided to take your vows in our little church. Leandra is a special part of our congregation." The pastor turned his attention back to Adam.
"She spoke well of you all. I know how important this is to her." Adam replied politely, but Beth could see he was ready to leave.
"We need to be going Pastor Bowen." Beth said as she slipped her arm through Adam's. "Our guests arrived this morning and I believe we have a plane to meet this afternoon."
They said their goodbye's and Adam put his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the car. Duncan and Richie didn't say anything as they got into the back seat. Adam opened Beth's door for her, but before she got in she touched his face and asked if things were really ok between the two of them.
"We're fine." Adam assured her, emphasizing the point by gripping her shoulders and kissing her deeply. He was about to release her when he felt the faint buzz, letting him know that Garrett was watching them from a distance. He said nothing, but after putting her in the car and closing the door, he turned toward the stand of trees just above the church. His steely gaze never left the place where he knew the young immortal stood as he walked around the car to get in.
Garrett didn't like the way things were going. Adam Pierson and his friends had no right to try and intimidate him in his own hometown. And they were certainly not the people that should be around Craig's child. His hand clenched and unclenched around the handle of his sword. They thought they had the upper hand, well he would show them he was not afraid.
Duncan and Richie stayed, but they stepped back as mere observers.
"Adam I know you are angry, but you don't understand ." she began.
"Just what part of you saying you would stay away from Garrett do I not understand? The part where he has his arm around you, or the part where you are sharing a song book?" Adam interrupted, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.
Duncan winced silently. He knew Beth had promised to stay away from Garrett and he hoped she had a good explanation.
"This is not a game Beth. I wouldn't have asked you if it hadn't been important." Adam finished. It was then that she saw past his anger and noticed the pain in his eyes. He felt betrayed.
"It's not what you think. I know you think I lied to you, but I didn't ." Beth tried to touch him, but he pulled away.
"Please . hear me out." She plead with him and he waited for her to explain.
"When I sat down before the service began, Rayna and my Father were sitting on either side of me. Garrett came in and Rayna called him over and insisted he sit with us, and then she moved over so he would have to sit between us." Beth told him, but he still didn't seem to hear her.
"Adam, I was taking Cassie out of her coat and didn't realize who she had called over until I looked up and found Garrett sitting beside me. I don't have radar or whatever it is that alerts you. I only have two eyes and they were focused on the baby. "
She realized her frustration was coming out in her voice so she took a deep breath before continuing. "The service was starting and Rayna was reaching over Garrett for the baby. I started to make an excuse about not feeling well and leave, but you had the car ... With my luck if I said I wasn't feeling well my Father would have asked Garrett to drive me home. And if you are worried I wouldn't have told you about it if you hadn't come in, you are wrong. I wouldn't have kept my seeing Garrett from you."
Adam saw the sincerity as well as the pain in her eyes and knew she was telling the truth. She couldn't help what happened, and by jumping to the worst conclusion he'd made them both suffer. Damn his cynicism. Yes it had helped him survive, but it could also be wickedly sharp when someone he cared for came in contact with it.
"Please believe me." She reached to grasp his crossed forearm and this time he did not move away.
Duncan and Richie both held their breath. Her explanation had been reasonable, but with Methos . you could never tell.
"I believe you." He said after a long pause, opening his arms to hold her. Beth let out a little sob of relief as she buried her face in the front of his coat. "I wouldn't lie to you Adam . never to you." She whispered as he mentally kicked himself for putting them both through this. He kissed the top of her head and then wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"What are you going to do about Garrett?" she hated to even mention it, but wanted to deal with all of it now while he was open to her.
"Nothing" He replied. "I've asked MacLeod to find out more about him. But unless he does something to hurt you . or foolishly challenges one of us. He has nothing to fear."
"I know you are angry with him for not being honest when he met you." Beth said. "I saw how he reacted when Duncan walked in. He knows."
"That's not your concern." Adam told her. "We know you are his friend and even if he weren't, none of us have any reason to challenge him. But we need to find out if he has a teacher and who that is."
"Richie, Amanda and I will take care of learning about Garrett. You and Adam need to concentrate on the vows you will be taking Tuesday night. This should be a happy time for you and I can't see letting the presence of another immortal, particularly one you are close to, ruin that." Duncan added. "You trust us right?"
Beth nodded that she did.
"No harm will come to him unless he does something to warrant it. I don't take pleasure in using my sword and you have my word." He continued. "You've known him all your life Adam says. Can you imagine him provoking anything?"
"No. He's a musician. A little stubborn and head strong when he gets an idea into his head, but he's never been the violent type." Beth confided. "But I haven't seen him in three years. I worry about what learning of his immortality might have done to him. And I worry that he doesn't know how to survive in your world." She admitted.
"He knows enough to carry a sword." Adam added. "Question is, does he know how to use it?"
"Which is my concern." Duncan reminded him firmly, knowing that Adam and his temper needed to steer as clear of Garrett as he could.
The minister walked back in the door. He'd been greeting the congregation as it filed out of the sanctuary. He saw the small group near the edge of the room and came over to greet them as well.
"Leandra it was so good to see you in service this morning. I hope it won't be long before you find your way back to the choir loft." He said as he took one of her hands in his own.
"Pastor Bowen, I don't believe you met my fiance' Adam Pierson." Beth introduced the two men who shook hands.
"I saw you come in with Leandra Christmas Eve, but in all the excitement I didn't have the opportunity to welcome you." Pastor Bowen replied. "I look forward to talking with you more and getting to know you. I hope this is more than just a visit and that you will be making your home in our community. You could do much worse than to raise your daughter in a loving community such as ours."
Adam thanked him, but didn't make a commitment. He noted that the friendly man seemed to be sizing him up just as Beth's father had.
"And these gentlemen?" Pastor Bowen nodded toward Duncan and Richie.
"Duncan MacLeod" Duncan introduced himself and shook the man's hand. "And this is Richie Ryan."
"They are friends of ours from Seacouver who came in for the wedding . and I hope will stay awhile." Beth told him as she gave Duncan and Richie her brightest smile.
"We plan to stay for a few weeks at least. This is a beautiful town." Duncan replied and Richie agreed.
"I'm so pleased that you decided to take your vows in our little church. Leandra is a special part of our congregation." The pastor turned his attention back to Adam.
"She spoke well of you all. I know how important this is to her." Adam replied politely, but Beth could see he was ready to leave.
"We need to be going Pastor Bowen." Beth said as she slipped her arm through Adam's. "Our guests arrived this morning and I believe we have a plane to meet this afternoon."
They said their goodbye's and Adam put his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the car. Duncan and Richie didn't say anything as they got into the back seat. Adam opened Beth's door for her, but before she got in she touched his face and asked if things were really ok between the two of them.
"We're fine." Adam assured her, emphasizing the point by gripping her shoulders and kissing her deeply. He was about to release her when he felt the faint buzz, letting him know that Garrett was watching them from a distance. He said nothing, but after putting her in the car and closing the door, he turned toward the stand of trees just above the church. His steely gaze never left the place where he knew the young immortal stood as he walked around the car to get in.
Garrett didn't like the way things were going. Adam Pierson and his friends had no right to try and intimidate him in his own hometown. And they were certainly not the people that should be around Craig's child. His hand clenched and unclenched around the handle of his sword. They thought they had the upper hand, well he would show them he was not afraid.