Chapter 2
"Pump the brakes, Carolyn!" David yelled, as they came dangerously close to going off the road. "I am, but they're not working!" she cried. Rick saw that they were headed for a tree and leaning forward, reached out and pulled the emergency brake, saying at the same time "Put it in park, now!"
At once the wagon jerked to a screeching halt, grinding the gears but stopping just short of the large oak at the curve of the drive. "Everybody okay?" Carolyn gasped, looking at her cousins, then at Rick. "Yeah, but what was that that was in the road?" he asked.
"I don't know, but I mean to find out." Barnabas answered angrily. "David, you stay with your cousins, Rick, come with me. I want to see who nearly caused us to have an accident."
As the two men got out, David looked at Laurie. "How did Rick know what to do, Laurie, was he a professional driver or something?"
"No, he just knows cars. I think his first job was as a mechanic before he joined the Marines, he's always been good at driving. I know some of his cases he's had to do just what he did here, and he's a great defensive driver." she answered, managing a smile.
"All I know Laurie, is he saved our lives. What gets me is we just had these brakes done last week." Carolyn added.
Just then Rick and Barnabas came back to the car, and gratefully Carolyn changed places so Rick could drive the car. Starting it up, he checked all the gauges, and found everything in order.
Driving up to the house, he tested the brakes, and again saw that nothing was wrong.
"I don't know Carolyn, they're a little loose, but your brakes seem to be fine. I'd have your mechanic check them out, though." He told her as he helped gather their luggage from the car.
"I'll take that, Rick." David insisted on helping carry a bag.
Rick smiled and reluctantly allowed him to lend a hand. Sparing a look at Laurie, she met his eyes and mouthed "I love you."
Resisting the temptation to say it aloud, he merely winked at her, then followed the cousins into the entry.
When they came into the foyer, Carolyn turned to Laurie, then tearfully said, "Mother would say, welcome home." The two women hugged, then Laurie said, quietly, "Thank you, Carolyn, this feels like yesterday to me."
"Well, speaking of yesterday, David and I fixed your old rooms up, I hope you remember where it is." Carolyn smiled, then laughed as Laurie nodded. "You bet I remember, the view of the grounds is my favorite!"
As they climbed the staircase, Rick couldn't help but glance back at the foyer walls. There was the portrait of Barnabas Collins, and Rick couldn't help but feel a sense of something waiting to happen, and that the older man would be involved.
Following Laurie, they went part way down the narrow corridor, then Carolyn opened a door at the end of the hall, and led them into a homey room, with a a fireplace and sitting area. Opening another door, Rick groaned to see an old-fashioned four poster with a feather bed. "Oh, Carolyn, this is too much, you shouldn't have!" Laurie elbowed her husband, then smiled when her cousin teased "I remember you liking to bounce on the bed, so if it collapses, be warned!"
After David brought up the last bag, he laughed at Rick's reaction to the bed. "Bet one of you falls off the first night!" he said, then ducked Carolyn's swat. "Just kidding!" he protested, then ducked out of the room.
"Oh, Laurie, if you only knew how good it is to see him like this!" Carolyn sighed, hearing his steps down the hall.
"I've been worried how our being here would be for you two, but I'm glad we came." Laurie embraced her cousin.
"Well, I'll let you two get settled, we'll have dinner in an hour and you can meet Mrs. Johnson's sister. She's our new housekeeper." Carolyn gave Rick a hug then left.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Rick turned, then took Laurie into his arms.
"Darling, have I told you today how much I love you." She whispered, burying her face in his chest.
"You did outside." He kissed her hair, then gingerly boosted the two of them onto the antique bed.
"Then I need to tell you again." She raised her face to his and gave him a long, tender kiss.
"Sweetheart, I love you very much, you are the most precious part of my life." He told her, holding her. Putting his face next to hers, he continued "I need to tell you something, but I don't want you to worry, all right?"
After a moment, she said, "You and Barnabas found something out there, didn't you?"
"Yes, Laurie, Barnabas and I found a scarf, he's convinced it was Angelique who almost made us crash." he told her reluctantly.
"Oh, no, Rick, I thought she was gone for good this time." she answered, upset.
"It's all right, angel, Barnabas thinks she just wants to see how much of your uncle's money she can get." Rick tried to soothe her. "He doesn't think she's after you this time."
"Darling, I'm not worried about that, I'm worried she's going to take revenge by hurting you." Laurie told him, putting her arms around him. "No, she's not going to have the opportunity. Besides, Barnabas thinks if she's going to show at all, it'll be at the lawyer's office tomorrow. Now, I don't want you to have nightmares over this, okay?" Rick looked her in the eye, then let out a deep breath when she nodded. "Yes, my love. We'll be safe, the Chief told me we would be under our family's wing"
"He did, well, that takes care of that." he grinned, then groaned with pleasure as she kissed his neck. "Darlin', if you keep that up, they'll be lucky to see us for breakfast!"
"My brave knight, "she laid a kiss under his ear. "Don't tempt me, I'm so comfortable right now, I could do this all night." She blushed as Rick's eyes blazed with passion.
"My beautiful blushing bride." he lay down and pulled her next to him. Forgetting where they were, husband and wife were startled by the knock on the door as the twilight cast dim shadows in their room.
"Just a minute!" Laurie called, mentally thanking her cousin for putting them in one of the two room suites.
Buttoning her blouse, she went to the door and found a smiling David at the threshold.
'Carolyn sent me to rouse you two for supper, did you have a good rest?"
"Yes, you incorrigable boy!" she joked, and saw the tell-tale gleam in his eye.
"Well, I did warn Carolyn that bed was kinda high, but its' very comfortable. "he replied. Turning, he smirked and said, "I'll tell her you'll be down in a couple of minutes."
Shaking her head, Laurie went back to the bedroom, where she found her husband changing his shirt. Slipping her arms around him, she hugged him.
"Are you flirting with me, Mrs. Simon?" Rick grinned in the mirror. "I should hope so, Mr. Simon." she reached on tiptoe to kiss his neck, then hurriedly went to freshen up.
Going downstairs, Carolyn met them at the dining room door. "Laurie, Robin's on the line, she just got home from work and wants to say hi."
"Oh, thanks Carolyn, she said she'd call." Laurie beamed, then went to the extension.
Watching his wife's animated conversation, Rick smiled then turned to Carolyn.
"Normally we'd call her at bedtime, Laurie used to do that for Robbie and Robin when they were younger, now it's when they get home from work."
"That's so sweet, she's such a good mother, Rick. I know it's hard for her to be away from them for Thanksgiving, but I really wanted to see Laurie again." Carolyn said, putting her hand on his arm.
"She wanted to be with you and everyone here, Carolyn. If it hadn't been for you and Barnabas coming when you did last winter, well, she needed to come." Rick admitted.
"Rick, Robin wants to say hi." Laurie interrupted them, holding up the phone.
Grinning, he kissed her cheek, then turned his attention to his daughter, "Hi, honey, how's my favorite chef?"
Laughing, Laurie wiped her eyes, then took her cousin's arm. "Come on, Carolyn, why don't I meet Mrs. Johnson's sister while he gives her a blow by blow about our flight."
After a hearty dinner which Rick declared was "almost" as good as home, the family adjourned to the library. While Barnabas stoked up the fire, Laurie brought out presents of pictures they had taken when Barnabas and Carolyn visited Window Rock, and a Navajo shirt for David.
"Whoa, thanks! This is so cool!" he exclaimed, then seeing three leather-bound books, said, "is that your...."
"Yes, it's my new book, the first editions issued by BraveKnight Press." she answered, blushing with pride. Rick reached over and squeezed her hand.
"After reading the ones you sent back with Carolyn and Barnabas; well, I think they're just as good as your first stories!" David declared.
Carolyn gave him a funny look, "I didn't know you read Laurie's last books?"
"Well, I, well she sent them to me, the least I could do was read them!" he answered defensively, then excused himself to get something to drink.
As soon as he was gone, Carolyn gave Barnabas an upset look. "I shouldn't have said anything, Barnabas. I embarrassed him, I'm afraid. I'll go apologize."
Laurie caught the meaning of what had been said. "Oh Carolyn, you mean..."
Barnabas came and put an arm around her. "Yes, my dear. David never touched any of your books, at least around us, after you were married. I have an idea why."
Laurie nodded, then stood up. "I think I know where he went, I should have talked to him before this." She leaned over and gave Rick a kiss. "Be right back."
As she left the room, he looked at the two cousins. "Uh, don't tell me David didn't talk to Laurie all this time because she married me?"
"No, Rick, it goes deeper then that." Carolyn gave him a half-smile.
"David?" Laurie came into the kitchen, then noticed the service porch door was open. Standing in the doorway, she said quietly, "David, can I talk to you, I want to apologize."
Silence greeted her, then she went back into the kitchen and sat at the table. A moment later, the young man came out of the porch area, then shut the door.
"You don't need to apologize, you didn't do anything wrong." David said, not meeting her eyes.
"Yes I did. I should have come to you and the rest of the family and introduced Rick to you all. You had been so good to me when I didn't have anyone but Steve and the OSI; I guess I just assumed you'd all understand." she told him earnestly.
"Laurie, that's not it. I, well, it's stupid, but I thought when you and Steve were going together, you'd come take me places like you did when Barnabas and Julia got married," he admitted. "Father and I weren't getting along and I thought you two cared more then him."
"Oh, David, Steve and I did care, I had so much fun with you and Carolyn."
Laurie took his hand. "Aunt Elizabeth and you all made me forget how lonely I'd been. When Steve and I got back to California, I told him I wanted to come back and vacation with you guys. Unfortunately, Barnabas told him how Angelique threatened me, and he and Oscar refused to let me come until it was safe. Then, of course, he and Jaime got back together, and by the time I was over that, well, I found out about my dad's family and my niece and nephew."
"I'm glad you found them, Laurie." David told her. "But you need to know, I was wrong by not letting Barnabas tell you about Aunt Elizabeth, it was selfish of me."
Looking him in the face, Laurie took a deep breath. "Yes, it was, you and Carolyn hurt me. But we're family, I couldn't be mad at you if I tried."
"Thank you, cousin." he tried to smile, then came over and hugged her. "You're welcome, David." she sniffed, then found a napkin and blew her nose, causing him to laugh. "You still make the worst noise when you blow your honker!" he teased.
"She does, doesn't she?" Rick answered, coming in and putting his hand on David's shoulder.
Looking him in the eye, he said, "Your cousin wants to apologize, David, she was hoping you'd come back in before you go to bed."
"Sure, Rick, thanks." he replied, then grinned. "And tomorrow you have to tell me about the booger song. Laurie never could sing it, she'd crack up too bad in the middle!"
When he left the room, Rick pulled his wife up from her seat.
"Come on, sweetheart, I think somebody's had a long day." he whispered, taking her in his arms. "Yes, Rick." she sighed. "I didn't mean to leave you so long with my cousins, but David and I got to the bottom of a lot of things. "
"Good, because Barnabas told me the reading's been moved up to tomorrow because of the holiday." her husband told her, taking her arm and leading her out of the kitchen.
Stopping long enough to say good night to Carolyn and Barnabas, they were met with a stern-faced Barnabas.
"I just got a call from our attorney, he came home to a registered letter from the lawyer representing Mrs. Cassandra Collins. She is coming to the reading of the will tomorrow; I'm afraid she means to make trouble."
"I knew it, Barnabas. The only good thing is Uncle Roger changed the will after she disappeared, didn't he?" Laurie asked, as Rick put his arm around her.
"Yes he did, only," Barnabas hesitated, then quietly said, "the name of the attorney for Angelique is Nicholas Blair."