DRAGONJULS Storybook
Disclaimer and Acknowledgements: See Part One
Part 5
Chapter Thirteen:
Colin watched the arrival of the Land Rover and quickly ran around the stable to stop Jake and Lisa from rushing over to greet Catherine and the new visitors. He had been asked to entertain the children until Jace's parents and sister were in the house, ensconced in the study for the surprise meeting with Jace, and Catherine had decided the children too!
"Hey kids, what you up too?" Colin shouted as he saw the red hair of Lisa bounce forward and turns towards the approaching vehicle.
"We were playing hide and seek Uncle Colin, but Catherine's home and she has some new people with her. We thought we would welcome them." Lisa said excited at the prospect of new visitors to the Ranch, it always fascinated her.
"Catherine will be busy helping her guests settle down Lisa, so how about you give them a little time to do that and we can catch up with them later. What do you say?" Colin went over to the child and placed a callused hand on her head gently, and smoothed down the unruly hair that was always flying around.
"We could help though Uncle Colin." Jake interceded and gave the older man a smile.
"That you could son, that you could. But the visitors are all American and they have been travelling for hours, lots of hours. You know how grumpy adults get when they do that don't you?" Colin didn't really know how to counter Jake's generous offer of help.
Jake looked at the older man, his face had a mixed expression of doubt and then it cleared as he nodded his head and a memory obviously had reared its head. "Yeah, I remember Catherine getting really grouchy that first trip to New York. She was bad tempered to the people at the airport."
"Yeah, she was Colin. She was really upset with them and Jace said it was her age and that she was tired, so we didn't have to worry." Lisa said her own memories of the customs incident winging back.
Colin momentarily turned his back on the children and stifled a laugh. He could just imagine what a grouchy Catherine Warriorson had said to the officials. He would bet that it wasn't for children's ears, if she'd had free reign over her emotions. He spun on his heal and picked up a startled, but laughing Lisa in his arms and put her on his shoulders, the child was a light weight. "In that case, do you now understand my point?"
Both children smiled at him, and Jake nodded his head and Lisa hugged Colin around the neck tighter. "Hey, not too tight Lisa; I have a wedding to go to tomorrow remember?" He laughed, as she released the man a little.
"Whoops! Sorry Colin, Grace would be mad wouldn't she?" The child said softly from her elevated position on his shoulders.
"Yeah, I think she would especially now that Faith has finally tracked her down to have the final fitting for the wedding dress." He chuckled as he thought of the running battle that dress had been between the two of them.
"Oh, no Colin, she loves you and wouldn't want anything to happen to you. We love you too, don't we Jake?" Lisa bent her head and kissed the man on the top of his head.
Jake gave Colin a bashful look and his cheeks started to turn a deep red at Lisa's remark. "I know you do Lisa. I also know, Grace loves me too, now how about we saddle up and go for a nice leisurely ride for an hour. Everyone will be settled by then and we can meet the new visitors, what do you say?" Colin knew the boy was embarrassed at the possible requirement to show affection and decided that it was easier all round to leave it.
"Yeah, good idea, where shall we go?" Jake asked his love of horseback riding as much a passion as his beloved soccer.
Colin tousled the boy's hair, as they proceeded towards the stable entrance and the saddling up of their respective mounts, it would be a slow ride with Lisa on Diamond, the pony, but that would serve the purpose well, very well indeed.
**********
Catherine had introduced Grace, Faith and Judy to the new visitors. It had been entertaining to finally see Grace and Susan together for the first time. The initial greeting had been friendly and within minutes had warmed to a genuine liking of each other and not only that they both had stories of their ex-employer to share. No matter how much Catherine protested these two women were going to have at least one good conversation after dinner about her and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, she could do about it.
Within the space of a few minutes all introductions were made and Catherine quietly took Grace aside.
"Where are Jace and Elena? You haven't locked them in a storeroom or something as dumb as that, have you Grace?" Catherine said although the twinkle in her eyes clearly indicated the teasing evident in the statement.
"Me? Now Catherine you wanted her out of the way, and so, I duly obliged and Elena is asleep in your bedroom, which is where her mother is too. I think she wanted to look beautiful for you when you returned home, for some inexplicable reason that goes quite over my head." Grace placed some well earned teasing remarks of her own back at her friend.
"Jace always looks beautiful to me, wouldn't matter how she outwardly looks. Something going over your head would have to have wings Grace, for sure as hell you catch on to anything else that goes on around here." Catherine smiled at her and gave her a warm look from her ice blue eyes.
"Well in that case, I have a tip for you that a little bird just happened to drop by me today." Grace gave her a dazzling smile back and put her hand through her friend's arm as they strolled out onto the porch for some privacy.
"That would be, my dear Grace?" Catherine was surprised that Grace had thought it prudent to leave the kitchen area and the guests, must be important.
"You love Jace, no don't answer that I know! Jace was upset today Catherine something to do with a problem this morning and for some strange reason, she's jealous of the youngster you went into town with. Now, I'm no expert here, but I think my friend you need to build a bridge that puts a tin hat on that little problem, what do you think?" Grace said quietly watching the look of amazement and surprise flash across her friend's usually still and expressionless face.
Catherine swallowed a few times and tried to answer and then couldn't and turned towards the drive and leant against the railings, her body sagged as if in defeat. Eventually, Catherine stood tall and turned to her friend who had stayed silent at her action. "I didn't realise Jace was upset, I thought that was cleared up this morning about the girls, it isn't an issue anymore, not to me anyway. The boy, well he's an employee and I can't drive into town on my bloody own Grace, what else was I supposed to do, take the ugliest man on the property to take me to town? This is absolutely ridiculous!"
Grace moved to Catherine's side and saw the emotional maelstrom starting in the ice blue eyes. "Yeah, ridiculous, but young women in love tend to let small matters like particularly good looking ranch hands spending time with their loved one, who happens to be secretive that day and after an argument, kind of makes them think strange thoughts. I know I would, if Colin had gone off with a beautiful woman at his side with all those events taking place."
"Jesus Grace, I could understand it, if it was a beautiful woman by my side but.......... He's a boy for gods sake!" Catherine bit out exasperated.
"Look Rome wasn't built in a day, you have a wonderful surprise, which wont be a surprise if you don't get them to the study about now, Jace will be down any minute so come on. My friend, I thought it wise to let you know, I'm sorry if I was wrong to tell you." Grace reluctantly admitted, her heart going out to the clearly upset woman at her side.
"Yes, yes you're right as always Grace, I need to get Jace's parents to the study, come on let's go and get that particular event underway shall we?" Catherine said quietly and turned back towards the kitchen entrance.
As they neared the door Catherine put a hand on her friends shoulder.
"Thanks Grace, and no my friend you were right to tell me and I'm glad your always there for me."
"Always Catherine and for Jace too." Grace whispered back with a half smile as she watched the tall back of her friend as she entered the kitchen area. "Always!" Grace whispered to the empty porch as she followed her friend inside.
Catherine galvanised herself into action, all trace of her own emotional turmoil blanked off in some dark corner of her mind until she could have time to evaluate it and produce a plan to counter her partners fears. "Jason, Alison and Lucy if you wouldn't mind following me. I think we have a reunion that needs to be attended too and the sooner the better, wouldn't you say?"
Jason was holding his wife's hand in a loving clasp and an arm around his daughter. "Yes, lady it's time we got out wayward daughter back in the fold, please lead the way."
Catherine walked out of the door towards the hall with the family behind her.
Judy looked at Grace and saw the pensive expression on her face, "Grace anything wrong?"
The absorbed expression turned towards the part time housekeeper cum private tutor for the children. "No, no why ever would there be, I have my last day of freedom and I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a drink."
Judy laughed at the sudden lightening of the woman and nodded her head. "Well I'll join you in a glass of wine, what about you Faith?"
Faith looked at her daughter and although was tempted to question her further she just nodded her head. Susan and James readily agreed that a glass of wine would be welcome; it would clear out the cobwebs of the travel.
"Great." Grace went over to the wine rack and selected one of her favourite New Zealand white wines, a crisp Chardonnay that suited most palates.
**********
Jace had been watching her daughter sleep for several minutes, as her mind had been running on why she had suddenly lost confidence with her love for Catherine, or was it Catherine's love for her. It hadn't made sense, but her heart had ached that Catherine seemed hell-bent on keeping things from her and now she'd even brought guests home and they hadn't discussed it, never mind allowing them to stay at the house! What was it with Catherine, this insistence that she was still single and not part of a couple! Did she regret accepting Jace's offer? Was she finding it to difficult to allow Jace to participate in the decision making after so many years alone? Why not tell me Catherine?
Her ears picked up laughter and general merrymaking, which was all part of Catherine's plans to enjoy the season. Jace knew that Catherine would do that even if all the walls around her were falling down! Closing her mind to her desolate thoughts and walking towards the door she checked that the monitor in the room was switched on. Just as she neared the door, it opened and in walked Catherine.
Jace stood still a few feet away from her partner who looked at her with a sad expression and yet behind it was an excitement building that reminded her of a child about to spring a surprise. "Catherine you're back?" it was a pointless remark, but true!
Catherine walked further into the room closing the distance between them to mere inches. Reaching out a hand she touched the cheek of her partner. "Yes." said simply but the undertone in it sending to Jace's raw heart a soothing balm that only Catherine controlled.
Jace turned her face towards Catherine, a smile playing around her expressive face as tears glistened in her eyes. Catherine saw the tears and with her newfound knowledge from Grace knew exactly what to do.
"Come here." A gentle demand but a totally acceptable one to Jace, who moved swiftly to close the minute gap between them and was crushed in a loving and protective hold as lips caressed the blonde head, Jace heard the only words she ever needed to repair her aching heart. "I love you!"
Turning up her head she looked deep into the ice blue eyes that held an expression of such devoted love. Pulling the dark head closer to hers she whispered "I love you too, don't ever forget that," as she crushed her lips to Catherine's in a desperate need to remove the pain of the last few hours she'd tortured herself with.
"Never!" Was the husky reply when Jace released her finally.
Jace rested her forehead against Catherine's and looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong love?" Catherine asked.
"I wasn't aware we had guests tonight Catherine, something sudden come up?" Jace moved away a little to take in her expression.
Catherine used the small space between them to consider her options. 'Mmm...........not many.' "Actually no, could it be, I've been a little remiss in telling you about them? I'm sure I would have told you." Catherine stalled, her cheeks turning a shade pinker.
"No, no you never told me." Jace wanted to laugh at her partner's obvious discomfort, but this silence over the guests had hurt.
"Okay, I'm busted, but Jace I have extenuating circumstances and if you come with me to the study, I'm sure you will give me a chance to explain?" Catherine blustered and crossed her fingers behind her back.
"Why not here and now, this is as good as the study. 'In fact it's better, we will definitely not be disturbed here at this time of the day they know better." Jace moved over to the bed and sat down and patted the space next to her.
Catherine felt trapped and looked around the room for an escape route.
"Catherine get your British arse over here and talk to me!" Jace finally exploded and Catherine moved swiftly to her side.
"Well, that was sure to the point Jace, you've never spoken to me like that before?" Catherine looked at her with wonder and not a little smirk playing around her face.
"When the need arises, I have the necessary equipment to counter that need." Jace replied and tapped Catherine's nose as the smirk disappeared and a sultry look took over.
"I know from first hand experience that you have the equipment Jace believe me on that one. This is something new altogether. Is it going to be part of your new skills?" Catherine had to stop herself from laughing, it was a new dimension to Jace and although not unwelcome it was certainly a surprise.
"If you continue to keep things from me, yes!" Jace answered and gave her a thoughtful look.
"Right, right well, Susan and James Thompson are here, I wanted it to be a surprise, I'm sorry." Catherine muttered and waited with her eyes downcast on the bed for more of......what, she didn't know.
"Susan and James, why Catherine that's wonderful; why didn't you tell me before? You're such a schemer." Jace threw her arms around the taller woman and hugged her and placed tiny kisses all over her neck, which they were in the right place, but entirely the wrong time, damn! As Catherine's body responded with delight at the assault.
"Yes, well thought you might appreciate a surprise. So how about we venture down to the study and talk to them?" Catherine tried to extricate herself from Jace's embrace, even though; she was loath to do so.
Jace continued her assault of her 'unwilling' partner and was engrossed in an exposed collarbone. "I think they can wait just a little while, I'm sure the others will be good hosts for us." Jace mumbled into Catherine's exposed flesh, this was far to inviting to leave, even for guests.
Catherine had experienced raw Jace sexual power before and shaking her head, she tried once again to find a release from her quite deliciously turned on partner. 'God I love you woman, do you know what you're doing to me, yes of course you do!' pushing Jace down towards the bed Catherine was leaning over her lover and a slow smile of pleasure past her lips as did the growl that followed close on it's heels. Catherine turned her own powers of persuasion on her lover and bent her head to capture lips ready and willing to receive whatever Catherine had to offer. "Bardley your dangerous," with that Catherine gave Jace a swift kiss and moved with amazing speed towards the door.
"You're leaving me like this?" Jace whispered in astonishment, unable to register the fact in her sensually overloaded mind.
"Guest's Jace, we have guests. Now if I was you I'd wipe that rather sexy and primal look off your face and come and hold my hand as I assist you down the stairs." Catherine chuckled, ducking her head as a pillow shot in her direction.
"Not bad Jace, almost as good as Lisa!" Catherine continued to chuckle, and smiled at her lover. "Please?" giving her a pleading puppy dog look that never failed normally.
Jace looked at the tall woman and knew that a simple please from Catherine was all it would ever take and that look.....well it was all over. "Okay you have me beat. I can't believe this, I really can't!" Shaking her head, she straightened her clothes and gave Catherine a smirk and ducked out of the door and sashayed towards the stairs with her most seductive walk.
Catherine hit her head on the door and thought, 'Bloody family!' and followed her partner down the stairs.
**********
Chapter Fourteen:
"Jace?" Catherine called down, as her partner hit the bottom rung of the stairs and headed in the direction of the study.
"Ye....sss?" Jace looked up to see Catherine half way down the stairs and leaning again the rail handle, stopped in what looked like mid-flight.
"Go ahead without me will you, I need to go and collect something from the room that I've forgotten, see you shortly." Catherine gave her a warm grin and pierced Jace with a loving glance.
"Sure, don't take forever, I know what you can be like." Jace smiled back and went on her way to the study.
"Forever, no Jace I won't take forever that's the life, I want to live with you, forever." Catherine said quietly and turned back towards their room, a certain baby daughter needed to be woken gently to meet her grandparents.
Jace was excited about seeing Susan and a little unsure about James, although they had talked at length over the last six months, they hadn't managed to see each other face-to-face and she so wanted to do that! Her hand reached out for the door handle and she opened it and strode in with remarkable poise and calm, belying all her churning emotions.
"Hi!" Jace called out as she entered the room and stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the occupants, it certainly wasn't Susan or James.
Jason Bardley had waited over a year to see his eldest daughter again and he wasn't disappointed, she looked wonderful and happy. He didn't have the words to say exactly how happy this reunion was creating inside him, he just wanted to enfold his Jace in a loving hold that wiped away all the hurt that they had inflicted on each other. "Jace, hi yourself," he finally managed to say, his voice sounding hoarse with unshed emotion.
Jace looked at the faces of her family, her father who for the first time in her life actually looked uncomfortable and unsure at the reaction he was going to get. Then her mother, who had tears streaming down her face. 'Oh Mom it's going to be okay.' Finally Lucy who smiled at her elder sister and was looking around the room to stop her from shedding the notorious Bardley tears. Jace stepped further into the room and her own tears poured down her face unheeded this was a wonderful surprise and so like Catherine to arrange it and not let her know! "Daddy!" that was all Jason needed and he engulfed his daughter in a hold that told her everything she needed to know words irrelevant.
"Jace you had us worried." Jason spoke huskily into his daughter's blonde hair, as she turned a tear-stained face up to him and gave him a small apologetic smile.
"I can't believe this! You're all here it's incredible. I never meant to worry you but....." Jason smoothed down a wayward curl on her head and shook his head explanations a thing of the past between them.
Her mother and sister then came forward to hug her, "I'm sorry, Mom." Jace's voice emotionally charged.
Alison Bardley looked at her daughter and noted the new maturity in her eyes and the general glow around her. "There's nothing to be sorry for, Catherine explained it all to us long ago."
Jace gave her a startled look as she hugged her younger sister and they laughed together. "Great to see you again Jace, now you can help me with some of this college stuff I have, the parents are hopeless." Lucy said chuckling as she received a gentle tap on the nose for her cheeky remark.
"I've missed you little sister and no problem, if I can remember that far back." Jace gave her a dazzling smile.
Eventually they settled down in the study, Jace sat at the feet of her father and her mother and sister sat on the comfortable sofa next to one of the large bookcases. Words seemed to be forgotten for several minutes as they all revelled in the reunion that had been so stupidly delayed with little reason.
"It's very beautiful here Jace, Catherine has a wonderful home, this room in particular." Jason eyed the books with obvious appreciation and just like his daughter had that first time she'd entered the study, itching to touch some of the rare volumes he could see on the shelves.
"Yep, Catherine has made it a very happy place to be that's for sure. I thought you might enjoy this room Dad, it was her husbands idea." Jace said quietly, her fingers restlessly moving over her father's trousers hem.
"I'm sure it has more significance to her and you, than merely an idea of her husbands?" Jason countered at her sad inflection.
Jace gave him a bright smile and her eyes reflected memories of her own of the room, "You're right Dad it does, this was the room we officially met for the first time on a stormy rainy day, would you believe over two years ago?"
Alison spoke up at that moment. "Two years, that's how long you've known Catherine? I didn't realise time had flown quite that fast. So, Jace what have you been up to since we last saw you?" Alison knew what she wanted to hear and her maternal side wanted so very much to see her granddaughter, but they had to wait for Jace, it was her story.
Jace gave her mother a long thoughtful look. 'You know.' "Yeah two years and no matter the circumstances they will always be the best two years of my life and all I'm doing now is adding to those feelings."
"Jace what about......." Lucy started to say, but was effectively stopped by a sharp dig in the ribs from her mother. Turning she gave her mother an affronted look but remained silent.
"Before I tell you about the last eighteen months, can I ask how long Catherine has been planning this little surprise?" Jace looked at all of them in turn to see their expressions.
"Catherine came to see us five weeks ago and informed us of your whereabouts and that you were happy and safe." Jason smiled as he recalled the blind woman at his door that evening.
Jace smiled a warm feeling spreading through her body, which had been her last trip to America, when they hadn't been able to go for various reasons. "She did? I never knew."
"No, I guess you didn't Jace. It was a shock to find the renowned C. X. Devonshire, at my door I can tell you and being blind into the bargain, that was something else too! Although we had heard of course that she was blind on the news and the tabloids, but actually face to face with the personage is something else again." Jason still had that awe-struck memory in his mind and he doubted that he would ever forget it; after all it was his first meeting with her. The woman who had years previously taken his business and who had now managed to take his eldest daughter also!
"Daddy, I always told you she was unforgettable." Jace grinned at his expression of awe, he was after all talking about her partner and who was definitely part of the family now.
"You certainly did Jace, but she should have a warning around her neck, she's stunning both in looks and personality. Mind you, she doesn't talk much does she?" Jason chuckled as he recalled trying to start a conversation with the silent woman in his home.
"Jason really, Catherine perhaps isn't as talkative as you and Jace and let's face it......all our family." Alison said joining in the banter. Lucy ignored the remark and snorted at the inference that she talked as much as Jace, no one did that!
Jace reflected on that point and nodded her head at her father. "Catherine will say her piece and let others ramble, but she has been known to be very eloquent, when the need arises."
"Pleased to hear it, or you would be talking to yourself most of the day Jace." Jason smiled at his daughter and placed a gentle hand on the blonde head and ruffled her hair.
A knocking on the door and the handle turning indicated another visitor and they all turned as the new party put a head around the door. "Okay to come in?" Catherine asked tentatively her eye tracked to Jace's for confirmation and assurances that her partner was happy with this ruse of hers.
Jace pushed herself off the floor at the feet of her father and walked over to her partner and pulled her inside. "How can you ask that?" Jace said quietly to her alone.
Catherine gave her an enigmatic look out of her ice blue eyes. "Just did actually," her teasing not lost on Jace, who gave her a beaming smile.
"Paybacks Catherine, paybacks." Jace replied equally enigmatically.
"Excellent idea Jace, I can't wait." Catherine spoke quietly so only she could hear and Catherine smiled slowly as she saw her partner shiver in anticipation.
"Everyone happy in here?" Catherine asked them all giving them a wry smile as she took in the contented and obviously delighted looks she received at her remark. "Guess I don't need an answer, if all your faces are anything to go by."
"Yes," they all responded in unison. Catherine chuckled and Jason looked at the normally reserved profile and watched as Catherine's gaze rested on his daughter. What he saw there made him realise that this was more than love it went deeper than that, he wanted to use the word obsession, but it didn't feel right either. There was a spark a light that conveyed more than love; he would work it out to his satisfaction before the festivities were over.
"I was kind of having trouble keeping the kids back, so I thought I would find out, if it was okay for them to meet you all, Jace?" Catherine looked at Jace and watched her flush slightly and noted her slight indrawn breath.
"Well, Catherine ......that is I was going to......" Catherine smiled softly and placed a finger to her lips to silence the rather jumbled words spilling out.
"I know. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay from now on Jace trust me." Catherine spoke quietly, but all assembled in the room heard the gentle words of assurance.
"I think it's a wonderful idea, I'm champing at the bit to see my grandchildren, all my grandchildren." Alison spoke to release some of the tension in the room.
Jace turned a tearful gaze to her family and smiled, they knew! "Well, bring them in Catherine by all means, I know how you hate the children to hassle you." Jace laughed as she saw the ever faithful left eyebrow rise to her forehead in question.
Catherine went towards the door and opened it wide. "Okay you brats, get yourselves in here and meet the family and behave!" Her tone gentle at what appeared to be harshly spoken words.
Lisa rushed in and placed herself in the middle of the room and looked at the three newcomers in excitement, her fidgeting a sure sign she wanted to do more than stand quietly as instructed by Catherine. "I'm here Catherine," the child said solemnly and Jace had to put a hand to her mouth to hide the grin that plaintive remark brought on.
Jace turned her attention to Jake, who was slowly leading Elena by the hands into the room, her heart went out to the boy as he patiently let his younger sister make her own way into the room with lots of help. Jace then looked at the expressions on her parents face, they both had tears running down their cheeks at the first sight of their biological grandchild.
Catherine had taken a stance close to the patio window and watched the small scene playing out in front of her, she wasn't far from tears herself, but that wasn't going to happen, not in front of everyone! Inwardly she smiled at Lisa who was doing her damnedest to keep silent and there was Jake helping Elena steal the show and how. Then there was Jace who looked as if she had been handed a million dollars and didn't know what to do with it. 'Some dreams are worth everything Jace and I'm in pursuit of yours and will make them come true for you.'
Lisa had remained silent enough or so she thought. "Are you our Grandfather?" Their guileless child decided to add to the silence in the room. Catherine cringed from her corner position at the window, Jake shook his head in the sure knowledge that Lisa would never keep quiet and Jace laughed merrily at the comment and looked at her father to gauge his answer.
"Depends on who you would be little lady?" Jason replied a twinkle in his eye as he looked directly into the blue innocent eyes of the girl before him.
Lisa placed a finger to her chest and with pride announced. "I'm Lisa their eldest daughter and Elena is their youngest daughter, but she's only a baby. That's Jake and he's their son, he's older than me, but I can still beat him at most of the games we play together." The child pointed to each individual and waited for her reply.
Jason and Alison Bardley laughed at the exchange, which reminded them of a certain eldest daughter of theirs, when she'd been seven or eight.
"He might not want to be our grandfather Lisa, so maybe you should keep quiet as Catherine told you." Jake said quietly, looking at the floor as Jace looked towards Catherine and gave her a smile at Jake's choice of words.
Lisa dismissed that comment immediately, "Don't be silly Jake, cause he does, don't you?" her bright blue eyes looked into his older ones' and she saw a reciprocal twinkle that reminded her of Jace. Lisa grinned even wider at that.
"Yes, I do little lady. So, how about you come here and give your grandfather a hug?" Jason held out his arms and the intrepid tornado called Lisa ran into them whooping with joy.
Jake looked on long suffering as he relinquished his hold of Elena to Jace, who gave her mother a rueful smile and held out her daughter for inspection. "Mom I'd like you to meet your granddaughter Elena, she's eight months old and a real terror."
Alison Bardley couldn't stop the single track of tears she shed at those simple words and retrieved the baby from her daughter. Placing a kiss on the baby's forehead she looked her over in true grandmother adoration. "She looks like you and yet....." Alison looked briefly over to Catherine who had her back turned and was watching something from the patio window.
Jace saw the puzzled look and placed a hand on her mother's shoulder and pressed it lightly. "Best not to dwell on the particular question Mom, I was kind of going to ask you something's about my childhood anyway for my own peace of mind." Jace chuckled and then went over to talk to her sister.
"What do you think about my family Lucy?" Jace asked her sister, interested in how her sister viewed the new additions to her family.
Lucy gave her a challenging look and concentrated on the serious question that had been posed. It would be so easy to just say, great wonderful family and leave it at that. Lucy wasn't that type of person if Jace wanted an opinion; she was going to get one, even if she might not like what was said it had always been that way with them. "Well, I have to hand it to you Jace you certainly don't do things by half measures. I thought I was going to glide gracefully into this Aunt business, but oh, no big sister, decided that she wants me to be aunt to three, all at the same time, kind of hard on me wouldn't you say?"
Jace looked at her sister wondering if she really was upset. "I'm sorry guess, I didn't think huh?"
"Think oh, no Jace you did think, because I doubt tall, dark and beautiful over there would hardly have taken notice of you if you had acted dumb." Lucy smiled as she looked over at the back of her sister's lover.
"You think she's tall, dark and beautiful too, I wouldn't have thought you noticed that in a woman?" Jace smirked and was playfully thumped in the arm.
"Hey, I might not want to take a woman to my bed, but I'm not blind and when dad got over his animated ramblings over how stunning she was, well you have to look don't you and wonder what all the fuss is about." Lucy chuckled at the red stain that traced over Jace's cheek.
"Dad was rambling, really? He never rambles Lucy, he's so usually word perfect it can be embarrassing." Jace smiled and looked over at her father who was chatting amiably with Lisa held in his arms.
"Rambling is second nature when he talks of Catherine Devonshire, you ask Mom. I'll tell you this for free, if Catherine was available you wouldn't be the only Bardley interested that's a fact." Lucy gave a cheeky smile of her own.
"You can't say that! What would Mom think?" Jace said shocked at her sisters' observation, Catherine would be embarrassed if she heard this particular conversation.
"Mom? Oh, Mom knows alright I found her the other morning in the supermarket looking at shades of brown hair colouring, she just said don't tell your father." Lucy pulled a face, both sisters laughed out loud at the last comment, leading all eyes, to be splayed in their direction.
Catherine raised her eyebrow and looked questioningly at Jace.
Jace took her sisters hand and pulled her reluctantly over to her partner. "Catherine I know you've met my sister, but have you really met my sister!" Jace pushed Lucy forward and she came to a halt inches from the tall woman who secreted a powerful ambience out of every pore.
"Hello Lucy." Catherine responded quietly and dutifully, her ice blue eyes pinning the younger woman's in a frank gaze.
Lucy was awe-struck just as Jace had known she would be, Catherine stating a simple hello was all that was needed especially with that gorgeous eye contact. "Hi Catherine." Lucy finally managed to utter her mind blown away it was those eyes she was sure of it.
"Everything okay Jace?" Catherine asked her and removed her gaze from Lucy and smiled warmly at Jace and held her in a glance that pierced the young woman's heart with love.
"You got that right Catherine." Jace moved closer to her partner and threaded her fingers with the larger one's of her partners.
Catherine continued to smile and gave her a nod of understanding, then was suddenly surprised as Jace pulled her gently forward and was given a kiss so gentle and swift it was difficult to know if it happened or was a figment of her imagination. "Love you." The words floated towards Catherine as Jace turned away and grabbed Lucy's hand and guided her towards her nephew and nieces.
Lucy had watched the display of affection and had been surprised but pleasantly so when Jace had kissed the woman; it had produced a bashful look from the receiver, she looked cute when she was embarrassed. So, Catherine Devonshire was human after all and her big sister was responsible for that she was sure of it. "See you later Catherine." Lucy added as she followed behind Jace.
Catherine shook her head in acknowledgement of the statement, but said nothing as she watched Jace meld her old and new family together it was an art Catherine was sure of it. Jace was a master when it came to this type of good old-fashioned sharing of love. 'Another dream Jace.'
Jason Bardley had released his hold over Lisa so she could become acquainted with her grandmother and Aunt. He now watched the solemn boy who was shuffling closer and closer towards Catherine Devonshire. He was nothing like the young girl, she would charm a snake if she had too to get attention, although she was adorable with it and she did so remind him of Jace as a youngster uncanny really. "Son, what do you do to get away from all these females, must be murder for you?" Jason grinned at the boy who stopped in his tracks and looked at the older man who had a head of grey hair, he knew that Catherine had grey hair but not much, 'wonder if hers would one day be as grey as the older man in front of him?'
Catherine from her position at the window had seen the boy's slow movement towards her and smiled as she heard Jace's father take the initiative with the shy boy.
"I play football." Jake answered, looking towards Catherine, who gave him a glance indicating that he needed to change the answer he changed his comment accordingly. "Sorry, soccer actually."
Jason nodded his grey head. "Have you ever watched baseball Jacob?" Jason gave the boy his full Christian name.
"No! Is it good?" Jake looked at the older man and waited for the answer.
"How about you explain to me all the rules about soccer and I'll do the same for baseball, what do you say have we a deal?" Jason gave the boy a genuine smile; he enjoyed sport and it would be enlightening to have an insight to another game.
Jake considered the invitation and finally answered. "Sure I can do that! My names Jake granddad." The boy said gruffly as he walked towards the older man and they began a discussion about sport around the world.
Catherine watched all the interchanges going around the room and silently walked over to the door of the study and let herself out.
Grace was walking by at that moment and she stopped at the foot of the stairs. "Going well?"
Catherine smiled and turned to her friend. "Yes."
"You sound surprised why?" Grace had to stop a chuckle at the look of almost childish puzzlement in Catherine's eyes.
"Thought it might be more difficult than that to make up for misunderstandings, especially when they have let it fester so long." Catherine stated simply.
"Would you have found it difficult, if you had the opportunity with your father?" Grace asked her and looked deep into the ice blue pools that suddenly took on a lost look.
"Yeah, I would Grace, but you know if my father had been alive today and I was with Jace, I think she would have solved that problem for me." Catherine gave her a rueful look.
Grace pondered that remark and suddenly recalled a conversation they'd had some time ago. "Catherine you once said you had an Aunt who brought you up when your father left for the States, when was the last time you talked to her?" Grace wasn't sure it was a good idea to bring it up, but somehow it fitted the conversation they were having.
"Sixteen years ago, funny I was thinking of her recently too, for different reasons though. It's time!" Catherine responded her tone reflective.
"Time for what?" Grace asked tentatively.
"Time I made my peace with her, I think I can cope with that now and perhaps she will see me." Catherine appeared surprised at her choice of words.
"Did you leave each other on bad terms?" Grace wasn't sure she would receive a reply and put her foot on the first rung of the stairs.
"Grace bad terms were hardly the description, she hated me at the end with good cause. Well, I probably deserved it at the time." Catherine looked directly into the warm compassionate brown eyes of her friend.
"Oh! No, well things have a habit of changing with time and sixteen years is time enough I would hazard." She smiled and moved up another rung.
"Grace as it's your last night of so called freedom, what would you say to you and me and a bottle of wine and some good jokes." Catherine surprised Grace with this statement and she almost lost her balance on the stairs.
"Yes, with you and jokes anytime. I've had a couple of glasses with the others but yeah go for it Catherine, where?" Grace moved back down into the hall.
"Great, I'll get the wine and glasses you get us a couple of chairs on the porch furthest corner, then, let's see how it goes." Catherine moved quickly towards the kitchen in search of the wine.
Grace shook her head and smiled at the departing back. 'You might find the wine, but I bet you have to ask Judy to get the glasses.' Grace laughed softly and headed for the requested spot on the porch.
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