Heartwishes (Edilean 5)

“Where?”

“Anywhere they’ll have me.”

When Colin frowned, Gemma knew why. She was purposely not answering his question. “Okay. I want the normal things every woman wants. Home, family, great job. Save the world. By the way, what is your deepest wish? You’re a Frazier, so maybe this Stone will show up—if it wasn’t sold at auction, that is—and you’ll get your wish fulfilled.”

Colin didn’t meet her eyes. “I want what I have. I’m content.”

Gemma remembered what Jean had said about the Fraziers keeping secrets, and she felt sure that Colin was evading the issue. But he had that right, didn’t he? Gemma was a relative stranger to him, so he didn’t have to tell her anything. When she got up, her side hurt and she winced.

“You okay?”

“Fine, but I need an early night.” Yesterday after they’d eaten, they’d worked together for a couple of hours. Colin had called a woman named Jocelyn, the wife of the famous writer, and she’d attached the genealogy files she’d made to an e-mail. She told them how to download the software that would open them, and Colin supplied a credit card. Thirty minutes later, Gemma and Colin were looking at the family trees of what he called “the seven founding families of Edilean.”

Gemma asked him what he knew about how the town started. “No one knows the true story,” he said, “but it’s been passed down that it involved a wagonload of gold and a beautiful young woman named Edilean. She was a McTern or a Harcourt, we’re not sure which. We don’t know where the other families came from.”

“Do you think they were friends of Edilean’s? Did they come from Scotland together?”

“We’re pretty sure the Fraziers came from Scotland, and so did the McDowells and the McTerns.”

She glanced at the list she’d made of the names. “What about the Aldredges and the Connors? And the Welsches? Where did they all meet and why did they settle here?”

“No one knows for sure.” “I think the real question is why did they all stay here,” Gemma said thoughtfully.

“Are you disparaging my beautiful little town?” “No. It’s just that Americans tend to move a lot. Actually, I rather like what I’ve seen of this town so far.”

“And you’ve seen little of it,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the barbecue.” “Barbecue?” Colin asked. “Oh, right. Your date with Tristan. I better warn you that—”

“Every woman falls in love with him?” Gemma asked. “Nell already told me.” If she’d been hoping for a flicker of jealousy from Colin, she was disappointed.

They’d spent the morning in the garage while Colin took boxes off the shelves and showed the contents to Gemma. If there was nothing inside but household accounts, he put the box in the bed of the utility vehicle. When it was full, Colin drove it to another storage place on the estate and unloaded it. When he returned, they filled it again.

Through the whole process, he’d been adamant that Gemma was to lift nothing heavier than a packet of letters.

At noon they’d returned to the house for lunch.

Gemma was now looking down at him as he sat on the floor. “You don’t have to spend the whole day with me. I’m sure your family would like some time with you.”

“Actually, Mom told me to stay here with you. I think she’s worried about your injury.”

“That’s nice of her.” Gemma held out her hand for his plate and took them both to the kitchen. As she put them in the dishwasher, she took a few breaths. Part of her wished Colin would leave and let her work alone. But the larger part of her never wanted him to go away. Last evening and this morning they’d bounced ideas back and forth.

Well, actually, she’d talked and he’d listened. As they went through boxes and trunks and bags, making the first cursory inspections, they’

d talked about Gemma’s dissertation. He wanted to know what interested her. What era in history most intrigued her? Were there any historical mysteries she’d like to solve? Some myth she’d like to expose as false?

“You know, don’t you, that the first rule of a dissertation is that no one other than your professors will read it?” she said.

“If you find out something about the eighteenth century, Luke will put it in one of his books and a million or so people will read about it,” Colin said.

“If I did that, do you think he’d write me a recommendation and help me get a good job?”

“Definitely,” Colin said. “Luke knows some people at William and Mary.” He looked at her for a moment, and she knew he was asking her if that school suited her.

It almost seemed as if he were asking if she’d like to settle in Edilean permanently. Gemma felt blood rushing to her face and had to turn away. She really did need to get herself back under control!

At last, she said, “That school has an excellent reputation and I’d be proud to be associated with it.”

Colin didn’t say anything, but the way he smiled made her heart jump into her throat.