Lindsay accepted the packet of mail with a smile and closed the heavy wooden door. Walking slowly over to the love seat, she began sorting through the mail with interest.

"Mail, honey," she called upstairs.

"Be right down."

She sat heavily, letting out a breath of air as she did. She was now over eight months pregnant, and felt as if she always had been.

She laid aside the rest of the mail and selected the thick packet that bore a postmark from the British Isles.

"Oo, Connor! There’s news from Peter and Megan!"

He came downstairs in pale grey slacks and a short-sleeved white shirt.

"Hey, great! About time. One postal card, from Newfoundland, in a month."

She shot him a coquettish look. "Well, Connor–"

"All right," he laughed, "I concede. I know where this is going."

She smiled up at him. With her dark blonde hair in a high pony tail and the tendrils around her face, she looked as though she was still in her teens. "Mrs. Shultz left us a cold lunch," she told him.

"Why don’t I bring it in here while we look at the package?"

"Good idea."

She glanced through some other letters while Connor got their lunch together, then they settled down to enjoy Megan’s saga.

Kirkwall, The Orkneys–Hi, guys! Bet you thought we’d forgotten you. But we haven’t–it’s just that the British Isles are so big, and I haven’t wanted to stop.

"Sounds like they’re having fun," Connor commented.

Lindsay nodded, and continued:

We started in London, of course, and took in all the sights there. What a beautiful old city London is! The changing of the guard was thrilling, but the Tower gave me chills! The guide talked about Anne Boleyn’s ghost haunting those corridors, and he made it so real I could almost see her walking the parapets. I got a pretty firm grip on Peter’s arm just then, but I don’t think he minded very much.

Both of them laughed at that. "She is going to be so good for him," Lindsay commented. "He’s needed someone for a very long time." There was a tiny note of sadness in her voice.

He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and took a sip of his lemonade. "Where did they go from there?"

"Mm–Stonehenge. She says:

Both of us were interested in that. Peter as the physicist, (do all physicists have theories on Stonehenge, or just those with boyish grins?) and I as the archaeologist. Boy, would I like a month to dig around in there!

"I’ll bet she would, too," Connor laughed. "She could single-handedly dissolve 200 years of peace."

She flashed him a smile and went back to the papers. "She says they traveled through the small villages of middle England on their way to Wales, and said they were so beautiful. All of their accommodations were in authentic old farmhouses, now bed and breakfast inns. She thought the people were privileged to live there in such beauty."

"Have we got an expatriate on our hands?" he grinned.

She smiled without looking up, and went on:

I can’t say enough about these islands. Wales with its baffling language, Ireland, where the grass really is a different shade of green, and Scotland, which I think I love most of all! We even visited Loch Ness, but "Nessie" wasn’t receiving that day!

"She’s wonderful!" Connor chuckled. "Is there more?"

"A bit."

Finally it was off to the Orkney Islands with the Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, the Watch Stone and the Old Man of Hoy. Did you know that the Watch Stone, between the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, is supposed to walk to the water occasionally for a drink? Isn’t it fun to believe the unbelievable?

We were up to see Maes Howe, a tomb formed long before the Vikings, by unknown people, possibly the ones that built the stone circles. Once we got in that, my archeological fingers really started itching, and Peter threatened to carry me out over his shoulder! I almost let him try, and he might have, except the entrance passage is so low both of us had to bend double to get in! But I’m sure my Peter would have managed somehow!

They were both laughing at the imagined sight, considering both Peter and Megan were within an inch or two of being 6 feet!

Lindsay was a little breathless with laughter, and also shifted uncomfortably. At once Connor was alert.

"Can I get you anything?"

She shook her head. "It’s just from now on out, it’s going to be like this–being uncomfortable. It’s something I have to endure." There was a touch of misery in her voice. "Just be there, that’s all."

"Always."

She smiled at him. "So patient–and I’m afraid it’s going to get worse."

His grey eyes glowed. "Bring it on. I’m up to the challenge." He kissed her lovingly, then his mood lightened. "Tell you what. One day you and I will go there, to the Orkneys, and I’ll carry you over my shoulder through the Maes Howe. We’ll go there on–our first second honeymoon."

"First second?" Her eyebrows lifted.

"Yeah. Every trip will be a honeymoon. Our first second, our second second, our third second–"

"Whoa! Whoa!" She laughed. "This is getting complicated!" Her mood bright again, she turned back to the letter. "There’s more, but let’s finish it later, okay? I’m a bit tired."

"Okay. I’ll clean up the lunch dishes," and he gave her a quick kiss.

She curled up on the love seat, and as she did, Sooty jumped up with her, settling in just above the baby. She cuddled him to her, and in a few minutes she was asleep.

TTT

When she awoke, she found Connor sitting in one of the big comfortable chairs, reading.

"Hi, honey," he smiled. "Did the nap help?"

She nodded, yawning as she sat up. Sooty moved to lay atop her stomach, a favorite position of his. Connor laughed.

"He does that a lot."

"I think maybe he can hear the baby’s heartbeat, and he likes it."

"It’s possible. He’s still a baby himself."

She smiled down as she petted him, then reached for the letter. "Come on. Let’s finish this and look at the pictures."

He moved over beside her, and she continued to read.

At last we are in Kirkwall, which is the end of our journey. We’ve just been to St. Magnus’ Cathedral, where his bones are sealed in the altar. It’s a beautiful place. Just like all the other places. I hate to leave here, but we have to get home. Peter wouldn’t say anything, but I sense he’s anxious to get back to work. I will write again when we get back to New York. We will be stopping over in Newfoundland to visit Bell Island and his father on our way home. Home! Home with Peter!

Connor smiled fondly. "She really loves him."

Lindsay nodded. "Almost as much as I do you."

"Almost?"

She leaned over to kiss him. "Almost."

Next they took out the packet of pictures and spent the next hour enjoying them. Megan had written on the backs of them where they were.

"She could have these published as a tour guide to the British Isles," Connor said. "She’s a very good photographer."

"Look at this one of the two of them in the Ring of Brodgar. Don’t they look happy?"

Connor nodded. "I wonder where they are right now?"

TTT

"Peter!" Megan was laughing. "Put me down!"

"Not till I get you over the threshold," he laughed in reply. He set her gently on her feet, then cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "Welcome home, Mrs. Axon."

Her arms went around his neck and she kissed him back. "Welcome home, Dr. Axon."

He laughed and hugged her, then turned practical by bringing in the luggage and picking up a month’s worth of mail from the floor, going through it cursorily. "Not much here, mostly junk," he muttered. "I’ll look at it later."

He glanced up at his wife. "One more day of vacation left. Shall we start with unpacking?"

"Why don’t you start while I get the laundry going?"

She got their clothes in the washer, then came to help him. They had been working an hour when she said she was going to fix dinner and asked if he was hungry.

"I sure am. I just hope there’s something worth eating. I cleaned out the fridge before the wedding. We should have bought groceries. Shall I go get some, or do you want to go out?"

"Let me check the freezer first."

A few minutes later she called from the kitchen, and he went out to find her holding a box, a bewildered look on her face.

"Did you find something for dinner?"

"What? Oh. Yes. Lindsay left something quick and easy to cook in the freezer along with a note, bless her. But–what’s this?" She held out the small box. "I found it in the refrigerator. I thought you said you cleaned it out."

"I did." Puzzled, he looked inside the box and began to laugh in his unique, trilling manner. "This has Lindsay’s fingerprints all over it! I was teasing her when she offered to fix breakfast, that there were stale donuts in the fridge. Pardon the pun, but dollars to donuts she did this as a joke. After a month, they’ve got to be pretty stale!" And Megan joined in his laughter.

TTT

Lindsay was lying awake. She was restless, but was trying not to move and disturb Connor. Presently, though, he spoke to her.

"What’s the matter, honey? Can’t sleep?"

"I’m sorry, darling. Did I wake you?"

"No." He rubbed his hand along her arm. "I just knew you were awake."

"You’re right. I have a terrible backache."

"Want me to rub it?"

She sighed in relief. "Yes. Thanks. That would be heavenly."

He gently massaged the small of her back until she sighed again, this time in relaxation.

"Oh! Thank you, darling," she said, and a minute later she was asleep.

He smiled to himself in the darkness and, putting his arm over her waist, scooted closer. "Good night, darling," he whispered, kissing the back of her head. "Sleep well."

TTT

Peter’s return to the O.S.I.R. was likened to that of William the Conqueror. Everyone was glad to see him, and plied him with questions and for details of the honeymoon. He was still the center of attention when Anton came out of his office and began the morning’s review.

"Anton! Hi! How’s it been goin’ here?" Peter was a little concerned, because Anton seemed tired and strained, although in good spirits. Was it Peter’s imagination or did he seem quieter than usual?

"Good morning, Peter," he smiled. "Welcome back."

"Thanks. It was super, but it’s good to be home."

He nodded, then began giving out assignments. At last only Alpha Team was left. Peter, Mia, and occasionally Ray Donahue and Dr. Claire Davison made up this, the best group. Right now, only Peter and Mia were present.

"I’ve left you till the last, Peter, because I know this is important to you. Do you remember our last trip to Egypt?"

I’ll say I do. A crystal scarab that wasn’t even crystal." His voice revealed he still smarted over this one.

"Really? A crystal scarab?" exclaimed Mia. I’ve never heard of a crystal one!"

"And you never will," Peter answered her wryly. "The whole thing was a blamed hoax! Anyway, it was five years ago–long before your time," he added, with a touch of a smile.

"Well," Anton continued, "you know they never bothered to reopen that tomb where the original was found, due to the explosion that collapsed it. However, it seems another one has shown up at a different site, and they want us to investigate this one."

Instantly Peter was on his feet. "Are you sure–are they sure–this time?"

Anton laughed. "Yes, Peter, they’re sure. This time the government itself has taken charge of it."

"When do we leave?" Peter was so excited, he could hardly contain himself.

"Well, we have a slight problem. Natasha has developed a severe case of Ménière’s syndrome. She can’t even stand, much less fly, in her condition. So we need a substitute archaeologist. Peter, do you think Megan might take Natasha’s place this time?"

"I’ll be back in five minutes!" he said, and bolted from the room.

TTT