Page 261 of The Defiant Curse

“She’s in the library. I just brought her some coffee. Right now, she’s neck deep in research. She borrowed Graham’s laptop, and she’s doing some investigating on the internet.”

He lifted a brow.

“Really?” he asked. “That’s new. Normally, she has someone help her.”

Michael handed him a mug of steaming coffee.

“Well, she didn’t look like she was against company. Maybe we should all spend some time working on that before we head into town for dinner.”

That worked for him.

“Let’s go see what she’s working on,” he offered. “And help out.”

Gabby grabbed her coffee and the plate of cookies to share with Elizabeth. She was going to fatten her up a bit while she was here in Scotland, so she’d go back healthier, and with the weight she’d taken off back on her body.

“I’ll catch up. I’m going to wait for Graham.”

That reminded Ethan.

“You need to tell him what you’ve planned. I hinted that you had a present coming. He’d love to know it.”

Oh, well, he would do that later when they were alone. His plan had been to surprise him.

“I can’t wait.”

Gabby lifted a brow.

“What are you talking about?”

Michael just grinned.

“I’ve changed my name back, legally,” he said. “I’m going back to being D’Artangnan. I want to reclaim that part of my life—because it isn’t painful anymore. It’s actually important. Instead of making Graham try to remember to call me Michael, he can use the name he knew me by before. That man is back again.”

Gabby smiled.

“So goodbye, Michael?”

He shook his head.

“No, it’s now D’Artangnan Saint Michael Graves. The saint part is a little homage to my mother, Elizabeth, because that’s what she calls me.”

Gabby hugged him.

“It’s good to have you back, D’Artangnan, or Saint Michael,” she said. “Graham will be tickled pink.”

Oh, he was aware.

There was no doubt in his mind.

Together, they headed there, and once to the library, they found Elizabeth sitting on the couch, a cup of coffee on the coffee table, and a furry blanket over her lap as she was lost in thought on the laptop.

When Ethan headed in, she looked up and smiled.

When she did, that was a punch to the solar plexus. The man was ridiculously handsome.

“Hey,” she said, as he leaned down to kiss her on the lips. “I was thinking about you,” she said.

And other things.