Jade Star - Catherine Coulter [142]
Saint cocked a brow at her but said nothing. He was, quite frankly, surprised that she remembered.
“I should offer the same for Brent,” Jules said. “If it weren’t for him, I should be on board a ship sailing for China.”
No, Saint wanted to tell her, there would have been no ship. There would have been naught but an ending—and Wilkes had known it. Poor bloody bastard.
“I believe we should drink to how great we all are,” Brent said. “Can Thackery have a glass of champagne, Saint?”
“Mr. John Thackery,” Saint said, giving a heartfelt smile to the grinning black man, “has my thanks and good wishes for all eternity, not to mention free medical care.”
“Excellent.” Brent shouted. “Mammy! Champagne for everyone!”
“As for you, little one,” Saint said to his wife, “I fully intend to cosset you and love you until I’m too old to move.”
“In that case,” said Jules, squeezing her husband’s hand, her eyes twinkling, “I shall just have to give you my derringer.”
“Derringer?”
“Yes, and you can stomp on it. Again.”
“Jules, if ever I—”
“Perhaps Penelope will give hers to Thomas.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Penelope? Don’t tell me that the two of you—”
Saint broke off at Brent’s shout of laughter.
“So much for cosseting,” Byrony said. “Ah, the champagne.”
“We’ll give Saint the bottle,” Brent said. “He looks like he needs it.”