Riverbreeze: Part 3 by Ellen E. Johnson

shook his head at him. “You’re too good, Jamie.” He clapped Jamie on the shoulder.
    “I am not.” Jamie said stubbornly. “What is wrong with wanting to help the Matthews?”
    “Noth— “ William was interrupted by a shout from the fence where Jamie’s horses were tied up.
    They all looked. It was Nick Bannister, the Bolton brothers, Osbourne Wells and Adam Cooke all coincidentally arriving at the same time on their horses. After securing the animals at the fence, the five men hurried down to join Jamie, William and his men.
    They exchanged greetings and then Nick, Joseph, John, Adam and Osbourne immediately proceeded to tease ol’ William.
    “Look at you! All fancied up. So, you’re going to get to play at pickle-me-tickle-me tonight, eh Willy?” Nick needled Barber.
    “Going fleshmongering, are ye?” Joseph razzed him.
    “Having a bit of mutton?” John added, poking William in the side and laughing like a March hare.
    Jamie snickered along with the men until finally Barber got fed up. “Enough! Enough!” Barber said amidst all the laughter. “I’ve already heard it all from my mates.”
    “Ah. Yes. So…” Nick said, his laughter trailing away, clearly disappointed that somebody had already beat him at teasing Barber. So, he turned on Jamie. “James, my lad, what the hell are you doing with that broom?”
    Jamie let out a sharp sigh. Through his teeth, he answered, “I am clearing the leaves from the paths.”
    “What the hell for?” Nick demanded.
    “Because I want to!” Jamie snapped. He had had enough too.
    “All right. All right.” Nick said, putting his hands up. “No need to get all snippy.”
    “I am not snippy.” Jamie said under his breath.
    At that point, a young woman who looked a lot like Elizabeth ran past the group of men at a breakneck speed, her cloak flying behind her, and a second woman who looked a lot like Abigail trailing behind.
    “Wasn’t that Robert’s wife and your housemaid?” William asked, watching the women run towards the front door of the church.
    “Yes.” Jamie said slowly, staring at the women’s backs. Why would they run to the church like that as if there were an emergency? At that thought his stomach dropped. Did something else happen to Evelyn and did Elizabeth know about it through their connection? Or did she have another dream which had predicted Evelyn’s accident? “I need to go.” He said suddenly, turning to leave.
    “Jamie!” This shout was from his brother who was just entering the churchyard. He was carrying Robin, and Nathan and Dolnick were with them.
    “What’s wrong with Elizabeth?” Jamie asked when Robert reached them. “And Abigail?”
    “You tell me.” Robert panted, nearly out of breath. He had tried to keep up with Elizabeth, but carrying Robin had slowed him down somewhat. “Gentlemen, good to see all of you.” He greeted the men perfunctorily, then turned back to his brother. “What happened to Evelyn?”
    “How do you know something happened to Evelyn?” Jamie asked, his heart pounding.
    “Elizabeth felt a pain in her head. She’s been frantic ever since.”
    The men exchanged looks, but both brothers ignored them.
    “Evelyn fell off a bench and hit her head on the floor.” Jamie said. Well, that explained Elizabeth’s rush to the church. Through the twins’ connection, she had felt Evelyn’s pain at the time Evelyn had hit her head. Nothing more, thank God.
    “Is she all right?” Robert asked automatically
    Jamie nodded. “She was shaken up a little. She’s resting now. I told her never to climb up on benches again.
    “Do you think she’ll listen?”
    Jamie snorted. “Probably not.”
    “I know what you mean.” Rob said, patting Jamie’s shoulder.
    “I’m sorry, Jamie.” Nick said, his voice sincere. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
    “Whatever do you mean?” Jamie asked, perplexed by Nick’s change in demeanor.
    “I shouldn’t have teased you like that. About clearing the