By the time they sat down to dinner that night, Brenda didn't know what to make of Jax's Aunt Violet. But she did realize the woman was very clever. She was nothing but sweetness and light to Brenda, asking how she and Jax met, going on about what a beautiful couple they made. And yet she kept giving Brenda those irritating glances of triumph mixed with pity that made Brenda's teeth grind together. Geez, this lady really knew how to get to her!

     Brenda began to feel very much like a sheep being led to the wolf by another sheep, which was really a wolf, itself in disguise. Her appetite was fairly non-existent, both due to the overly rich taste of Aunt Violet's cooking, and Brenda's own self-preservation sixth sense that told her to be on her guard, which in turn made food the last thing on her mind.

     "And what do you do for a living, Brenda dear?" Aunt Violet asked sweetly as she passed some seasoned potatoes over to Jax.

     "I'm a student right now, actually," Brenda responded, doing her damndest to figure out what this woman was up to.

     "I told you, Aunt Violet, Brenda and I go to the same college," Juliet reminded her, exchanging an eye-roll with Justin.

     "Oh, yes, that college for music over in Lake Charles," Aunt Violet nodded. "Do you play an instrument, dear?" she asked Brenda.

     "Brenda sings," Jax responded. "Magnificently, actually."

     "I see," the older woman smiled broadly, but to Brenda her violet eyes seemed to glint a bit. "Well, how lovely. So now we have three marvelous voices in the family. You know, my dear," she said, looking at Brenda, "Amanda sings as well."

     "Really?" Brenda said, glancing over at Amanda Carrington.

     Amanda nodded. "I had operatic training, but I can't stand that genre."

     "Oh, but she does have the voice of an angel," Aunt Violet sighed. "I've a funny story to share with you, Brenda. When we all lived back in Australia and your husband was a little boy, his mother and I would often find him fast asleep outside of Amanda's bedroom window. He would hear her singing you see, and abandon his chores, or his playing, and walk next door to the Carrington house and sit himself down on the grass below her window just listening to Amanda humming or singing any old song. And then he'd grow so relaxed, he'd just pop right off to sleep there on the grass. Amanda's father was forever carrying him back home," Aunt Violet laughed.

     Everyone else laughed as well, recalling those days of Jax being missing so often. Except for Niles, of course, who glared at Aunt Violet with unconcealed dislike. And except for Justin, too. He didn't laugh because nothing his Aunt said was ever funny in his opinion, plus he had his eyes trained on his sister-in-law, who did manage a smile but looked as if she was about to be sick. As told by anyone else the story would have been cute and charming, but it was clear Aunt Violet's intent was to rattle Brenda, and stir up trouble as was her usual meddlesome way when she was being her annoying, busybody, interfering self.

     "That's really… cute," Brenda managed to say with a straight face, although she had the urge to gag.

     "I have a confession to make about that," Amanda said, still laughing, as she looked over at Jax. "I used to see Jax there, asleep. And I always knew I should tell my mother and father so they could tell his parents where he was and not to worry, or I should just go wake him up myself. But I was always too transfixed staring at him to do anything. I mean, he was so beautiful," She looked at Brenda, "Well, you know what I'm talking about." Then she turned back to Jax. "Once I thought about charging admission for the other girls on our street to come over to my house and watch you sleeping."

     "They would have gladly paid you, too," Aunt Violet said, then turned to Brenda. "Jax was always very popular with the young ladies," she explained.

     "Yes, I already know that," Brenda responded, running her hand through her hair to keep it from reaching out across the table to choke Jax's Aunt.

     "Well, that's just our Jax," Aunt Violet said, patting his cheek. "Always the ladies man."

     "Until I met, Brenda," Jax interjected hastily, sorely regretting his playboy history because he knew it was a sore spot with his beautiful, young wife. And he was strongly sensing Brenda's low threshold of tolerance for this current topic of dinner conversation. "Then there was no one else for me."

     Some of the spark in Aunt Violet's eyes dulled. "Of course, darling," she agreed. "That is as it should be." She glanced at Brenda's plate. "Why, Brenda, you're barely touching your food. Is something the matter?" she asked, ignoring the fact that Justin and Juliet had not eaten much either and Jax had been filling himself on the bread more than the actual meal.

     "Oh, no. I'm just not that hungry. Sorry," Brenda lied.

     "Must be catching," Justin murmured to her, and she stifled a laugh, as she saw his own fairly full plate.

     "Rampantly contagious, sir," Niles added, outright turning up his nose at his portion.

     "I do hope the food is to your liking, Brenda, dear," Aunt Violet said, affecting a deeply concerned expression. "I do so want your first visit here to be a happy one. You must tell me if there is anything special I can prepare for you."

     Brenda glanced at her warily. "No, really. Don't go to any trouble. I'm fine," she said, longing for one of Vince's fabulous meals. Although, right now she'd just settle for a cheeseburger.

     Dessert was even more unpalatable than the dinner had been, as Aunt Violet served up some chocolate cake concoction that sent Brenda into sugar shock after just one bite. She was surprised her teeth didn't fall out directly onto the floor.

     Watching her expression, Jax (who had passed on dessert, as did his siblings, knowing better) laughed softly and passed Brenda a tall cup of cold milk. She gulped down half the glass, glancing at him appreciatively. He laughed again and moved to kiss her. "You okay?" he murmured, brushing a hand against her cheek and trying not to laugh at the look in Brenda's eyes.

     She nodded, but then reached for the rest of the milk. "Jax, that cake thing ought to be illegal!" she whispered.

     Jax laughed again and kissed her again, "God, I love you," he murmured.

     Aunt Violet watched them sharing a private laugh interrupted by occasional kissing and decided she'd had enough of that.

     "Jax, my dear. Tell me, are you still quite the whiz at chess?" Violet inquired, disturbing the intimate moment.

     "Only Niles can beat him," Juliet said proudly.

      "And only on the rare occasion at that," Jax bragged.

      "Oh, I think I'm going to have to knock you off your high horse, Jax," Amanda said.

      "I'd love to make you eat your words," Jax said with a grin. "But I think Brenda and I are going to…"

      "Jax is right," Aunt Violet interrupted. "Brenda shouldn't have to spare Jax for a few minutes of that tedious game. We must all remember they are still newlyweds," she said with a bright smile as she looked at Brenda.

     Brenda thought if she had to see that look of condescending, smug pity one more time she was going to scream like a banshee! Good grief, had they really only been here not even a whole day?! She would never make it a week with this woman!

     She knew exactly what Jax's aunt was implying with her innocent sounding words and her phony smile. She was implying that Brenda was too threatened by Amanda's presence to let Jax do anything with her, including playing a harmless game of chess. It was ridiculous, of course. It wasn't true. Sure, Brenda was a little bit jealous, but she was always a little bit jealous of the women Jax had been involved with - because there were so many of them! But a tiny twinge of jealousy did not equate with being threatened. She wasn't threatened by this woman at all. But it rankled her that Jax's Aunt thought she was. It rankled her so much that she heard herself encouraging Jax to go ahead and play just to wipe that smile off Aunt Violet's face.

     Jax glanced at her. "Are you sure, Bren? I thought you wanted to take a walk so I could show you the pond?"

     Brenda nodded. "We'll just do it when you're finished. It shouldn't take you that long to beat her, right?" she said with a sexy smile.

     He returned the smile. "Nope," he said, brushing his lips over hers and then getting up. "Okay, Carrington," he said. "Let's get this demolition over with. Aunt Violet, where's your chess set?"

      "Right in the living room, dear," she said sweetly to Jax, then shot Brenda a look that said 'you little fool, you've played right into my hands.'

     Brenda dearly wanted to smack the smug look from her face. She felt Niles behind her, tapping her shoulder.

      "I'm afraid you allowed her to manipulate you that time, Miss Brenda. But now we know her game. She's going to try to infer that you are insecure of Master Jax's being with an old flame, and in your efforts to prove you are not, you will play right into her hands."

     Brenda sighed. "Well, what am I supposed to do? Tell Jax he has to stay away from Amanda? That's just stupid - she's his friend. Or should I throw a tantrum and tell him I want to go home? That'll be playing right into his Aunt Violet's hands, too, Niles. You've seen her. She's acting all sweetness and kindness and benevolence to me, so if I do anything wrong or say anything wrong to her I'm the one who's going to look bad in Jax's eyes."

      "Yes, she does seem to be trying to get you to lose your temper," Niles admitted. "She could perhaps use a laxative in her tea."

     Brenda laughed but shook her head. "No," she said, "we can't do that, Niles. Jax knows my M.O. We can't do anything to her that Jax would think was planned by me. I'm not going to embarrass him or make him angry," she said firmly. "Pulling those kind of things on his nasty ex-girlfriends is one thing. But this is his aunt. I may totally dislike her, but he's very fond of her. I have to find another way."

      "What you have to do, Miss Brenda, if I may make a suggestion," Niles said, "is to out the woman. Master Jax has to see her for what the rest of us know she is capable of. As she is attempting to push your buttons to let you have some kind of unflattering outburst in front of your husband, you must try to do the same to her."

     Brenda nodded thoughtfully. "You are absolutely right. I just have to figure out what pushes her buttons. I don't know anything about her."

      "I shall help you, Miss Brenda. I know a great many things that annoy her," Niles assured her with a reassuring wink. "We shall stage a plan of attack for tomorrow."

     Two hours later, Brenda was ready to climb the walls. Jax was still embroiled in his chess match with Amanda, who was obviously a better opponent than they had thought. Her laughter every time she countered a move of Jax's was getting on Brenda's last nerve. Jax's own concentrated intensity on the match was getting on her nerves, too, which she knew wasn't fair, of course. She knew Jax was a master at chess and was always intense in his matches. It was hardly anything new. But it just bothered her this time. A lot.

     Jax was always offering to teach her how to play, and she was always saying no, insisting she had no patience to learn that game. Well, she vowed the next time he offered her she would take him up on it.

     Amanda's laughter erupted again as she prevented a check on Jax's part, and Brenda had just about had it. God only knew how much longer this match would continue. She popped up off of the couch and walked over to the window, where Justin was gazing out, looking terminally bored.

      "Hey," she said to her brother-in-law. "How would you like to save a life?"

     Justin turned from the window. "That depends on whose life it is."

      "Mine. I am about to kill myself for ever suggesting Jax play this match."

     Justin grinned, "He is rather absorbed, isn't he? But that's hardly anything new, Brenda."

      "I know. Would you mind taking a walk with me? I just need to get out of here and get some air for a few minutes. I'd drag Julie with me, but I think the pace of this match put her into a coma," Brenda murmured, nodding her head in the direction of Juliet, who was slumped in a comfortable armchair, fast asleep.

      "She's dying to go home," Justin said. "She misses Devon."

      "I'm dying to go home, too," Brenda confessed. "It's almost Christmas. I don't want to be here. I want to be in our home with our family. Eating real food!"

     Justin chuckled. "Then tell your husband. He will do whatever you ask," Justin told her.

     Brenda shook her head. "I'm not going to be the one to tell him we want to go home and ditch Aunt Violet before the week is over. Jax will be so disappointed in me for not liking your aunt when she's been bending over backwards acting so nice to me. Why don't you or Julie tell him we want to go? He already knows you guys don't really like her," Brenda pointed out logically.

     Justin nodded. "Okay. We'll tell him tomorrow. We'll leave you out of it."

     Brenda smiled at him. "Oh, Justin, thank you! You understand why, right?'

     Justin smiled back at her. "Yes. As his wife I see the position you're in. He'll likely insist we stay at least a couple more days," Justin guessed, "but we'll let him know that staying the entire week is simply beyond our endurance."

     Brenda giggled. "I passed my endurance with your aunt after an hour in her presence."

     Justin smiled at her. "Yes, I noticed. It made me very proud that you caught on to her so quickly."

      "She made it easy," Brenda muttered.

      "Shall we take that walk now?" Justin suggested. "Before it gets too late."

     Aunt Violet covertly watched Justin and Brenda as they chatted by the window. They seemed quite chummy, she noticed. This could prove quite useful, she thought with a smile. Then she glanced back to the chess match, a bit disappointed in Jax's lack of attention to Amanda, as he was fully absorbed in calculating his moves and lacked interest in anything else. But Amanda… well, she was clearly still quite smitten with her high school sweetheart. Her eyes gazed at him longingly as he pondered over the chessboard paying her no mind at all. Yes, if he became available, Amanda would surely jump into the arena.

      "Jax, I am absconding outside with your wife for a few minutes," Justin said, as he and Brenda slid their coats on and headed for the door.

      "Okay," Jax said distractedly, pursing his lips thoughtfully as he contemplated ten moves into the future. "Anything happens to her, you die."

      "Good God, relax. I swear I will hurl myself in front of any oncoming twigs that fall from the tress and may strike her. We'll be right back," Justin said with a laugh as he and Brenda left.

     Jax made his move and Amanda groaned. "Again?" she muttered.

      "Yes, again. Check," Jax said silkily.

      "Your brother seems quite fond of your bride, Jax," Aunt Violet commented. "It's very nice to see that. A family should be close."

     Jax nodded. "Brenda's very close to my whole family, actually."

     Aunt Violet nodded. "And she has so much in common with Juliet, which is so nice."

      "They're best friends," Jax said, smiling over Amanda's inability to figure out a way out of his "check", even though he clearly saw one.

      "And she seems to be fond of that butler of yours, too," Aunt Violet noted, shooting a hostile glance over to Niles, who stood by the fireplace watching the match. Why didn't the man retire to bed or simply leave the room? It was as if he were a sentry, keeping an annoying eye on her in Brenda's absence.

      "Very," Jax agreed. "I can't even begin to tell you the ingenious plots those two have hatched together."

      "Still, she does seem especially close to Justin," Violet added. "Well, I suppose that's quite natural. They're nearly the same age, after all, and both share such a love of music and the theatre. It must be lovely to have so much in common. You must be so pleased, Jax, with how well they have bonded."

     Jax glanced at his aunt. "Well… like I said, Brenda's close to my whole family. It's not just Justin."

     Aunt Violet frowned. "They don't seem especially close to you, dear?"

      "No," Jax said in a tone that indicated he didn't like what his aunt seemed to be implying.

     Violet put on a most apologetic expression, "Oh, my darling boy, I did not mean anything untoward," she insisted. "Not in the least! Why, anyone can see they are simply very good friends with common interests. I meant nothing beyond that, I swear to you. I think it's marvelous that the family has embraced Brenda so deeply and she in turn has done the same. I think she is a wonderful girl, and you're very lucky to have caught her," Violet said with a wink.

     Jax smiled and relaxed. "She caught me, actually. But only because I wanted her to," he whispered with a devastating grin. "Really badly."

     Aunt Violet smiled and patted his arm, obviously having appeased his little burst of irritation. But that burst of irritation led her to believe that this could indeed be turned into a sore spot for Jax. His brother and his wife. Yes, this had very interesting possibilities.

     Two hours later Jax sat in the living room drumming his fingers against the arm of the chair, his blue eyes staring at the front door. He got up out of his seat and reached for the phone.

      "What are you doing, dear?" Aunt Violet queried of a wound-up Jax.

      "I'm going to call the police," he stated.

      "Jax, you can't. I mean they won't do anything. It's only been two hours," Amanda pointed out.

      "Yes, it's been two hours. They were supposed to be right back."

      "Maybe they went for a drive?" Amanda suggested lamely, not knowing how to calm Jax's agitation. She wished Juliet were awake. His sister would surely know how to calm him down.

      "A drive?" Jax repeated, trying not to let his exasperation at her ridiculous theory show. "In what? The truck is parked in the driveway."

     Aunt Violet watched Jax's face, wishing she could read his mind. What was he thinking was the cause of his wife and brother having not returned yet? Indeed, they had indicated they were only going on a short walk. Was Jax thinking they had headed out for a tryst? She could only hope!

     Unfortunately for her, Jax was thinking no such thing. He was thinking something had happened. He was thinking that he would murder his brother if Brenda so much as sprained an ankle.

      "I'm sure they're quite all right, sir," Niles said, seeing the look of concern in Jax's focused gaze. He knew how much Master Jax loved his wife. He knew that if she so much as caught a cold, Master Jax would bite Master Justin's head off. "If you'd like I will accompany you outside to look for them again," Niles offered.

     Just then the sound of laughter could be heard by the front door.

     Thinking fast, just before the door opened up, Aunt Violet gave Amanda an 'accidental' little shove that landed the blonde woman in Jax's arms just as Justin and Brenda came in, laughing and covered in snow.

     Jax's eyes locked with Brenda's. He was not particularly happy to see her coming in laughing and breathless when he'd been so worried about her. She was not particularly happy to walk inside and find him holding Amanda Carrington in his arms.

      "Well, thank goodness," Aunt Violet said. "We were all so worried about you. You'd been gone for so long, after all. Take off your coats, children. Warm yourselves," she said in that same sickening-sweet manner that made Brenda and Justin both want to puke.

      "For the love of God, we weren't gone that long," Justin muttered, helping Brenda with her coat.

      "You were gone two bloody hours," Jax said, setting Amanda briskly aside and shoving Justin out of the way as he took over the duty of helping Brenda get her coat off.

      "Was it that long?" Justin asked, genuinely surprised, as he took off his own coat.

      "Yes," Jax snapped at him. "Where the hell did you take her? Alaska?"

      "Just down to Sutter's Pond."

     Jax gave Brenda a hurt, little look. "I was supposed to take you there," he whispered to her.

      "You were busy," she reminded him.

      "You're the one who told me to play the damned game, Brenda."

      "I know," she said irritated with herself over letting Aunt Violet manipulate her right into that. "Jax, don't be mad at your brother, okay? It's my fault that we're late. I'm the one who wanted to see the pond," Brenda said, shrugging out of her coat as Jax took it from her. "Although you seemed to have found a way to entertain yourself while I was gone," she added.

     Jax raised an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

      "Nothing. I'm just really tired, okay?" she said. "I'm sorry if you're mad at me…"

      "Baby, I'm not mad at you…"

      "…And I'm sorry that I made your brother take me to the pond. I'm sorry about everything. Okay? Everything was my fault."

      "Brenda…"

      "Good night," she said to no one in particular, and then she took herself off upstairs, thoroughly frustrated at the thought of having to spend the night under this roof.

      "Brenda," Jax repeated.

      "You have a good rest, dear," Aunt Violet called out sweetly. "Are you sure I can't bring you up a cup of cocoa?"

     Brenda took several deep breaths to rein in her anger. "No, thank you," she managed to get out as she continued up the stairs, not looking back.

      "You're an idiot, Jax," Justin said, kicking off his boots and walking over to the closet.

      "You know how I get if I think anything has happened to her," Jax said to his brother. "You damn well know how I am about that, Justin. You should have taken your damn cell phone and called me to tell me you were taking her all the way to the damn pond."

      "Are you damn finished?"

      "You said you'd be right back and then you weren't."

     Justin sighed. Yeah, he did know how Jax got if he thought anything had happened to Brenda. "I'm sorry," Justin apologized, "We really didn't think you'd notice, Jax. You were playing chess," he pointed out, trying to tease his brother about how focused he always became when in a chess match.

     Jax, however, was not in a teasing mood. "When it comes to my wife, I notice everything," Jax said.

      "So then I take it you noticed how upset she was when we walked in here and were greeted by the picture of Mandy in your arms."

      "In my arms? She wasn't in my bloody arms. She tripped, for godsake!"

      "It was a total accident, Justin," Amanda added. "Your aunt bumped into me and I lost my balance."

      "Oh, but of course," Justin said, staring at his aunt.

      "Oh, dear. Our sweet, little Brenda doesn't have a jealous streak, does she?" Aunt Violet asked with concern.

     Jax hesitated. Brenda certainly did have one, but that was really no one's business. "She has no reason to," he said instead.

      "Well, of course not, darling. Anyone can see how much you adore that girl. I really can't understand why she appeared so upset with you."

      "Excuse me. I have a sudden urge to throw up," Justin muttered, walking into his room.

      "Jax, I'm sorry if I did anything that upset Brenda," Amanda apologized. "I feel awful."

      "You didn't do anything," Jax said. "You fell; I caught you; Brenda just misunderstood. If you'll both excuse me," he murmured, leaving them to go up to his wife.

      "Oh, dear," Violet said dramatically. "I do hope they don't go to bed angry with each other. That's never a good thing."

      "I don't think Jax will let that happen," Amanda said. "He obviously loves her very much," she said wistfully. "I can't believe he was going to call the police because she was gone for just two hours."

      "Well, perhaps he wasn't so much concerned about her well being as much as who she was with?" Aunt Violet suggested.

     Amanda gave her an incredulous look. "With all due respect, I think you're way off base on that. And I don't think Jax would appreciate your even suggesting or thinking such a thing. Good night."

      "Yes, it was a good night," Violet murmured with a sharp nod. "Trouble in paradise after only one night. Excellent progress, if I do say so myself. I'll have that girl wanting to run, screaming from this family by the end of the week."

     Jax walked into the bedroom he and Brenda were occupying and found it in darkness.

      "Brenda?" he called out, turning on the light.

     She yanked the covers up over her head. She was so far to one side of the bed he thought she would fall off.

      "I know you're awake, love," he said shutting the door and walking inside the room over to the side of bed she was perched so precariously on, stripping down to his boxers as he went.

     She didn't answer him.

     He knelt beside the bed, poking her tummy. "You just moved, for the love of God, Brenda."

     She popped out from under the blankets. "Would you please turn off the light? I'm trying to go to sleep."

     He took her hands in his. "I want to talk to you."

      "I want to go to sleep, Jax."

      "Are you angry with me?"

      "No."

     He lay his head on her lap. "You sound angry with me. And if you were any farther over on the bed you'd be on the damned floor."

      "I just wanted to leave room for you."

      "Room? There is an ocean of mattress between us with you over here. We could fit five more people in between us."

     She laughed. He was greatly relieved to hear that happy sound.

      "I would never let you sleep that far away from me," he told her quietly.

      "I know," she said, sifting her fingers through his hair.

      "Brenda, Mandy just tripped and fell and I caught her. That was all that was."

      "Okay," she whispered. "I'm sorry, I just…"

      "You know how much I love you. You know you are my life. I'm going to be very hurt if you actually think I would want to put my hands on any woman but you."

      "I don't think that, Jax. Not really. It was just that…"

     He lifted his head from her lap and she scooted over on the bed to allow him to join her there. The minute he lay down under the blankets with her she rolled over into his arms, pressing her lips to the pulse beating in his throat.

      "I want you to be happy," Jax said to her, his hand stroking her hair. "If staying here for the week with Mandy being here with us is going to make you want to sleep on the edge of the bed every night, I would really rather us just go home tomorrow. Or maybe the next day tops. This is the holiday season - and our first one together - and I won't have my beautiful wife having the blues if she's homesick."

     Brenda was ecstatic! She hadn't even had to ask him! And it was probably better than he thought the problem was solely Amanda's presence more so than the fact that Brenda could positively not stand his beloved auntie.

     She giggled happily and brushed her lips against his chin. "I love you!" she said, the Christmas spirit coming back to life in her.

     He laughed and kissed her lips. "I take it that means you are not averse to leaving in a day or two?"

      "No, not all! No offense to your aunt, honey, but I don't know if my stomach could take much more of her cooking anyway."

     Jax laughed softly. "Yeah, I know what you mean. She tries though. And at least we've been thus far spared the Figgie pudding."

      "Well, that's something at least," she agreed, in too much of a good mood to bother being sarcastic about Violet's cooking.

     Jax wrapped his arms around her tighter. "We'll sneak out really early tomorrow and get breakfast at a diner in town," he promised, kissing a path along her neck until he reached her lips. And then he kissed her again. A long, deep, sexy kiss that got Brenda all excited as she pulled her nightgown up over her head and tossed it across the room. Jax followed her lead and shed his boxers and reached and turned off the light.

      "I hope your sweet Aunt Violet won't be too upset that we're not staying," Brenda said, secretly delighting over how the two-faced woman would react to the news. Her phony mask of sweetness and light would probably crack then!

      "I'm sure she'll understand," he murmured, hauling her warm, naked body into his arms as they sank into a hungry, erotic kiss.

     But she didn't understand at all.

     Oh, when Jax informed everyone of their plans the next day over lunch, she pretended to understand that it was Jax and Brenda's first Christmas and they wanted to be with the family and thus were shortening their stay. She pretended to understand perfectly, smiling the whole time and saying how sorry she was they had to go so soon because she was so enjoying getting to know Brenda. But once the young folks had left to go down to Sutter's pond and go speed skating, Violet's mask of sweet benevolence vanished and her eyes lit with fire at being outwitted. Yes, she knew it was all Brenda's doing, as the striking young girl clearly had Jax wrapped around her little finger, but Violet was concocting a little plan of her own for their two remaining days in Colorado.

     Oh, yes, they might be going back to New Orleans. But she vowed they would have some unexpected company coming along with them!