"Gosh-Darn it!"

Ian grinned and hammer in hand went downstairs to see what could be so bad that it caused a very well-mannered Meg to lose her temper. He found her by a mirror in the foyer glaring at her reflection.

"Something wrong?"

Meg jumped slightly and turned to him with an annoyed grimace on her face. "Yes."

Ian tilted his head as he looked her over and raised his eyebrows in question. "Okay I give up, what's wrong?"

"I have to go to work and I can't close my coat."

Ian glanced down at her and realized that she was right. He bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn't laugh at her plight. Meghan caught the gleam in his eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. "You know this child better be a saint because he's causing me a lot of distress."

Ian chuckled softly. "Just think, you're halfway through with this. Another four and a half months, and you'll have a new little boy or girl to spoil."

Meg smiled. "I suppose you're right. Still, that doesn't help me with the problem at hand."

"I have an idea."

"What?"

"Does Luke have an extra coat or jacket?"

Meg furrowed her brows in thought. "He has his good coat, the one he used to wear to church in Boston."

"Wear that to get you to work."

"I don't know . . ."

Ian sat on a step and looked up at her. "Meg, I think Luke wouldn't mind. After all it's for a good cause, keeping you warm is much more important than a silly old coat isn't it?"

Meg nodded. "You're right. Will you be going into town?"

He hadn't been planning on it, but he had just thought of a way to get his plans in motion. "I am, want me to drop you off?"

"Please. I hate driving myself. These days I seem to get in my own way." Ian chuckled and Meg bit her lip as she thought and took a deep breath. "Ian?"

"Yes?"

"I�m sorry for my outburst. I usually don�t swear."

Ian couldn�t help but laugh at her sorrowful expression. "You swore?"

Meg blushed deeply. "Well, yeah. When you came down the stairs . . ."

Ian�s eyes lit up, she was so innocent, he thought. "It�s okay, Meg, I�ve heard worse."

"Well not from me. I�m sorry."

"I accept your heartfelt apology Meghan. We better get a move on, or you�ll be late for work." He replied and watched as she bounded up the stairs in search of her husband�s coat.

Later, after he had dropped her off at the hotel, Ian went over to the dress shop. Grace was behind the counter speaking to one of the ladies from town, and Ian waited patiently for her to finish before he approached her.

Grace looked up with a smile for her customer. "Hello Mr. Grant, it's nice to see you again. How can I help you?"

Ian leaned on the counter and smiled at her. "I'd like to buy a gift for a very special friend of mine."

"Alright, did you have anything specific in mind?"

"A coat." He looked around the store. "Something pretty."

"Well, I can show you what I have ready made, or if you can bring your friend in, I can have one made for him . . or her."

At that instant the bell above the door rang and Charity entered the store. Ian smiled at the woman who had been pointed out to him as the town gossip and watched as she blushed. He couldn't have planned it any better. "It's for a lady."

"I see." Grace replied. "Any particular style?"

"Well, I really wouldn't know." He replied with a mock frown. "Excuse me-" He called out to Charity.

The curious woman couldn't get to the counter fast enough. Elena had mentioned that she had spoken to the man at the Halloween party, and she was interested in making his acquaintance as well. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if you could help us. I'd like to purchase a coat as a gift for a friend of mine, but I'm not sure of a style or fabrics."

Charity smiled. "Well of course I could help. Who is it for?"

"Meghan Saunders."

The gossip's eyes twinkled with curiosity. "Well, you would need something that would fit her throughout the winter as she's expanding. And as far as color, I'd think something in a dark blue would bring out her eyes."

Ian glanced at Grace. "Do you have anything like that in stock?"

The young woman nodded and excused herself. She came out moments later with a dark blue swing coat that had black fur trimming.

"Oh this is lovely." Charity said with genuine admiration.

"It also has a matching hat and muffler." Grace replied.

"I'll take the set." Ian replied. "Have it wrapped and delivered to the hotel for Meg."

Grace nodded. "Would you like to add a note?"

Ian smiled. "Sure."

The shopkeeper handed him a piece of parchment and a pen, and Ian scrawled a quick note then folded it and handed it back to the girl. He paid his bill then tipped his hat to the two females, "Ladies, I thank you for your assistance. I truly appreciate it."

Charity watched him leave and sighed. "What do I have to do to make a friend like him?" She wondered out loud. Grace shrugged but silently wondered the same thing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ian dismounted and cooled Rogue down. He'd visited Elena and she had told him that Charity had informed her of his visit to the dressmaker. Ian had explained that it was part of his plans and told her she had nothing to worry about.

Quietly he opened the back door and entered the house. A flash of a match lit the room momentarily before being put to the wick of a lantern. The room was slowly bathed in a golden glow to reveal Luke sitting at the kitchen table.

"Well hey there mate, what are you doing up so late?" Ian asked. "Don't tell me you were worried about me."

"I wasn't worried but I did want to talk to you."

"About?"

"About you giving my wife expensive gifts."

"Listen Luke, she needed a coat and I bought her one, end of story."

Luke sat back in his chair. "I don't like it, I'd like to give you the money for it."

Ian shook his head. "I won't take it. It's my way of thanking her for the roof over my head and the little things she does for me. Like my laundry and feeding me when it's not her responsibility to do it."

"So what's the nursery? I thought that was your way of thanking her."

"No, that was my way of thanking both of you." Ian ran a hand through his hair. "Listen Luke, you had to see her earlier today she looked so depressed. Her old coat doesn't fit her, and she looked horrified at the thought of borrowing one of yours, so I just went out and bought her the coat. I would've done it for anyone."

"The fact is you did it for my wife." Luke replied.

"Does she like it? Is that's what's bothering you?"

"Yes, she likes it and no that's not what's bothering me."

Ian held up his hands in frustration. "So what is it?"

"It's you and the way you're going beyond friendship with your gift."

"Buying a friend a coat is being more than friendly?" Ian asked. "You want me to take the coat back fine I will, but you should think about this Luke. Punishing Meg because you're mad at me isn't right."

"How am I punishing Meg?"

"By taking away a perfectly innocent gift. A gift I might add that you yourself has said she likes."

Luke sighed. "Innocent?"

"Perfectly innocent. I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries Luke, but she looked so unhappy, she even swore."

Luke frowned in disbelief. "Meg swore?"

"She said �Gosh-Darn it�." Ian replied with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

Luke laughed softly. "Well, then she must have been extremely frustrated. Meg isn�t one to swear."

"I�m still waiting for it to happen." Ian said with a smile. "She even apologized for her �outburst�. Listen Luke, I really am sorry, and I promise not to do it again, just don�t take the coat away from her."

Luke glanced up and saw the earnest look on Ian's face and nodded. "I thank you for the gift then."