Gift of Fire

designer underwear. Elyssa is a couple of years younger and she positively radiates sweetness and light. Always smiling. It’s enough to make you nauseated. I have a hunch she’s into this new metaphysical stuff.”
    “You mean she believes in channelers and crystals and that sort of thing?”
    “That’s the impression I got. Doug seems normal enough, though, and I got the impression he’ll be paying the fee.”
    “I wonder what they want with Jonas.”
    Laura shrugged. “You said that before he took off to see the world a few years ago, Jonas had a reputation for authenticating antiques and museum artifacts. Maybe the Warwicks want his professional opinion on something they’ve purchased. Think Jonas would be interested?”
    “I don’t know, but I’m certainly interested. It’s time that man put his education and, uh, experience to work.” She had never attempted to explain to Laura or anyone else that Jonas’s real talent was psychic in nature. “I have a nagging fear that he’s going to waste his life the way Dad has.” Verity shook her head in exasperation.
    “I know. Reforming Jonas has become your chief hobby. Lucky for you he doesn’t take offense.” Laura chuckled, well aware of her friend’s opinion about using one’s education and abilities. “When will Jonas and your father be back from their business trip?”
    “Any day now.” Verity drummed her fingers on the edge of the pool and ignored the unspoken questions in Laura’s eyes. She could hardly explain that Emerson and Jonas had gone off to Mexico to rescue an old, highly disreputable family friend who had gotten himself kidnapped. Such friends did not reflect well on the family. She had told Laura that Jonas was simply helping Emerson settle a private business matter.
    “I’m not sure how long the Warwicks will wait around for him,” Laura said dubiously.
    “If the Warwicks have a legitimate job for Jonas, I don’t want to put them off by telling them I don’t know when he’ll be back. If the deal looks good, I’ll have to find a way to keep them here. Why don’t you send them over at lunchtime tomorrow, Laura. Tell them I’m in charge of booking Jones’s business arrangements or something.”
    Laura tilted her head. “Are you in charge of booking Jones’s business arrangements?”
    Verity brightened. “As a matter of fact, I just appointed myself his business manager. Don’t look at me like that, Laura. Nobody else is stepping forward to handle the job, least of all Jonas. Looks like it’s up to me.” She frowned intently, thinking quickly. “You know, with a little publicity work, this sort of thing could turn into a very lucrative sideline for Jonas. I know I’ll never persuade him to go back to the academic world, but he could still use his abilities as a consultant for people like the Warwicks. Hey, that’s it!”
    “What’s it?”
    “We’ll call Jonas a consultant. An historical consultant. How does that sound?”
    “I can see the wheels turning in your head.” Laura stood up. “Okay, I’ll send ‘em over tomorrow for lunch. I just hope Jonas doesn’t have any objections when he gets home and finds out you’ve been booking ‘consulting’ assignments for him.”
    “I’ll handle Jonas,” Verity said with more assurance than she felt. “He’ll just have to understand that I’m doing this for his own good. He’s got far too fine a mind to be a dishwasher all his life. One day he’ll thank me for this.”
    “If I were you, I’d think twice about forcing upward mobility on a perfectly good dishwasher-waiter-handyperson. It’s hard to find reliable help these days. But far be it from me to spoil your fun.”
    “Fun?”
    Laura grinned. “Don’t play innocent with me. You and Jonas seem to understand each other perfectly. You give orders, lecture him on self-improvement, and generally bully him until he’s had enough. Then he puts his foot down and carries you off to bed just like he did last week. Clement, the bartender, and everyone else had a good laugh after you two left. Your father howled.”
    Verity’s cheeks turned bright pink. She remembered the incident clearly. “That was so embarrassing. I could have killed Jonas.”
    It had all started when she had begun to nag Jonas about doing another journal article. Having just received the twenty copies she had ordered of the
Journal of Renaissance Studies,
Verity had decided she was on a roll. Convinced that important doors were