Jeannie pitched her tent with Irwin on a patch of grass right next to Briony''s group.


    James noticed immediately and was thoroughly annoyed.


    "What is with those two? Can''t they take a hint?"


    Briony was a bit irritated herself. But the field was spacious, and it was firste, first served. There wasn''t much she could do about it.


    James had just finished setting up the canopy and was about to start on the tents. Crystal, ever the handy one, already had two hammocks strung up in no time. Little Nina and little Mario each imed one, while Carol and Crystal gently rocked them back and forth. The kids''ughter rang out, bright and carefree.


    Meanwhile, Jeannie started pitching her tent with Irwin in the empty spot right beside them.


    "Irwin, sweetheart, I can handle this. Why don''t you go y with the other kids?" she said.


    Irwin''s face lit up, and he trotted off toward the hammocks.


    "Hey!" James spotted Irwin making a beeline for the two little ones and immediately dropped what he was doing to intercept him.


    Irwin stopped, tilting his head back to look up at James. Even after four years, the memory of James stuck with him he remembered clearly that James had never liked him.


    "Mr. Dney," Irwin greeted politely.


    James let out a cold snort. "Well, look at you. Four years gone, and your mind''s gotten sharper along with your height, huh?"


    Irwin said nothing.


    "Mr. Dney, I just want to y with my little sister. Could you please let me through?"


    "No chance!" James nted his hands on his hips and red down at Irwin. "Your uncle here believes in holding grudges by association. Too bad you got stuck with


    a mother like yours. Now beat it-stay away from my daughter!"


    Irwin hadn''t expected James to be so blunt. His face crumpled with hurt.


    "I don''t talk to her anymore. My dad said she and I have nothing to do with each other now."


    James just shrugged. "I don''t care what your dad says. Far as I''m concerned, you''re still the son of that awful woman, Rosita."


    "I''m not!" Irwin''s fists balled up, and he shouted, "I don''t have a mom like that!"


    James raised his eyebrows, looking Irwin over with mild surprise.


    "Wow, you weren''t like this four years ago. Back then, your Mom Rosita was the kindest, most wonderful mom in the whole


    world-at least,  who


    to you!"


    "You... you''re mean!" Irwin was no match for James in an argument. His eyes


    filled with angry tears. "How can a grown-up pick on a kid?"


    "I don''t usually pick on kids. I only pick on you," James replied shamelessly.


    Irwin burst into tears.


    Hearing themotion, Jeannie hurried over.


    "Irwin, what happened?"


    ?


    "Ms. Radcliffe!" Irwin flung himself into Jeannie''s arms, sobbing out hisint. "Mr. Dney yelled at me. He won''t let me y with the other kids!"


    "There, there, sweetheart, don''t cry. I''m sure Mr. Dney didn''t mean it. He was probably just joking with you..."


    "Cut it out!" James couldn''t stand Jeannie''s sweet, syrupy tone. "Don''t make excuses for me. I meant every word."


    Jeannie was momentarily thrown off.


    James didn''t give her a chance to y peacemaker. "I don''t like you either. Why don''t you both find somewhere else to y, far away from us?"


    Jeannie was stunned. She hadn''t expected James to be so vicious with his words.


    It took her a moment to recover.


    Frowning at James, she finally managed, "Mr. Dney, I''m sorry. just thought, since Irwin and Little Nina are both Mr. Wentworth''s children, maybe it would be nice for them to get to know each other now that they''ve met..."