The Irish Bride

by Marina Oliver

  'Because, Mr O'Keef, my parents died some years ago, and I was never notified of my grandfather's death. I only discovered he was dead through an accidental meeting with my Uncle Brendan and his family in London.'

  'How did you, as the family attorney, try to find Miss O'Neill or her father when her grandfather died?' Matthew asked, his tone deceptively mild, but Brigid could hear the underlying anger.

  'We advertised. In the press.' Mr O'Keef said, bristling. 'Naturally.'

  'In the London papers? You must have been aware that Miss O'Neill's parents had left Ireland years before.'

  He prevaricated, but in the end admitted to just one insertion in the Morning Post. Matthew allowed his contempt to show.

  'May we see the will?' he asked. 'So far we have only the information from your younger son, Patrick O'Keef, of how the estate was left.'

  Mr O'Keef huffed and puffed, but eventually picked up a document lying on his desk.

  'Here you are. It is a simple document, as you see, leaving all his goods and chattels to his granddaughter Brigid, daughter of his elder son.'

  Matthew read it over Brigid's shoulder.

  'There is no mention of Mr Brendon O'Neill here,' he commented. 'But it appears that he and his family have been enjoying the income from the estate.'

  Again Mr O'Keef prevaricated, but eventually conceded this, saying it had seemed only fair to him when Miss O'Neill could not be found, and Mr O'Neill had no other source of income.

  'Besides,' he added, 'the older Mr O'Neill had told me that was what he wished, and if Miss O'Neill and her father could not be found within a reasonable time, the estate was to go to Mr Brendon. Unfortunately he had no time to set down these requests in a new will.'

  'How long does it take to write such a document?' Matthew asked.

  'I wrote it then, of course. It was the day before he died, and he would not permit any of the servants at the Castle to witness it. And Mr Brendon, as a legatee, could not do so, unfortunately.'

  'You seem especially regretful that Mr Brendon did not inherit,' Matthew said. 'It does not appear that you are an impartial person in this matter.'

  Mr O'Keef glared at him.

  'I am impartial, Sir, and I'll thank you not to call me otherwise!'

  'Then I suggest you moderate your comments.'

  'I was convinced, you see, that when Miss O'Neill, or her father, if they were ever to come forward, would recognise the unfairness of a will that left them a fortune and his younger son nothing, and make adequate provision for Mr Brendon.'

  'Did you, indeed?' Brigid asked. She was blazingly angry and jumped up from her chair to stride round the room. Mr O'Keefe actually cringed back in his chair when she came close to him. 'Why should I make any provision for a family that has tried to cheat me, who did not inform me of this will, and tried to gain possession of all the property by tricking me into marriage with Colum?'

  'My - my dear young lady, I did everything for the best, in your absence.'

  'Then we trust you will continue to do it and transfer the deeds of the properties and other papers to Miss O'Neill without delay,' Matthew said. 'Come and sit down, Brigid, and we will now look at the details of what your grandfather left you.'

  She did, and the list of property Mr O'Keef handed to her was very much what Patrick had said - the main Castle, other houses in Dublin and Count Cork, and a substantial sum invested in the Funds.

  'I don't understand,' Brigid said. 'My father always said his father had little, and the Castle was virtually a ruin. Where did all this come from?'

  'His wife was a wealthy woman.'

  *

  Brigid looked at him blankly.

  'His wife? My grandmother? But she died when my father was a boy.'

  Mr O'Keef seemed reluctant to explain, but eventually he sighed and did so.

  'Your grandfather married again three years before his death. His wife brought the other property listed there to the marriage, and a fortune invested in the Funds. Her father had been a wealthy merchant, and she was his only child. It was a provident marriage, but not one his family approved of.'

  'Then - where is she now? Why is the property not left to her?'

  Mr O'Keef sighed again. 'She died six months before your grandfather, and her daughter was stillborn.'

  'I see.'

  'Was this marriage the cause of Mr O'Neill and his younger son quarrelling?' Matthew asked. 'Was that the reason Mr Brendon was disinherited?'

  Suddenly Mr O'Keef was reticent.

  'I really cannot comment on that.'

  'It seems a reasonable conjecture. How long will it take you to make the transfer of the property to Miss O'Neill?'

  'Oh, I will do it as soon as possible, but these things can be difficult, take time, so I cannot give you a firm date. Where are you staying? I will inform you when I have completed the work.'

  Brigid was about to tell him the name of the inn where they had rooms, but Matthew forestalled her.

  'We will call into the office every day,' he said. 'I suppose you will have realised that having failed to force Brigid into marriage with Colum, she is in danger of her life if Colum or his parents know where to find her? Her death is now the only way they can gain this fortune.'

  'Sir! That is a slanderous statement, and I trust you will not repeat it!'

  'You cannot be aware that Colum murdered a man in London, and there are witnesses who recognised him. I can bring them here if necessary, to prosecute him in the Irish courts.'

  'I - I - you must be mistaken! Or it was an accident!'

  'It is no accident when a man is stabbed in the back, pushed into water and held down there until he is dead. And just because he had been suspected of cheating Colum O'Neill at cards.'

  'I - I don't believe you! Colum is a charming young man. He could not be violent as you suggest.'

  'Then perhaps you will tell that charming young man and his parents that Brigid's death would serve them nothing. She is legally possessed of her grandfather's estate, and she has left a will in England disposing of it in the event of her death.'

  'To you, I suppose?' The sneer was open.

  'No, to two of her friends,' Matthew said, and Brigid suppressed a smile to hear he did not say the friends were his sister and sister-in-law, and had both been her employers.

  *

  'You need to employ your own attorney,' Matthew said as soon as they left the office. 'That man is not working for you, and if he can diddle you out of anything for Mr Brendon's benefit, he will. Besides, the legal system here may not be the same as in England, we need someone familiar with it.'

  'How can we find an honest attorney?' Brigid asked. 'I wanted to hit that man! He so obviously hated having to deal with me, and would welcome anything that restored the fortune to my uncle.'

  'I can help. My mother was a friend of the Lord Lieutenant's wife. I will go and pay a visit on Earl Whitworth, and even if he is not available his staff will provide me with suitable names. Do you wish to come with me?'

  Brigid hesitated, then shook her head. She was looking embarrassed.

  'As I am now a woman of means, I would prefer to go shopping. I brought so little with me, and would like to replenish my wardrobe. I am weary of this gown!'

  Matthew laughed, told her to be careful, and hire a carriage. They parted, and Brigid made her way back to where she had noticed some enticing shops on their exploration the previous day. It was several hours later before, the carriage she had hired piled high with her purchases, she returned to the inn.

  *

  On the following morning they interviewed a blunt-speaking attorney, Mr McManus, who looked delighted to be anticipating a battle with Mr O'Keef.

  'Believe me, Miss O'Neill, I will force that man to hand over your inheritance within days. He is one of the sort which likes to delay and prevaricate whenever he can, but I will ensure he works as though a banshee is calling to him. Do you wish to demand the money your uncle and his family have taken from th
e estate during the past years since your grandfather died? If they spent it hiring a London house for the Season, it must be a large sum.'

  'They have no other income, I understand, so how could they afford to pay me?'

  'They could be imprisoned for debt.'

  'That would not recover the money. And it did seem that my grandfather had partially forgiven the quarrel, if he wished them to inherit the money should I not be found.'

  'If what Mr O'Keef said was true,' Matthew pointed out. 'I have just realised he was ready for our visit. He had the will and the list of property on his desk when we were announced.'

  'He would have been expecting us, we called at the office the previous day,' Brigid said.

  'We didn't give the clerk our names then, did we?'

  Neither of them could remember, but it made Matthew nervous.

  'He may have had warning we were coming, and that could only have been from the O'Neills or someone working for them. Brigid, do be careful. If they know you are in Dublin you could be in danger.'

  'They will know, if Mr O'Keef is in touch with them, that my death would not achieve what they want,' Brigid said, looking puzzled.

  'He may not have had the opportunity to tell them yet, but Colum achieved nothing when he murdered Twyford. It was pure revenge. And he has lost far more through you.'

  Brigid was doubtful her cousin would take revenge so serious as committing murder, especially as he would be the obvious suspect.

  'Yes, but I suspect he is beyond reason. The way his father can control him with a word tells me the father knows of his nature and so far has managed to dominate him. This time he may not be able to.'

  She remained unconvinced, but at Matthew's urging, when she went to bed she put Sophia's pistol under her pillow. Matters were, she felt, progressing smoothly now she had Mr McManus working for her. Soon she would be able to return to England, though the thought of another sea crossing over St George's Channel terrified her.

  You survived it once, she told herself firmly, and can survive it again. The recollection of lying in Matthew's arms during that voyage was delicious, though remembering how ill she felt, she knew she had not been able to appreciate it fully. Yet how many other men would have been so caring, sitting in discomfort just to ensure she was suffering no more than necessary? It was with a smile on her lips that she eventually fell asleep.

  *

  A slight noise wakened Brigid at some time during the night, and she lay trying to identify it. Then the darkness was broken as the door slowly opened and the gleam of a lantern lit up the room. Brigid had left her bed curtains open, she hated to feel enclosed, and she lay there, watching and for a moment not understanding. Why was someone entering her room, so quietly and in the middle of the night?

  A cold fear gripped her. Was it Colum? Were Matthew's fears to be realised? Had her cousin a murderous intent? What should she do? If she screamed, would anyone hear her? Matthew was sleeping in the next room, but would he, woken suddenly, be aware of what was happening and be able to intervene? And might that put him in danger? What was Colum planning to do? Would he stab her or try to smother her as she slept?

  As these thoughts passed rapidly through her mind the lantern was placed carefully on the washstand, and she saw it was Colum coming towards her. There was the gleam of something metallic in his hand, and with horror she realised he was carrying a knife. Dragging the pistol from beneath her pillow she sat up in bed and faced him.

  'Don't come any nearer, Colum, or I will shoot.'

  He was startled, then laughed, but he did halt, a few feet from the bed.

  'You? Shoot?' he scoffed. 'I don't know any woman who can shoot straight. You'd miss by a mile.'

  'Will you hazard that?'

  'I hear you have tried to outwit me by making a will. I just want you to make another, leaving what by rights should be mine to me.'

  'That would please your parents, no doubt? Would they share in your inheritance?'

  His expression became vicious.

  'My father thinks he can still control me like he did when we were children,' he sneered. 'Sinead got away, and I mean to. As soon as I have the money I will be off, and no one will be able to find me. Now, promise me you'll do it, or it will be the end for you. I can write the will if you are obstinate. No one will know your signature.'

  'Is that what your despicable attorney has told you?' she asked. 'No, don't come any nearer, or I will fire.'

  He laughed, and took a step nearer. Brigid, deciding that to kill him would raise a good many questions, aimed at his legs and fired. He screamed in agony and clapped a hand to his thigh as he fell to the ground, and the knife he carried skittered across the room. Brigid clambered out of bed and ran to retrieve it. If he managed to find it he would still have a lethal weapon. Then she turned to her cousin to see what damage she had inflicted.

  His breeches were soaked with blood, and he was groaning loudly. How could she deal with this? To her relief the door burst open and Matthew, with a brightly coloured brocade dressing gown hastily thrown over what looked like his nakedness, ran into the room. He took in the situation at once, and turned to the bleary-eyed waiter who followed him, garbed only in a night shirt.

  'Fetch hot water and rags and salves,' he ordered. 'Brigid, get back into bed and draw the curtains. I'm going to take off these breeches.'

  She was shaking now, and only too glad to obey. Before she did so, however, she handed Matthew Colum's knife.

  'This is his,' she said.

  'Thank you. I can cut off the breeches, which will be more comfortable for him, though why I should bother I can't tell!'

  She huddled under the bed covers, suddenly feeling cold, and listened to what was happening. The landlord and his wife had by now appeared. Matthew quickly explained, and between them they dragged off Colum's breeches and inspected the wound.

  'A flesh wound only,' the landlord said. 'Why should a lady attack him like this?'

  His wife laughed. 'It's plain what he wanted. Perhaps she didn't like the look of him.'

  'He brought in this knife, and was intending to murder her,' Matthew told her. 'When we have stopped the bleeding will you send for a constable? I want him safely locked up for tonight, until he can be brought before the court and charged in the morning.'

  The landlord sounded dubious.

  'It's Mr Colum O'Neill,' he said. 'His family are important. His grandfather was well thought of, and his father too.'

  'Does that excuse an attempt at murder, man? Send one of your lads, or provide me with a room where he can be tied up and locked in, with one of your waiters or ostlers to guard him. Or I will stand guard myself.'

  The landlord grumbled, but his wife said firmly she wanted no murdering villains accommodated in her inn, and the sooner he was removed to somewhere else the better.

  'Besides, he's bled enough on this floor, and if he starts bleeding again I don't want to have another floor to clean. Or do you want him to bleed all over some of best sheets?'

  Colum, still groaning, was eventually taken away, and Brigid cautiously drew back the bed curtain to find Matthew examining the knife. He turned and grinned at her.

  'Were you meaning to kill him, and missed a vital spot?' he asked. 'My poor darling, you are still shivering.'

  He sat beside her and drew her into his arms. It was so comforting she almost forgot the slur on her marksmanship.

  'I didn't want to kill him!' she insisted. 'I meant to hit his leg, just to disable him. I've no desire to be accused of murder!'

  He laughed. 'I apologise. Now, get back under those covers or I shall be tempted to get into bed with you in order to warm you. Try to sleep, and we will deal with it in the morning. I'm going to lock your door, and don't answer it to anyone but me. I'll be maid and bring your breakfast.'

  *

  Chapter 18

  On the following day Mr McManus appeared at the inn to talk to Brigid. He then went to see Colum in the prison, and afterwards t
o talk to Mr O'Keef. Then he went back to the inn.

  'It will all be settled very soon,' he told Brigid and Matthew. 'Having heard of Colum's attack on Brigid, Mr O'Keef has suddenly lost interest in defending him or his parents. He will be cooperative. I now need to ask you whether you wish to prosecute your cousin, Miss O'Neill?'

  'I just want him out of my life.'

  'Any court case would involve a long delay, and you might be needed back in Ireland.'

  At the thought of facing yet another crossing of that tumultuous sea Brigid shuddered.

  'I have a suggestion,' Matthew intervened. 'I have not yet discussed it with Miss O'Neill, but I think it may serve some purpose.'

  'What is it?'

  'Many people are emigrating to Nova Scotia. There are ships leaving from Ireland as well as Scotland. If Miss O'Neill would agree to pay for the passages of Colum and his parents, they would no longer be a threat to her. They would have an opportunity of making new lives for themselves, but they would probably have to work harder than ever before.'

  At the thought Brigid smiled.

  'Can I make their going a condition of not prosecuting Colum? Mr McManus, should I give them some sum of money to help them get started in a new life?'

  'That is entirely up to you. It would be very generous, after the way they have cheated you and stolen the income from your grandfather's estate.'

  'He meant them to benefit, at the end, from what Mr O'Keef said.'

  'That is only what he told you. He has, it seems, been working for your uncle all the time. I understand, but I must confirm this, he and your uncle were at school together.'

  'Give them a hundred pounds, Brigid,' Matthew suggested. 'It will permit them to buy provisions for the journey, and some tools. I believe everyone buys or leases land, and farms it.'

  That was agreed, then the discussion turned to how Brigid's inheritance was to be managed.

  'Do you wish to keep any of the property for your own use?' Mr McManus asked.

  Brigid shook her head.

  'Forgive me, but once I am safely back on English soil I never mean to set foot on a boat again!'