A Very Romantic Christmas

by Lorraine Bartlett

  “Not at all. I slept well knowing the night was fit for neither man nor beast and so there would be reason for anyone to venture out.”

  Kate had no intention of letting him know how nervous she was when she thought of what might happen between them in a fortnight. He’d surely try to use it to coerce her to change her mind. Some things were best not for a man to ever know.

  No, she decided, she’d take her cue from Maeve and demand her due without quarter. “I heard nothing but the sighing of the wind and slept like a babe.”

  He laughed. “As I recall from Bridget’s infancy, that often involves a great deal of fuss and interruption.”

  Surely he didn’t expect to convince her a child was too much trouble? She knew well enough what was involved in being a mother. She decided not to respond. “I suppose you must be off about your business. Tell me, please how I may make myself useful while I am here?”

  “Help?” His eyes grew wintry. “Do you mean toss your coins to the poor starving lot of useless Irishmen?”

  She decided to ignore his jibes. “As you took them all when you married me, that would be quite impossible. I meant something more practical--have you a greenhouse to start your plantings early? Linens I could mend? A dragon I could slay?”

  He crossed his arms, obviously unhappy at the direction of their conversation. “Sadly, I am the only dragon around here and I don’t think anyone here would take kindly to you slaying me. Not to mention that if you slay me while I’ve still yet to come to your bed, you’ll have no chance at the child you want me to get upon you, now will you?”

  There was no shame in the man. None at all. “Well? Have you work for me or not?”

  “None.”

  Irritated beyond measure, she said sharply, “Fine, then I shall find one of the locals to lead me to the Blarney Stone. I’ve an urge to kiss it and see if I can sharpen this tongue of mine further so that it is a better match for yours.”

  He grumbled as he gazed at her unhappily. “It’s not in need of sharpening, in my humble opinion.”

  He thought she had been too sharp with him? “Then perhaps it wants gilding.” She didn’t think she’d been nearly sharp enough.

  “As you wish.” He shrugged as if he were indifferent, but she saw the set of his jaw and knew he was not. “But I’ll take you to kiss the stone myself. It’s not a journey to be made by the fainthearted.”

  Was that the reason he had left her in London? “Do you think me fainthearted?”

  “Your heart is as stout as they come, Katie. If I hadn’t known that five years ago, I’d know it now, wouldn’t I? Haven’t you traveled all the way here, come toe to toe with me and convinced me to bow to your will?”

  “Not yet.” She felt herself blush and hoped he didn’t realize how apprehensive she was about their bargain.

  Without warning, he moved close and bent to whisper in her ear, “Are you so impatient that you can’t wait?”

  She stood, feeling the heat that came from his powerful body. He wasn’t touching her, and yet she felt him so close that she knew if she swayed an inch, they would touch. She wanted to sway that inch. “Impatient, or simply practical?”

  For a moment she thought that he would close the gap between them and take her in his arms.

  Before he could do so, though, Bridget entered the room without knocking and Sean pushed her away.

  There was an observant quality to the girl’s gaze that made Kate blush. She turned to her brother and asked bluntly, “Were you about to kiss her?” She did not seem to realize the question was unconscionably rude--nor did Sean seem in any hurry to correct her.

  “I did not care for what she was saying.” He shrugged. “It seemed the quickest way to stop her words.”

  Bridget glanced at Kate and then back at Sean. “You should kiss her. I’ll go.”

  She turned to leave, but Sean moved forward and caught hold of her wrist. “Wait.”

  Bridget paled and grew still.

  Sean dropped her wrist quickly. “I’m sorry, colleen. I did not mean—“ He interrupted himself with a glance at Kate. “Kate wishes to see the castle. I thought you might show it to her.”

  Bridget smiled, as if her panic of a moment before had never happened. “The Stone must be hungry for the touch of her lips, as you are. Should I take her there?”

  He shook his head. “Just show her the castle for today. It is too icy to kiss the Stone safely today.”

  Bridget laughed, and glanced back at Kate. “He doesn’t trust me, I’m afraid. I’m touched in the head, you know.”

  “Indeed.” Kate could believe it, given the uncanny stare from those huge green eyes. “Has your brother never told you it was rude to stare?”

  “He has. But I can’t help it.” The girl laughed softly, an unbearably beautiful musical sound. “My eyes can suck the soul out of you, you know.”

  “They most certainly can not.” Kate felt like a governess faced with a wild child. Unconsciously she stiffened her spine and pressed her lips together.

  The child only laughed again. “She’s for you, Sean. I can see it in her eyes. You can’t let her go away. It’ll be her undoing--and all the McCarthys as well.”

  “What?” Kate dredged up anger to replace the cold pit of fear that seemed to flow like molasses through her and settle in her stomach. As she contemplated what to say, the maid assigned to follow Bridget arrived, out of breath, her cheeks red and her hair mussed-no doubt from running after her mistress.

  Kate pulled her gaze away from the child’s mesmerizing one with difficulty to stare at Sean. “Have you never considered that she needs a stern governess and not a little bit of a maid to follow her about?”

  “I’m not made for walls to hold,” Bridget said softly. “Nor for any man, either.” Her mouth turned down, and her eyes closed, as if to hold back tears. In an instant, however, she smiled widely and Kate was left to wonder if she had imagined the sadness. “But you are meant for my brother to hold.”

  He did not grin. In fact, his expression was grim for a moment before he turned an indulgent smile on his sister. “You’ve spooked my wife, Bridget, shame on you.”

  The child laughed again. “Listen to me, Sean. She is for you.”

  Kate saw the tension that gripped them all—the maid, the girl, and Sean. Nothing was right here. She had a sudden suspicion that, if she found out more, she might finally understand why Sean was so sure she did not survive a fortnight here. Why he was willing to divorce her.

  Sean stared at his sister in dismay. The men who had taken her five years ago had not bothered to return her with all her mind. The folk at the abbey were convinced that she had the second-sight. He preferred they think that than what he thought--that his sister had had her mind stolen by her abductors and she would not be right ever again, no matter what he did.

  Now that he had agreed to let her stay, he must explain to Kate, who looked as pale as if Lady Dilys had appeared to ask her to take tea in the closest fairy fort. But he would not do so in front of Bridget. He touched her arm fleetingly to get her attention. “My wife will not be here long, Bridget, she belongs in London.”

  “She belongs here--”

  “After you have shown her the castle,“ he said, desperately intent upon distracting her from her foolish pronouncements. “She wishes to be of help. Have you anything she can do?”

  “She can stave off the troubles.” The impish smile didn’t fool him. His sister was serious.

  “Bridget.”

  “You never listen to the fairies any more Sean. Do you want to anger them?”

  “Never mind.” He’d changed his mind, seeing Kate’s keen gaze focused on his sister. If he found enough unpleasant chores for her, no doubt he’d serve his purpose of running her off. “Something always needs doing around here.”

  “True enough,” Bridget said, changing the subject to Sean’s relief. She turned to Kate and smiled. “Can you build a castle?”

  “Build a castle?” Kat
e laughed. “I’ve never tried, but I hardly think so.”

  Bridget studied her carefully for a second and then nodded decisively. “No. But you’ll have a fine babe in ten months time. It will be a bit of hardship getting the boy out, I’m afraid. But you’ll do fine. As long as you stay here where we can protect you.”

  There was a momentary shocked silence. Sean opened his mouth to countermand his request for his sister to show Kate around—it was much too dangerous.

  “I hope to have a daughter,” Kate answered sharply, before he could speak. She glared at him as if she held him to blame for Bridget’s foolish words.

  “Don’t be silly. The McCarthys run to boys. Why, I’m practically a boy myself. I hunt. I ride. I fight.”

  “Fight? Your brother lets you fight?” Kate said faintly, as she glanced at him as if she thought he had gone mad himself.

  He defended his actions, although she had no business calling him to account. She and her sisters were well versed in pistols and swordplay. “It seemed wise at the time to teach her to fight with a sword. I would expect you to understand—don’t you have a set of blades of your own.”

  “I do,” Kate admitted grudgingly.

  “An opponent of worth?” Bridget clapped her hands in delight and came forward to grasp Kate’s hands in her own. “Yes. Come. Let us explore the castle. And after you can come have a match with me. I’ve been forced to fight boys too afraid to hurt the sister of the McCarthy and men who wouldn’t dare use the sword against me.”

  Kate looked less than willing for a moment and he had some hope she would refuse and choose to spend her time in her own room, out of trouble. But then she smiled. “I’ve practiced with my sisters and I’m not afraid to strike hard and fast.”

  “Excellent.” Bridget nodded, her eyes glowing with anticipation. “I need a good opponent. I want to be skilled enough to kill, if needed.”

  Kate’s smile disappeared and Sean wished he had not suggested they spend the afternoon together. “Kill? I don’t think--“

  “Bridget wouldn’t hurt anyone. She’s gentle as a lamb.” He frowned at his sister.

  She made a face at him, but then relented. “Not you, at least. Unless you hurt Sean.”

  “Very well, then.” Kate glanced at him and he knew she’d have more to say about his sister’s care later. “I have no intention of hurting your brother.”

  “Then we will get along well enough.” Bridget smiled. “Come, I will take you to meet the fairies, if you beat me at swordplay.”

  Sean wished he knew what thoughts floated behind the green of his sister’s eyes. Was he making a mistake, allowing them to go off together? He did not believe Bridget would hurt Kate. But she might tell her more than he wished his inconvenient wife to know about his business—especially about the business they got up to at night. She’d already seen a little of what they did. Would she question Bridget? Would the girl answer her questions?

  The day was cool and breezy, the sun pale and offering little warmth, but still welcome after the days of fog and ice. The ruins of Castle Blarney seemed to be picked out by the sun for special favor as they rode up. The crumbling walls gleamed gold in places.

  A dog raced out to greet Bridget, nipping at the heels of her mount in familiar play. Bridget dismounted with a swift grace that surprised Kate. Unafraid of the chocolate brown beast, he girl crouched to the ground and hugged and patted the dog. “Teagan. Good girl. Did you miss me? I have been away overlong.”

  The dog whined and barked her welcome, then threw Kate a curious glance, almost as if she were waiting for an introduction. Bridget said softly, “Sean has taken a wife, girl. Meet Lady Blarney.”

  Kate winced at the unfamiliar name and dismounted as well. “Do you come here often, then?”

  “I belong here. The fairies are here. You will seen if you are lucky. Don’t tell Sean, though.”

  “Why not?”

  Bridget didn’t answer. “I like it here. The fairies are fond of the Stone, you know. This is one of their favorite places.”

  “Is it?” Kate didn’t know whether to encourage her fantasies, or point out that the fairies were only imaginary creatures. “When can I meet them?”

  “Not in broad daylight.” The girl giggled as if she’d asked a foolish question. “You must come at dawn, or at dusk if you want to meet the fairies.”

  Kate decided she would learn more if she pretended to believe than she would if she argued the existence of the little folk. “Has Sean met the fairies?”

  “He doesn’t believe in them anymore.” Bridget frowned. “They’re mad at him, too.”

  “Why are they mad at him?”

  “Because he went away.”

  Kate suspected the fairies were not the only ones angry at Sean for going away. “Did he not explain he had a duty to go away? He has a title, with duties and responsibilities in London.”

  “Lord Blarney.” Bridget nodded, unconvinced. “It is a title that means nothing to the fairies. They were unhappy when he was gone.”

  Kate prodded gently, “I expect you were unhappy as well.”

  “I’m glad he’s home.” Bridget turned on her, her gaze fierce. “I hope you stay. I would like a sister.”

  Kate wondered what it would have been like to have only had Valentine, instead of being surrounded by sisters. But it didn’t matter what Bridget desired. “Your brother doesn’t want me—“

  Bridget cocked one eyebrow as if to ask why that should matter. “Stay anyway.”

  Kate shook her head and sighed. She would never understand this family, no matter how she tried. “I don’t see how—“

  Bridget tied up her horse with a swift movement. “If you go, he’ll follow. The fairies say so.” Without warning, she turned and began to run toward the ruins. Teagan followed eagerly at her heels.

  “I’m quite sure the fairies are completely wrong on that account,” Kate said sharply, unsure whether Bridget heard her or not, although the dog turned and barked once sharply back at Kate as if in answer.

  They wandered the ruins, finally settling to a cold lunch in the lee of a large tree. Bridget pointed out the Blarney Stone, up above the trees. “It is no longer in our family, but it is still in our hearts.”

  “My goodness.” Kate shaded her eyes with her hand and squinted up. “People actually lean out to kiss that?” She reconsidered her own desire to do so. “One could get killed.”

  Bridget tossed a piece of cheese to Teagan and the dog snapped with a greedy gulp. “And have. But you won’t. Sean will hold you fast. If you stay.”

  “That, I’m afraid,” Kate said as she stood and brushed off her skirts, “is entirely up to your brother.” She looked about her, at the crumbling ruin of a castle that hadn’t been occupied for nearly two hundred years and yet still protected a stone that commanded the love and respect of people from far away.

  Her own sister Hero had traveled here with her husband and both of them had kissed the stone. But then, they believed that the legendary King Arthur was more than a myth, too. Kate herself was entirely more practical than that. If Sean had another change of heart, and asked her to stay here with him, would she?

  “Are you ready to return,” she began to ask Bridget, but as she glanced at the child, she stopped. The girl sat frozen, staring into the distance.

  Kate turned to look in the direction of the girl’s gaze and saw a mounted figure stopped some distance away. “Who is that?”

  “Jamie Jeffreys. The son of the owner of this castle.” The girl scrambled up.

  “Will he be unhappy that we are here?” It seemed unlikely, the castle was a popular site for tourist visits. But she sensed a tension in Bridget that had not been there before she spied the man.

  “Jamie knows I belong here. He’ll never turn me off.”

  Kate wondered if she should point out that Bridget should not be using the Christian name of a man unrelated to her. “Should we greet him?”

  “No.” Bridget said. “The
fairies are mad at him, just like they’re mad at Sean.”

  There was an agitation that was personal, not fairy-caused, Kate suspected, and prodded cautiously, “Are you mad at Jamie, too?”

  “No. I forgave him long ago.”

  Forgave him? For what? “Then why haven’t the fairies forgiven him?”

  “Because he hasn’t asked them to.”

  “But he did ask you?” Kate wondered if Sean was aware of this relationship? It did not seem wise to encourage it, even though the two seemed to avoid getting close to each other.

  “No. Jamie doesn’t like me like this.” Bridget patted her own face absently as she spoke. “He’d rather someone like you—who is not like this.”

  “Like this?”

  “Fey.” She said it bluntly, but softly, as if she were afraid to speak more loudly lest her gift be stolen from her. “He liked me the way I was before.”

  “Before your illness, you mean?”

  Bridget blinked several times, staring at Kate as if she did not understand what she had said. Then she bent her head and turned away from the mounted figure in the distance to whisper quickly, “Before the bad thing happened and the fairies took me for their own to keep me safe.”

  Kate didn’t know what to say, what to ask. But it didn’t matter, because Bridget turned and began to run to where they had left their own mounts. Her hair streamed about her loose and free, and the mounted figure did not move, watching until Bridget leaped upon her horse and began to ride away.

  Teagan did not follow Bridget this time. Her job was to guard the castle as Bridget had said, and obviously she took the job seriously. She accompanied Kate to her horse, the animals touched snouts and then Teagan loped back to the castle, leaving Kate to follow Bridget back to the abbey.

  As it turned out, Bridget was a very good swordswoman. Kate found herself in a corner with a blade at her throat in short order. “I give. You’re better than my sister Rosaline.”

  The girl moved back to salute her. “You’re better than you seemed here. Your skirts got in the way, even though you tied them up.”