The Last Celtic Angel

by Wallace Jan Ecklof

  Listening to him praise them, she can’t help wondering about him. He is kind and sensitive, but strength emanates from him, strength that would back up a bear if necessary. His talents seem endless, education, art, music, athletic ability, all combined with a grace and natural handsomeness, he appears too good to be true.

  Jamie takes her arm and guides Deanna gently to the Hunter ring. “I’ve asked Katy if she would not mind riding one of my horses that needs to be worked. That is, if it’s alright with you? He’s very gentle but has not been ridden in a while since Pita got her new pony,” He explains to her.

  “Well it could be a problem; you see she has this problem with severe panic attacks when she becomes frightened or angry. It‘s a result of my divorce from her father. She’s in therapy now twice a week and Dr. Winman, that’s her therapist, he thinks she’s not ready. He’s not had any success in trying to help her,” Deanna warns him.

  Jamie seems to think about it for a minute before he answers her. “I understand, actually Katy told me all about it while you were up with Rosa. I think she will be perfectly fine, we’ll be taking it easy. I’ll be in the ring with her the whole time. That seemed to make Katy feel at ease knowing that, and she expressed a desire to try. She and Finnegan have been having quite a discussion about this for forty minutes. Katy is doing it right, working with him on the ground before she claims aboard. Why don’t you let her try and see how she handles it?

  I told her Tia has the same problem, and we have overcome a lot of hers. The two of them actually have been hanging out together which for Tia are something short of a milestone. She does not take to new people readily, but the two of them seem to have hit it off wonderfully. Sometimes just talking about something with someone who has walked in your shoes aids in recovery, knowing you’re not the only one. So if it’s ok with you, I’ll tell her it’s a go.” He stands in front of her waiting for her answer.

  Deanna nods, too afraid to speak, he has her disarmed, and he seems not fazed by what he’s learned. She senses it will be ok, there’s that word again, sense.

  “She will be more at ease and enjoy herself if she’s participating rather than as a spectator. All I ask is that you let me take charge, no matter what happens. Leave everything to me, can you do that?” He asks with his brows furrowed together.

  Deanna’s worried, she’s seen her when the panic takes place, he hasn’t, and she’s not sure he can cope with her when it does, but he seems so confident.

  “Alright, but please be careful Jamie, her therapist says she may not be ready yet, he thinks she needs more time. It’s not that I don’t have confidence in you, I’m sure you’re good, it’s just ___ she’s mine.” Deanna confides in him.

  “I totally understand, I will be very slow and gentle with her, and I’ll be with her the whole time. Just sit back and try to look calm, let me handle the lesson, she’ll be fine.”

  With that he calls the girls to bring their horses over to the gate. “I want Marianna to go first, followed by Katy, Tia, T. J. and Pita you will be last, Ok?”

  All of them do five times each way at the walk around the arena warming up the horses. “Alright, now walk over the poles a few times, then go to the center of the ring and stand…… Keep a space between yourselves, that’s excellent, very good.

  Marianna I want you to trot to the first jump than pick up the canter and do two, three, five, and six stopping straight ahead before the fence. Go ahead ___ heels down that’s it, toes up, center of the cross rails two point ___ good pick up the cantor and two point ___ stretch up…. Beautiful that’s it ___ and stop. Perfect, you do just like that at the show this month, and you will pin for sure. Now pat him on the neck, let him know he did a good job, that’s it.

  Katy your next honey, Let me check your girth and reins, before you start.” Jamie walks up to Katy and places his hand over hers and leads her to the first jump. “Ok your tack is fine I just wanted to talk to you before you start” he squeezes her hand a little. “Look at me, you can do this, focus and listen to my voice, I will be right with you the whole time. You understand, just listen to my voice and only my voice, Ok?”

  Katy looks down at him, and he gently releases her hand. “Yes Uncle Jamie, I will” she feels a new confidence flowing into her.

  “Ok Katy, start at the walk than take it up to a trot.”

  Jamie turns and goes back to the center of the ring. Katy walks off and just before the jumps, she picks up the trot.

  Suddenly, Katy loses one of her stirrups and Deanna sees the panic on her face knowing what is to come next. Before she can react, she hears Jamie’s voice calling out to Katy.

  “Katy, just relax, sit and find the stirrup, use your right rein and gently turn him, ___ find your stirrup, just listen to my voice, ___ you’re alright, you have great balance, that’s it. ___ Good now turn him back and trot to the jump, ___fantastic. Two point and sit up, heels down, toes up, look to the next jump, perfect, I’m right here” Jamie keeps walking toward her as he talks her through this.

  “You can do this, you’re in control, feel the control, go back and finish your line.” He turns and announces to all of them, “Now that ladies, is how you recover from that situation, thank you Katy, I’m very proud of you. You handled that like a pro.”

  He looks at Katy and winks, almost like it was all planned. “Very good that was all you had to do, use your seat, that’s what it’s for.” She finishes all of her jumps perfectly and when she finishes, she is smiling from ear to ear.

  “Ok, you two walk out your horses and Dyon will finish the rest of the class. Deanna has seen him using a therapy that is unconventional yet effective, Katy has what she did not, a sense of confidence that she didn’t have before.

  Katy is so excited she can hardly contain herself, “Mother did you see me, I did it, I recovered all by myself, I jumped almost a perfect line. Oh Mother I can’t go back to Miss Rose, I hate her, and she is a lousy teacher. I don’t care if she is Daddy’s friend, I just can’t, why can’t I take lessons here?

  You said that all his students are children in crisis, and I am a child in crisis. Mother, please ask Uncle Jamie, you don’t know how it felt when he came over and touched me. I felt like he empowered me with courage.

  When he talks, you can hear him in your head, now I know what Tia meant when she said he has a magic that he uses. I didn’t panic not once, I was scared, but when I heard him talking to me, I felt I could do it, and I did.”…. Mother, I don’t feel different here like at school or at Miss Rose’s barn, there I feel like everyone is looking at me waiting for me to have a fit or something.” The look on her face, it’s the first time in almost two years that she’s seeing her, like the daughter she used to have. Looking for guidance and giving her the feeling like she can make everything alright again.

  Deanna doesn’t know what to say to her, she’s here to write a story and maybe expose a land swindle. She can’t have her in the middle and Deanna’s not sure how she feels about Jamie herself.

  “Let’s get dressed for dinner, and we’ll talk about this when we get home. Ok. We need to hurry up and finish with this horse than we can go get cleaned up. Come on now, no more discussions on the subject for the rest of the night. I promise I will think about it.”

  She walks the horse out and cools him down and Marianna and her head over to the staging area to remove the tack.

  As Katy is brushing the horse, Jamie comes by, “You were very good out there Katy and I wanted to thank you for giving Finnegan a workout. You really helped us today you must come back some other time with your Mom and brother. You know we’re having a big trail ride to the old quarry on Sunday; it’s about a ten mile trip out and back. We would love for you all to join us.

  How about it Mom,” Katy asks, “Can we all come?”

  Jonah is looking at her with a big grin, knowing she has just been set up. “How can I refuse a ride to the quarry? Would it be alright if we brought our own horses,” She says a little sarcas
tically?

  “No, as a matter of fact, that would be great, I think we would have been short on a couple of horses if you don’t, we can discuss it after dinner tonight. Well, I have to go to the house and see to the dinner preparations, I am sure that Rosa will have me going to the store or something before I can get dressed.” He comments to Deanna before turning to walk toward the house.

  Watching him go, she can’t help but admire him for the ease in which he manages everything around himself.

  “Mother maybe you can ask him over this weekend, and I can get another lesson from him, do you think I could?” Deanna hardly heard what Katy was saying, she was so preoccupied with watching him.

  “Hum… Maybe we can ___ we’ll see honey, come on now finish up we have to get ready for dinner.” Deanna casually answers her, watching Jamie walk away. There is so much about him that she finds familiar, but Deanna can’t seem to put her finger on it. This place, it is almost as if she had been here and done this before.

  CHAPTER 7

  “An Evening of Surprises”

  Upon entering the house they see that the whole place is a buzz with activity. Rosa is setting a large table in the formal dining room and there are three young women that she’s issuing instructions to in Spanish. Looking up she sees us and comes over.

  Rosa says, “Senora’s, come, I will show you to your rooms where you may refresh yourselves and dress for dinner.”

  Going up a winding set of stairs she leads the way down a long carpeted hall that has many doors, to one that she indicates is the one Deanna is to use. Opening the door she finds a spacious suite with a formal sitting room leading to an incredible bedroom. Off the bedroom through French doors there’s a balcony with a magnificent view of the ranch that is breathtaking. It faces the east, so one can watch the sun rise.

  “Senorita Katy is across from you, while Senor Jonah will be in the one next to you. I will show him his, when he comes up from the lessons. I have taken the liberty while you were down with the lessons to lay out some clothes; maybe you like to try them on? I was not sure if you have the dinner clothes with you. Tia thinks the Senorita Katy might like to share something of hers for tonight.”

  Katy jumps at the chance to look at what Tia sent for her to wear. “Senorita your room is across from this one let me show you, por favor.” Going out and opening the door to the room opposite of mine she shows Katy to her room.

  Running into the room Rosa has opened for her Deanna hears her squeal; she runs to investigate and sees Katy holding a dress. “Mother isn’t it beautiful, I love it, we’re the same size, and it will fit perfectly.” She exclaims, holding it up against her and dancing about the room.

  Deanna nods and smiles, seeing Katy happier than she’s seen her in such a long time. She closes Katy’s door and returns to her room. Looking at the dresses that are laid out on the bed, she’s wondering which one to try on, or should she tell Rosa no thank you, and just wear what she brought. Rosa comes back to her room as Deanna holds up one of the dresses.

  “Your pardon, Senora, forgive me please, I mean no offence that your clothes are not lovely. I just thought you might like to try something a little different, a little Spanish for tonight. If you do not, it will not offend me or the Patron. I will leave you to dress now; dinner will be in two hours. Drinks will be on the veranda when you are ready.”

  “Wait Rosa, I love the dresses, and I hope they will fit. Thank you for trying to make us feel welcome. They’re so beautiful, are they yours?”

  “No Senora Deanna, they were just here, I must go and see that the girls do not make the big mistakes. Con permiso[16] Senora.” Rosa leaves and closes the door.

  Deanna looks at the dresses more closely; they are of knee length and brightly colored with scoop necks. The texture and quality are magnificent, as if they were made for her. She tries on the yellow one with the bodice of white lace it’s perfect, except, she’ll have to wear it without a bra as the straps would show. Deanna’s not sure that she feels comfortable with that though, turning back to the others, she notices a tube top underneath the last one. Rosa has thought of everything. Deanna puts it on and it’s perfect, putting the dress back on it fits like a dream, making her feel pretty and sexy at the same time. The door opens and Katy rushes in.

  “Look mother isn’t it beautiful, Wow, you look great I have never seen you look so attractive, the colors are perfect for you, don’t you love it here, and it’s like going on vacation… Everyone is so nice and this house and everything is like a dream castle, don’t you think? Can I go find Tia, I want to thank her and show her how I look?” She is so excited. How can her mother say no? “Alright but just to show her then come right back.”

  “Ok Mother I will.”

  Deanna sits down at the vanity and questions begin to pop into her mind. Thinking about the dresses, where did they come from, maybe they were his late wife’s? She’s curious; she’ll have to wait to ask Rosa as it would be in bad taste to bring it up to him. There is a knock on the door.

  “Come in.” The door opens and Deanna sees that it is a very pretty young woman that Rosa was talking with, when they came in downstairs.

  “Perdona[17] Senora, Rosa sends me to do your hair, me permite[18]?” and she takes over finishing her hair, “My name is Theresa.”

  “I am pleased to meet you Theresa; do you work here at the Rancho?”

  “Only sometime, I hope to live here all the time with my Esteban when we take our vows.”

  “You must tell me sometime when we have more time when that will be; I have not met Esteban yet.”

  “The Senora will meet him tonight, at the dinner, Friday is La Familia.” Theresa explains as she finishes the braid, Deanna sees that she is quite expert in doing hair.

  “The Senora has beautiful hair, it is thick and shines like copper in the sun, I make you pretty for the Patron. No?” Theresa smiles and announces that it is finished; she looks in the mirror and the one that Theresa is holding behind her and has never seen it done better.

  “Thank you Theresa, it’s gorgeous, and I love it.” She smiles and Deanna can see that she’s is very pretty, Esteban is a lucky Caballero[19] to have her.

  “Don Diego awaits his guests on the veranda whenever you are ready Senora. I will leave you now.” Theresa closes the door behind her.

  Deanna sits looking into the mirror, all these people can’t be wrong about what kind of person he is. She saw him today with Katy; he did in one lesson what Rose has been unable to do in a year. Katy says she felt something; maybe it was what Deanna felt the first time he took her hand. A sense of trust and a feeling of well being that came over her, as if she had known him before.

  Walking down the hall, Deanna can hear laughter coming from the great room. Walking into the room she notices a red faced older man with white hair talking with Jamie, it must be Father Scanlon that she’s heard so much about. They’re standing in front of French doors leading to the veranda.

  Jamie is dressed in dark slacks and a white shirt; his broad shoulders taper down to a narrow waist, his hair is of medium length almost touching his collar. Father Scanlon puts his hand on his arm and motions in her direction as he turns and looks at Deanna just staring, the sound level drops to silence. She looks to see if she forgot something with the way he’s looking at her, suddenly he smiles and walks toward Deanna the older man in tow.

  “Father I would like you to meet another of our guests tonight for dinner, this is the remarkable woman that I have been talking to you about, she is doing a story on us here, and about the ranch.” Jamie takes her hand in his and says as if no one else were in the room, “You look absolutely stunning.”

  “Father this is Deanna Quinn Gaynor, Deanna may I introduce my good friend Father Tom Scanlon.” Father Scanlon takes Deanna’s hand and smiles warmly.

  “Tis a pleasure to meet you darling, he has spoken of you, now I can see why. You’ve a bit of the old sod in you, a fair Colleen from the Emerald Isle. Tis my ple
asure to meet you Deanna,” he takes Deanna’s hand and shakes gently.

  “Father I’ve heard about you and your Mission, I hope you will give me an interview as I understand you’re part of the story as well.” Waiting for him to answer she notices a look between him and Jamie.

  Jamie nods, as if giving him permission. Father Scanlon looks relieved.

  “Of course any time you wish except for this evening, tonight I concentrate on one of Rosa’s wonderful meals, but let me introduce you to Irene. She’s T.J.’s mother and a bit shy, but a lovely lass none the less. Come with me, she’s out looking at the lake. Will you excuse us Jamie?”

  As Father Scanlon escorts Deanna to the patio, she hears Jonah call out to her. “Hey Mom,” he crosses the patio with Dyon and gives her a kiss, “You look incredible isn’t she beautiful Dyon? I never saw that dress before Mom, is it new?”

  “No honey, actually Rosa brought it to me; she thought I might like it. She said it was one that was here, I guess someone left it, is that right Dyon?”

  She smiles and states that she and Jamie purchased it and some others yesterday.

  “Then it is you, I have to thank for having such good taste.”

  She answers Deanna curtly. “No Senora, Jefe[20] actually selected that one, I chose the size only.”

  “Thank you, it’s a perfect fit.” Deanna thanks her honestly.

  So it was Jamie, who selected it, he has a feel for fashion as well. Deanna senses a little coolness from Dyon and she decides to move along with Father Scanlon to meet T.J.’s Mom.

  The old priest walks her up to a small diminutive woman. “Irene I would like to introduce you to Deanna, she is writing a story on the ranch and the girls.” Irene looks a little frighten and apprehensive.

  “Just about how they are training and going to the show, nothing for you to worry about. Irene is my housekeeper at the mission you know.” Father Scanlon explains to Deanna.