Loving Ireland

by Mac Flynn

  "While we wait did you want to call Lily?"

  "Can't. I put the number in my phone so I wouldn't have to remember."

  Sean playfully clacked his tongue and shook his head. "A very bad idea," he teased me.

  "A very good idea if I was smart enough to keep my phone with me, but we kind of hurried out of there to escape a certain someone."

  Mary came into the room from the kitchen and adjusted our coats. "Won't be more than ten minutes for my husband to come, and he'll get your car out."

  Sean whipped out his pocketbook and offered her some bills with triple digits. "We're much obliged for th help."

  Mary brushed off his offer with a wave of her hand and a shake of her head. "No need for that, sir.. We're glad to be helping you and your wife."

  I choked on my cookie and couldn't set her straight before Sean wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against his side. He plastered a big grin on his face and glanced up at Mary. "And we're very glad to be here."

  Chapter 15

  I would have strangled him, but Mary never left the room and I didn't want any witnesses. Mary's husband soon came, a burly man by the name of Thomas, and he was as nice as she. He drove us in his truck over to the scene of the stupidity, and used his truck to pull our car out of the mud. Unfortunately, the undercarriage was too damaged to move it anywhere except off the road. "You'll be wanting to take that to a garage when the mud dries, but it will cost a sight to fix it," Thomas advised us.

  "A moment's folly should cost a great deal to teach the fool," Sean philosophically replied.

  "Where were you headed?" Thomas asked us.

  Sean nodded up the road. "To the bridge a few kilometers off."

  "Then it's a mercy ya hit the tree. The bridge was swept away by the flooding and there ain't much but a few warning flags to tell anyone its out."

  I shuddered, and Sean wrapped his arms around me to give me comfort. "We're grateful for the information, Thomas. Our friend should be at your house by now." Thomas drove us back and we found the red speedy out front of the cottage. Kelly punctually greeted us just as we entered, and unfortunately there was another member of the rescue party.

  "Darling!" came a familiar feminine voice, and Anna stepped out from the living room. She looked sorely out of place in her thick fur coat and high heels, though I was amused to see her shoes were caked with mud up to her socks. She draped her arms over his shoulders and clung to him like a needy animal. "I was so worried when Kelly told me you needed the car that I just could had to come!"

  Sean detached himself from her arms and his lips pursed together. "There won't be much room in the car with you present," he pointedly reminded her.

  "Nonsense, there's plenty of room. Kelly and the girl will be in back, and we-"

  Sean held up his injured wrist; the swelling had gone down only a little. "I can't drive."

  "Sir, are you very greatly hurt?" Kelly asked him. "Did you need to be taken to Doctor Jacob?"

  "No, we may as well go home. By the time we risked these roads the doctor will be at the castle for the scheduled visit." Sean turned to our three saviors, and shook each of their hands, even Danica's. "We're much obliged for the help, and I'll be sure to find some way to repay you."

  "Tweren't nothing," Mary insisted, but she smiled at the gratitude.

  I was afraid the back and forth would go on for another hour, so I looped my arm through Sean's and pulled him away. "I'm sure he'll think of something he can do for you, Mary. You just wait and see, and hopefully we'll see each other soon."

  We four travelers left the comfortable cottage and had a conundrum. The rear seats of the car weren't comfortable for two people, and neither Sean nor I could drive. Nobody wanted to risk Anna driving, so that left Kelly in the driver's seat and three more chairs to play with.

  "Darling, why don't we sit in the back while the girl takes the front?" Anna suggested. It was a badge of honor to be insulted by a woman such as she, though in her defense she still didn't know my first name.

  Sean shook his head. "I'd rather not be jostled about with your affections. You seat yourself beside Kelly, and we will take the rear." His tone told everyone there would be no arguments, and we all piled in.

  The drive back was slow but careful, and made longer by Anna's incessant chattering. My only comfort was the heat of Sean's body against mine keeping me warm, and when I could tell Anna to be quiet so I could call Lily. "She might be worried about us not picking her up after so long," I pointed out.

  The phone rang a few times and Lily picked up. "Hi, Maggie."

  "Hi, Lily. I just wanted to tell you we had a little bit of an accident, but we're fine."

  She didn't take the news so well., and I pulled my ear away from the phone to save my hearing "What? What happened? Are you two all right?"

  "We're fine-" except for my hearing and wrist. "-and we're headed back to the castle right now. Do you want Kelly to pick you up?"

  "No, I can walk with Duffy through the woods. He finished with the roof." That meant we could leave the castle.

  "All right. We'll meet you there." I hung up and couldn't hide the hint of disappointment in my face.

  "So the roof is done?" Sean asked me. I nodded, and noticed Anna tilt her head back to hear us. There was a wisp of a triumphant smile on her face that was soon spoiled. "I can't let you leave my care without ensuring you're well taken care of."

  I smirked. "Are you going to hold me down in your imaginary dungeon?"

  "Perhaps I'll have a real one built, but you have to stay until dinner.."

  I evilly rubbed my chin with one hand and squinted at him. "I don't know. After all this adventure with you I might need a break."

  "You two did have quite the adventure, didn't you?" Anna spoke up. "How on earth did you get all the way out here when the doctor's office is so far off?"

  "I'm afraid my shortcut proved to be as short as many others," Sean replied.

  Thankfully the drive back wasn't one of his shortcuts, and I was glad to find myself in the entrance hall, cold, tired, but still alive. Sean steered me toward the fire and Kelly went to prepare some steaming hot tea. Anna looked on like a creeping shadow, complete with dark lighting around her eyes. That, or it was her makeup; she used way too much and looked partially embalmed.

  "We should have no more than an hour until Doctor Jacob arrives," Sean told me as he sat down by my side.

  I glanced at his wrist and didn't like the swelling on it. "That's going to be good for both of us."

  "Sean! What did you do to yourself?" Anna shrieked. Her personal concern for his attentions must have overridden her eyesight, since she rushed to his side and gently took his injured wrist in her hands. "What happened, darling?"

  "My conceit and a rock happened, but it has improved," he comforted her.

  "Did you want me to call Doctor Jacob? Perhaps he will come-"

  Her sentence was interrupted by a knock on the front door. Kelly hurried past us and opened both doors to find a crowded entrance. Lily, Duffy, and the doc all stood on the small doorstep, and Lily apologetically pushed past both men to hurry to me. "Maggie!" she yelled. She slid beside me and looked me over as though she expected me to be without a limb or eye.

  "I'm not that injured," I spoke up with a laugh. "Just some shock and a slightly worse wrist."

  "And without your bandages," the doctor added as he came up behind Lily. "You were instructed to place new bandages on that hand every night."

  I sheepishly grinned at him. "I guess I kind of forgot."

  "We all did," Lily added.

  "And I join in the blame," Sean chimed in.

  "And mine, though Ah don't know how," Duffy comically finished.

  The doctor looked at Sean and his careful eyes glanced over the lord's own injured hand. "And I see you've decided to join her." Doc Jacob glanced at Lily. "I do hope you have no plans on joining them, Miss O'Brien."

  "I would rather not," she replied with a smile.r />
  "Then you shall be my nurse for the present. Please fetch some ice packets so we may lessen the swelling and apply more bandages. This time they will be much firmer."

  "Isn't anything else needed?" I wondered.

  Doc Jacob shook his head. "No, I think not. There's only swelling, and I would recommend a cool pack whenever you can."

  "And avoid knocking your hand against so many things," Lily scolded me.

  "I promise I'll be as careful as I ever am," I swore.

  "Then I might need to pick out a grave spot for you," Lily quipped.

  "Nurse, patient, please attend to the injuries at hand," Doc Jacob scolded us.

  Lily blushed and mumbled her reply. "Yes, sir." She went to fetch the ice packs, and the doctor seated himself beside me.

  Doc Jacob nodded to the portrait over the mantle. "A fine portrait of your father. Newly commissioned?"

  Sean shook his head. "Newly cleaned. Hanging above the fireplace as it is, the smoke and dust had done a terrible damage to it."

  "When do you expect to have yours done?" Jacob asked him.

  Sean shrugged. "It's a family tradition to have one painted at their wedding or acquiring the title. With my father's sudden death I hadn't the inclination to sit for a portrait."

  "Then you'll have one done for your wedding?"

  "If that happy day comes."

  "I'm sure it will, darling, and very soon," Anna spoke up. I detected a faint hint of a shudder from Sean.

  "Yes, well, I suppose I'm slow to make up my mind. I want to be sure of my feelings." At the last part he glanced at me, and his eyes were so intense that I quickly turned my face away.

  Lily saved me from his uncomfortable staring with an armload of ice packs. "Mrs. Finnin said there was more if they're needed," she told the doctor.

  Doc Jacob laughed and took two bags out of the dozen. "I'm sure she does, but those won't be necessary." He turned to his patients. "Apply these for a few minutes while I get the wrapping ready.

  The ice packs were applied, the bandage readied, and after half an hour of freezing our arms off Doc Jacob mummified us. His wrapping was tight and numerous, and before he was done I worried I wouldn't be able to put my arm through the sleeve of my coat because the bandaged area was so thickly with so many layers. Then the doctor's work was done, Sean paid him for his time and Doc Jacob left. That was Lily and my cue to leave.

  "We should probably get going," I mentioned to everyone.

  Sean raised an eyebrow. "But you promised to stay until after supper," he countered.

  I stood up and Lily joined me. "You need to have a nice, quiet, early supper and go to bed, young man," I teased him.

  "It would be a much more pleasant supper with-well, with more company," he replied. He meant to mention something about the quality of company because his eyes darted over to Anna. I was flattered, but too tired to want to deal anymore with Anna myself. Sean noticed the weariness in my eyes, and retreated. "My apologies, I hadn't realized how tired you were, and all because of my foolish driving. Is there any way I can make amends to you?"

  "I'm pretty sure I was part of the conspiracy to drive out to Doctor Jacob's place," I pointed out. "So you don't owe me anything."

  "I'll be sure to think of some way to make amends, with or without your consent," he teased.

  I graciously let him have the last say in the conversation, and Lily and I left in her car.

  Chapter 16

  It was late evening when we got back to the cottage, and I was never so glad to tromp into the cottage and plop myself beside the warm, simple fireplace. "Feels nice to not have Lady Brownie looking at us all the time," I spoke up.

  Lily smiled as she seated herself at my side. "She hardly glanced at me when she realized how smitten Sean was with you," she pointed out.

  "Smitten or not, I suppose we're done at the castle for a while," I replied. "We can't keep going back and forth. My legs will fall off."

  "But I thought you wanted the exercise," Lily teased.

  "Not until the mud has dried so I don't have to worry about being sucked down up to my neck."

  "It's to be a lovely day tomorrow, or so Duffy told me."

  "It's been raining so long that I'll have to see it to believe it."

  Lily smirked at me. "I'll make you eat those words, Maggie Magee. Tomorrow will be a fine day, as Duffy says it will be."

  The next day was bright and sunny, and I woke up fearing Lily would spoon me my own words. I came to the breakfast table and found she had a smirk on her face and her eyes twinkled. I sighed and sat down. "All right, I admit that you two were right."

  "Duffy was right, I only had faith in his words," she corrected me.

  I smiled and bowed my head. "I stand-er, sit corrected. Anyway, what are we going to do this glorious Irish day?" A knock on the door was my reply, and Lily stepped out to the front door. I leaned my ear toward the doorway and listened to the conversation.

  "A delivery for Miss Maggie," a young male voice spoke up.

  "I'll take it. Thank you." I leaned away from the doorway and acted like I was disinterested. That is, until she actually walked back into room wLily ith her arms full of basket. Chocolates and flowers burst out the sides; my waistband nearly burst at the sight of those delicious sweet treats. Lily had a bright, mischievous smile on her face. "I think somebody has a not-so-secret admirer."

  "That's for me?"

  "And from a special some one," she teased.

  "I don't think I need three guesses to figure out who it is, either. He's tall, handsome, and needs glasses if he thinks he can fall in love with someone who looks like this." I gestured down to myself, but Lily ignored me and put the basket down on top of my breakfast plate.

  "I think this is too romantic for you to be mean to yourself," she scolded me.

  "Fine, then I'll take my self-deprecating quips out on the chocolate." I rummaged through assortment which included dark, white, off-white, and milky white in all shapes and sizes known and unknown to geometry. "He must have gone to the ends of the earth to find some of these strange things," I commented as I popped a round ball of pure goodness into my mouth.

  "Or the grocery," Lily laughed. She handed me a card, and I devoured the words as quickly as I'd devoured that chocolate ball.

  Dear Maggie,

  I hope this will do for an apology. I didn't know what flavors you wanted, so I purchased all of them. Hope your wrist is well, and I will see you soon.

  Love,

  Sean

  "Love, Sean," Lily repeated, and then she squealed. "This is so wonderful for you, Maggie! Your very own lover!"

  "He's not my lover until I get a kiss off of him," I pointed out.

  "But doesn't this move your soul? Aren't you grateful for his kindness?"

  "I have to admit that he's doing a really good job of buying my affections," I teased her curiosity.

  She gave an exasperated sigh. "What will I do with you?"

  "Make me breakfast?"

  "With all that chocolate?"

  "Um, no. I can hear my scale screaming from across the ocean."

  "Then I suppose I'll make you breakfast, but don't go asking for any desserts." While Lily made good on her hostess duties, I reread the note. The word 'love' did catch me as undeniably sweet, sweeter even than the candies. I found myself wondering how early he had to get up to go to town and order this basket with its goodies. Not being a morning person, this struck me as incredibly considerate of him, if not downright insane. "Maggie!"

  I jumped in my chair and nearly toppled backwards. Regaining my balance, I snapped my head to Lily. "What? What's wrong?"

  "I asked you three times how you wanted your eggs and all I received for my troubles was a blank stare." She noticed the card in my hand, and a sly smile stretched across her face. "You wouldn't happen to have been dreaming about a certain young fellow, would you?"

  "What? No. I was thinking about, um, thinking about squirrels."

  Lily r
aised an eyebrow. "Squirrels?" she repeated.

  "Yeah, squirrels. Their nice fluffy tails and how they bounce from electric wires tempting twenty-thousand volts. Squirrels."

  "Maggie Magee, that is the most inventive and terrible like I have ever heard."

  "Why thank you, dearest friend."

  "You're very welcome, but now confess."

  "Fine, I admit it. I was the one who stole all the toilet paper out of the girl's dorm my junior year."

  "I meant about your blank stare, but that does explain that disappearance."

  "My blank stare? I don't know, I guess I was just thinking about-well, somebody."

  Lily grabbed my basket of goodies and before I could grab it she'd whipped it out of my reach. "Confess or you won't see your precious again."

  "No, not my preciouses!" I cried out.

  She swung it from side to side like the pendulum of a delicious clock. "Who is the somebody?"

  "All right, all right, just don't do anything drastic!" I pleaded with her. I sighed and held up the card. "I was thinking of Sean."

  "Pleasant thoughts?"

  "Well, yeah, he is handsome."

  "Any other positive features?"

  "And nice, I guess."

  "No deeper feelings from you for him?"

  "You want me to say I love him, don't you?"

  "Very much."

  "I'll meet you halfway and say I like him."

  Lily sighed and handed back the goodies. "I suppose that's as good as I can get until you kiss him."

  "Should I really kiss a lord? He won't be like a prince and turn into a frog, will he?"

  "No, but you may swoon over him."

  "I don't swoon."

  Lily pointed at my wrist. "You're right, you seem to fall."

  "Hardy-har-har."

  "But in all seriousness, a thank-you to Sean would be polite," Lily insisted.

  I smirked. "I suppose, if only to rub it in Anna's face."

  Lily rolled her eyes, and with such a beautiful day we opted to walk through the woods to the castle. At Duffy's stump we found the man himself puffing away on his pipe. He smiled and nodded at us. "A good morning to ye both."

  "Good morning," we both replied.

  There was a sparkle in his eyes as he looked us over. "And what can you lovely ladies be doing along this path?" he wondered.

  "Enjoying the day you promised us," Lily replied. "And yourself?"