"You were a fanciful child, I see."
"Aye." As they exited the pass she nodded toward the waterfall,
spilling hundreds of feet from the top of the mountain into the river
below. "It's easy to be fanciful in Ballinarin. It's a place apart. Lonely
and wild. Savage and yet so beautiful. As though some heavenly artist
had painted this scene, intent upon using every color. See there." She
pointed to the clumps of rhododendrons, ablaze with reds and pinks
and purples.
Keane followed her direction, hearing in her voice a softness, a
reverence he hadn't heard before. "Even the clouds are different
here."
"Aye." He glanced heavenward. The clouds above seemed torn and
shredded by the wind. Some gauzy white, others with edges tinted
gold and. mauve in a sky so blue it hurt to look directly at it.
"You've come home, Briana."
"Aye. At long last. Home." She had to take in a deep breath to keep
from weeping.
As the carriage rolled through the village, a woman herding a flock of
geese stopped to stare at the passengers in the carriage: Spying
Briana's fiery hair she called, "Look. It is Briana O'Neil."
A husband and wife, tending their garden, looked up and joined in the
chorus. "Aye. So it is. I'd know that hair anywhere. Our lady Briana
has returned."
Then a cluster of lads heard the voices and one of them leapt on the
back of a pony, shouting, "I must take word to Ballinarin at once."
Digging in his heels, he sped off to spread the news."I can see that our
arrival won't be a surprise," Keane said with a smile.
"Nay. In our little part of Ireland, there are few secrets."
Keane watched as her hands, held firmly in her lap, clasped and
unclasped. As the grey stones of the keep loomed up before them, her
eyes filled. Tears rolled unchecked down her cheeks.
The doors to the keep were thrust open and voices could be heard
shouting as people began spilling out into the courtyard. By the time
the carriage came to a halt, every single person in Ballinarin had
assembled. Cook and housekeeper. Scullery maid and stable lad.
Standing in front was the entire O'Neil family.
Keane stepped down and assisted Briana from the carriage.
"Oh. Sweet heaven, it's true then." Moira O'Neil raced forward to
embrace her daughter. Her tears mingled with Briana's. "Oh, my
sweet, beautiful daughter. You're truly back with us."
"Let me at her." Rory rushed forward and picked up his baby sister,
swinging her around and around, as he had when she'd been a little
girl. "God in heaven, how I've missed you."
"And I've missed you, Rory. Oh, how I've missed you."
As .soon as he set her on her feet Conor came forward to hug her
fiercely. "We feared the worst. When you never arrived home, we
sent word to the abbey. Reverend Mother assured us you'd left
months ago."
"Aye." Briana clung to him, then turned to take hold of Rory's
shoulder as well. "There were times I feared I'd never see my big
brothers again."
"What about me?"
She turned, and for a moment couldn't believe her eyes. "Can this be
little Innis?"
He laughed and swept her into his arms.
When he set her down she caught his hands and held him a little
away. "How can this be? You're as tall as Rory and Conor. You've
become a man while I was away."
"I should hope so. Because you've become..." He tousled her hair.
"You've become almost a woman."
"Almost? Keep a civil tongue." She turned to the two young women
who had walked up to stand quietly beside her brothers. "AnnaClaire.
Emma." She hugged one, then the other, before catching sight of the
fullness of their gowns. "Can it be that I'm about to become an aunt,
not once, but twice?"
"In fact," AnnaClaire said softly, "this will be your third time." She
signalled to a small, dark-haired lad who was the image of Rory.
"Come Patrick. Meet your Aunt Briana."
The lad held back, too shy to greet this stranger.
Briana felt tears threaten once more. "A nephew? And I didn't even
know he existed."
Suddenly the crowd fell silent as one figure stepped forward. Gavin
O'Neil looked the same as when Briana had last seen him. A lion's
mane of silver hair framed a craggy face that was still rugged and
handsome. Though his middle had thickened, he still bore the traces
of a seasoned warrior, with broad shoulders and muscled arms.
For several seconds he merely stared at her, as though he couldn't
quite believe his eyes.
"So. You've come home then." His voice was the same as well. A
fierce growl.
"Aye."
"Well then. Come and give me a kiss."
She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his
cheek.
He caught her by the shoulders and held her a little away. His eyes
narrowed as he studied the woman before him. His daughter. And yet,
not his daughter. Where once she had been round, almost chubby, she
was now thin and angular. Her lush mane of fiery tangles had been
cropped, leaving a cap of curls framing a face that, if possible, had
grown even more beautiful.
She had become a stranger.
While he studied her the others gathered around them, joining hands
to form an unbroken circle.
From his position by the carriage, Keane watched, feeling at that
moment like an intruder. And wondering what it must be like to
belong to such a large, emotional family.
The voices became a chorus of questions.
"Where have you been?"
"How have you been living all these months?"
"What about the lads who accompanied you?"
Briana held up her hand. "All in good time. For now, you must meet
some people who have become very important in my life."
She crossed to Keane and caught his hand, pulling him toward her
family.
"This is Keane O'Mara. He saved my life. And now, for a little while,
he seeks sanctuary here at Ballinarin. Keane, this is my family."
Gavin O'Neil offered a stiff handshake, while Moira clasped his hand
in both of hers and said, ' 'Our home is yours, Keane O'Mara. For as
long as you desire."
Rory and Conor mirrored their father's wary greeting, while their
wives were as enthusiastic as Moira.
Briana waved the housekeeper and butler over. "Mistress Malloy and
Vinson are carrying Keane's greatest treasure of all. His daughter,
Alana."
"Oh, how precious she is." Moira opened her arms to the child, and,
seeing the fatigue in the eyes of the old servants, became the efficient
hostess. "You must come inside at once and let us make you
comfortable. How far have you journeyed?"
As the housekeeper struggled to keep up she said, "Clear across
Ireland. And before that, London."
"You were in England?" Gavin's eyes narrowed.
Briana caught Keane's arm and started toward the door. "Aye. But
we'll tell you everything later, Father. For now, I wish to wash away
the grime of our journey. And taste Cook's
salmon."
"And so you shall." Moira turned to her daughter- in-law.
' AnnaClaire, will you ask Cook to see that the lads catch some fresh
salmon for our evening meal?'
"Aye." The young woman hurried away.
As she stepped inside, Briana paused a moment to drink in the
familiar sights and scents of her home. Memories washed over her.
Fresh tears filled her eyes.
Keane laid a hand over hers. "Are you all right?"
She took in a deep breath to calm herself. "Aye. It's just
so...overwhelming."
"I know." He touched a hand to her cheek.
Just then Gavin walked in, stopped, then cleared his throat. Behind
him, his two sons watched in silence.
"You'll want to refresh yourself in your old room. Briana," Gavin said
sternly.
"Aye. Come with me, Keane. I'll show you where I spent the first ten
and five years of my life."
"He can see that later." Gavin paused, then strove for a softer tone.
"I'm sure our guest would like some ale to wash away the dust of his
travels." His eyes challenged. "Wouldn't you?"
Keane nodded. "Aye." He gave Briana a gentle smile. "You go ahead
upstairs. I'll see you later."
She squeezed his hands. Then, with a swirl of skirts, she turned away
and raced up the stairs.
Gavin led the way to his library, with Keane walking between Rory
and Conor. All four men were grim-faced.
"Oh, this is wonderful." Briana sat between her two sisters-in-law,
AnnaClaire and Emma. Keane was across the table, with Rory on one
side of him and Conor on the other. As always, Gavin O'Neil sat at the
head of the table, with his wife at the opposite end. Friar Malone sat
on the right hand of Gavin, with Innis on his left.
"I must tell Cook that this salmon is even better than I'd
remembered."
"I'll have her cook it every day now that you're home," Moira said.
"We need to see that you eat more. You've grown very thin, Briana."
Briana laughed. "Now you're beginning to sound like Keane. He
wondered if they'd ever fed me in the convent."
"How did you two become acquainted?" Friar Malone asked as he
helped himself to a second portion. Ordinarily he curbed his appetite,
as an act of self- denial... But this, he consoled himself, was a special
occasion.
"Keane found me lying in a field, more dead than alive. He took me to
his home, Carrick House, and nursed me back to life. If it weren't for
him, I wouldn't be here now."
"We are forever in your debt, my lord." Moira's eyes filled and she
looked down, embarrassed that her emotions were so close to the
surface. But it would have to be forgiven, for her youngest child was
home with her. And her heart was so full, she thought it would surely
burst.
"Tomorrow I'd like to visit the families of the lads who accompanied
me." Briana pushed aside her plate. Suddenly her appetite had fled
just thinking about the sad news she would have to relay.
"Why?" Gavin's voice boomed out the single word. It was the first
time he'd spoken since the festive meal had begun.
"They need to know that their sons all died as heroes. They gave their
lives to save mine."
"I'll tell them," he said firmly. "There's no need for you to speak of
something so painful when you've just come back to Ballinarin."
"Aye. There is." Briana's voice was just as firm. "I was there. I saw
what happened. Their families need to hear it from my lips. I'll be the
one to tell them."
Gavin's eyes narrowed. "Are you defying me this way just to test my
patience?
"Patience?" Briana returned his dark, angry stare without flinching.
"When did you manage to acquire such a virtue as patience?"
He picked up his goblet and drank. His fingers tightened on the stem
of the goblet. "I'll overlook such impertinence, since it's your first
night under my roof Perhaps you've forgotten, since you've been
living at..." He turned and fixed Keane with a scowl "...Carrick
House." He swung his look back to his daughter. "But in this house,
my word is law. Anyone who dares to disobey me..."
"I know the rest." She shoved back her chair; got to her feet. "Anyone
who dares to disobey you is banished. For you and you alone are
judge, jury and executioner."
As she started to flounce away he leapt up and caught her arm.
"You've never forgiven me for that, have you? It will always be there
between us, festering, but never healing."
"That's where you're wrong, Father. It was the only sermon that was
preached to me every day for three long years at the abbey. And
finally, after a flood of tears, and even more prayers and more misery
than you can ever imagine, I succeeded in forgiving you."
When the words were spoken aloud, she paused, realizing she had
spoken the truth. In her heart she had truly forgiven her father.
She turned and laid a hand on his cheek. "Perhaps the problem is not
my forgiveness. Perhaps it's time you looked in your own heart to see
if you can forgive yourself."
For a moment there was only stunned silence. All those around the
table seemed to hold their collective breath at the challenge hurled at
Gavin O'Neil by his impertinent daughter.
Suddenly a cry of anguish was torn from Gavin's lips. "Oh, sweet
heaven. I feared I'd never live to see my youngest child, my only
daughter, again. Was terrified that my punishment would be that I'd
never get to hold you again. And now you've come back to me. And I
happiness."
And then, while the others looked on in amazement, he dragged her
against him and crushed her to his chest while he wept bitter tears of
remorse.
Friar Malone looked up and was heard to mutter, "Praise be. Our
Briana has done what no amount of prayers and fasting could have
accomplished. I do believe there will finally be peace in Ballinarin."
"You must tell us everything." Emma looked up from the blanket she
was knitting. She sat on a chaise beside AnnaClaire, whose young
son, Patrick, had fallen asleep in her lap.
Moira sat in front of the fire, with Briana at her feet, cuddling a
sleeping Alana against her chest.
"I'm told by Keane's servants that I would have died had he not fought
for me."
"How romantic," AnnaClaire said. "Do you love him?"
Emma's needles went still.
"Aye. With all my heart."
' 'Does he love you?' Moira held her breath.
"Aye. I'm hoping Friar Malone can marry us while we're here at
Ballinarin. Then, when we return to Carrick House, we can have
another service there for the benefit of the villagers of Carrick,. who
have a great affection for Keane."
"Have you two spoken of all this?" Moira asked softly.
Briana smiled. "There is no need, Mother. We each know what is in
the other's heart."
She saw the door to her father's library open. Her father and brothers
and Keane had been behind closed doors for what seemed hours. Sh
e
smiled, thinking about the silly haggling over dowry and the formal
betrothal, which Friar Malone would no doubt announce at tomorrow
morning's Mass.
As the men began to file out, Briana turned and handed the sleeping
Alana to her mother, then made her way to Keane's side. "We were
just talking about you."
"Briana."
He sounded so weary, she found herself glancing up into his eyes.
They were dark and shuttered. And as icy as when she'd first met him.
"What is it, Keane? What's wrong?"
He took a deep breath and looked around at the others, who were
watching and listening. "I didn't want to tell you like this. Perhaps we
could find a more private moment."
"Nay." She felt a flutter of fear, then banked it. "Whatever you have
to say, can be said in front of my family."
"All right." He took her hand between both of his and stared at it,
avoiding her eyes. "I've decided to leave on the morrow."
"Leave Ballinarin? Where will you go?"
"Home. Back to Carrick House."
"But the Cranmers' army..."
"We have our own village militia now. I doubt the Cranmers are
willing to face a hundred swords and knives for the sake of a child
they don't really love. After all, they were merely using Alana to hurt
me. I do believe they'll give up their claim to her now that she's back
in Ireland. Perhaps, in time, our lives will all return to normal."
She smiled and squeezed his hands. "I pray it's so. I do wish we could
have spent more time here at Ballinarin. I was just telling the others
that I'd hoped Friar Malone could be the one to bless our marriage.
But if you think it's best to leave, I'll be packed and ready on the
morrow."
When she started to turn away, he caught her hands, holding her still.
"You don't understand, Briana. I'm afraid I didn't make myself clear.
I'm returning to Carrick House tomorrow without you."
"What...? Why...?" She stopped, tried again. "What do you mean?
Keane, why are you saying this?"
"You're home now, Briana. In the bosom of a family who loves you."
"And I love them. But I love you too, Keane. It's only right that I go
with you."
"I'm afraid that isn't possible. Your life is here now, in Ballinarin."
"Nay." She shook her head, sending red curls dancing around her
cheeks. "My life is with you."
"Briana, I know I saved your life. But you also saved mine.
We're...even now. And you musn't confuse gratitude with love."