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Authors: Sarah M. Eden
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object.”
Biddy. She felt certain that was the name of Ian’s wife.
Katie brushed at a drip of water hovering on the tip of her nose. She didn’t care to be stared at when in fine form, let alone standing drenched to her very skin, in boots and a dress covered in mud.
“Miss Macauley, is it?”
Mrs. O’Connor seemed happy at the thought. An uninvited stranger stood dripping water and mud on her floors, and she found this a pleasing turn of events? What was the matter with these O’Connors? Were they all daft?
“I’ve heard more than a little about you since the men returned from their trip,” Mrs. O’Connor said. “I’m pleased to have you drop in on us.”
Ian spoke up, his tone not so light as his wife’s. “What brings you out in this weather? Is something wrong up at Archers’?”
Katie shook her head. Shivers and nerves and exhaustion all joined forces to keep her mum. No words would come.
Ian abandoned his project and moved with determination toward the door. “Joseph wouldn’t send a person out in a storm for any small thing.”
A bubble of dismay surfaced in her. She’d caused trouble again. But how to stop Ian from rushing into the rain himself and bothering the Archers?
Tavish managed the thing with only two words. “Joseph’s fine.”
Ian halted on the spot. “You know it for a fact?”
“Like a priest knows his prayers.”
The children were still watching Katie. She tried to smile at them but knew the effort fell flat. Finbarr’s eyes were on her as well. And Ian’s. And Tavish’s. She clasped her hands in front of her, the only thing that ever truly stopped her from fussing with them. She dropped her gaze to the muddied toes of her battered shoes. If she couldn’t see them studying her, she might manage to convince herself they weren’t.
Ian at last broke the silence. “Then why is Miss—”
“Your questions can wait, dear,” Mrs. O’Connor interrupted. “The poor woman’s teeth are chattering louder than a town full of gossips. Let her dry off and warm up, will you?”
Though she didn’t look up properly, Katie saw Mrs. O’Connor cross to where she stood. Why hadn’t Tavish let her remain in the barn? ’Twas quiet in there, and no one need be bothered by her. Bothersome man. How had he talked her into this?
“Won’t you come sit near the fire?” Mrs. O’Connor asked. “Fetch her a quilt from the chest, will you, Tavish?” She laid a hand on her husband’s arm, addressing her next request to him. “You and Finbarr set back to your repairing. I can see to Miss Macauley.”
The room was quite suddenly in motion once more. The children returned to their book and toys. Tavish crossed to a cedar chest on the far side of the fireplace. Ian and Finbarr took up their tools.
“’Twasn’t my intention to disrupt your evening, Mrs. O’Connor. I only wished a moment free from the rain and lightning. If you’ve a back porch or a corner that’d be out of your way, I’d be quite content standing there until the storm passes.”
Mrs. O’Connor’s eyes widened. Though Katie couldn’t be certain, she thought a hint of tears shone in the woman’s eyes. What had she done to cause such distress? She inched further in the direction of the door, trying to think of an excuse to slip out.
“Saints, but you sound like home,” Mrs. O’Connor whispered.
“I told you my very self she was only just tossed off the boat.” Tavish turned back toward them, a quilt in shades of brown and green folded over his arm. “Why is it you never believe a word coming out of my mouth?”
Mrs. O’Connor tipped him a look of exasperation. “It’s not as though you’re regularly giving me reason to believe the words coming out of your mouth, now is it? One never knows with you if you’re joking or being serious.” She shifted her gaze from Tavish to Katie and smiled kindly at her, though doing so didn’t set Katie’s mind at ease. “Come the rest of the way in, now.
Biddy. She felt certain that was the name of Ian’s wife.
Katie brushed at a drip of water hovering on the tip of her nose. She didn’t care to be stared at when in fine form, let alone standing drenched to her very skin, in boots and a dress covered in mud.
“Miss Macauley, is it?”
Mrs. O’Connor seemed happy at the thought. An uninvited stranger stood dripping water and mud on her floors, and she found this a pleasing turn of events? What was the matter with these O’Connors? Were they all daft?
“I’ve heard more than a little about you since the men returned from their trip,” Mrs. O’Connor said. “I’m pleased to have you drop in on us.”
Ian spoke up, his tone not so light as his wife’s. “What brings you out in this weather? Is something wrong up at Archers’?”
Katie shook her head. Shivers and nerves and exhaustion all joined forces to keep her mum. No words would come.
Ian abandoned his project and moved with determination toward the door. “Joseph wouldn’t send a person out in a storm for any small thing.”
A bubble of dismay surfaced in her. She’d caused trouble again. But how to stop Ian from rushing into the rain himself and bothering the Archers?
Tavish managed the thing with only two words. “Joseph’s fine.”
Ian halted on the spot. “You know it for a fact?”
“Like a priest knows his prayers.”
The children were still watching Katie. She tried to smile at them but knew the effort fell flat. Finbarr’s eyes were on her as well. And Ian’s. And Tavish’s. She clasped her hands in front of her, the only thing that ever truly stopped her from fussing with them. She dropped her gaze to the muddied toes of her battered shoes. If she couldn’t see them studying her, she might manage to convince herself they weren’t.
Ian at last broke the silence. “Then why is Miss—”
“Your questions can wait, dear,” Mrs. O’Connor interrupted. “The poor woman’s teeth are chattering louder than a town full of gossips. Let her dry off and warm up, will you?”
Though she didn’t look up properly, Katie saw Mrs. O’Connor cross to where she stood. Why hadn’t Tavish let her remain in the barn? ’Twas quiet in there, and no one need be bothered by her. Bothersome man. How had he talked her into this?
“Won’t you come sit near the fire?” Mrs. O’Connor asked. “Fetch her a quilt from the chest, will you, Tavish?” She laid a hand on her husband’s arm, addressing her next request to him. “You and Finbarr set back to your repairing. I can see to Miss Macauley.”
The room was quite suddenly in motion once more. The children returned to their book and toys. Tavish crossed to a cedar chest on the far side of the fireplace. Ian and Finbarr took up their tools.
“’Twasn’t my intention to disrupt your evening, Mrs. O’Connor. I only wished a moment free from the rain and lightning. If you’ve a back porch or a corner that’d be out of your way, I’d be quite content standing there until the storm passes.”
Mrs. O’Connor’s eyes widened. Though Katie couldn’t be certain, she thought a hint of tears shone in the woman’s eyes. What had she done to cause such distress? She inched further in the direction of the door, trying to think of an excuse to slip out.
“Saints, but you sound like home,” Mrs. O’Connor whispered.
“I told you my very self she was only just tossed off the boat.” Tavish turned back toward them, a quilt in shades of brown and green folded over his arm. “Why is it you never believe a word coming out of my mouth?”
Mrs. O’Connor tipped him a look of exasperation. “It’s not as though you’re regularly giving me reason to believe the words coming out of your mouth, now is it? One never knows with you if you’re joking or being serious.” She shifted her gaze from Tavish to Katie and smiled kindly at her, though doing so didn’t set Katie’s mind at ease. “Come the rest of the way in, now.
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