Read Online The Emerald Isle by Angela Elwell Hunt - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Angela Elwell Hunt
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took a seat at the end of the table, then nodded toward the bowl of chicken salad in front of Taylor. “Eat up,” she said, her voice warm as she smiled at him.
I felt myself begin to relax. She didn’t know me, she was probably feeling pressure to be accepted by her future son-in-law, and of course she wanted to please Maddie. She probably didn’t mean to treat me with coldness, and truthfully, she hadn’t done anything to hurt me. She had just kept me at arm’s length, but I probably would have done the same thing.
Though I wasn’t hungry after that big breakfast, I smeared some chicken salad on a slice of brown bread and took small bites so I wouldn’t offend my hostess. She ate quickly, talking about the farm and Maddie’s relatives, and the room seemed to warm as she shared a funny story and we all laughed. The temperature plummeted, however, when Taylor announced that we wanted to drive to Terryglass or Birr to find a library.
“A what?” Fiona’s face froze, her brows arched into neat little triangles.
“A library.” Taylor helped himself to the bowl of chicken salad and began to make a second sandwich. “Kathy wants to begin work on her project, and I thought I’d pick up some books on Kipling.” He smiled at Maddie. “I thought I might find some interesting texts that I can’t find in the States. Besides,” he winked at her, “I know you and your mother have lots of girl things to do.”
Maddie’s face fell in disappointment. “You’re leaving me?”
Nonplussed, Taylor froze with his knife in midair. “I’m only going to the library. We’ll be back before dark.”
Maddie nodded, but her blue eyes filled with water as she stared down at her plate. I pressed my lips together and studied my half-eaten sandwich, afraid of what was coming next.
“There’s a nice historic library in Cashel.” A nervous tremor filled Mrs. O’Neil’s voice as she set a heavy bowl of potato chips in front of me. “And Cashel is a famous place—you ought to see it while you’re here.”
Maddie looked up, her lips screwed into a petulant pout. “I wanted to take him to Cashel, Mum.”
“Then go to Terryglass, Taylor, and stick to the bloomin’ library.” Fiona flung up her hands, then leaned back in her chair, her eyes hot with reproach as she glared at her daughter. Careful not to make any sudden gestures that might call attention to myself, I picked up my fork and sliced a tiny sliver of bread and chicken salad.
“You promise you’ll be back before five?” Maddie whispered, glancing at Taylor through lowered lashes. “I wanted to take you to meet Erin’s parents. They’re the next farm over, and they’re our dearest friends.”
Taylor looked at me and blinked hard. “What do you think, Kathy? Can we be back by five?”
I nodded slowly, not daring to object.
Taylor gave Maddie a reassuring smile, then squeezed her hand. “I promise we’ll be back before too late. We’ll leave right after lunch and make great time.”
Mrs. O’Neil shoved the bowl of potato chips toward me. “Have some crisps,” she said, looking at me as if I were the source of every trouble in Ireland.
“You’re in trouble, you know.” I leaned back and let my arm fall out the car window, truly relaxing for the first time in days. Taylor sat to my right, wedged behind the wheel in a backward car. He mutteredto himself as he punched the sluggish accelerator and tried to adjust to driving on the left side of the road.
“I can drive on the opposite side,” he said, pulling out onto the main road that would lead us out of Ballyshannon, through Ballinderry, and to Terryglass. “It’s no big deal. You’ve just got to remember to keep your body near the line in the center of the road.”
“I wasn’t talking about driving.” I looked out the window and smiled at the passing scenery. Aunt Kizzie was right—Ireland was one of the most beautiful places on earth, if you liked green fields and pastoral
I felt myself begin to relax. She didn’t know me, she was probably feeling pressure to be accepted by her future son-in-law, and of course she wanted to please Maddie. She probably didn’t mean to treat me with coldness, and truthfully, she hadn’t done anything to hurt me. She had just kept me at arm’s length, but I probably would have done the same thing.
Though I wasn’t hungry after that big breakfast, I smeared some chicken salad on a slice of brown bread and took small bites so I wouldn’t offend my hostess. She ate quickly, talking about the farm and Maddie’s relatives, and the room seemed to warm as she shared a funny story and we all laughed. The temperature plummeted, however, when Taylor announced that we wanted to drive to Terryglass or Birr to find a library.
“A what?” Fiona’s face froze, her brows arched into neat little triangles.
“A library.” Taylor helped himself to the bowl of chicken salad and began to make a second sandwich. “Kathy wants to begin work on her project, and I thought I’d pick up some books on Kipling.” He smiled at Maddie. “I thought I might find some interesting texts that I can’t find in the States. Besides,” he winked at her, “I know you and your mother have lots of girl things to do.”
Maddie’s face fell in disappointment. “You’re leaving me?”
Nonplussed, Taylor froze with his knife in midair. “I’m only going to the library. We’ll be back before dark.”
Maddie nodded, but her blue eyes filled with water as she stared down at her plate. I pressed my lips together and studied my half-eaten sandwich, afraid of what was coming next.
“There’s a nice historic library in Cashel.” A nervous tremor filled Mrs. O’Neil’s voice as she set a heavy bowl of potato chips in front of me. “And Cashel is a famous place—you ought to see it while you’re here.”
Maddie looked up, her lips screwed into a petulant pout. “I wanted to take him to Cashel, Mum.”
“Then go to Terryglass, Taylor, and stick to the bloomin’ library.” Fiona flung up her hands, then leaned back in her chair, her eyes hot with reproach as she glared at her daughter. Careful not to make any sudden gestures that might call attention to myself, I picked up my fork and sliced a tiny sliver of bread and chicken salad.
“You promise you’ll be back before five?” Maddie whispered, glancing at Taylor through lowered lashes. “I wanted to take you to meet Erin’s parents. They’re the next farm over, and they’re our dearest friends.”
Taylor looked at me and blinked hard. “What do you think, Kathy? Can we be back by five?”
I nodded slowly, not daring to object.
Taylor gave Maddie a reassuring smile, then squeezed her hand. “I promise we’ll be back before too late. We’ll leave right after lunch and make great time.”
Mrs. O’Neil shoved the bowl of potato chips toward me. “Have some crisps,” she said, looking at me as if I were the source of every trouble in Ireland.
“You’re in trouble, you know.” I leaned back and let my arm fall out the car window, truly relaxing for the first time in days. Taylor sat to my right, wedged behind the wheel in a backward car. He mutteredto himself as he punched the sluggish accelerator and tried to adjust to driving on the left side of the road.
“I can drive on the opposite side,” he said, pulling out onto the main road that would lead us out of Ballyshannon, through Ballinderry, and to Terryglass. “It’s no big deal. You’ve just got to remember to keep your body near the line in the center of the road.”
“I wasn’t talking about driving.” I looked out the window and smiled at the passing scenery. Aunt Kizzie was right—Ireland was one of the most beautiful places on earth, if you liked green fields and pastoral
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