Call Home the Heart (31 page)

 

 

"Thank you for a lovely surprises, both the pup and the coffee," she
said, kissing him full on the lips.

 

 

"Not sad any more?"

 

 

"How could I be, looking at those sweet brown eyes, and that
adorable little beard?" she laughed, stroking Tadhg fondly as he
squirmed under the covers to hunt her toes. "He is far nicer than
the Scottish terriers or West Highland White terriers we have."

 

 

"These are meant to be the dogs of kings," Lochlainn told her as he
stood and buttoned up his waistcoat, and then put his jacket on.

 

 

"You certainly know how to make me feel like a queen."

 

 

He blushed. "I do try."

 

 

"You succeed. Thank you."

 

 

"But now, I'd better go. Tree cutting, you know." 

 

 

She nodded, resisting the urge to beg him to come back to bed. "Have
a good day."

 

 

"And you, darling."

 

 

Muireann stood and kissed him one last time, then waved at him as he
left for work.

 

 

 

 

 

Lochlainn was delighted to see that Muireann and Tadhg soon became
completely inseparable. He would follow her everywhere, go up and
down the stairs, even try to climb trees when she swung from a
low-hanging branch as she walked through the woods to see Lochlainn
a few days later.

 

 

"There's a ship coming up to the docks. Do you want to come down to
greet it?" she called.

 

 

Lochlainn swallowed uncomfortably, and declined. "No, no, I need to
finish here today if we're to go first thing in the morning."

 

 

All right." Muireann shrugged, disappointed that he never seemed to
take an interest in her family or the letters she received from
home, mainly from her sister and mother inquiring after her health
and well-being.

 

 

Muireann prayed they hadn't suddenly taken it into their heads to
come over. She was relieved to see it was her cousin Michael on
deck, with his youngest brother Archie, a playful, spirited,
red-headed lad a couple of years younger than Muireann, who admired
the new pup and instantly declared he wanted to see Colonel Lowry
about getting one for himself.

 

 

"If I get a good bitch, we could start our own kennels," he said as
he romped with Tadhg on the dock.

 

 

"They look like each other, red hair, long legs," Michael joked, but
soon they got down to business.

 

 

Muireann was delighted to see another shipment of staples, all
purchased for excellent prices, according to the ledger, as well as
Neil's usual luxuries. There was a huge number of parcels for her
birthday as well.

 

 

"I know they're early, but everyone wanted to cheer you up. And this
is the biggest present of all, the
Andromeda
."

 

 

"Present? I don't understand." Muireann stared at her cousin.

 

 

"Philip Buchanan and Neil are giving it to you as your very own
ship. The only thing you have to do is feed the crew. Any deals or
trades you make are your own, though it will fly as a Buchanan
flagship in order for you not to have to pay any taxes and duties
yourself," Michael explained.

 

 

She gaped. When she could find her voice again she declared, "I
couldn't accept! It's far too generous of Philip! He can't just give
me one of his ships!"

 

 

"Neil says it is a good investment for you, and the price of it has
come out of your stocks and shares. Philip doesn't need the ship
anyway, since he's on his way back from Canada with another three to
add to his fleet."

 

 

Muireann was so overwhelmed she could only gaze at the ship in awe.
Hers?

 

 

"And you, how will you all get back?"

 

 

"We'll just wait until you have a cargo of your own to send to
Scotland, and go home then."

 

 

"We were going to go up to Donegal tomorrow to gather seaweed for
fertilizer, so if we can get the timber loaded, you can take us up
there. We'll come back on the carts, and you can head back home,"
Muireann proposed.

 

 

"That sounds fine. I'll get things unloaded and organized at this
end, and you can give Archie here a tour of the estate."

 

 

Muireann said proudly, "A lot has changed since you were last here.
We have three times more tenants now than before, and we're pretty
crowded in, but I think you'll find the workshops impressive."

 

 

"I find everything you do impressive, little coz. You should have
been a man, with that head on your shoulders."

 

 

"It's too much fun sometimes being a woman." She winked
conspiratorially.

 

 

"Ah, yes, and how is the stunningly handsome Mr. Lochlainn Roche? Is
he well?" Michael asked, tousling her hair affectionately.

 

 

"Wonderful as always." Muireann smiled up at her cousin, and then
turned away to give orders for all the men in the cottages not
already working to come out and lend a hand.

 

 

Muireann went up to the house to see if there would be enough dinner
for the hungry crew as well as the workers. Entering the kitchen
with the faithful Tadhg at her heels, she stopped short when she
heard Ciara drop her knife on the cutting board, sending chopped
vegetables flying in every direction, which of course the pup began
to chase and devour enthusiastically.

 

 

Ciara stared in horror. "Where on earth did you get that thing!" she
shrieked, jumping up onto the table.

 

 

Thinking it was a game, Tadhg clambered up on the bench after her,
and tried to reach Ciara on the tabletop.

 

 

"Help me! Help me!" Ciara screamed hysterically at the top of her
lungs.

 

 

Muireann and Archie, who had tagged along behind his cousin, both
ran after the puppy and dragged it away.

 

 

"Did it bite you? Let me see!" Muireann insisted, as Ciara huddled
up, grasping her legs.

 

 

"Get away from me! Don't touch me! Don't touch me ever again, you
bastard!" she hissed, her wild eyes darting around the room as if
trying to focus on something.

 

 

Muireann stepped back from the table, stunned, while the other
kitchen workers stared at Ciara in dismay.

 

 

Archie, who was kneeling with the pup on the floor, looked at the
two women in confusion.

 

 

Muireann tried again. "Ciara, it's me, Muireann. I won't hurt you. I
won't even touch you if you don't want me to. I just need to know if
Tadhg bit you. If you're all right."

 

 

Ciara visibly shook, and suddenly unfolded herself and stepped down
off the table.

 

 

"No, no, I'm fine. Really, I'm sure he's a lovely dog. I'm just
afraid of them, that's all," she said in a forced tone.

 

 

"I'll try to keep him away from you as much as possible from now
on," Muireann promised, but she was talking to thin air, for
Lochlainn's sister had already fled out the door.

 

 

Archie finally released his breath with a loud whoosh. "I say! What
on earth was all that about?"

 

 

Muireann shook her head. "I have no idea."

 

 

"I swear to you, Muireann, I didn't lay a finger on her. I just
grabbed the dog."

 

 

She shook her head. "No, I don't think she was talking to you,
Archie."

 

 

"Well, she couldn't have been speaking to you. She said ‘you
bastard.'"

 

 

"She probably meant the dog," she muttered, lost in thought.

 

 

"Well, dogs and bitches hardly get married, now do they," Archie
said with an uncomfortable laugh.

 

 

With the usual high spirits of youth, he shrugged off the whole
incident, and investigated the entire estate from top to bottom with
Michael and Mark. Muireann made some room in the new loft above the
barn for her overnight guests, all the while wondering what had got
into Ciara's head now.

 

 

 

 

 

When Lochlainn appeared in the kitchen for his dinner, Muireann
managed to pull him over to one side and asked, "Have you seen
Ciara?"

 

 

"No, why?"

 

 

"I'm a bit worried about her, that's all. She was terribly upset
when she saw Tadhg. Is she usually terrified of dogs?"

 

 

He frowned. "Not that I know of. She was quite fond of them as a
child, though we never had one ourselves."

 

 

"Well, don't mention it to her. She's probably already embarrassed
enough. But just keep an eye on her, will you?"

 

 

Lochlainn nodded. "Thanks for being so concerned."

 

 

"And another thing. Neil and his brother Philip have given us the
use of the
Andromeda
to make our own trades. So we'll be
going to Donegal by ship tomorrow, and the carts can follow along
behind after the markets."

 

 

"That's wonderful news." Lochlainn tried to smile, though it cost
him a great effort. He knew he had to stop bristling every time she
had contact with Scotland.

 

 

But with every new letter, or every time a ship arrived at the dock,
he became more and more certain he was going to lose her. Jealousy
burned within his heart as well for the man who could give her such
riches, when he himself had nothing to offer.

 

 

He tried to pay attention to her next words, but he was lost in a
welter of misery.

 

 

She said more loudly, "It is wonderful news, isn't it? So why do you
look so worried?"

 

 

"I'm not at all. Just thinking," he lied.

 

 

"We do have a small problem, though. I don't want Michael to find
out that all the luxuries he's taken the trouble to bring over will
have to be sold at market. Can you make sure the coffee is parceled
up, and the crates opened? We can put a variety of things into the
carts for Donegal, and for Clogher and Enniskillen on Thursday."

 

 

"Do you really need to sell it all?"

 

 

"I think so. The little birthday presents too. I just need to open
them all so I can write the appropriate thank you notes to
everyone."

 

 

"But Muireann. . ."

 

 

"No, really, I have Tadhg, and a packet of coffee. Who could ask for
more wonderful presents than that? What do I need with baubles,
jewels and gowns?"

 

 

"But your family wanted you to have them."

 

 

"They wanted Muireann Graham to have them. I'm Muireann Caldwell
now, landlord, and I have no time for such fripperies."

 

 

Reluctantly Lochlainn acceded to her wishes. "All right, I'll see to
it they're all loaded on the carts before we go in the morning, with
not a word to Michael."

 

 

Muireann went off to write her letters, then prepared for her
excursion to Donegal the next day. She packed a small parcel of
clothes, food and other necessaries for herself and Lochlainn, and
Patrick and Siobhan, who would drive the first cart up the following
day.

 

 

Lochlainn and Muireann would sail on the
Andromeda
to
Donegal town, and start gathering up the sea sticks and laying them
out to dry. She was looking forward to her trip to the seaside, not
least because she would have nearly a whole day with Lochlainn all
to herself.

 

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

 

 

The next morning, the
Andromeda
set off at first light, and
made good progress thanks to the favorable winds. Soon Muireann and
Lochlainn were sailing into Donegal Town harbor, where her cousin
Michael dropped them off at the dock.

 

 

"Don't forget to give them all my letters," she called as she
disembarked.

 

 

"As if I could! Any more of those packets would have sunk the ship!"

 

 

Muireann stuck her tongue out at Michael and then waved to her
younger cousin. "Bye, Archie! Take care! And remember, not a word to
Mother or Father!"

 

 

Archie waved his new puppy's paw by way of reply. He had managed to
secure a lovely bitch from Colonel Lowry, which they named Earc.
Lochlainn told them the Irish name meant ‘red.'

 

 

The
Andromeda
cast off then, heading north, then east for
Scotland.

 

 

Muireann watched it wistfully for a time, and then turned to
Lochlainn, who had been standing behind her waiting for the ship to
disappear and leave him alone with her once again.

 

 

 Her amethyst eyes glimmered with unshed tears, but she forced
herself to smile.

 

 

Lochlainn put his arm around her waist, for a brief moment, then
stepped away to make some inquiries for them to be taken out to
Rossnowlagh to get started gathering sea sticks.

 

 

A few minutes later he announced, "I've got a lift."

 

 

They managed to get a ride on the back of a furniture cart heading
back out of the town after having sold all its wares early at the
market.

 

 

After a few miles, Lochlainn declared, "Now we have to get down and
walk."

 

 

He lifted her off the back of the cart, his hands lingering on her
slender waist intimately for a blissful moment. They trudged about
three miles overland until at last they reached the most exquisite
beach Muireann had ever seen.