“No harm done, Mrs. Willes,” said Hecate. “Other than giving our new maid a bit of a scare, there was no harm done at all.”
“An’ to think he didn’t need to go that far because here it is, in my own hands.”
Hecate rose from her chair, knowing it was time to leave, but thinking furiously all the while. “Mrs. Willes, we must be on our way. We’ve kept you past the point of politeness here,” she smiled. “But may I ask one thing…let me arrange the sale of the brooch for you? I would hate for you to be cheated by someone who might think to take advantage of you. If you’ll trust me…”
“Trust Moira’s daughter? There’s nobody I’d trust more.”
Touched by the sentiment, Hecate leaned down and dropped a light kiss on the old woman’s wrinkled cheek. “Thank you. And thank you for caring for my Mama when she was here.”
“She’d be proud of yer, lass, I’m thinkin’,” said Mrs Willes. “Ye’ll come back now and again?”
“If you’ll have us,” answered Hecate, realising Finn was at her side.
“Of course.”
“’Til we meet again, Mrs. Willes.” Once more, Finn kissed her hand, and Hecate grinned at the blush on the old woman’s cheeks.
“He’s a flirt, Mrs. Willes. Don’t let him persuade you to run off with him.”
Finn sighed dramatically. “She gives away all my secrets, Ma’am.” He glanced at the table by her side. “I see you have a paper there from London.”
“’Tis out of date by now, but yes. Next door sometimes has extra,” she replied.
“Would you be done with this one, then?” he asked. “We’re a bit behind with any news ourselves.”
“Of course, lad. Take it with you. I’ll be glad to know someone’s readin’ all that London nonsense.” She shook her head.
“I love a bit of nonsense now and again,” he chuckled, making the old lady laugh as she bid them farewell.
The two left the cottage to that happy sound, which warmed Hecate’s heart.
Finn’s arm was welcome as they walked to the gig. He looked at her as he helped her up onto the seat and settled her cloak around her knees. “How much are you planning on giving her for the brooch?” His eyebrow quirked.
“Damn you, Finn Casey. How did you know?” She glared at him.
He walked around the horse, grabbed the reins and clambered up beside her, setting off on the road back to Doireann Vale. “I know you better than you think.”
She snorted and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “That is such an arrogant comment.”
“Do you doubt the veracity of my statement, Ma’am?” He grinned at her as he clicked the horse up to a trot. “And hold on to that newspaper. I would hate to scatter the contents across wet and muddy fields.”
“Why did you want the paper, Finn?” Her curiosity roused, Hecate decided to ask the question uppermost in her mind.
“Because I felt that by letting us have it, the playing field was levelled a little.” He pursed his lips in thought. “She was able to give us something, in exchange for what we’d given her.”
Hecate absorbed that statement. “You mean sort of like helping her salvage her pride?”
“Yes.”
“Did we damage it by giving her the brooch?”
“No, I don’t think so. But I know my family would have considered themselves in deep debt to you had it been us on the receiving end of such an unexpected surprise. It just seemed the right thing to do.”
Hecate smiled to herself, liking the fact that she was riding alongside a man who preferred to do the right thing. “Well, I hope you enjoy the news,” she chuckled.
He nodded, and since raindrops were now dotting their clothing, he gave the horse a touch of the whip and they dashed the rest of the way back to Doireann Vale, reaching their destination minutes before the skies opened to a serious solid rain.
Hecate shook out her cloak in the hall as Finn took care of stabling the gig and handing it over to the stable lads.
