“My father,” Clover whispered and looked down at her mother, whose eyes fluttered open.
“Oh, heavens above, child,” Agnes muttered, and rubbed her temples. “I thought I saw a ghost.”
“The ghost of Colin Doogan perhaps?” Clover suggested. She glanced at Colin’s three sons and murmured, “You neglected to tell me that the man was married. Or was he still a single gentleman when you knew him?” Looking at the brood of grown Doogans clustered around Colin, Clover knew the man must have been married even then.
Agnes slowly looked up until she met the gaze of the man leaning over her. For a moment she came close to fainting again and felt Molly and Clover each slip an arm around her in support.
“Lord above, Colin, what areyoudoinghere?”Agnes demanded.
“I told you I wanted to move west,” he said as he took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.
“Many men spoke of going into the frontier in those days. ‘Twas a common dream.”
“Well, I acted upon it. I came here fifteen years back, brought my family three years later. You donot look any different than you did the night we shared a dance at the Langleys’ May ball.”
“Nonsense.” Agnes blushed. “I have grown quite plump.”
“No, you have just matured into the fine woman I saw promised in the young girl you were then.”
Clover caught Molly rolling her eyes and had to bite back a chuckle. She stood up and moved to Ballard’s side as the other onlookers gradually drifted away. For a moment they let Colin and Agnes exchange information, each sympathizing with the other’s loss of a spouse. Ballard finally interrupted to perform the introductions, presenting to Clover and Agnes Colin’s eldest sons—Patrick, Michael, and David—who all carried the strong stamp of their father. The other seven children stood still long enough to be introduced as well, and Clover knew she would be hard-pressed to recall their names. When Colin excused himself for a moment, promising to return as soon as he was sure his younger children were all being looked after, Clover turned to her mother, who appeared hale but flushed and a little dazed.
“Well, Mama, I must say I never realized you were such a flirtatious girl in your youth.” Clover winked at a chuckling Ballard. Since almost everyone had drifted away, Clover could not resist the chance to tease her mother just a little bit. “A married man? Tsk, tsk.”
“Oh, hush.” Agnes giggled. “Imagine finding him here. He is right. He did talk of moving west, as many young gentlemen did back then. We ladies all oohed and aahed and declared them such daring heroes. Ofcourse most of them never went anywhere and we ladies politely forgot their boasts.”
Ballard shook his head. “More games.”
“I am afraid so. Flirtation and courtship do contain such mild deceptions and vanities. Oh, and Colin Doogan was a master player.” She grinned when Ballard laughed. “In his defense, I must say that I never heard a whisper that Colin had been unfaithful to his wife.” She frowned. “He had four children even then.”
“Has ten now, ma’am.” Ballard said. “His wife was ready to have some more, but he said enough was enough. He wanted to be able to give the ones he had a good life and enjoy some time with his wife without a bairn at her breast.” He glanced around and caught all three women blushing while Mabel cackled. “Did I say one of those words I shouldnae say?”
“Well, I suspect such indelicacy is acceptable around family and such, but never in the company of others,” Clover replied. She suddenly thought of how long it would take a woman to produce ten children, especially if there had been long separations here and there. “Colin Doogan never got to spend that time with his wife, did he,” she guessed.
“Nay. She got a fever and died. Been dead for three years now.”
“How sad,” murmured Agnes.
Clover nodded and refrained from teasing her mother anymore. The fiddlers struck up a waltz and she gasped with delight. “Oh, Ballard, they know the waltz.”
“Colin taught them,” he murmured, frowning at the small knot of dancers. “Only a few of us have learned it.”
She grasped his hands. “Shall we dance?”
“I fear I am one of those many who have nae learned yet.”
“I shall teach you. Please come along.”
His reluctance was clear as she dragged him out onto the dance floor. At first their movements were stiff and awkward, but Ballard was a quick learner with natural grace. She laughed when he lost the last of his resistance and began to whirl her confidently around the floor. By the time the dance was over she was breathless and giddy and gladly released him to go and talk to friends. She got a glass of punch and one of Molly’s scones and returned to her seat next to Mabel, only to notice that her mother had disappeared again.
“Where is Mama now?” she asked Mabel as she took a sip of the tart punch and set her cup down on the bench.
“Out there swirling about with that rogue Colin.”
“Oh.”
Clover ate the scone as she watched her mother dancing with the tall, handsome Irishman. Agnes was smiling and clearly enjoying herself. Suddenly, all Clover could think about was that her father had been dead for only a few months.
“You ain’t sure you approve of our Colin, are you?” said Mabel.
