Keenan fell in step with me. “She’s still in her room. Walk with me.”
Instead of goin’ back inside the castle, we rounded the property and walked to the lough. We stopped when we came to the bank.
He stared down at the water, his reflection swayin’. “I thought it was brilliant, myself, for Conor to hide the gold in the lough.”
Oran’s gold. The reason he sent men to kill my parents. To make an example of them. I hadn’t heard of anyone stealin’ from him since.
My Da had only stolen all of the gold after Oran reneged on the deal he’d cut with my Da. Oran had a lot of resources, and my Da was goin’ to use them in return for givin’ him a portion of the haul. It was a lucky day when a man cut a fair deal with Oran Craig, though.
“Ah well.” Keenan sounded wistful and regretful like he always did when he brought up my parents. He looked me in the eyes. “I assume Dermot is havin’ a conniption fit right about now. He really wanted the girl. This is a win for our side.”
Maeve wasn’t a prize of war. She had nothin’ to do with the Craigs. And they would never have anythin’ to do with her ever again.
I turned toward the castle and looked up at her window. It was fuckin’ pathetic that a pain shot through my chest when I found it empty. I thought she’d love the view.
“You have many thoughts in your eyes, Cian Cillian O'Callaghan. None of them havin’ to do with this war.”
A minute or two passed. Keenan cleared this throat. “Some advice? Get to know the girl. She enjoys readin’ and woodworkin’. Seems like a romantic soul, this Maeve.”
I looked away from the window and at him.
He grinned. “I talked to Pauric. Asked him a few questions. She worked at The Belle of Boston bookstore. Loved her job. In her spare time, she created little wooden figurines. Perhaps I can talk Pauric into sendin’ the ones she was still workin’ on. Give her a piece of home.”
I nodded.
Keenan was a loyal man, but I knew his interest in this part of my life was somewhat selfish. He, Fiona, and Henry believed in the old woman’s curse. But I didn’t believe in curses—they were the stuff fairy tales were made of. Everythin’ that had happened to them was by coincidence.
Since I couldn’t seem to tear myself away from Maeve, my feelings were workin’ in their favor.
“Cian.”
Keenan stopped me before I went back into the castle.
“You have a wicked temper, my lad. Keep it under control around the lady, aye? We don’t need her tryin’ to run off if you scare her.”
Scare her?I made a sarcastic throaty sound. No one had ever stood up to me the way she had. She showed no fear when it came to her father. She seemed loyal. Her love was strong and unwaverin’. Or she wouldn’t have traded places with him.
Her life for his.
The strike on eatin’, though? Was going to fuckin’ stop, even if I had to feed her myself.
Beatrice was whistlin’ in the kitchen while she worked. Had she always done it? If so, I was just noticin’ it. Beatrice was Henry’s wife, and she had worked for me for years, helpin’ him take care of the castle. But when Maeve entered the castle, I wanted her on full time. Beatrice was…normal.
Maeve would need it.
Fiona looked up, just with her eyes, when I pointed to a plate.
“Two plates.” Fiona held up two fingers to Beatrice. “One for Cian and one for Maeve.”
Beatrice nodded and made two plates. She set them on a tray with drinks, and even added a small crystal vase with a single red rose in it.
I carried it with me to Maeve’s room. I set it on a table in the hallway and then unlocked her door. I banged on it.
No answer.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
“Go away!” she yelled at me. “I’m not hungry!”
