“Since you know about Shelia, you may as well know the truth and not hearsay.”
She fingered the lettering on the front of the book. “Do you still love her?”
Did he still love Shelia? Maybe there were still times when he cared about her and thought about what he could have had with her, but he had forced himself to let go of her for Liam’s sake.
“She was my first love.” He stared ahead at the meadow shadowed with darkness and the dense woodland beyond. For a short while, he shared with Alannah about growing up next door to Shelia, becoming friends, and then falling in love with her. He told about her trip to Europe and how she’d shifted her affection to Liam at that point.
“I suspect she was pressured by her family,” Kiernan finished. “After all, Liam is one of the wealthiest men in St. Louis, and though I have means, I am still trying to make my own way.”
“Ach, if she truly loved you, that wouldn’t have mattered.” Alannah’s voice held a thread of indignation, and he liked it, liked that she was upset on his behalf.
“She and Liam are having an engagement party this summer.” Because of the cholera, it would be a smaller gathering than it would have been otherwise. Even so, the Douglases would likely make it as grand as possible.
“You’ll be feeling obligated to go?”
“He’s my business partner and best friend. I have no choice in the matter.”
“He doesn’t sound like any best friend I’d care to have.” This time Alannah’s voice didn’t have just a little indignation. It was loaded with it.
Kiernan lowered himself the remainder of the way so his head rested against the blanket. Not so he could see her face better, but it didn’t hurt to have a better view. “Liam’s a good fellow. I don’t think he ever realized that I harbored feelings for Shelia.”
Alannah made a scoffing sound. “Seems to me a best friend ought to be the first to know about a love interest. My cousin Hugh was my closest friend, and he always knew who I liked, sometimes even before I was willing to admit it.”
“And exactly how many hearts have you broken?”
Her lips curled with a smile, showing off that tiny pucker in her upper lip, a pucker he wanted to trace, even if for just a second.
“Who says I’ve broken any hearts at all?”
“I do.”
She cast her eyes down, her lashes falling against her cheeks. She clearly liked his roundabout compliment. He was tempted to be more direct, but if he had any hope of keeping his relationship with Alannah platonic, then he couldn’t get carried away.
“So?” he persisted, not sure why he cared so much about the previous men in her life, but he did.
She hesitated a moment longer before telling him the stories of different boys and men who’d tried to win her hand. Kiernan wasn’t surprised that she’d had more interest than she could keep count of.
But she’d only ever had two that she was serious about. One had been a family friend her da had wanted her tomarry. But apparently after her da died, the relationship hadn’t lasted.
The other had been with a fellow who had joined a rebel group, the Young Irelanders, with Torin in an effort to fight for Ireland’s independence from Great Britain. The young man had died of a gunshot wound he sustained during a skirmish during the uprising in ’48.
“What about here in St. Louis?” Kiernan couldn’t keep himself from probing, a strange need driving him.
She twisted the loose hair at the end of her braid and didn’t meet his eyes.
His gut cinched. “You do like someone.”
“Maybe.” Her response was tentative.
Maybe? What kind of answer was that? “I haven’t seen you with anyone.” Did this have to do with Bellamy? Had Torin gone through with using Bellamy even though Kiernan had asked him—no, ordered him—to call off the matchmaking?
Kiernan pushed back up to his elbows, frustration mounting within him. He had no right to interfere with Torin and Alannah’s decision in the first place.
“So do you think you’ll marry him?” The question popped out before Kiernan could censor it. It was meddlesome, but once spoken, he refused to take it back.
Alannah still didn’t look up, kept her focus on the tip of her braid. “I’m trying to figure it out.”
Kiernan wanted to tell her that he’d figure it out for her by canceling all plans with the fellow. But he’d already been forward enough.
