16
Something had happened. Alannah hadn’t been able to figure out what except that it had to do with her.
With her legs dangling off the edge of the pier, she swished her toes in the water. The coolness was soothing and, in a small way, reminded her of standing on the beach near Tralee and letting the waves wash over her bare feet.
She bunched her skirt up and dipped her feet in farther, nearly touching a bright orange fish circling under the pier. Only a short distance away on a log half in and half out of the water, a turtle the size of a pinecone seemed to be staring at her, as though asking her what she was doing there.
“I don’t rightly know,” she answered and then sighed.
Bellamy had shown up a little while ago at Oakland, where she’d been finishing washing dishes from the noon meal. Since the servants were given Sunday afternoons off, Cook had granted her permission to go when Bellamy said he needed to see her. The matchmaker hadn’t disclosed the nature of his visit, only that it was important. He’d hauled her up onto his mount behind him and then had brought herto the secluded area. He’d told her to wait here for him to return, that he was going after Torin and would be back soon.
She had a feeling the meeting had to do with whatever had happened to cause such a stir, which she hadn’t noticed until the walk home from mass. The other maids had been whispering and tittering, and Mrs. Shanahan’s face had been ashen.
Upon returning to Oakland, the matron had closed herself away with her husband in the library. Not long after that, Mrs. Shanahan had approached Alannah, her expression stern and her lips pinched tightly. She’d asked Alannah to meet with her once she finished her kitchen duties.
The request had filled Alannah with foreboding. She’d guessed the meeting wouldn’t be pleasant and had been all too happy to avoid it.
A lone drop of rain fell onto Alannah’s hand, and she glanced up to the dark clouds. Hopefully, the rain would hold off for a little longer. But Bellamy had nodded at the covered pavilion off to the side of the pond where she could take cover if necessary while she waited for Torin and him to return.
Another raindrop plopped onto her, this one on her nose.
She never should have agreed to spend time with Kiernan again last night. But he’d been so difficult to resist yesterday in the front entryway when he’d pleaded with her, had claimed it was the last time. She hadn’t been able to tell him no, even though something had warned her that she should.
Someone must have witnessed their nighttime meeting and reported it to the matron. That had to be what was wrong. Now she would have to face Mrs. Shanahan’s wrath.
Alannah released a shiver. What if the matron fired her?No matter how much Kiernan might protest, they couldn’t plead innocent. Not when they were guilty of being together.
Maybe Bellamy and Torin were aware of the imminent dismissal from her position and were anxious of what was to become of her.
Had Bellamy come up with another plan since he’d obviously realized his proposition of matching her with Kiernan wouldn’t work? Maybe this time he had a match that would be more realistic and viable. Would she consider it?
“No, I’ll not be marrying a stranger,” she whispered, kicking the water and sending a spray into an arc. Yet, she’d made a wager with Bellamy and had promised she would consider his candidates.
“Alannah?” a familiar man’s voice called from across the pond.
She glanced up to find the imposing Kiernan Shanahan standing on the other side and attired in his Sunday best, a sharp black suit and hat. He’d tethered his horse a short distance away from the pond’s edge under a silver maple.
“What are you doing here? Alone?” His tone contained an edge of worry, and he started toward her through the long rushes and cattails.
She gave her feet one last splash, then climbed up so she was standing on the pier as he rounded the edge of the pond. Her heartbeat accelerated like it did every time she saw him. He held himself with such certainty and strength that it was hard not to admire him. And, of course, his broad shoulders and bulky arms and long legs were easy to admire too.
His eyes were dark within the shadows of his hat, but itwas easy to see that they were riveted to her. His jaw was clenched. And his chiseled features hardened.
Was he upset to see her here?
She took a timid step back.
“You shouldn’t be by yourself.” This time his voice was angry.
She rolled up her backbone, her resistance stiffening. “I’m perfectly fine, and I don’t need you to be telling me what to do.”
“I ran into Shaw Farrell yesterday on my way home from the brickyard just a couple miles from Oakland. So aye, I am telling you what to do.”
Shaw had been that close? “Why didn’t you say so last night?”
Kiernan started down the pier, his footstepsthunkingagainst the planks. “He still wants you.”
“Oh bother.” So this must be what the meeting was about. To protect her from Shaw. “Whyever can’t he let the matter with Torin go?”
