The gossip was worsening. In fact, Bellamy had heard a tale yesterday about how he and Zaira had been secretly meeting at Dover’s Pond to be with each other.
Of course, they’d done nothing inappropriate at their one meeting. But how had anyone learned of it? Had Oscar? And if so, had he stirred up more stories in order to incite Mr. Shanahan to come in and make demands of marriage?
From the corner of his eyes, Bellamy glimpsed Oscar reclining in his chair with a satisfied grin. Oh aye. Oscar had been meddling.
Bellamy gave himself a mental shake. This wasn’t real. It was only pretend. Even if he and Zaira were matched instead of allowed to merely court as they’d agreed, they could still keep up a charade for a short while before dissolving their relationship.
He could feel the fight drain out of Zaira as she stopped struggling against him, as if she, too, realized there was nothing more they could do at the present to prevent an actual match. For now, they would have to go along with it.
“Doncha be worrying, James Shanahan.” Oscar folded hishands on his protruding belly. “Bellamy stands not only to inherit this pub but all the land I’ve bought up north of St. Louis—land that is growing in demand and price.”
Bellamy knew the pub had been making a tidy profit for years, but he hadn’t been aware that Oscar had purchased land north of St. Louis. When had he done so and how much?
Oscar took a drink from the Guiness he’d already poured for himself, then met Mr. Shanahan’s gaze directly. “You might be looking to marry farther up for your daughter, but I was telling Kiernan that someday, Bellamy will be a wealthy man.”
“The only thing I care about is Zaira.” Mr. Shanahan was scanning Zaira, who’d managed to wiggle out from behind Bellamy and was standing beside him.
“I’m just fine, Da.” Her face was flushed, and strands of her red hair had come loose from her bun. “You have to believe me that nothing has happened between Bellamy and myself except for the brief kiss.”
“You’re sure?” Mr. Shanahan’s tone gentled.
If Mr. Shanahan truly cared about Zaira’s feelings in the matter, then Bellamy had to give the wealthy man credit. He’d come a long way over the past year in his view of finding matches for his children. Perhaps in seeing the happy love matches his three older children had found, he was softening and realizing what was truly important in a marriage.
“Bellamy is a good man, and none of this is his fault.” Zaira lowered her gaze, but not before Bellamy saw the guilt in her eyes. “I’m the one to blame—”
“I take full responsibility.” He wasn’t about to let Zaira reveal that she’d felt the need to hug or kiss him in order to research her novel. She’d kept her published life a secret fromher family for a reason, likely because her da wouldn’t support her endeavor and would make her stop. And Bellamy didn’t want her to have to stop.
She deserved to be encouraged in her talents, and he couldn’t stand by and watch while her fledgling writing career was taken from her by her well-meaning but strict father.
“No, Bellamy.” Her eyes were filled with questions.
“I should have been more careful, and there’s no arguing that.” He leaned down and gently placed a kiss on her head. He wasn’t sure why he did, only that it felt right to do so in the moment.
She inhaled, then closed her slightly parted lips. Her gaze was still upon him, but it now held gratefulness.
The anger and redness in Mr. Shanahan’s face began to fade, and his attention shifted back and forth between Bellamy and Zaira, as if he was trying to discover what was really going on between them.
“There you have it!” Oscar’s voice rang with enthusiasm. “Zaira and Bellamy are meant to be. Don’t tell me you can’t see it too, James.”
Mr. Shanahan studied Zaira’s face more closely. “I think I’m seeing it.”
What exactly were the two menseeing? As far as Bellamy was concerned, his interactions with Zaira had been platonic, except for maybe the kiss on the head. But even that had been more brotherly than romantic.
Oscar scooted out the chair beside him. “Come on and sit down, James. We may as well pluck the gander right now and make this whole thing official.”
Mr. Shanahan hesitated only a moment longer before he and Kiernan made their way toward the corner table.
“You too, Bellamy.” Oscar waved him over. “You need to be part of the discussion.”
Bellamy released Zaira’s arm, took a step, then halted. “You’ll wait for me to search for the children?” He kept his voice to a whisper. He hated to think how angry James Shanahan would become if he discovered even more of Zaira’s indiscretions.
She nodded, seeming to realize the same.
“Good.” He could feel her watching him as he walked to the table, and something inside him liked her attention, reveled in it.
Even so, he couldn’t forget how unlucky in love the matchmakers in his family were. He didn’t want a messy marriage for himself. And the very last thing he wanted was to drag Zaira into such a mess.
13
