She left Harry’s room and went in search of Cathleen. Relieved, she saw her hurrying into the foyer.
Excitement and relief brightened Cathleen’s green eyes. “Erina!They arrested him! Gormley is in jail!”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Erina joyfully linked her arm with Cathleen’s, and they walked to the stairs.
Cathleen cast her a gleeful glance. “He’ll remain there awaiting the trial.”
“Did they say when that would be held?”
“When the summer assizes sit, and that won’t be for six months. As Gormley is wanted for fraud as well as the count of attempted murder, I’m afraid you and Mr. Feather will be required to return to Ireland at that time.” She paused, with a hand on the staircase banister, her cheeks burning. “Erina, I’m so sorry, and ever so grateful to you and Mr. Feather.”
“You have no need to be.”
“Of course, I shan’t need to come to England now.”
Disconcerted, Erina tried to hide her disappointment. “Of course. I understand completely.”
Cathleen smiled. “I will miss you.”
“And I you.” Erina kissed her cheek. “Harry is asleep. I can’t wait to tell him when he wakes,” she said. “He’ll be so pleased. He was concerned about you.”
They entered Erina’s room. “Your Mr. Feather is a good man.” Cathleen perched on her bed. “Why did he bring you to Ireland? Didn’t your father object to you being unchaperoned?”
As a flush crept across her cheeks, Erina picked up the garments that had been thrown onto a chair. She opened a drawer and tucked her folded chemise inside. “No. That is, I haven’t been entirely truthful with my father.”
Cathleen’s eyebrows rose. “You didn’t tell him you were coming to Ireland?”
“Papa will understand when he hears how I wanted to help you,” Erina said in a rush, wishing she were sure of that.
Doubt rumpled Cathleen’s pale forehead. “He probably expectsyou and Mr. Feather to wed. Are you about to become engaged?”
“No, he’s merely a friend.”
“‘A friend’?” Cathleen laughed, more lighthearted than Erina had seen her. With her sparkling, green eyes, she looked very pretty. “He’s in love with you.”
Erina shook her head. She was quite sure he wasn’t. “Harry made it perfectly clear when our fathers tried to arrange our marriage that he has no wish to marry me. And why would he? I’m such a long Meg, and Father says I have a temper.”
“You’re lovely, Erina. And Mr. Feather wants you. Why else would he be here?”
That license. She must broach the subject with Harry. “Because I talked him into coming,” she admitted shamefully.
Cathleen grinned. “I don’t doubt your powers of persuasion, but he doesn’t seem the sort to be easily swayed, unless he wishes to be. He’s quite imposing.” She giggled. “How skillful he was in dealing with Douglas Gormley! I laugh when I think about it.”
“Yes, that was a surprise.” Erina had found Harry besting Gormley in a fight quite thrilling. “But I don’t want him to feel he has to marry me because I’ve gotten myself into a pickle. And that’s what I fear, Cathleen.”
“Then you’ll have to ask him. The question is, Erina, do you have feelings for him?”
Erina sank down onto the bed. “When I thought he would die, I couldn’t bear it.” She drew a shuddering breath. “To have brought him all this way and see him cut down…” She gulped. “And so bravely shielding us from Gormley.”
“But does he make your heart pound? When I’m near Clan Leahy, I quite lose m’ breath.”
Erina looked up in surprise. “‘Clan Leahy’?”
Cathleen nodded, flushing. “Clan is proud, said it wouldn’t be fair to marry me when he was so poor. He left Naas when he heardGormley and I were to marry. I didn’t have a chance to explain. And what good would it have done if I had?”
“Then we must find this Clan Leahy. Where might he be now?”
“He has family in Limerick. Said he would never come back to Naas. He won’t, either.” A wistful expression entered her eyes. “A man of his word is Clan Leahy.”
