Cailín (Lass) (Anam Céile Chronicles) (12 page)

Donovan! 
It truly be him!  I cannot fathom how I did not see him straightaway!

 
His
beautiful face wrapped me in a veil of calm and amazed I be at how then I be able
to compose meself and focus. 

I
inhaled deeply, closed
me
eyes softly and willed meself
to play.  Swiftly the notes just came to me fingers without having to think
about them in the least.  Me arm effortlessly began to stroke the strings of me
fiddle with the bow as the cadence just rolled off them in a wave of melody
over the crowd. 

In that
moment when I played, whisked away I be by the beautiful reverberation that penetrated
me soul as always it does, and ‘twas only he and I there.  I be playing fer him
alone, as always I had dreamt of, and as actually, I had done many times before
in
me
mind. 

As the
music derived of me own hands did soothe me, once again I be able to open me
eyes.  Donovan be the first image they beheld.  And overjoyed I be to see he
actually seemed truly mesmerized by me playing.  His eyes were affixed upon me,
and ‘twas evident he be basking in the ambiance of me music and absorbing it, I
hoped, much as do I. 

Then I be most certain I heard him say to someone, “Just
look at her!  She be not even aware of how beautiful she be.” 

Did you truly just say that?  Beautiful?  Me?  Or be it
merely me imagination?  Should I tell you of me feelings fer you?  Oh, but how
devastating it would be if you do not feel the same . . .
there
be me constant hunger once again already growing impatient.  How be it that
each time I be in his presence, me hunger surfaces out of nowhere?

Comical,
how only a short time ago, I did not know how I would make it through this
performance, and now me time was already up, the next performers waiting off to
the side fer me to clear the stage!   I bowed, waving and smiling to the crowd
and then, directly at him as our eyes met and locked fer a long moment.  As I
turned and walked across the stage, I could still feel his eyes rooting into
me.  When I reached the back, I sat fer a spell and took in a long, deep breath
to revive me body and wrap me mind around all that had just taken place.

After a
brief rest and a long drink of much needed water, I gathered meself and me
things to head out.  Famished I be, so I intended on finding me mama and
request an early dinner.  Moreover, anxious I be to hear how they had fancied
me performance!  Granting, I never be at all sure what to expect from me father. 
I only knew he expected fer me to secure a proper husband today.   

Blah!

 Upon exiting
through the back stage curtain, most pleasantly surprised I be to find Donovan
waiting right outside. 

He could
not truly be waiting fer me, could he?  This day simply could not get any
finer!
 

“Good
day, Aislinn!” Donovan confirmed rather gleefully, a heartbreaking smile upon
his face.  “I must say, I did thoroughly enjoy your performance.  Not any
inclination had I that you be so musically gifted!” 

Truly
appears as though he actually means it he does!

“Indeed? 
Did you not?  Rather, what I mean to say, be truly you believe so?”  As per
usual, me words just stumbled right out of me when I be around him.

Then,
the realization struck that Donovan’s being here at the festival must have
nothing to do with me.  
Surely he be here fer the matchmaking games and is
only being polite in saying hello to me.
 Thereby, I feigned an indifferent
air. 

“I
trust you have been matched well, then,” I stated, me tone assuming a cynical
air.

“Actually,
I have not . . .”  At that, the sweet smile dissolved from his face, and was
abruptly replaced with a look of confusion.

“Well,
‘tis astounded I be, a fine lad such as
you
, Donovan!”  I brashly
interrupted, caught up in the ignorance of me defensive charade.  “Yet, not to
worry, ‘tis confident I be you shall hook the lass of yer heart’s desire, as still
the day be young,” I declared somewhat disdainfully.

Disconcerted
by me unmistakable scorn, his brow furrowed as Donovan replied, “In reality,
the festivities hold not a smidgeon of appeal fer me,” he attempted to explain.

Alas, still
too caught up in me own renunciation of the slightest probability of his
holding any intentions fer
me
, once again I did interrupt him.  “Then
why even trouble yerself in being here?” I demanded crossly.

Donovan
stared at me rather resolutely as he stated determinedly, in a tone more
austere than ever I had heard from him, “’Tis solely
you
I be here to
see, Aislinn MacAuliffe.  I heard you were to be performing here and wished to
behold your compositions.”

“Oh,” I
simply hung me head down, too mortified to say anything else. 

Fortunate
fer me, Donovan— yet fer some reason unknown— thought me raucous awkwardness
somehow endearing, as he smiled pleasantly and said, “’Twould be a pleasure to escort
you to dinner.  Would you do me the honour, Miss MacAuliffe?”

I stood
and stared wide-eyed at him fer at last I comprehended that his face be gazing back
at me in the manner which long I have yearned fer it to.
 

Could
this truly be happening?  Did he truly just invite me to dinner?  Alright, Aislinn,
compose yerself!  Halt yer daftness and utter something to him!

I
compelled meself to snap out of me childish behaviour and affected a sincere,
albeit still stunned, smile.  “Why, thank you, Donovan, true ‘tis positively
famished I be!  Most grateful I would be to accompany you to dinner!” 

Remarkable! 
How I said that so eloquently, never shall I know!  With any luck, I’ll sustain
it!

Quite
pleased he seemed as he took the fiddle case and bags from me to carry as he
led me down the walk through the village of Lisdoonvarna and to a lovely little
café.  Grateful I be ‘twas a quiet place so that we might enjoy some time alone
fer once.  All the grander, Donovan located us a nice spot in a little niche,
that was about as private as one could hope fer in a public establishment. 
That escalated me optimism that his intentions fer us were as I could only
hope!

Thereby we did sit at a cozy table, facing each other.  Here
alone with him fer the first, I be utterly wanting fer words.  I could sense me
anxiety escalating as the blaring silence grew ever more stark.  Donovan simply
sat there across from me regarding me with the strangest expression. 

“What be the matter?” I demanded somewhat warily.  “Why do
you stare at me so?”  I be convinced he presently regretted his rash decision
to invite me to dinner.

‘Twas amused he appeared, as though he were debating whether
he intended to reveal his riddle.  “What a bizarre girl you be, Aislinn!  I
think you surely must hail from another world entirely!” Donovan alleged with a
laugh.

Upon hearing this, me eyes cast down. 

So, he thinks of me just as me father does.
 
Be
he here only to mock me, then?
 

Me heart be clenched by me stomach as it plummeted. 

 “Truly, Aislinn,” Donovan spoke, an intent tone in his
voice now as he leaned forth and reached across to embrace me hand in his.  “You
be the most intriguing lass ever I have had the pleasure of meeting!  In all
certainty, set me on fire you have— with your blazing hair and your shining
eyes as stars, and especially your most ardent spirit!”

Did he truly say now what me mind believes to be hearing?
 

The startled rumble of me heart upon hearing these words
from him, his theoretical revelation that I may indeed be someone special to
him as well!
 
Me heart swelled as it floated up from the
depths of me gut until I be sure it might burst!  I raised me eyes to view the
expression upon his face to determine if it indeed revealed what I dared hope
it did.

“How could it be that you never knew?” Donovan muttered to
himself with a baffled sigh.

So
bamboozled I be that I found meself staring intently at his lips, I suppose to
confirm the words I heard coming from them.  Gazing upon his lips instantly
reminded me of the sensuousness of consuming a succulent strawberry.  I felt
meself succumbing to me imagination . . . those
lips pressing against mine,
his succulent tongue dancing with mine.  His hands . . .   

“Aislinn
. . . ?”  Donovan’s voice startled me eyes upward. 

His
penetrating blue eyes were probing me.  “I beg yer pardon?” 

After
all this time I have pined over him, at last he be reciprocating and just look
at me!  I cannot conjure up even a single intelligent word!  He may well think
better of it and rescind his earnest comments after me fool hearty behaviour.
 
Love
has rendered me the fool, set me on fire and watched as I burn.

Oh, to
feel the touch of yer hand upon me skin once again . . . how me body aches to
breathe in yer breath . . .  craves to savour the first taste of you . . .  The
mercy of yer lips fer just one kiss, so that me heart may sing . . . I’ll embrace
and kiss you with such passionate, I shall take yer breath away!
  

“What
say you, Aislinn, of me declaration?” Donovan interrupted me fantasies.  His
voice ‘twas uneven, seemingly puzzled by me peculiar behaviour.
 
I
lifted me eyes, and they were met with the anxious expression upon his face.

Even as
I sat there, reveling in the freshness of his presence, moreover I felt a
potent sense of reminiscence as though here, this very moment we had certainly
shared once before; whereas, paralleling that, I be most confident it existed
not any place within me memory.

A
sudden breeze blew, first by him, and then to me, sweeping the scent of him
across me face.
 
As I inhaled it in, its essence gushed directly through
me to me core as a wave of intoxication.  Instantly I recognised it to be one
and the same as that in me dream, that which never could I disremember!  Other
than the first night he had appeared to me in the vision, ‘twas the most
profound experience in me life!  If I didn’t know it before, I now be certain
beyond anything that he be me destiny. 

With
this exhilarating realization, me heart bounded wildly within me chest.  It
felt as though any moment it would propel me right off me seat into the sky!  I
felt sure he would detect it thudding through me.  Never before had I felt such
tension.  There he be looking at me entreatingly, waiting fer me to say
something in return. 

But all
I could do at that moment was to place me hand over me palpitating chest and
close me eyes, breathing in carefully in some attempt to steady meself in order
to structure the proper response he so deserved!  If only he could fathom the
incredible effect he had upon me, then he would appreciate what ‘twas I be
going through.

Gazing
at him openly, I reached across the table longing to feel the skin of his
handsome face beneath me fingertips.  Rather, I nestled them comfortably within
the nook of his strong, warm hand and smiled tenderly at him.  I took a deep
breath as at last I prepared meself to respond. 

“Words they
be needless.  They can be but an enhancement to feelings this intense.  Furthermore,
words they be trivial, worthless and forgettable.  ‘Tis our actions which mean
so much more.  Certain I be you already knew of the feelings I have held fer
you all this time.
  Mere words could not ever truly express the
way in which you have seized me heart. 
Nevertheless, if have them you
must . . .” 

I
peered at Donovan intensely, me voice lowering to almost a whisper as I
steadied meself fer the significance of what I would tell him.  “I dangle on yer
every word fer the mere sound of yer voice infiltrating me head. 
 Each
time I close me eyes,
‘tis solely yer face I see in me mind.  You
appear to me nightly in me dreams. 
Y
ou encompass me every
thought.  Since the day first I did see you, Donovan, I have been transformed
evermore.”

Fer a
long moment, he sat there only gazing out, his face still.  Swiftly the panic
crept over me. 

Oh,
have I disclosed too much?  Perhaps he does not feel quite as deeply fer me in
return and I have frightened him with all me raging intensity.  Why can I not learn
to contain me emotions and be more circumspect?  Just when at last he has begun
to gravitate toward me, I allow me emotions to overflow and frighten him away!

That
surely be the most prolonged few moments ever I have had to endure!

Mercifully,
at long last, Donovan clasped me hand tight in his, the most heartfelt expression
he wore upon his face, permitting me to exhale once again.  His eyes glistening
as he looked upon me, he reached up and lightly traced his finger from the side
of me brow along down me cheek to just the corner of me mouth. 

How I
yearned to take his finger into me mouth and taste it!  Yet I determined it
would not be prudent to overwhelm him with me endless desires fer him.  I did
not wish him to resolve that I be improper.