Call Home the Heart (19 page)

 

 

"Don't look so worried," he said, putting his arm around her.
"That's more than most of these people are used to at the best of
times. It'll be all right."

 

 

"I'd better get back to the baking." She sighed. "We'll have to have
everything ready for the market run tomorrow for Patrick and
Siobhan."

 

 

Lochlainn said impulsively, "Why don't we go ourselves?"

 

 

"What? You and I go to Sligo?" Muireann asked, surprised.

 

 

"Well, it would be a wonderful opportunity to let you get to see a
bit of the countryside, and we could make a day of it. We could fit
Patrick on the box with us. He could help drive the cattle back that
we managed to buy. And you could see the sea. We could even stop at
one or two lovely places I know on the way."

 

 

"Well, if you think I could..."

 

 

"It will be fun. Let's go, please? You've made enough of a start
there already. There's only so much you can do until we get more
money."

 

 

"All right. But we'll have to set out early, won't we?"

 

 

He nodded. "I'll wake you at four. We should be there by about
mid-morning if we make good time, and the cart isn't too heavy. We
can still sell all our wares at the market, and we can be back
before midnight even if it does take us longer than we expect to
sell everything,"

 

 

"We should try to sell some of the extra tools as well, you know."

 

 

"I'll take care of it. You finish up baking here, and get to bed.
I'll see you early in the morning."

 

 

He patted her on the shoulder, and went out to the stable block to
make arrangements for the morning. He gathered up what he considered
to be all the spare tools from the outhouse, and issued instructions
to Conn and Kevin about the tree cutting.

 

 

Then he headed off to his cottage, where he put out his warmest
clothes ready for the morning, and got a few hours of much-needed
sleep, his slumbers filled with nothing but the woman who had come
into his life like a whirlwind.

 

 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

 

 

True to his word, Lochlainn tapped on her door at half past three,
and had some porridge ready and waiting for her in a bowl when she
came downstairs sleepily.

 

 

"I hope you've dressed warmly enough under that gown. It's fairly
mild for the time of the year, but it will still be a pretty cold
journey."

 

 

"I'll be fine, thanks. I've wrapped up well. So long as it is dry,
we'll have a lovely time," Muireann said cheerfully.

 

 

Muireann was sandwiched between Lochlainn and Patrick up on the box
of the cart, but at least she was warm and cozy under all the
travelling rugs. Lochlainn drove the cart for part of the time, but
as they went on, he gave Patrick the reins and began to point out
the beauty spots of the area.

 

 

At the town of Blacklion were two lovely loughs, Upper and Lower
Macnean, long and narrow, with a beautiful forest on the western
side. Then they passed through the attractive traditional town of
Manorhamilton with its Georgian buildings, and there they stopped
for a rest.

 

 

While Patrick went to the local stables with the cart to change the
horses, Lochlainn took Muireann into a small restaurant for a hot
cup of tea. "We can visit a local beauty spot, Newtown Castle, and
if you're willing to take a small walk down a hill and up again, I
can show you the Glencar waterfall on the way to Sligo."

 

 

"It certainly sounds lovely. But then all of the countryside has
been exquisite so far," Muireann praised as she warmed her hands
around her cup. "The loughs were marvelous. In fact, a lot of the
country is like Scotland, only more green."

 

 

"You like it, then?"

 

 

"Yes, of course," Muireann said, surprised that Lochlainn should
even wonder. "It's magnificent, all of it. I can't imagine you ever
having wanted to leave."

 

 

Lochlainn colored to the roots of his hair, and looked down into his
cup.

 

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Muireann apologized hastily
when she saw his moody look return.

 

 

"I suppose you're bound to find out sooner or later, so I might as
well tell you now to get out of the way. Then we never have to
discuss it again. My fiancée Tara left me for another man.
Plus, the old man, Douglas Caldwell, was dying. I couldn't see any
future for myself with Augustine running things. He had never really
liked me as the estate manager, you see. Nor did his mother. She was
always trying to let on to everyone that I was lining my own pockets
from the Barnakilla estate. Well, if that had been the case, I
certainly never would have taken the trouble to come back here, now
would I?" he remarked bitterly.

 

 

Muireann took his hand across the table, oblivious to the stares
directed at them in the tearoom. She tried to swallow the unease
over his mention of his failed engagement.

 

 

"You don't have to defend yourself to me. I've already told you, I
trust you, Lochlainn. Implicitly. I don't believe you would ever
have cheated the Caldwells. Every time you speak of old Douglas
Caldwell, you actually sound quite fond of him. It would have been a
point of pride with you to run the estate the best you could."

 

 

"I imagine you're right. Not that pride ever got me anywhere,"
Lochlainn said sourly as he clinked a few coins down on the table.
"You'll forgive my saying this, Muireann, but your husband was
useless at running the estate. He only ever thought about his own
gratification, never about his responsibilities. I know it isn't his
fault. His mother and father spoilt him completely. But if I had
been in charge, none of this would have ever happened."

 

 

Muireann rose also and followed him out the door, where a chill wind
was blowing down the wide street. She grasped his arm and tugged him
around to face her before he could go too far ahead.

 

 

"And if it hadn't happened, I would never have come here, now would
I, Lochlainn. Are you saying you wish I had never come?" she
challenged, surprised at her own bold behavior.

 

 

Lochlainn stooped and kissed her then, full on the lips, in front of
everyone passing down the street, including Patrick, who grinned and
drove the cart a bit further on down the road to wait for them.

 

 

Hearing a few shocked remarks, he lifted his lips at last. "No, I'm
not saying that. Though it's selfish of me to even be glad that
you're here in the midst of such awful circumstances."

 

 

"Then don't complain about the past. It can't be changed. For the
moment, why don't we just try to enjoy our trip to market? Now come,
we've been here long enough. Sligo beckons," she urged, tugging him
by the arm, and smiling up at him tenderly, her amethyst eyes
sparkling.

 

 

Their first stop was Newtown Castle, an ancient fortress on the
shores of large, round Lough Gill.

 

 

"It was once a stronghold of the O'Rourkes, from about the sixteenth
century, though I suspect there was an older castle here before
that," Lochlainn explained to her as she admired the tall, imposing
building made of a rare golden-colored stone.

 

 

Then they returned to the main road, and headed west towards Sligo.
The sun shone down, sparkling all along the valley to the east. The
glorious mountains on either side of the road were illuminated,
making them look like something out of a fabulous landscape
painting. Except that they were real, Muireann thought, awe-struck.

 

 

"What's that odd-looking mountain?" Muireann asked curiously.

 

 

It was a long plain, with some curious protrusions jutting from the
top and sides. "It's called Ben Bulben. There are all sorts of
ancient myths associated with it. It is said to be the place where
Diarmuid was finally killed by Finn Mac Cool's men after eloping
with Grainne."

 

 

"And who are Diarmuid and Grainne?" Muireann asked as she stared at
the flat-topped mountain.

 

 

"Two famous lovers from our ancient myths."

 

 

"What mountain is that?" she asked, pointing to another vast hill
with a huge round structure on top.

 

 

"That's Knocknarea, The King's Mountain. It's said to be a monument
to Queen Maeve, a great female warrior from the century after
Christ's birth. She was a very brave and clever woman, who was said
to be possessed of magic spells, and so beautiful that every man
desired her," he explained, looking down at Muireann with glowing
gray eyes.

 

 

"Look! I can see the Atlantic Ocean," Muireann suddenly exclaimed.

 

 

Lochlainn put his arm around Muireann and hugged her close, glad to
be sharing in her delight at her new country.

 

 

Soon he ordered Patrick, "Stop here."

 

 

Lochlainn lifted Muireann from the wagon, and strolled with her down
the hill. They saw a small path over to their left. They made their
way through a field full of sheep. In the distance Muireann could
see a huge plume of water soaring over the granite cliff-face and
down into the valley below.

 

 

As they grew closer, she could see the water gushing into a pure
blue pool. Two herons were fishing in it. They stood stock still
when Lochlainn and Muireann drew closer, and Muireann gasped her
admiration.

 

 

"They're lovely!"

 

 

"Haven't you ever seen a heron before?" Lochlainn whispered in her
ear.

 

 

"Never so close," she admitted in awed tones, marveling their
silvery gray plumage and yellow eyes. Each bird caught a fish,
darting their beaks into the water, rapier-like, before bringing up
their catch and flying off with a massive beat of wings.

 

 

They went right up to the foot of the waterfall. The roaring in
Muireann's ears prevented them from hearing what the other was
trying to say. They laughed at their difficulty, and Lochlainn bent
down and kissed her.

 

 

Muireann allowed herself to lean into his warm, hard body for a
brief moment, savoring his warmth, and the joy his kisses always
filled her with. She reached up and stroked his cheek. Eventually
she had to pull away though, for time was pressing, and she knew
that as pleasurable as the contact was, it was too much, too soon
between them, and could lead to a great deal more in such a romantic
setting if she wasn't careful.

 

 

So she smiled up at him, and taking hold of his hand, she tugged him
back down the path.

 

 

"I said, thank you for taking me here. It's glorious."

 

 

"Thank you for coming with me. I haven't been to Glencar for years.
I had almost forgotten how lovely it was."

 

 

"Well, Sligo certainly looks gorgeous from here. So let's go, or
we'll never get to market," Muireann said as she led the way back up
the path.

 

 

Muireann, Lochlainn and Patrick eventually reached Sligo, a charming
town overlooking a large bay which led beyond to the vast Atlantic.

 

 

They had an incredibly successful day at the market. Muireann
managed to sell all the books, while Lochlainn and Patrick sold the
rest of the goods in next to no time. The three of them met up for a
quick cup of tea, and counted their money carefully.

 

 

"Did you see any good milch cows on the green?" Muireann asked
excitedly as she counted their cash one last time.

 

 

"There were several there that looked like they might do for us, but
I would need to get a move on," Lochlainn said worriedly.

 

 

"In that case, I'll go get us all something to eat. You can meet me
back here as soon as you're done."

 

 

"Don't you want to help me pick them?" Lochlainn asked.

 

 

"You're my agent. Earn your keep," she teased.

 

 

 Lochlainn did as he was instructed, and soon chose the sixteen
best beasts, which he yoked together with rope and drove on with
Patrick towards the wall upon which they had left Muireann sitting.

 

 

She offered them a meat pie each, and the three of them sat and ate
their meal, passing around a bottle of milk as they gazed at the
hustle and bustle of the fair.

 

 

"What else do we have to do before we head back?" Lochlainn asked.

 

 

"We can certainly use more oats and flour. I'd like to try a few of
those sea fish we saw on the stall over there. Some of them don't
look familiar at all but they're very inexpensive. And there's a
mountain of oysters. They would be good in a sort of stew, and
they're certainly cheap enough," Muireann observed, looking at the
prices chalked on the fishmonger's blackboard.

 

 

"That looks a good price for mussels as well. And I need some
varnish for the tables and chairs I'm making, and some more nails.
The men are doing their best to mend all the cottages and the roof
of the mansion, but it's heavy going. They also need to close up all
the mouse holes. I think we'll have to put down some poison as well
to finally get rid of them all."

 

 

"It seems so cruel. We could just get a cat," Muireann suggested.

 

 

Or a dog," Lochlainn said thoughtfully, chewing on his pie slowly.

 

 

"What's wrong? You look odd again. Bad thoughts?" Muireann queried
softly.