Echoes of Pemberley (42 page)

Maggie nodded.

“Oh, all right!” Catie slipped down to the floor and took a towel. “You need not look so worried, Maggie. He was only joking.”

“How am I supposed to know? He always looks so stern and sour, just like your ancestors in all those paintings. Lord, some of their faces give me gooseflesh.”

“My ancestors look dignified, Maggie, not sour.”

Trying her best to look contrite, Maggie said, “If you say so, Miss Catie.”

“I do.”

When Catie came into the breakfast room, she drew up short and her eyes widened. Thank God she didn’t gasp. There, sitting on one side of the table, were the Kelly brothers. Of course they would have to have breakfast in the house. But it hadn’t occurred to her they would be in her breakfast room. They saw her too and stood with such haste there was a thunderous sound of chairs scraping the floor. Rather discomfited by their display of manners, Catie looked at Sarah and went awkwardly to the only empty seat, which was unfortunately next to her brother and directly across from Sean. Smiling his signature broad smile, Sean came quickly around the table and pulled out the chair for her.

“Good mornin’, Miss Catie.” His thick Irish brogue brushed against her neck as he settled her in her seat.

“Thank you,” she replied quietly, giving his brothers a bashful nod.

The boys noisily sat down.

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate the show of ceremony, lads,” Ben said, raising a witty eyebrow to his attentive audience. “But if you insist on standing every time my sister walks into a room, I’m afraid you will find yourselves quite light-headed. She buzzes around this house like a horsefly trying to find an exit.”

The lads roared with laughter.

“Brother!” Catie hissed, her face growing scarlet. She turned again to Sarah for support but found her line of vision blocked by a mass of a man. Mr. Kelly was as broad as he was tall and hovered over his plate in a way that would have earned him a sharp reprimand had his last name been Darcy. Irritated, Catie lowered her eyes and silently ate her breakfast.

Talk of horses, horses, and more horses came from each side of her, as she listened faintly to Sarah and Mrs. Kelly dote over the three littlest boys at their end of the table. Left with no companionship, Catie performed the much anticipated task of scrutinizing the four younger Kelly brothers seated across from her.

Gabriel looked to be about eighteen and was every bit as handsome as Sean, though slightly taller, which gave him a lankier appearance. Cian and Ronan were very close in age — early teens, Catie surmised. But unlike most boys, who are all limbs and feet at that age, the middle Kelly brothers seemed to be faring a little better. Both had dark, wavy locks and those trademark Kelly blue eyes. The two appeared to be somewhat rambunctious, making her wonder whether they alone were the reason the brothers were exiled to the cottage. Wee Joseph, as Sean so often called him, was a definite favorite of his mother’s: a beautiful child, quiet and watchful, much like the Darcys’ George. Catie couldn’t suppress a smile as she thought of Sean looking much like him not so long ago.

The tedious, sluggish conversation of getting to know one another drew out what should have been a short meal. Sitting across from Sean, Catie’s eyes met with his often, and each time they did there was another stab to her already brittle emotions. It was almost as if some unknown force pulled them into each other’s gaze. The sting of his stare was so excruciating that she tried not to cast even a glance his way and breathed a prayer of thanks when the meal finished.

“Catie.” Sean caught up with her in the hall, glancing back nervously to see if anyone was listening.

“I haven’t the time to speak with you. My brother and I are leaving for the hospital shortly.” She started away from him.

“Listen to me.” His voice was low but insistent.

Catie spun around to face him. Her heart was racing, and she was sure her cheeks blazed as hot as they felt. “Do you really think I have any desire to hear whatever it is you have to say?”

He stared at her for several breaths.

“Comin’, Seany?” one of the brothers asked.

“Aye, Cian, I’m coming,” Sean said to his brother. Both his tone and expression were dejected, but Catie refused to feel sorry for him.

The morning visit to the hospital was an unsettling one. Rose had a long night of reactions to some of the medicines she was taking, and her weak and ashen appearance from the previous day was worsened by a cold sweat and fever. Seeing the woman she loved so dearly looking so feeble, shocked Catie and she crumbled in her brother’s arms. Ben comforted her with the gentle words their mother or father might have given her, all the while praying for Rose and praying his sister would be spared this grief. When her tears dried, they sat holding hands without speaking, listening to the repetitive song of hospital monitors until it was time to leave.

* * *

“Is Nanny Rose going to die, Bennet?” Catie asked in the car on the way home.

It was the first time Ben had heard his sister call Rose that in years. “I don’t think so, Sis, but I’m praying all the same.”

She brushed away a tear. “Me too.”

Consumed with the dreadful “what ifs,” Catie had to force herself to do something constructive and decided to devote an hour or so to her piano. The music room was the one place she was sure she could be alone. She especially liked to play when she was down. The somber resonance of a poignant sonata was like a comforting embrace to her. Rose knew this about Catie. Rose knew everything about Catie. If Rose were home, she would come to her and ask, “What’s weighing so heavy on your bosom, child?”

In the music room she was surprised and somewhat annoyed to see Seamus Kelly reading the newspaper and having his tea.
Were the bloody Kellys everywhere
? He looked up when she entered.

“Excuse me, Mr. Kelly, I didn’t mean to interrupt your solitude. I’ll come back later.”

“Catherine, please stay,” Mr. Kelly’s deep voice gently requested.

Catie took a tentative step closer. Because of Sean’s description of the man she was hesitant, and he did have an intimidating presence with his large barrel chest and bushy eyebrows.

“I–I was going to practice my piano, sir, and I fear the noise will be a nuisance to your reading.”

“Nonsense, I could use a bonny song to balance the melancholy of these past two days.” Mr. Kelly’s large smile swelled even his broad chest, and Catie relaxed a little.

“If you’d like,” she said and took her seat at the piano.

Mr. Kelly stepped over to the instrument and asked, “I don’t suppose the little miss knows any Irish tunes?”

“Yes.” Catie gave him a brief smile. “I know a few. How about ‘When Irish Eyes are Smiling,’ Mr. Kelly?”

He expelled a guttural sound of displeasure. “Not Irish, lass. The song was written in America for a musical production.”

“Oh.” Catie winced apologetically. “Sorry.”

“But why not!” Seamus Kelly bellowed so sudden and loud she jumped. “It was meant as a tribute to the Emerald Isle after all, and it is a lively tune. ‘Irish Eyes’ it is, Catherine!”

Catie took up the song with alacrity, and within seconds the Irishman began singing along in a rich baritone voice. His deep timbre reverberated throughout the halls of Pemberley, bringing Ben and Sarah to act as audience. When finished, singer and pianist bowed to claps of praise.

“Bravo!” Sarah cried. “You’ve a beautiful voice, Seamus.”

“Thank you.” Mr. Kelly bowed slightly and turned to Ben. “I don’t reckon you’d want to show me your fine stables now. I could use the air.”

“I would be delighted!” Ben smiled.

“May I join you?” Catie asked. “I’d love to introduce Mr. Kelly to Chloe.”

“I believe, Sis, that your music awaits you,” Ben said, squelching Catie’s enthusiasm.

“To be glued to an instrument, drudging over sheets of music on such a day as this one?” Mr. Kelly made another gruff sound of displeasure. “The child best take in all of the fresh air she can. Winter will be upon us before we know it, and . . . ” He turned and gave Catie a conspiring wink. “And when
there are no more pretty days as we have before us now, the instrument and music will get more than enough attention. Eh, Catherine?”

“Aye, Mr. Kelly,” Catie answered in her best Irish accent, giving her brother a vindicated smile.

If Bennet Darcy was anything he was a gracious host. He inclined his head in acceptance and gestured the unlikely cohorts to take the lead. “Sarah?” he said to his wife on his way out. “Would you like to join us as well?”

“No. I think a warm cup of tea will suit me instead.” She chuckled softly and added in a hushed tone, “But keep an eye on the two of them. They could become dangerous allies.”

He pointed to his eye, telling her he would, then stepped close and whispered, “Any word from the hospital?”

“No.” She shook her head. “But that’s good news. Emma said she would ring us if Rose’s condition worsened. It was nice to see Catie smile for a change, was it not?”

“Yes,” he said. “Yes it was.”

Talk of breeding had Catie walking a good pace behind the men, and she fell back even further when Mr. Kelly broached the topic of mounting difficulties. Horse husbandry, it seemed, was absorbing conversation. Trailing at such a distance, she was the first to notice Sean’s approach.

“Da,” he called out to his father. “Have you seen the boys?”

Mr. Kelly stopped. “What do you mean have
I
seen the boys? Didn’t I tell you to keep them out of trouble?”

“Well, you did, Da.” Sean glanced around as if hoping to spy them somewhere. “But I had a wee bit of studying to do and let Gabe take them to the river. But they should’ve been back by now.”

“I think I hear them!” Catie pointed to the sound of yelling coming from the stables. She noticed Sean and his father exchange sidelong glances as they hurried off in the direction of the uproar.

“Oh, my.” Catie came to an abrupt stop. Cian and Ronan were on the dusty ground of the stable yard, apparently trying to rip each other to shreds while Gabriel stood over them laughing and egging them on. The observer, Joseph, was sitting on top of a fence rail, safely out of harm’s way.

Mr. Kelly drew in a deep breath and let out a piercing high-pitched whistle that made Catie cover her ears, but the two boys didn’t seem to hear him.

Gabe reached down and pulled them apart. “Stop!” he shouted, holding them by their collars, still kicking and swinging at each other.

“Gabe, Cian, Ronan,” Mr. Kelly bellowed. “I’m fair disappointed in youse. Goin’ at each other in front of a nice, wee lass. Where’s your manners, lads?”

“Sorry, Da,” Gabriel said, grinning. “Just settlin’ a minor difference of opinion, that’s all.”

“He started it, Da!” Cian yelled to his father, pointing an accusing finger at his brother.

“Did not, you arsewipe!” Ronan broke free of Gabe’s hold and tackled his adversary. The two hit the ground with a thud and began walloping each other with equal force as before.

Catie glanced over at Sean. The tips of his ears burned red with humiliation. “I’ll take care of this, Da,” he said, visibly fuming.

With one ferocious yank, Sean separated his brothers. “Stop it!” he shouted. “Stop it now or I’ll beat you both senseless.”

Still grinning, Gabe took one of the miscreants by the arm. “Shouldn’t take long to beat a couple of buck eejits senseless! Eh, Seany?”

Sean lifted Joseph off of the fence and motioned his brothers back to the cottage with a menacing bark, “Away off!”

The three youngest Kellys ran ahead of their irate brother. Gabe, however, turned to Catie, removed his flat cap, and held it against his heart as he batted his eyes boyishly. “My apologies, miss, that must have been a most disturbing scene.”

“Now, Gabriel!” Sean shouted.

“Sorry . . . must be off!” Gabe plopped his cap back on and pulled himself away by his collar, making a silly strangled face. Catie giggled.

Once they were gone, Mr. Kelly broke into a hearty laugh and ran his thumbs down the inside of his bright red bracers. “I’ll bet the farm you would’ve put your money on Ronan the older one, wouldn’t you, Mr. Darcy? But that Cian, he’s strong as a mule. Pinned Gabriel down just last week; had to take him by surprise, but he did it, by George!”

Looking as if he didn’t quite know what to say, Ben’s mouth twitched several times before he spoke. “You must be extremely proud,” he said finally and walked away.

Catie felt a warm glow fill her face as she looked up at Mr. Kelly, but the man didn’t seem at all offended. “Shall we, Catherine?” He smiled down at her, his usual jovial self.

“If you’d like, you can call me Catie, Mr. Kelly,” she said as they walked. “Everybody does.”

“Me ma was named Katherine, lass,” Mr. Kelly answered, softer than she had yet heard him speak. “I fancy the name, like hearing it spoke out loud again. So I’ll stick with it if it’s all the same to you.”

Catie nodded.

* * *

On Tuesday afternoon Rose was showing the first signs of improvement, and there was talk of her coming home by the weekend. The news made Catie give an audible sigh of relief, slightly relaxing the tight ball that had formed in her stomach the morning they took Rose to the hospital. “Thanks be to God!” Ben said when Sarah hung up the telephone, and Catie nodded, unable to speak.