Merchants with Evil Intent (43 page)

      
Declan grinned at her. “I’ll no’ be
leavin’ your side. Let’s walk down the strand a bit, aye?”

*
     
*
     
*

      
Sean McDuffie led Viktor through the cottage
pointing out the luxury features. Viktor had a hard time not laughing.

      
The cottage was furnished with twenty
year old furniture which had seen better days and the appliances? Those were a
joke. Not even a damn microwave!

      
“And Mr. Miles, if you follow me I’ll
show ya the grandest feature of my lovely home,” Sean McDuffie beamed.

      
McDuffie led him out the back door to a
small patio. Viktor grinned and took a deep cleansing breath, nothing better
than the salty smell of the water.

      
Viktor turned and noticed another home
down the way. “Who lives there?”

      
“That’d be Corrigan’s place, Teaghan’s.
It’s a bed and breakfast.”

      
Viktor ignored him when he spotted a man
and a woman walking along the beach. His jawed tensed.

      
“Who’s that?” he asked McDuffie.

      
“Why that’s ol’ Corrigan. Not sure who
the gel is,” McDuffie replied with his pipe clenched between his teeth. “Would
ya like to meet ‘im?”

      
“Not today. But, I’m sold on the
cottage,” he said tightly. “When can I move in?”

      
“Well, today if ya like.”

      
Imagine that.

      
Camryn was only a short walk away.

      
Sweet.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Declan and Camryn walked into the kitchen
a little later.

      
Breakfast had already been eaten by the
others, but Siobhan set plates aside for them.

      
John helped Siobhan clean the dishes
while Ian and Mickey sat at the kitchen table playing cards.

      
It was eerily quiet to Camryn and her
face reddened.

      
“So, what are we doing for fun tonight?”
she nudged Declan.

      
“Surely you’re goin’ to the ceilidh,”
Siobhan replied.

      
“Ma I’m no’ goin’ anywhere without
Camryn,” Declan scolded.

      
“Camryn wants to go, don’t ya?” Siobhan
grinned over her shoulder.

      
“I sure do!”
  

      
“It’s no’ safe, gel. Orlov could be in
the area,” Declan snapped.

      
“Safe schmafe.
What can he do to me with three cops as escorts?”

      
“We’ll no’ be goin’ and that’s the end of
this discussion.”

      
John watched the banter between his
daughter and Declan in amusement. Cam was a spitfire like her mother and Declan
seemed tough enough to handle her.

      
“Siobhan, I’d be honored if you’d attend the
ceilidh with me,” John offered.

      
Siobhan blushed slightly, running her
hand through her hair. “Twould be grand to be your date, Mr. O’Mara.”

      
He patted her arm. “Please, call me
John.”

      
“Well who am I supposed to bloody go
with?” Ian whined. Mickey wiggled his eyebrows and blew him a kiss.
“Bloody hell!
Are you barmy?” barked Ian.

      
“I need to go into town for a bit so I
trust you, Ian, to see to me gel.”

      
Camryn folded her arms in front of her,
scowling. “Why can’t I go with you?”

      
He crossed the room and knelt beside her
chair. When she wouldn’t look at him he sighed. “Gel, look at me.” She turned
her head to the side and looked at Mickey instead. “Camryn, please look at me.”

      
“What?”

      
The tenderness of his gaze made her heart
flip-flop.

      
“Don’t you know how much you mean to me?”

      
She shrugged slightly. “I guess so.”

      
His right eyebrow lifted. “Hmm, I see.
Well, then, I guess I wasna clear eno’ last night, aye?” he said quietly.

      
Her cheeks turned crimson and she leaned
her head against his forehead. “Shush!”

      
He grinned and brought his lips to hers
briefly then pulled her up from the chair. “See me off, love.”

      
He grabbed his jacket from the pegged
rack by the back door and slid his arms into it. “I willna be gone long.”

      
“’kay,” she muttered.

      
He pulled her tightly into his arms.
Meeting her eyes he said softly, “I love you.”

      
“I love you,” she whispered.

      
He kissed her and reached for the door
knob when she stopped him.

      
“Hey, do you have protection?”

      
His mouth twitched. “It’s a little late
for that love.”

      
She rolled her eyes. “I meant a gun.”

      
He pulled up his pant leg and showed his
ankle holster as he walked out the door.

      
She sighed heavily and turned back
towards the kitchen. Everyone quickly looked away, pretending to be busy.

      
She cleared her throat. “John, can we
talk?”

      
They grabbed jackets and headed out the
patio door. Uneasiness settled in John’s stomach. Usually he could read
Camryn’s face and knew what she was going to say, but not today, and it worried
him.

      
“Is Ireland what you expected?” she
asked, to break the ice.

      
“Well, I haven’t seen much of it yet, but
what I have seen, I like; how about you?”

      
Her lips curved slightly. “Well, despite
the fact Viktor is following me, I guess I like it. I mean, who wouldn’t like the
rolling hills, the smell of peat and ocean? Of course, there
is
a certain someone who’s…caught my
attention.”

      
John grinned. “So I’ve noticed.”

      
She reached across the table and took his
hands into hers.

      
“I’m not gonna mince words. I was pissed
when you told me I was your daughter. But it’s because you waited so long to
tell me.”

      
His eyes misted. “I didn’t tell you
sooner because I worried you’d never want to see me again.”

      
“That’s ridiculous. I’ve always loved
you. Hell, I’ve told you things I never told mom and dad! My life was an open
book to you.”

      
“Like when you and that Hearn kid got a
bottle of wine after graduation,” he laughed.

      
She blushed, “Yeah. I thought you were
going to rip his head off.”

      
“Cam, I was a mess after Maggie died. I
started drinking to ease the pain. I couldn’t care for you properly,” he said
softly.

      
“I get that now and I respect the hell
out of you for doing what you did. Mom and dad are great parents. I never felt
like I wasn’t their child.” She gripped his hands tighter. “I love you and I
forgive you.”

      
Tears fell from John’s eyes and he tried
to bat them away, but it was a useless gesture; soon after tears spilled from
Camryn’s eyes as well.

      
“Dammit! See what you made me do?” she
teased, wiping away tears.

      
“I didn’t think you’d forgive me this
easily,” he choked. “You’re a hot head just like your mother.”

      
“And my father,” she amended with a grin.

      
John wiped his face with the back of his
hand, not letting go of her hand. She absently mimicked him and together they both
laughed.

      
“So, tell me about Declan.”

      
“He’s a hard-headed pain-in-the-ass,” she
shrugged. “And I’m in love with him.”

      
John studied her a long moment then
barked out a laugh.

      
Camryn pulled her hand away and scowled.
“What’s so funny?”

      
He continued to laugh as he wiped his
eyes. “He said the same thing about you!”

Chapter
14

      
Mist began to fall from the gray clouds,
ushering Camryn and John into the house.

      
Siobhan had tea and coffee ready for them
and guided them to the fireplace. Nellie nestled herself between John and
Camryn, laying her head on Camryn’s lap.

      
“Nellie seems to have taken to you,”
commented John.

      
“It sure looks that way, huh?” she
grinned; stroking Nellie’s back and head.

      
Camryn noticed John’s eyes lingering on
Siobhan as she walked towards the kitchen.

      
“She’s quite a looker, aye?”

      
John blushed. “Indeed she is.” He took a
sip of tea and set the mug on the table. “I haven’t been interested in another
woman since your mom; seems silly, since she’s been gone for twenty-five
years.”

      
Camryn scooted closer and wrapped her arm
around him. “You know, it’s okay to love again.”

      
“I know, but who’d want an old fart like
me?” he joked.

      
An amused grin lit up her face as she
cocked her head towards the kitchen. “I think she digs you,” she whispered.

      
John looked towards the kitchen then back
at Camryn. “Ya think?”

      
“Oh yeah.
Haven’t you noticed how she smoothes her hair when she enters the room?”

      
“Maybe I haven’t lost it after all,” John
laughed.

      
“Havna lost what?” Declan asked as he
strolled into the room.

      
Both the O’Mara’s turned pink and
laughed.

      
Camryn jumped off the couch and hugged
him. “You’ve missed me, aye?” he laughed.

      
“A little.
I’ve
been talking with my
dad
about my
mom,” Camryn smiled, glancing at John.

      
John’s heart nearly exploded with
happiness.

      
Declan wrapped an arm around her waist
and kissed her on the cheek. He was glad they resolved their issues. “So, tell
me aboot her.”

      
Camryn pulled him to the couch and tucked
her leg under her bottom.
 
“Well, I’m the
spittin’ image of her, but I already knew that from old photos.”

      
“She has her mom’s moxie, too,” added
John.

      
“She wanted to be a writer, just like me!
Dad says he has a manuscript she started but never finished.”

      
“When we get back to the states I’ll pull
it out for you. You might enjoy it, Cam, since you enjoy reading about knights
and such,” John grinned. “From what I remember she was close to finishing it
before she died.”

      
She leaned her head against Declan’s shoulder.
“Do you remember anything about it?”

      
John shook his head. “Not much. I
remember the main characters name was Sir Eoghan.”

      
Declan shook his head, “Say again?”

      
“
You feeling
okay Declan? You’re as white as a sheet,” John remarked.

      
“Aye.
What was the
name of the character?” Declan gulped.

      
“Sir Eoghan,” John stated, puzzled.

*
     
*
     
*

      
“You wily wench!
You wrote aboot me?” Eoghan raised his eyebrow to Maggie.

      
“Aye, the story was to have a happy ending.
Sadly I never got the chance to finish it,” she wistfully replied.