Protector (The Brannock Siblings Book 4) (7 page)

She knew she was lucky in some ways. Christopher was so busy
putting everything together to merge the companies that he didn't focus his
time on ruining her more than he already had. It was the only thing she could
credit to her parents. She knew without a doubt they had a hand in it and for
that she was grateful. For that, she would try her best to understand.

She still had her virtue, but the threats were becoming more
and more frequent. If she returned to the states only to live in his home, it
would be a matter of time before those threats became a reality.

"You're lucky your father is a smart man,
Isabelle," he'd muttered in her ear only a few nights before. She still
felt the violent cringe at the feel of his hot breath on her face. "Too
bad he isn't smart enough to protect you forever. I can wait a few more months
to have you."

Stop thinking about it!

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes completely.

Her mind wandered to the type of man she always imagined she
would marry. A strong man, protective of the ones he loved, tender to her needs
and dreams, bold when the time came to stand up for what was right. A man who
could make her smile easily and would know her well enough to understand when
she needed space or even when she didn't.

The image formed behind her closed eyelids and she felt a
smile pull on her lips. It wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep in the
middle of a garden in Rathnew, Wicklow, Ireland. Never realizing that the man
of her dreams was only a short walk away. That he would find her soon and her
worries would melt away.

***

It was late morning when Isabelle woke and her stomach
grumbled violently. She was starved and still had a ways to walk before she
could get a decent meal that she wouldn't have to make for herself.
That
could wait until dinner.

She pulled herself up off the soft grass and walked out onto
the narrow dirt road. Margaret told her to go south and within a mile or so,
she would eventually run into her. A weight lifted off of Isabelle's shoulders
as she walked. Until now, loneliness was a burden and a constant worry. Now it
was a gift in some ways.

It wasn't long before she found what she was looking for.

A small stone structure that could probably fit inside the
rental house was propped up on the side of the road. It was surrounded by
massive trees and Isabelle could smell the aroma of flowers under the wafting
sent of food. The stone was covered in a kind of ivy that she had never seen
before. It looked like the walls were being held up by that very ivy.

She instantly fell in love with the place.

"I see ye've made yer way."

Margaret was standing in the doorway pouring a pot of water
out the side of the porch that ran across the front of the small building. Her
red hair almost glowed in the sunlight and instead of being pinned so perfectly
like it was the day before, she looked like she just didn't give a damn about
it.

Isabelle had immediately liked Margaret, but today she felt
a little more connected with the woman. Especially when Margaret gave her that
rigid look that told everyone she didn't care what they thought of her.

"I was hungry," Isabelle smiled.

Margaret chuckled, her still young looking face stretching
with the smile. "Ye've come to the right place, then." She gestured
for Isabelle to follow her inside. "Tis not a mansion, but yer gut will
thank ye fer feedin' it my food."

"Of that I have no doubt," Isabelle replied,
smiling when she understood the words behind that sing song accent. "Thank
you, Margaret."

Margaret scoffed, "I'll not answer to Margaret so ye
better start with Maggie if ye want any service, dear."

She led Isabelle through the door with a wave while her
eyebrows waggled.

"Maggie it is, then."

The windows were opened wide and the only light inside was
from the rays of sunlight pouring through them. Isabelle took in the room, immediately
noticing that there were no other people sitting to eat. There were several
tables lining the walls of the dining room and what looked like a small bar set
up in front of the kitchen. The stools were stained a deep cherry and the worn
tops looked smooth as glass.

Behind the bar was another woman who could be mistaken for Maggie
if Isabelle didn't know she was standing right beside her. The only difference
was that this woman's hair was cut short and she looked several years older
with some lingering grey hairs at her temples. The woman looked up and smiled
widely when she saw Isabelle. They were the same green eyes as Maggie, but the wicked
light in them was more noticeable. Maybe Maggie was just better at hiding it.

"Maggie, ye told me she was a fine thing, but ye did
nah tell me she would take my breath away."

"Aye, Aivy, I kept that to myself. Knowin' ye were
gonna take her fer yerself, love. Ms. Moore, this is my dear sister,
Aibhilin."

Aibhilin's accent was thicker than Maggie's and Isabelle
suddenly felt her hands sweat with nervousness. Isabelle stepped forward with a
smile and held out her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Evelyn."

Aibhilin shook her hand and nodded, "Ah, I fergot ye
were American. Evelyn will do," she said, pronouncing the name carefully,
"but ye may call me Aivy if ye wish."

"Aivy."

"What is yer age?" Aivy asked with a quirk of her
brow.

"Aivy, ye daft duck. Of all people ye know better than
to ask that dreadful question."

Aivy laughed. "Aye, tis correct, but I've a feelin'
bout this one, Maggie."

"Aye, same," Maggie nodded with a sparkle in her
eyes.

Isabelle looked back and forth between the two women staring
back at her with sly grins on their faces. She wasn't sure whether to laugh
with them or run away. They looked like they knew something she didn't and
although they were slightly shorter than Isabelle, it felt like they towered
over her like everyone else did.

"Ah, it doesna matter how old ye are, what matters is
that yer hungry and yer here," Aivy winked.

Isabelle smiled and sat down on one of the worn stools at
the bar. Her nap had zapped her of energy and the walk didn't help much either.
When her eyes drooped, Aivy snapped her fingers.

"Maggie, get yer arse to the cooker or she'll waste
away."

Maggie scurried through a door and for the next few minutes,
Isabelle could only see the top of her head through an open space in the wall.

"So yer stayin' at the cottage?" Aivy asked.

"Umm, if that is Maggie's house, then yes, I am."

"That's wonderful. If ye ever need anything fixed or
taken off yer shoulders ye just let us know and we'll send Liam yer way."

The name reminded her of the questions she was unable to ask
the day before. "Maggie mentioned him before."

"Aye, he's our nephew. A good lad and a strong one. He
takes care of all us old hags and our homes. Anything needs fixin', Liam can
fix it. That or find a way to break it more so ye have to find a new one."

A loud laugh sounded from the kitchen. "Aye, sister.
Ye've pegged that one right."

The way the women spoke of this Liam made Isabelle smile. It
was obvious they adored the man.

"Liam doesna do much of anything else these days,"
Aivy said. "The poor lad's boss is a nitwit and can never hold work for his
men. That or there just isna any work to hold. In fact, Liam would be at yer
beck and call if he knew ye were close by." She looked thoughtful as she
spoke and that expression didn't seem to be a good thing coming from either of
these women.

Isabelle frowned, "I don't understand."

Aivy waved her hand in the air dismissively, "No bother,
I'm just blowin' smoke out my arse."

Isabelle giggled and the two sisters started in on a new kind
of banter. The words were lost on her, but she couldn't stop laughing at the
way they kept badgering each other. Being an only child felt like a loss in
that moment. She would have given anything to have a big family and siblings to
tease and laugh with.

Minutes later, Maggie exited the kitchen with a covered
basket and shoved it into Isabelle's arms. "Here ye are, dear. Now get to
the gardens and enjoy yer meal."

The basket was seriously heavy, but when she tried to open
the top, Maggie shooed her hand away and gently pushed her out the door. She
almost dropped the basket on the way down the steps and tripped more than she
would have liked in front of near strangers.

"That path leads to the perfect place. Go on and enjoy
yerself."

Isabelle shrugged and followed the path Maggie pointed to
until she came to a grove surrounded by flowers and trees. A small stone bench
stood at the center.

It certainly
was
perfect.

She settled in and opened the basket to find enough food to
feed her for a week. She shook her head and smiled. Maggie and Aivy were
something else. She was happy to have found them and hoped she would have a
chance to get to know them more during her stay.

She needed to hurry and get used to the way they spoke, but
she adored the sound. It felt carefree and just... different.

Isabelle found a small loaf of bread near the top of the
heaping pile of food. It was still warm and her mouth watered before she took
the first bite.

Ireland was an excellent choice. She couldn't remember ever
having a chance to sit in silence surrounded by beauty and just think.

Her last conversation with her father had been on her mind
during her flight, but she didn't dare to take the time to think about it
since. Apparently, her parents
were
struggling with the company her
father took over years before. He was not only desperate for this deal with the
Hampton's, but he was desperate to do what it took to keep his family from
falling apart. Or so Isabelle assumed.

"I've gotten myself in quite the pickle. We'll lose
everything without this deal."

Isabelle informed him that money and things weren't the glue
to hold their family together. Nicholas Moore had - for the first time ever -
agreed with her completely. When Isabelle asked what the problem
was
then, he quickly changed the subject and never brought it up again.

She wondered if that information he gave her was done so
completely by mistake. Her father usually kept his business conversations away
from his daughter, but Isabelle caught him with a Brandy in his hand.

Amazing, the secrets revealed with a little bit of alcohol.

Isabelle took a deep, cleansing breath. The scent of Orchids
and Roses filled her nostrils and she closed her eyes. All the negative things
she had endured quickly swarmed her mind, but she was determined to ignore
them. This was a place to feel peace, not turmoil.

Isabelle nibbled on the delicious food over the next twenty
minutes and tried. She really did try, but it was too overwhelming. The
thoughts came to her no matter how hard she fought them and it wasn't long
before tears were falling down her cheeks and the beauty of the day no longer
mattered.

It was only darkness she would feel for the rest of her
life.

Liam

Your being ridiculous.

It was probably the hundredth time Liam had said those words
in his mind. There was no reason for him to stop by the house that day, but the
constant worry that the stones on the back porch would slip off at any moment,
forced him to keep driving. It was only because he needed to do his job.

Nothing else.

He
had
to think about the beautiful woman that was
staying in his aunt's house because it was his job. Not because he stayed up
most of the night trying to think of any other way to run into her. By the time
he got up that morning, he knew it was useless. He would just go and fix the
step and maybe tinker around on a few other projects he planned for the future.
If he saw her, great. If not... well, he just hoped he saw her.

When his friend and coworker stopped by the house the night
before and informed him that the jobs had completely dried up, he was at a
loss. He had plenty to do, but none of it really made him any money. He saved
quite a bit in the last year, but it wouldn't be enough and he considered just
giving it all to his parents. They would get more use out of it right now than
he would.

He parked his truck off to the side of Maggie's rental house.
He would have to make those decisions later. Today, he wanted to finally do
something for
him.

The land around the beautiful home was generous and it made
for a peaceful setting. The street could be seen from the front porch, but
there were trees and vegetation that hugged you in and made you feel like you
were the only person on earth. The back of the house was the complete opposite;
wide open space and green grass for many meters before you reached the gardens.

Liam stayed near the back of the house so he could be seen
from a window if she was looking. She would see him coming and maybe end up
curious enough to come out and speak to him. Surely Maggie had informed her
that someone might be coming by on occasion.

He carried his tools to the back porch and started working.
Several minutes passed with no sign of her and Liam wondered if she was even
around. He decided to knock and make some excuse about needing a glass of
water.

No answer.

She was gone.

"Well that puts a damper on your brilliant plans,"
he grumbled to himself.

He finished up the steps, making a mental note to have
Maggie tell the tenant to let them be for a day. He kept a vigilant eye on the
roads, watching for anyone coming by. Had she taken a taxi somewhere? He
couldn't imagine she would walk anywhere since she wasn't familiar with the
town. Maybe Maggie had stopped by and given her a ride.

Liam wouldn't know unless he asked. He threw his tools in
the truck and headed for Maggie's thinking he could use an early lunch anyway.

It wasn't hard to figure out that Maggie didn't give the girl
a ride anywhere at all. She and Aivy were busy gabbing like a couple of ducks
when he walked in. The women would have been there all morning .

"Liam! Boyo, it's about time you showed your handsome
face 'round here," Aivy shouted from the kitchen.

He looked up to see her waving her spatula around like it
was a magic wand. "Aye, Aunty. I'm starvin'."

"We can't have that now can we?"

She winked at him and he shook his head. His aunts were
crazy but they were family and he loved them dearly. Aivy was married to a
brute of a man so she spent her days with Maggie and tried not to think about
the husband who didn't notice if she was missing or not. They didn't have any
children and although Aivy wanted them, she'd told his mother several times
that she was grateful she didn't have them. Liam was happy to play that role
for her if she needed it and she did. She was like a third mother to Liam and
his siblings and she relished it.

Maggie walked out a moment later wiping her hands on her
apron and Liam noticed a suspicious smile on her face when she looked his way.
Almost as if she knew of something he didn't. Yet.

"I need you to go check on the back gate for me, Liam.
I caught a bunch of rabbits out in the grove this mornin' and I don't need them
gobblin' up my poor flowers. If the back gate is not keepin' them out, nothing
will."

Liam leveled a pointed look at his aunt, but she didn't seem
to be playing him like she usually did. He could usually tell when something
was off. Today, she just seemed extra cheery.

That
was suspicious.

He walked out the door, glancing back at his aunts once
more. Both of them were smiling his way, waving and watching him like a bunch
of hawks. He started toward the gardens feeling Maggie's eyes on his back until
he was out of her view.

It wasn't long before he came upon the grove, but his quest was
soon forgotten.

For the second time in his life, he was brought to a
standstill by the beauty in front of him. He caught sight of that long brown
hair flowing over a creamy shoulder... that was shaking.

The air in Liam's lungs caught and he felt that tightness in
his chest from before, when he heard a sniffle and saw the woman wipe under her
eyes.

She was crying. This stunning, flawless woman was sobbing
and he felt that tightness twist and pull until he couldn't just stand and
watch any longer. Liam looked around to see who had hurt her, but no one else
was in the grove. He was angry for her and heartbroken that a woman like her
would ever have a reason to cry like that.

She was so wrapped up in her world that she never even heard
him step into the grove. His footsteps on the grass were silent, but surely she
would have heard him crashing through the trees. He watched her a moment
longer, debating on whether to sneak away and leave her in peace or find out
what was making her so sad and fix it for her.

His mouth decided for him.

"Tears don't belong on a face so beautiful."

She startled and immediately stood and backed away from him.
Smart woman, but it was still frustrating to see that it was out of wisdom, not
instinct. She regarded him warily before looking around to find that they were
completely alone. The trees surrounding the grove were covering them from
anyone who might be watching.

Liam normally wouldn't allow this type of situation to occur.
He would have left her alone and gone to fetch Maggie to help. But this wasn't
a normal situation and Liam couldn't help but feel drawn to the woman standing
before him, looking like she was about to run.

"You don't need to be afraid of me, bird. I'll not harm
you."

Her shoulders sagged for a moment of brief relief before she
lifted them straight and jutted out her chin. Her show of strength was
impressive, but Liam could see the unease in her eyes so he stayed where he was
and let her have her space.

She cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I am sorry if I am trespassing. Maggie told me to come here and it was
just a beautiful place to sit and think."

Her voice sent a jolt of electricity straight into his gut. A
husky sound that vibrated all the way down his spine and he couldn't stop himself
from studying her lips as she spoke.

Good Lord, help me.

She quickly wiped the tears from her face and sniffed a few
times before gaining her composure and lifting her chin once more. Liam had
been right the day before, she
was
stunning up close. Tear stains on her
cheeks, eyes red rimmed, nose red, lips red. If she was this beautiful crying,
he was doomed when she was smiling.

The very idea of her was... impossible.

Her yellow dress didn't cling to the curves he knew would be
there, but it gave a hint of a graceful womanly figure and the exposed skin of
her chest beckoned his eyes. His lips thinned, cursing himself for being
disrespectful and he looked down at her legs.

That didn't help at all.

Eyes, Liam. Look at her eyes.

After clearing his throat, he said, "You are not
trespassing. It is a garden for the public, but no one comes in anymore."

"Well, that's a shame. It's breath taking," she
said and dropped down to the small bench to sit once more.

Apparently she decided that he was harmless and he sighed
with relief. Liam kept his distance, hoping he wouldn't startle her anymore
than he already did. She turned her head to look at him with a sad grin.

"This is a nice place to sit and think. Feels secluded
even though it isn't."

That voice. Raspy yet feminine. It sent another shock to his
veins and his blood pumped harder. If she kept speaking, he would pass out from
his suddenly improved circulation.

Liam stepped closer and caught a glimpse of the freckles
running across her nose. A ray of sunshine crossed over her face as she found a
comfortable position on the bench. She was not only breath taking, but she
glowed with an aura that he had never seen before. She was sad, of that he had
no doubt, but her presence exuded happiness. Like being this close to her could
make everything in the world right again.

I should send her up north and see if that solves all
these troubles,
Liam thought to himself.

Those freckles. He needed to get closer and get a better
look at them.

"Do you mind?" he asked, gesturing to the small
spot of bench beside her.

Her eyes narrowed, red rimmed and only slightly puffy.

It felt like hours instead of seconds before she sniffled
and nodded her head, a shy grin pulling at her lips. "Please. There isn't
anywhere else to sit unless you favor the grass."

"Aye, I do, but I favor a beautiful woman more,"
he replied.

Her blush was devastating and it spread across her cheeks
like the red of a summer sunset.
Poetic, Liam. Very poetic.

He resisted a face palm. That would only make him look more
pathetic. Needy.

The bench wasn't all that comfortable, but
she
was
sitting on it. Getting closer to her was his one and only goal at the moment.
He finally caught sight of his aunt's picnic basket lying at the woman's feet
and all his suspicions about Maggie's behavior came into focus.

"I see my aunts have gotten you squared away."

 She glanced down at the opened basket and smiled.
"They all but forced it on me, but I'm grateful. Everything is so delicious."

Liam watched her attempt to compose herself. She was
struggling to hold back the emotion she'd been freeing from herself a moment
before. When it was obvious her discomfort was more from her state than him, he
decided to go ahead and ask the question they both knew was hanging between
them.

"May I ask why you're crying?"

She looked down at her lap and took a deep, shaky breath.
"It's depressing and dramatic. I'm sure you don't want to hear about some
stranger's problems." She waved a dismissive hand, then folded them
together in her lap and avoided his gaze.

Those problems were anything but dismissible. Liam could
tell that whatever it was, her issues were burning bright. "Well, it
must
be depressing if you can't stop the tears, but I wouldn't ask if I wasn't
interested."

She glanced up at him and his breath caught in his throat
when her lips pulled into another timid grin. It was obvious that his eyes were
on those full, pink lips, but it didn't seem to bother her. In fact, her blush
spread further down her neck and disappeared under dress.

Liam tried not to wonder how far it went.

"I don't even know your name. Why would I share secrets
with you?" she huffed.

"Well, now. I can solve that for you right now. I'm
William Brannock, Maggie and Aivy's nephew." He held his hand out and she
hesitated only a moment before placing her small delicate fingers in his.

"Isabelle Moore."

"Ah, I figured your name would be as beautiful."

She chuckled and shook her head. "Thank you, but I
don't think that's why I got the name."

Liam furrowed his brow, not understanding what she meant.
Instead of asking, he shrugged and bent his head to kiss the back of her hand
and in his most proper English said, "It's a pleasure to meet you,
Isabelle."

"Same to you, William."

"Please, call me Liam."

Her whole face lit up with surprise and she smiled.
"Liam. You are the one I need to get in touch with if something goes wrong
at the house."

"Aye, that would be me."

"Protector."

"I'm sorry?"

"Your name, William. It means protector, in a way, or a
desire to protect." She looked away, suddenly embarrassed.

Liam wanted to kiss her right then and there. This woman had
to have someone waiting for her at home, but what man would allow her to travel
so far all by herself. He'd get to the bottom of it.

"Then Ma chose well."

She turned back to him and the corners of her mouth quirked
up once more. He couldn't stop the pride he felt for making her smile. Her grey
eyes sparkled, pulling every bit of attention he had in his body right to her.
That's when he realized her hand was still in his and he had no desire to let
it go.

She hesitated a moment before slowly pulling her hand away
and placing both of them in her lap. "I've got a lot of decisions to
make," she said and her smile fell before she looked up at the sky and
sighed. "Back home, there's a lot I have to consider."

"And that's making you cry?"

She nodded. "My family..."

She trailed off and Liam wanted to hear more, but he couldn't
stop staring at those lips.

"They just don't understand," she said.

"Aye, family is usually the hardest to control. A
family loves fiercely, but wrongs just as fiercely."

Isabelle nodded again in agreement. "That's the perfect
way to say it."

"Do you have siblings?"

"No," she shook her head and smiled. "I
always wanted a brother or sister or both, but I am an only child. Do
you
have siblings?"