Dangerous Joy (45 page)

"You mean that. You truly do." Felicity stared at him. "I want to kiss you."

"I think that's why we're out here under the watchful guard of hundreds of windows."

"But I'm a wild Irish wanton." Felicity went into his arms and kissed him anyway. After the first hesitation, he kissed her back, kissed her hungrily in a way that would surely be widening the eyes of anyone watching.

"There," she said when they drew apart, flushed and laughing. "You've compromised me. There's no escape!"

"Faith, and here I was hoping you were compromising me." He dug in his pocket and pulled out a ring-box. When he opened it, a heart-shaped ruby clasped in two hands was revealed. "It's the family betrothal ring. Presumptuous man that I am, I brought it with me from Ireland. You can't wear it yet, but I'd like you to have it."

"From Ireland?" she echoed. "Even while you were gagging me in that coach..." She flicked him a glance. "You are an optimist, aren't you?"

"Down to the core, and generally proved true. We're going to be wonderfully happy, a muirnin. So, will you take the ring?"

She pulled off her glove and held out her left hand. "I'd like to wear it for a moment or two."

He slid it onto her finger, then kissed it there. "I think we were destined. This moment feels powerfully right."

She went into his arms. "How true. And when I think of Gardeen..."

He hugged her close. "If we're entangled in Irish magic, let's at least hope it creates one of the happy stories."

She pulled free and took a deep breath. "We'd better start with truth and honesty. Let's visit Michael Craig."

It went off more easily than Felicity had expected. Mr. Craig was shocked, but put the blame squarely on Dunsmore. He agreed that Kathleen had wanted the child she thought of as her true son to inherit her estate. He also agreed that the estate was legally his.

"I have to admit," he said stiffly, "that my financial affairs are rather more precarious than I gave you to understand. If it were just me...but I have a wife, a daughter not yet married, and two sons dependent on the business for their bread. I could not in all conscience deprive them of this windfall."

"Nor do you need to do so, Mr. Craig," said Felicity. "The price of the estate is less than half my annual income from my grandfather's property, and the transaction will let me sleep at night. You will have your due, and Kieran will never have to know the truth about his birth."

The man took her hand and patted it. "He'll never know through me. Miss Monahan. May I say that I admire your courage and honesty. And though Kieran is apparently no blood of mine, I'll always have a care for him for Kathleen's sake."

Felicity kissed his cheek, making him redden. "We'll make sure he keeps in touch with you, Mr. Craig. Thank you."

As Miles and Felicity walked out into February sunshine, she spun into a dance, startling a nursemaid. "I feel like spring! New, clean, full of hope. There's still Rupert, but I'll surrender to hope. Rupert will not bother us again."

He caught her hands. "I'll make sure of it. Would you like to go home tomorrow?"

She stared at him. "To Ireland?"

"What other home do we have? There's nothing to keep us here, and I think perhaps you'd like to be with your son."

Felicity flung herself into his arms.

They traveled in the coach again, with Hennigan and Gardeen as chaperones. The poor valet climbed in warily, as if entering a pit of snakes, but soon relaxed when he found there were to be no more brutalities. Gardeen seemed contentedly relaxed.

The most dangerous times came each evening, as they sat in the private rooms of inns, alone since Hennigan was with the other servants and Gardeen generally went to sleep. But, safe in the knowledge that there were just a couple of weeks to go, they found the strength to wait.

Their crossing was smooth, and after disembarking the coach, they had but a day's drive south to Kilgoran Castle.

As they passed through the huge ornate gates, Felicity turned to Miles. "I do see what you mean about this place being safe." In her heart, however, she carried a fragment of doubt which would only disappear when she saw her son, safe and happy.

"The wall around the estate is only ten feet high," Miles pointed out. "Hardly an insurmountable obstacle." He waved to the gatekeepers bowing as the coach went through. "This is all part of Kilgoran's notion of proper state."

After some time driving along a smooth road between fields dotted with deer and cattle, Felicity asked, "Where's the house?"

"Three miles away."

"Lord above. You almost need a posting stage to get from house to gate!"

"Thinking of backing out yet?"

She put up her hand to feel the ring she wore on a chain around her neck. "Silly man, If you can accept me after all that's happened, a daunting estate will not prevent our happiness."

He laughed but added, "Wait till you see the Castle."

They passed through what seemed like endless countryside, but then a glint of water appeared between trees and soon developed into a lake.

"Is this the boating lake?" It looked dangerous to her. Where was Kieran?

"Lord, no. This is a widened stretch of river and deep enough to drown in. There's fine fishing, though. Look. The Castle's ahead."

At the end of the lake on a rise stood a white Grecian temple. `That's a house?"

"Hearth and home of the Earls of Kilgoran. Are you sure you don't want to back out?"

Felicity could think of nothing to say. She could only see the front of the Castle, but it stood four stories high. Huge Grecian pillars ran up the whole height, eight of them, dividing rigid ranks of glittering windows. The whole thing was crowned by a pediment set with some kind of bas-relief.

"I understand the design was based on the Parthenon, and that the pediment recreates some of the Elgin Marbles." Miles directed her attention away from this daunting sight and to the side. "That's the boating lake."

It was quite small, with an island in the center containing a picturesque marble ruin. To one side was a miniature of the temple-house. "Oh, it's a boathouse! That is rather charming."

"I always liked it. More to human scale."

Then a punt skimmed from behind the island, poled by a sturdy young man. A child sat in the back trailing a net.

"Kieran," Felicity breathed. She only half-heard Miles order the coach to stop, and was out before the steps had been let down to fly over the grass to the edge of the lake. "Kieran!" she called, waving.

"Sissity!" He stood, and for a moment she was terrified he would topple out, even if the lake were truly shallow. But the young man said something, and Kieran immediately sat while the boat was poled over to the bank.

She was picking up her skirts to wade to him when Miles held her back. "Wait here," he said, and she had the sense to obey him.

He climbed down to the edge, his boots protecting him from the mud, and swung Kieran onto the grass. Then, she had her son in her arms.

"I missed you, Sissity," the boy said, but soon squirmed free to say hello to Miles. "This is a funny place, sir. But fun, too." Then he giggled at his own wordplay.

Felicity wanted to snatch him back into her arms and never let go, but Kieran knew nothing of the wars fought over him. To him, she was just a very friendly neighbor. She stood. "And who is your companion?"

"That's Liam. He's my best friend here. Liam!" he called. "This is my friend, Sissity. Felicity," he corrected carefully. "Lady Aideen says I must say your name properly."

"Any way you say it is music to my ears, poppet. Good day, Liam."

The young man touched his forelock. "Good day, miss. Good day, Mr. Cavanagh. If you have care of the child, I'll put the boat away."

The mere idea of letting Kieran go after such a long separation wounded Felicity, but she made herself say, "Well, Kieran? Do you wish to ride up to the house in the coach with us, or do you want to spend more time here?"

It was clearly not an easy choice, but then he said, "Ride, please. I can boat again tomorrow." He waved to Liam and tugged Felicity back up to the coach, already chattering about a variety of servants, animals, and adventures.

And `Uncle Kilgoran."

When they were in the coach again, Miles and Felicity shared startled glances. When Kieran paused for breath, Miles asked, "Do you see much of Uncle Kilgoran?"

"Every evening, sir. He likes to hear a report." And that led into a new spate of matters reported on.

The Castle became if anything more daunting when seen close to. Smooth lawns ran up to white walls unbroken by flowers, shrubbery, or vines. Shallow marble steps climbed to double white doors open to a shiny white interior.

No, Felicity found as they entered to be fussed around by an army of servants, there was color here-in the pale-green niches holding white marble statues.

Thank heavens for Kieran, who seemed unawed by the chilly, echoing space as he introduced her to his favorite servants and statues.

But then Mrs. Edey was there. "Now, Kieran, you mustn't go on so. Miss Monahan and Mr. Cavanagh will be tired after their journey. Though her voice was calm, she looked at Felicity with a worried shadow in her eyes. "Mr. Dunsmore?"

"Seems likely to stay in England," Felicity told her and saw the shadow lift. "I think he intends to ask the earl to take care of Kieran."

"How remarkable." But relief colored Mrs. Edey's cheeks. "Kieran is due for some lessons now. The earl likes to hear him read, and we would not want to disappoint."

Kieran was boy enough to pull a face, but he went without complaint.

"What this place needs," said Miles, "is a whole host of children."

Felicity dragged her gaze from her disappearing child and looked around at marble splendor. "I'm not sure a school full of children could mellow this. But if Kilgoran Castle is our only problem, we'll be blessed."

He kissed her hand. "Then we are blessed."

Then Lady Aideen and Colum were there, hugging and greeting. Within moments, they were in a small, and quite cozy, drawing room, enjoying tea. Without revealing the truth about Kieran's birth, Miles explained that Dunsmore had been persuaded to relinquish control of the boy in return for a regular income.

The mere fact that Lady Aideen did not question this made Felicity think she must suspect the truth. If so, it was not obviously affecting her manner. Miles also told his mother that he and Felicity were to be married on the twentieth, which generated only congratulations and smiles.

"Perhaps you should be married here," said Lady Aideen.

"Why?" asked Miles with a grimace.

His mother's answer was uncompromising. "Because it's your future home. Felicity, would you mind being married here?"

"I've no particular desire to be married from Foy, but could we not use Clonnagh?"

"I'm afraid the earl cannot travel. He will want to attend."

Felicity reminded herself that the daunting house was a minor problem. "Then certainly I have no objection."

"Excellent! Kilgoran will make it into an excuse for a huge gathering. We must go to Dublin tomorrow to order hasty bride-clothes. I don't suppose you could wait a few more weeks..."

"No!" said Miles and Felicity in unison, then laughed-and blushed-in unison, too.

Aideen and Colum laughed with them, and there was no further talk of delaying the ceremony.

Then Lady Aideen took Felicity to the rooms prepared for her-charmingly decorated in the ` French style. "A little fancy for my taste," said Aideen, "but at least Kilgoran wasn't mad enough to continue the classical motif throughout."

"The Castle is a little daunting on approach."

"Sensible Miles to win your hand before showing you this place!" She gave Felicity a warm hug. "Sensible Miles all around. I'm going to adore having you as a daughter. Now, have a rest before dinner, for Kilgoran will interrogate you afterward."

That was one of things Felicity was afraid of Though she was trying to be a carefree optimist, she couldn't help probing for the flaw in her happiness. Perhaps it was Kilgoran. For all Miles's confidence, surely the mighty earl could stop their marriage if he tried. Even though the earl did not know the truth about her, she was hardly the ideal bride for Kilgoran.

Dinner was pleasant, even though attended not just by Miles, Felicity, Lady Aideen, and Colum, but by about twenty other people who appeared for the meal like weevils out of biscuit.

"Connections," Miles murmured by way of explanation and then had to deflect a great many questions from these people about his recent doings.

Afterward, Felicity and Miles were summoned into the earl's presence.

The large room was hot from a leaping fire and crammed with furniture and books as if the earl had tried to gather his whole life around him in his dying days. Lord Kilgoran rested in state in an enormous bed hung with crimson damask, but there was little to him. Gaunt, yellow, and almost bald, the only thing truly alive about him was his eyes. But they were still rapier-keen.

"Come over here and let me see you!"