Authors: Dena Garson
“I know, but damn. We have to do something to stop that
psycho.”
A chair crashed against the wall next to where they hid.
“Áine is not going to be happy,” Riona observed.
“Yeah, but who is she going to take it out on? Us or her?”
Katie indicated Etain with a flick of her thumb.
“She’ll know who was responsible. Somehow she always knows.”
“Get away from me!” Etain shrieked.
Katie and Riona stared at each other blankly. If Riona was
thinking the same thing she was, she was debating whether or not to risk
looking out from under the table and finding out what was going on between
Etain and Seamus.
“Do you think I enjoyed watching my family grieve over me,
never knowing what had become of me? Do you think I enjoyed watching them die
of old age and not being able to tell them goodbye? I couldn’t even put flowers
on my mother’s grave,” Seamus yelled.
Katie’s heart ached.
“And why?” Seamus demanded. “Why did I end up doomed to this
half existence?” Katie could well imagine the expression on Seamus’ face.
“Because I wouldn’t give in to your selfish demands as so many others did?
Because I didn’t praise your beauty or worship at your feet?”
The wind and the debris died down.
“Why didn’t you?” Etain asked in a whiny, almost childlike
voice.
“Because I have never loved you and I never will,” Seamus
said calmly and without reservation.
Etain’s shriek was probably one decibel from shattering
glass. It could be heard as she flew out of the dining room and down the hall.
Katie guessed that Etain was headed right back to the battlements.
Katie and Riona waited to see what would happen next.
“She’s gone,” Seamus said. “You two can come out.”
Katie pushed the chair closest to her out of the way so they
could crawl out from under the table. She rushed to where Seamus floated.
“Are you okay?” Katie studied Seamus from head to toe. She
was relieved to see that he appeared to be unscathed.
“I’m—”
“What is going on in here?” Áine demanded.
Riona dusted off her pants and looked to Katie. “I’ll talk
with Áine. You make sure our avenging hero is okay.”
Katie smiled her thanks and turned her attention back to
Seamus.
“Are you really okay?” She reached out to touch Seamus but
stopped herself.
“I am well. Etain did me no harm.”
“I wasn’t sure whether or not she could.” Katie wrapped her
arms around her middle. “I worried.”
“I worried far more about you, Little Katie. Etain may be a
spirit, but she has obviously figured out how to manipulate her energy over the
years.” He shook his head. “Given her tendency for drama, I’m surprised she
didn’t do more damage.”
Katie looked around the room. “Looks as if she did plenty.
I’m guessing the hall is not much better.”
“I’m just thankful you’re unharmed,” Seamus admitted. “But
it disturbs me that I was unable to do anything to protect you.”
She automatically reached for him again. “You did enough.
You faced her down and then distracted her long enough for Riona and me to get
away and hide.” Katie smiled reluctantly. “Riona had to practically drag me
under the table and sit on me to make me stay. I couldn’t stand the thought of
you being hurt by the psycho ghost.”
“Psycho ghost?” Seamus asked.
“Etain. She’s crazy.” Katie tapped her head. “Psycho. It’s
short for psychopath. Psychopaths are usually violent and have no remorse for
people hurt by their actions.”
“Ah.” He nodded his agreement. “That is probably a fair description.”
“Well, at least she’s gone back to her favorite haunt,”
Katie pointed out.
“Yes and I don’t want you seeking her out again,” Seamus
said sternly. “It’s not safe. Especially now that she knows I’m not dead and
that you and I know each other.”
“Okay,” Katie murmured.
“I mean it. I don’t care about breaking the curse if it
means putting you in danger. There is no… Oh. Did you say okay?”
“I said okay, Seamus,” Katie said with a timid smile. His
concern warmed her heart. If he worried that much for her safety it could only
mean he cared for her.
“Good. As long as we understand each other.”
Katie would have laughed at his deflated rant but knew he’d
be offended.
The sound of Áine clearing her throat made Katie turn
around.
“Riona has explained the situation,” Áine said. “You have my
sincere apologies for the trouble you have experienced here at Tullamore, Miss
Ward. I have radioed my staff to see to the mess and ensure none of our other
guests have been inconvenienced.”
Voices and squeaky cleaning carts in the hallway caused all
of them to turn and look.
“Ah, here they are now,” Áine said.
“I’d say someone was in a right state to do all of this,”
one of the housekeepers in the hallway said.
“Okay, enough gawking. Let’s get this set to rights,” the
gray-headed matron in the group prompted.
There were murmurs of, “Yes, mum,” and the crew descended
upon the area.
“I believe Mrs. Thatcher has things in hand. Perhaps we
could all retire to—” Áine was cut off by one of the ladies Katie had seen
working the front desk.
“Ms. Byrne, you’re needed on two. The fire alarm in suite
201 is going off.”
Three pair of eyes swung in Katie’s direction.
“That’s my room,” Katie said in disbelief.
“I’ll be right there, Mary,” Áine told the woman. “Perhaps
you should stay here, Miss Ward.”
“Oh I don’t think so!” Katie said as she shook off her
shock.
All four of them ran for the lobby stairs, slowing through
the main part of the lobby after Áine mumbled something about not scaring the
other guests.
When they reached the top of the stairs, the smell of
burning wood and paint was already rolling out from under the door along with
the smoke.
Katie started to slide her key through the lock but Áine
stopped her. “Let me check the door to make sure it’s not too hot to be
opened.”
“Better yet, let me take a look and see what’s on the other
side,” Seamus said then floated through the door.
The sounds of raised voices could be heard. Without looking,
Katie knew the screeching voice was Etain. What the hell was Etain doing in her
room?
Without giving Áine a chance to check the door, Katie zipped
her card through the slot, but it wouldn’t unlock.
She tried her key again. Still the light wouldn’t turn
green, indicating it was open.
“The lock may be overheating and not working properly,” Áine
suggested.
Katie beat on the door with her fist. “Seamus!”
“Now you’ll never be free of the spell!” Etain’s voice
carried through the door, along with the sound of her near-hysterical laughter.
“Never!”
“Seamus! You don’t need to be around her any more than I
do!” Katie hit the door again. “Seamus!”
Suddenly Etain sailed through the doorway like a blur,
knocking Katie to one side as she passed.
Seamus stuck his head back into the hallway. “You can open
the door, but it’s rather smoky in here. Better get something to put out the
fire before it spreads much more.”
“Seamus said it’s okay to open the door, but we need
something to put out the fire.” She turned to Áine. “Is there an extinguisher
nearby?”
At that moment, as if wishing for them made them appear, a
couple of hotel staff ran up, carrying extinguishers.
Áine blocked Katie with one arm and gently ordered, “Please
let us, Miss Ward.” Áine slid her key card through the lock, got a green light
then opened the door and motioned the young men with extinguishers to precede
her.
While the fire was being extinguished, Áine and Riona opened
the windows to let the smoke out.
All the fire and damage was centered on and around the
fireplace.
“I understand that Etain is pissed at me, but why would she
try to start a fire in the fireplace? Wouldn’t it be more effective to torch
the bed or something flammable?”
“Actually, ma’am, I don’t believe it was started in the
fireplace. It appears to me some of the wood was pulled loose on the trim
then
the fire was started,” one of the young men pointed out.
Áine, Katie, Seamus and Riona all moved closer to look.
“I believe he’s right,” Riona said.
“Hmmm,” Áine said thoughtfully.
“But why—” It suddenly occurred to Katie what Etain might
have been doing. Her gaze flew to Seamus then to Riona. “She was trying to
destroy the mantel.”
“The what?” Riona looked at the destruction around the
fireplace. “You’re right,” she exclaimed.
Katie looked at Seamus. His brows were furrowed as he
watched the crowd of people in the room. She turned her back to Áine and the
hotel workers. “What did your hearth look like?” she asked Seamus as quietly as
possible.
“I…” He shook his head as if he needed to clear it. “It was
a simple thing. One of my first. Just a flat piece of wood.” His hands were splayed
in front of him as if he were seeing the mantel in his mind and running his
hands across the top. “I carved a design that looked like plait work along the
front edge.” He finally looked at Katie. “I built it so I could add more
later.”
“We’re looking for a simple mantel. It has some kind of
plait work on the front,” Katie told the group.
“Do you mean some kind of knotwork carved into some wood?”
asked the young man who was closest to the fireplace. He was looking at the
part that was damaged the most.
“Uh.” Katie looked to Seamus who nodded. “Yes, maybe.”
“It looks as if there’s another section or another, older
mantel behind this one,” the young man told them.
Katie turned to Áine. “You said you were planning to remodel
this room before long, right?”
“That’s true,” Áine said cautiously.
“Since this is already badly damaged, would you mind very
much if we pull this outer section away so we can see what’s behind it?” Katie
asked.
Áine took a deep breath and surveyed the area. “Well. I
don’t suppose it will do any more damage than has already been done.” Before
Katie could let out a cheer, Áine added, “But! I insist that a member of our
staff be the one to do it.” She raised a hand to stop any protest Katie was
about to make. “I insist! You have nothing but your bare hands to pry that
away. Let my people gather the necessary tools and return. I’m sure they will
have that outer piece removed within the hour.”
“Okay.”
With a look, Áine set the two young men in motion. “Would
one of you please notify Callum that he is needed?”
“Yes, ma’am,” they responded in unison as they headed to the
door.
“Now.” Áine faced Katie. “I believe the next order of
business is getting you moved to another room.”
“But I—”
“Unfortunately I don’t believe any other suites are
available, but we can certainly find another room that will satisfy your
needs.”
“No, really, that won’t be necessary.”
“Of course it’s necessary,” Áine said as if Katie were daft.
“I can’t have a guest sleeping in a room that is charred, smelling of smoke and
potentially dangerous.”
“If nothing else, you might want to move just so Etain
doesn’t know where to find you come bedtime,” Riona pointed out.
Katie’s eyes widened in alarm. Seamus mumbled something
unpleasant under his breath.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Katie muttered. “I believe a new
room will be just the thing. Thank you.”
Áine nodded her approval. “I will take care of it
immediately and return with new room keys.”
“Oh here’s the one for this room.” Katie extended the key
card to Áine.
“Very good.” Áine took the card then breezed out.
“How about I help you pack?” Riona offered.
“Thank you. That would be great,” Katie said, feeling a
little weary after the events of the last couple of hours. She pulled her
suitcase from the closet and set it on the bed, open.
Riona leaned closer and whispered to Katie, “What is he
doing?” indicating Seamus with a tilt of her head.
Katie looked to where Seamus was squatted next to the
fireplace. “I think he’s trying to get a look at what’s under there. Not that I
blame him. It’s probably his last hope for breaking the spell.”
“God, I can’t imagine living for hundreds of years thinking
there was little hope for changing a situation that wasn’t your doing,” Riona
murmured.
“I know. But if it turns out his mantel isn’t under there, I
don’t know what he might do.”
Katie’s fears were mirrored in Riona’s eyes.
By the time Áine returned with new room keys, Katie and
Riona had most of Katie’s clothes packed. Seamus had taken his place at the
window and appeared to be in deep thought.
“I spoke with our handyman, Callum. He will be here shortly
to look at the fireplace,” Áine told them.
“Okay, good. I think we’ve just about gotten everything
packed,” Katie said.
“Excellent. A porter will be up to take your things to your
new room.”
Katie knew it would be pointless to argue, even though she
was perfectly capable of moving her own suitcase.
“I want to assure you, Miss Ward, that we will be taking
steps to ensure a repeat of this situation does not occur,” Áine said.
Katie and Seamus exchanged a glance. If his expression was
any indication, he was wondering the same thing she was. How did Áine think
she’d be able to control a ghost? Particularly a ghost who wasn’t quite sane.
Riona saw the exchange. “Don’t worry. I’ll ward your new
room so Etain will not be able to enter.”
“What about…” Katie waved in Seamus’ direction to finish her
question.
“I can create the wards so they only affect Etain. It’s a
little more difficult, but possible,” Riona assured her.
Katie looked at Seamus with eyebrows raised in question. She
wanted to make sure he would be comfortable with Riona casting spells around
him.
“If it keeps you safe,” he said with a nod.
She turned back to Riona. “Thank you. I’d appreciate it.”
A rap on the door caught everyone’s attention.
Áine went to answer the knock. “That will be Callum.” She
stepped back to admit six feet of muscled, male perfection. He had dark hair
that curled over his ears and along the back of his neck. The razor stubble
along his chin and over his lip added a rugged, edgy look. His vivid, blue eyes
were a sharp contrast to his deeply tanned skin.
Katie’s jaw fell open and she stared.
“Callum, this is Miss Ward,” Áine said. Callum tilted his
head in Katie’s direction but didn’t say anything.
“And you remember Riona,” Áine added.
“Riona,” Callum said, rolling the R across his tongue. The
way he said her name made Katie think Riona and Callum were more than passing
acquaintances.
Interesting.
Seamus floated over and stood beside Katie. When she looked
up, he was frowning. Hard.
Katie mouthed to Seamus, “What?”
“You were staring,” he said as he crossed his arms across
his chest.
Katie smiled to herself. He was jealous.
Áine directed Callum to the fireplace. “We need you to
remove the mantel and the trim.” Callum crouched next to the charred wood and
looked at the damage. “If you can’t take it off completely, we at least need
you to pull it up or down or aside enough so we can look behind it.”
“Does it need to be in one piece?” Callum asked, his voice a
low rumble.
“I am not concerned with preserving this outer piece,” Áine
said.
Callum looked at Áine over his shoulder.
“We have reason to believe there is something hidden behind
the mantel,” Áine explained. “So if you would use care with the wall or
whatever else may be back there, we would appreciate it.”
“Anything else I need to know?” Callum asked as he stood.
Áine, Riona and Katie all exchanged looks. Katie shrugged.
Riona shook her head.
“If we think of anything, we’ll tell you,” Áine answered for
the group.
Callum grunted in response then strode to the door. When he
returned he was carrying a large bucket and a toolbox. He put both on the floor
not far from the fireplace then pulled out a large hammer and a crowbar.
After surveying the fireplace and the damage once again, he
went to work removing the decorative trim around the main part of the mantel.
All three ladies were mesmerized by the play of muscles in
Callum’s shoulders and back as he worked. His tightly fitted t-shirt allowed
them to see every rippling muscle and his snug jeans hugged his ass as if they
were made for him.
Katie leaned closer to Riona and whispered, “Do you think
he’ll be able to get that off without much trouble?”
Without taking her eyes off Callum, Riona whispered back,
“Not that I don’t want Seamus to find what he’s looking for, but right now, I’m
hoping it will take all night.”
Katie’s eyes shot to Seamus. His arms were folded across his
chest and he kept throwing dark looks at Callum. Seamus looked less than
pleased with their reaction to the handyman.
She was going to have to smooth his ruffled feathers later.
Truth be told, as lovely as Callum was to look at, he didn’t
make her blood heat the way Seamus could with a few words whispered in her ear.
And every time she thought of their episode in the elevator, her body
temperature rose at least five degrees. Most of the heat was centered between
her legs.
“Well.” Katie cleared her throat and the thoughts whirling
around in her head. “I think I’ll finish packing my things.” She hurried to the
bathroom to escape.
Without fail, Seamus followed her into the bathroom, wearing
a scowl on his face.
“Not pleased with how things are going out there?” she
asked, keeping her voice low.
“Don’t know why they couldn’t have gotten Ol’ Pete to do
that.” Seamus flicked his thumb at the door.
“Perhaps Ol’ Pete wasn’t available?” Katie suggested.
“Harrumph,” he said with a bit of a pout.
“You know, he’s not as sexy as you,” she admitted.
“He’s flesh and blood.”
“Highly overrated,” she said with a smile.
“He has a pulse and body heat,” Seamus countered.
“You give me tingles where we touch.”
“He doesn’t disappear into nothingness when he runs out of
energy.”
“Probably not, but he still has to rest. And eat.” She
tilted her head to one side. “He may sleep ’til noon and have the manners of a
bulldog.”
“I suppose that’s possible,” he said with the barest hint of
a smile.
“Although, I have to admit…” she let her words trail off
deliberately.
Seamus narrowed his eyes in warning.
“That Riona seems to have a thing for him.”
“I figured she was just impressed with his oversized tools.”
Katie burst into laughter then slapped her hand over her
mouth to hold in the sound. “Oh stop it,” Katie said between giggles. “You’re
just jealous.”
“Damn right I am. I don’t like that you were staring like a
schoolgirl over that muscled-up workhorse.”
Katie struggled to control her giggles. “I’m sorry. I
probably
was
staring. I just didn’t expect the handyman to be so,” she
waved in the direction of the suite, “well… To look like a cover model.”
Seamus frowned.
“Based on the rest of the staff I’ve seen around here, I
expected him to be a lumbering old guy with a gruff attitude.”
“You just described Ol’ Pete.”
“Where did Callum come from then?” Katie asked.
“He’s Pete’s nephew, I believe. Been helping out ever since
Pete hurt his knee late last year. This is the first I’ve seen of him though.”
“Well, that’s good for Pete.”
“I think Callum has been having problems with some of the
men around town though.”
“Really?”
“He’s not a local boy and some don’t appreciate the
attention he’s been getting from the lasses.”
“Imagine that,” Katie muttered.
Seamus simply grunted.
“Tell you what. I’ll put this last bit of stuff,” she
pointed to her makeup bag and the toiletries she had gathered while they were
talking, “in my suitcase and we’ll take it up to my new room. That way you
don’t have to worry about me drooling over stud-muffin out there.” She smirked
at Seamus to make sure he knew she wasn’t serious about the drooling.
“That will give me a chance to have a few minutes alone with
you.”
She raised one eyebrow. “How did you plan to use those few
minutes alone?”
“If I could, I’d take you over my knee for going to see
Etain after I told you to stay away from her.” With a pointed look he added,
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten that.”
Katie smiled contritely. “We needed answers about the curse
and she was the only one who could give them.”
“She’s crazy and dangerous!”
“I know,” Katie said quietly. “I’m sorry I worried you, but
can we please argue about this later?”
“Fine. Later. But I’m not forgetting about it.”
“Okay.” She sashayed to where Seamus was perched on the
bathtub ledge. “Can we also talk about that spanking later? Perhaps in a less
punitive light though?” she asked in a low, sultry voice.
Just as she figured it would, the thought changed the
expression on Seamus’ face from worried to intrigued.
“Have an interest in trying that now, do ye?” he asked.
“Maybe.” She added, “If it’s with you.”
“Ah, lass. If only I could.”
“Let’s talk more about that later too. After we find out
what’s behind that fireplace.”
He pressed his lips together and nodded.
Katie could tell he was reluctant to hope. But she wasn’t.
She had enough hope for both of them.
She reached out and touched his cheek and let her love show
in her eyes.
Seamus tried to hold her hand to his face.
Something passed between them. An unspoken promise. A sense
of what might be.
“Come. Let’s go see about your new room,” he suggested.
“Okay.”
She turned away reluctantly and grabbed her bottles of
shampoo, conditioner and lotion off the counter. With one last meaningful
glance at Seamus, she returned to the suite. Seamus followed behind.
Riona and Áine were still watching Callum work on the
fireplace. Neither spared them a glance.
Katie dropped her things into her open suitcase and flipped
the lid closed.
“How’s it going out here?” Katie asked Riona and Áine. She
could see a few small pieces of painted wood on the ground near Callum. The
pieces looked like bits of decorative trim instead of the main part of the
mantel.
“Fine,” Riona answered.
“Very well,” Áine said at the same time as Riona. She
glanced at her watch. “I’m pleased with the progress so far, but must return to
my other duties.”
“We don’t want to keep you. I was about to take my suitcase
up to my new room anyway,” Katie said.
Katie got “the look” from Áine once again. “Tug will be here
to take your bags up momentarily.”
It was all Katie could do to not respond with “Yes, ma’am.”
Instead she simply said, “Thank you.”
“Your new room is in what we consider the new part of the
castle. Tug can show you the way.” Áine turned to Riona and added, “When you
have a moment, I’d like to talk with you about a little pest control. Please
stop by my office.”
Riona nodded once. “I’ll be there shortly.”
“I’ll check in with you later.” Áine included each of them
in her parting comment with her gaze, including Seamus, then swept out the
door.
“Did you see that?” Katie asked in a whisper.
“See what?” Riona asked.
“No,” Seamus said at the same time.
“I swear it looked as if Áine could see him.” Katie pointed
at Seamus.
Riona pursed her lips. “Very possibly.”
“Why didn’t she say something?”
Riona shook her head. “Áine is the height of propriety and
caution. She would never admit to half of what happens at Tullamore.” Then she
added, “At least not to a guest.”
“Well, I suppose that makes a certain amount of sense. Never
know which guests might freak out,” Katie said.
There was a tap on the door.
“I’ll get it,” Katie offered. “It’s probably the guy for my bags.”
She opened the door and found the tall, thin, redheaded
porter she had seen around the hotel a number of times during her stay.
“Ms. Byrne said you have luggage that needs to be moved to a
new room?” The porter phrased it as a question but really it was a statement.
“Yes. Come in, please.” She held the door open and admitted
the young man.
Callum looked up from where he was working. “Tug,” he said
by way of acknowledgement.
“Mr. O’Neil,” Tug replied. He looked across the room and
gaped when he saw Riona there. “Mistress Mac au Bhaird. I didn’t know…”
Katie thought the teen was going to drop into a formal bow
or faint. She wasn’t sure which. He regained control of himself and made a
short bow with his head instead.
Katie and Seamus shared a mutual look of “What was that
about?”
“Thank you for coming up to take care of my cousin, Tug. We
appreciate it,” Riona said.
“Your cousin?” Tug asked, glancing at Katie.
“She’s visiting from America,” Riona added.
“Ah.” He glanced at the suitcase on the bed. “I understood
everything was packed and ready to go?”
“Yes,” Katie answered as she zipped the bag closed. “There’s
just the one suitcase. I can get my backpack and purse.”
Tug picked the bag up and set it on the floor so he could
roll it behind him. “I’ll be happy to show you to your room. Ms. Byrne said you
had a key.”
Katie pulled a card from her jeans pocket. “I do.”
“If you’ll follow me, then?” Tug suggested.
Katie turned to Riona. “I’ll be back in a bit. I just want
to check out the new room and put my things down. Are you going to stay here?”
She cast a meaningful glance in Callum’s direction. It was mind-boggling how he
managed to ignore everything around him as he worked.
“I think I’ll pop down and see what Áine needs while you do
that.”
Katie thought there might have been a blush staining Riona’s
cheeks and wondered at the cause of it.
“Okay. I’ll see you in a bit,” Katie said then stepped out
into the hall. Seamus had followed Tug and was waiting not far away. “Lead on,
Tug,” Katie told him.
“I hope you’re enjoying your stay, ma’am,” Tug said as they
headed to the elevator.