Loving Ireland (Loving Places) Read online

  I wanted to sock him, but that meant removing a hand from my shirt. "I'm not one of your subjects you can just boss around," I bit back. "So go on back to your castle and dead ancestors, and leave me alone."

  "But I demand another forfeit for your insult yesterday," he insisted. "It's quite rude to be coming into a man's castle insulting his kin."

  "I'm sorry, I didn't know I should have kept my insults just to you," I countered.

  He shook his head. "None of that, now. Tell me your name and that will make us even."

  I put on a defiant face and proudly lifted my chin. "Make me."

  "Very well, if you insist."

  He playfully lunged at me, but fortunately he underestimated my slick skin. I slid out of his grasp and angled around so he stood between me and the creek. Then the devil took possession of my body, and I reached out and pushed him into the water. He made a big splash with the fishes when he hit the deepest spot in the creek, and his head disappeared beneath the surface before he sat up gasping.

  He glared at me and said something, but I was laughing too hard to hear what he gurgled. "What was that? I can't hear you through the water."

  "I said your shirt is still transparent." I yipped and covered myself again. He had a smirk on his face, but I wiped it off when I turned and ran back to the forest path. "Hey! Wait a moment!" I heard him call me over my shoulder. There was splashing as he tried to stand, and then even bigger splashing when he fell back in.

  I disappeared into the forest, leaving a very unhappy lord behind me.

  Chapter 4

  I slogged back to the cottage in time to make my day much worse. Lily was back from the show for lunch and she caught me slushing past the kitchen window to get inside. She rushed out the door and caught me by the shoulders. Her mouth was agape as she gave me a good looking over. "What in the world happened to you?"

  "Can I go inside first and change?" I pleaded.

  "Not until you tell me what happened," she insisted.

  "A creek tried to rob me and I fended him off. Can I go in now?"

  She frowned. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me what happened. The truth."

  I sighed and hung my head. "I went to the creek behind the castle."

  Lily was aghast. "But you promised me you wouldn't go to the castle!"

  "And I didn't go to the castle. Mostly. Kind of," I protested. "I just went to the creek behind it, and kind of, well, fell in."

  "And?" she asked me.

  "And what?" I countered.

  Lily leaned in and stared me straight in the eye. "I know you, Maggie Magee. You just don't go around causing trouble just for yourself. What else happened?"

  I sighed and turned away. "Lord Jerk kind of found me there and saw me through my white shirt." Lily glanced down and the edges of her mouth twitched with a smile when she noticed the transparency. "And then he asked me for my name."

  "And?"

  "And I kind of said no, and pushed him in."

  My friend groaned and laid her head down on my wet shoulder. "Why did you have to go there? Why that place and no other?"

  "Stupidity?" I suggested. She let out a giggling laugh of frustration into my shoulder. "But could I go in now before I catch a cold?"

  She sighed and led me inside. I changed and met her at the kitchen table, where she sat at the table with a hot cup of tea in hand. She didn't turned at my entrance, and I noticed my coat hung on the back of my chair. "What's my coat doing here?" I asked her.

  "You're coming with me back to the art show," she calmly replied.

  "Um, why? Wouldn't I just get in the way?"

  "You can do less damage to my reputation catching the community building on fire than you can staying here," she quipped. "Now hurry and eat lunch. I have to drive back soon."

  I slipped into my chair and winced at the mention of her driving. "Could I walk there? I promise I won't fall in with any highwayman or knock down any old ladies."

  "Enough trouble follows you that you could fall in with pirates on shore, so you're coming with me," she insisted.

  "But maybe you're ruining my life by driving me there," I countered in my attempt to save my life. "Maybe I'll run into a bunch of ninjas and they'll teach me a lot about sneaking around, and then that lord guy won't be able to see me when I sneak around his castle."

  She spit into her tea, and snapped her head up to glare at me. "Maybe you should just learn to keep your promise and stay away from the castle altogether."

  I saw it was no use arguing with her and accepted my fate through death by fiery car crash. We ate lunch and she drove us to the community building that held the art show. Lily parked the car out front and I followed her after I tore my hands off the dashboard where they'd made permanent imprints. The building was rectangular with a dividing wall down the middle so two events could rent out the place at the same time. Since the art exhibit was showing off all the artists in the area they needed both spaces, and a set of doors in the center were opened to allow people to walk freely between the two partitions. Hobbyists and professionals like Lily had their artwork placed side-by-side, ordered only by subject category and then size.

  Lily led me to the center of one of the rooms where stood a large easel and a cloth-covered canvas. Her humor was back, and she had a nervous smile on her face. "I was going to show you this tomorrow as a surprise, but I might be too busy-"

  "You drew me, didn't you?" I guessed.

  Her mouth dropped open. "How did you know?"

  I primped my hair with one hand and sweetly smiled at her. "How could anyone resist not copying my beauty onto canvas?" I winced when Lily whacked me on the arm, and I sheepishly grinned. "You're really fast at keeping my ego in check."

  "It comes from expecting it every time you open your mouth," she quipped. "Now be quiet and let me show you the painting."

  She flung aside the canvas and revealed a landscape painting of the fields behind the castle. I could even see the creek in the foreground. The most important part of the painting was of course modest little me. I sat on my legs in the grass with my face partially turned away from the viewer to look out on the field.

  "Wow..." I whispered. I knew Lily was good, but not this good.

  "It's great, isn't it?" she agreed.

  A sly smile spread across my lips. "So that's what all those sketches of me went into, this painting?"

  Lily smiled and shrugged. "You were such a good model that I didn't want them to go to waste in my scrap books, and when I came home I had this great idea come to me and had to paint it. You don't mind, do you?"

  I shook my head. "How could I be? You've done a great job, though I don't know if you've quite got the nose right." I noticed the price tag at the bottom, and my mouth dropped open. "I'm worth that much?" I squeaked out.

  Lily shrugged. "I hope so, but we'll see if anyone can afford the steep price. I might have to sell it at a discount."

  "I always knew I'd end up in the bargain in," I replied. I gently traced my hand over the pointed schnoz. "You sure mine's that pointed? Makes me look almost like a witch."

  "You certainly cast a spell over me when I was painting this picture," Lily mused. "I couldn't sleep very well knowing it wasn't done, and when I did finish it I was exhausted."

  I laughed and patted her on the back. "I know I can cause a lot of trouble, but even several thousand miles away?"

  She joined in my chuckling. "I guess you're just that talented."

  "Speaking of talent, are there any other pictures of me I might need to give my approval on? Any of my nudes in here?" I glanced around the room but didn't see any, though there was the adjoining area.

  "This is the only one I'll show to the world, but you could wander around and look at the others," Lily invited. "There are quite a few gifted artists here besides me that are worth admiring."

  I lifted my hand and menacingly pinched my fingers together. "I guess I can go snoop around. Maybe touch a few things here and there," I mischiev
ously replied.

  Lily sighed, but there was a smile on her lips; she was too pleased with my compliments on her painting to be mad at me. "Just stay out of trouble."

  I saluted to her and marched away to enjoy the exhibit. There were some nice pieces of art, and I was on my best behavior not to bump into any of the delicate vases or sculptures that littered the rooms. I was in the one opposite where my beautiful self sat when there was a commotion at the exterior doors. A small crowd gathered around the entrance, and whispers of their voices floated over to me near the dividing wall. "It's him!" a woman squealed. "Who?" asked her companion. "The lord himself, MacKenna!" the first one snapped.

  My heart took up tap dancing up my throat and lodged itself there on a particularly difficult number. That snobby lord was coming, and if he saw my face on that portrait then-well, didn't know what would happen, but I didn't want it to happen. I didn't know if he caught a good look at my face when my shirt was transparent, but I wasn't going to take any chances. I rushed through the doors and barreled into Lily who stood beside my portrait. "Quick, hide me!" I hissed.

  Lily stared at me as though I were crazy, which I was, but that's beside the point. "Why? What have you done now?" she asked me. She looked me up and down to try to deduce what new trouble I'd caused.

  "Not me me, that me." I pointed at the portrait. "Lord Jerk is here and if he sees it he might ask some uncomfortable questions."

  The color drained from Lily's face, and at that moment there was a commotion in the other room as Lord MacKenna entered the building. Those in our room rushed to the doors, leaving us practically alone. We both jumped at the cloth and quickly covered the canvas. The art was safe from his eyes, but we had a flesh-and-blood problem now. "Quick, hide me!" I yelped.

  Our heads whipped around for a place to hide me. Lily found just the horrible spot. "Quick, the closet!" she hissed.

  While everyone gawked at the lord in the next room, Lily pushed me to a door in the corner against the dividing wall. It led into a small boxed room that stood out from the wall, and she flung open the door. I barely had time to see there was a two foot square space to stand in with shelves lining the three walls before she shoved me inside and slammed the door behind me.

  I wanted to yell at her, but the commotion from the other room came into the one with my painting. I recognized one of the voices as that of Lord Jerk. "It's a very nice variety of artists," he complimented

  The voice of a middle-aged woman replied to his comment. "Yes, we have such a wonderfully wide variety of styles that each one is a rare gem. Ah, and here is our most precious gem now. Miss Lily O'Brien, I'm sure you are acquainted with Lord MacKenna."

  "Aye, Mrs. Darby. I rent his small cottage just down the road from the castle," Lily's voice spoke up.

  "Oh yes, how could I forget? We still haven't had tea," Mrs. Darby giggled. I could just imagine her now: glasses perched at the end of her nose, her hair done up in a neat bun and her dress impeccably spotted with flowers. "But we were just discussing the fine paintings you've presented for the showing, my dear, and this fine masterpiece you have hidden beneath the cloth."

  "No!" Lily screamed.

  I jumped and hit both arms on opposite shelves. They rattled and a broom leaning behind me conked me on the head. "Damn it!" I swore beneath my breath.

  "My goodness, Lily, what's come over you!" Mrs. Darby exclaimed.

  "It's, well, I don't want the lord to see it just yet. I-it's-it's a surprise!" I could just imagine his surprise when he saw the painting. "But I'll be glad to show it to him tomorrow."

  "What do you think-my lord? Oh, my lord, what are you doing over there?" Mrs. Darby asked him.

  "I thought I heard a noise over here," Lord Jerk replied. My breath caught in my throat; his voice came from the other side of the door. I had to think fast; surely there was some brilliant method of escape I could use to avoid being seen. My mind was abuzz with lots of noise, but no ideas.

  "Oh, that's just a broom closet," Lily assured him. "Nothing more than-"

  The door swung open and my brain turned to mush. I grabbed the broom from behind me and flew out of the closet with the needle head in front of my face. The lord started back and gave me a wide berth to pass. I swept everyone out of my way and safely reached the doors. I wasn't visible more than five seconds, and the broom hid my face from his ass-ship and most everyone else. Once outside I made for the closest public building, the post office, and flew inside. A crashed into the counter and slipped on the hard, cold, and generally uncomfortable floor. My butt crashed to the ground and not even all the cushioning in those cheeks could soften the blow.

  The postmaster was startled at first, but bemused when he saw my face beneath the remains of the broken broom. The broom had collided badly with the counter, and my ride now lay in two pieces. "Have ye taken up housecleaning for Miss Lily,?" he teased me.

  "No, I thought I'd get an early start on Halloween. How was I?" I asked him.

  He walked around the counter and helped me up. "I'd say you have the scare down, but yer landing could use some improvement."

  I rubbed my precious, and bruised, rump. "I'd say you're right," I agreed. I mournfully glanced at the broken stick in my hands. "Poor thing, it gave its life to save me."

  "Isn't nothing but a scratch," he chuckled. He held out his hand to me. "Let me see what I can do with it while you wait here."

  I raised an eyebrow. "How do you know I'm going to be waiting in here?" I asked him.

  "A girl that's in such a hurry to come in won't be in a hurry to leave," he wisely pointed out. He was right; I didn't have any place to go until Lily was done with the finishing touches on her show, and I had no idea how long that would take.

  I smiled and handed the broom to him. "Careful with him. He got me out of a tough jam."

  He went around the counter and looked the broom over. "Shouldn't take long for the mending, but why don't you have a seat here?" He gestured to a stool behind him at the back of the counter space. I stepped behind the counter and took a seat on the stool. The postmaster himself sat on a simple wooden chair and pulled out drawer after drawer, talking the entire time. "Quite a flurry that brought you in here. Were you being chased?"

  "No, or at least I hope not." There was no sign of a witch-hunting posse, nor was there anyone out in the square preparing a stake and bonfire.

  "You were spry coming out of that art show they're setting up in the building," he commented.

  "Well, you know how some art is nowadays. So shocking it'll scare anyone away," I replied.

  The postmaster pulled a long, thin clamp from one of his drawers; I wondered what he usually used such a torture device for other than repairing broken brooms. He clamped the metal over the break and took a few screws in hand. "Aye, quite a different set of pictures than was in my day, but Lily's is different. She knows the heart of the place, and paints everything just as pretty as a-"

  "Picture?" I snorted.

  He chuckled and inserted the screws into two holes at the top and bottom of the clamp. They secured the clamp to the broom, which secured the broom to itself. "There ya are, should work fine for sweeping and flying," he said as he handed it back to me.

  "Thanks." I reached into my pocket and pulled out some bills. "How much do I owe you?"

  He waved away the money. "Bah, wasn't nothing to speak of, but there is something I was wanting to know."

  My heart skipped a beat like an old record. "What's that?" I asked him.

  "Yer name," he replied.

  "Oh, right." I'd forgotten we hadn't exchanged pleasantries. "Mine's Maggie Magee. What's yours?"

  "Maggie, is it? That's a good name. Mine's Brendan Finnin, Miss Maggie, and a pleasure to be officially making your acquaintance," he greeted with a bow at the waist. I hopped off the stool and returned it with a curtsy and a trip when my crossed legs caught on each other. He grabbed my hand before I could fall and hauled me back onto my treasonous feet. "You're a might accident-pr
one, aren't ye?"

  I climbed back onto the safety of my stool. "Not enough to kill me yet, but my feet have tried a lot," I replied.

  He eyed me with a careful look. "Ye have a good sense of humor, but I bet a flock of sheep it gets you into trouble," he guessed.

  I laughed. "I'd be out a flock of sheep if I bet against you," I told him. At that moment I saw movement outside the post office, and was thrilled when I recognized Lily. She turned her head this way and that, and I waved to catch her attention. Lily swept into the post office, looked to me and burst out laughing. I sat straight and resembled a ruffled hen. "I don't think I'm that funny looking," I protested.

  She covered her mouth to try to suffocate the laughter and they turned into giggles. "You should of seen the look on Mrs. Darby's face when you ran past her."

  "I was lucky I could see anything through the broom," I pointed out.

  "She was so surprised she was speechless." Lily presented this fact as though it was some sort of miracle, and Finnin took it as such.

  "Mrs. Darby speechless? Well, I'll be speechless," he mused.

  I felt like a fifth leg on a dog; not really useful and just going along for the ride. "Who is Mrs. Darby?" I asked them.

  "She's the town busybody," Finnin told me.

  "And in charge of the showing tomorrow," Lily pointedly added. "So I really shouldn't be laughing at her."

  I stoically shook my head. "Laughing at her? Just think of it as laughing with her, but she'll never get the joke. Now did you come here to return me to the show for punishment or to save me from Mr. Finnin?" I asked her.

  Lily smirked. "Neither. You're too much trouble for me, Miss Magee, so I may as well leave you here."

  "You're not getting rid of me that easily!" I protested. I swept off my stool with broom in hand and wrapped myself around her neck. "You're stuck with me for a few more weeks."

  She rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. "All right, I guess I'll keep my promise and take you out for dinner, but no more broom riding."