him, the things he
was interested in, as if he were someone important in her life.
Even their silences were comfortable, for example while Muireann
gazed out the window admiring the view, or when they ate their
sandwiches side by side, washing them down with some milk they were
able to purchase at a small farmhouse when they made a brief rest
stop to change horses.
Whenever Muireann laughed, she sparkled like a rare jewel. Not for
the first time, Lochlainn compared her to Tara, who had remained
cool, aloof, and had seldom smiled, let alone laughed. She had been
incredibly alluring, but in a frustrating sort of way.
Muireann was also enticing, Lochlainn had to admit. It was amazing
to him that she was full of joie de vivre even after all that had
happened to her. Or was she simply trying to block out all she had
endured, pretend it had never happened?
"You're doing it again, Lochlainn," Muireann remarked at one point
as they neared Enniskillen.
"What's that?" Lochlainn asked, puzzled, his steel-gray eyes
glancing down at her lingeringly.
"Going off into that grim dark little world of yours, where I can't
reach you."
Lochlainn stared at her for a brief moment before looking away. He
told himself he simply couldn't kiss her again, though every fiber
of his being yearned for her.
"I'm sorry, there are just so many things on my mind."
"I know. I can see that. I just wish you'd tell me what they
are. A problem shared is a often a problem halved."
"I'm not sure what the problem is myself," Lochlainn admitted
honestly. "I'm very confused."
"I know I'm young and foolish, Lochlainn, but I do want to help
Barnakilla as much as I can. And you did promise to be honest with
me," she reminded him, taking his hand for a moment.
"I did indeed. I promise I shall keep nothing from you about
Barnakilla," he replied, neatly sidestepping the issue. He scolded
himself inwardly. In future he would simply have to keep his mind on
his work and not on his new employer.
"We'll look over the papers whenever you feel up to it, Muireann, I
swear."
Muireann lapsed into silence again, until Lochlainn reached out and
took her hand in his both of his own, enjoying her spontaneous
gesture of affection, and wishing to prolong the pleasure.
"You re very good with people, you know," he said suddenly. "You
notice things about them. You, well, charm them might be a good
word, if it didn't sound like something deliberate or coquettish.
You're so natural, it just puts people at their ease."
Muireann blushed. "I'll take it as a compliment, though I'm sure I
don't deserve it."
"But you do. That's the other odd thing about you. You're perhaps a
bit too honest and open in your dealings with people."
"Oh dear, didn't I drive a hard enough bargain with the man in the
shop and the owner of the livery stable?" she joked.
"No, I'm not talking about that. I just mean that you and I only met
each other three days ago, and here we are conversing like old
friends. You're my employer, and Paddy's, yet you treat us like your
equals, members of your own family."
Muireann blushed and avoided his gaze as she declared, "Well, you
are my family now. I have no other here." She paused for a moment
and sighed. "People are dishonest with each other all the time. I
try to be honest, and I think you do as well. Just because I've been
badly disappointed though, doesn't mean that I'm willing to stop
trusting everyone entirely. I'll trust you for as long as you prove
yourself to be trustworthy, Lochlainn.
"But if I find you've betrayed me as well, our friendship will be at
an end. But that's better than always being suspicious of people and
fearing the worst. I find if you expect the worst from people, they
inevitably live up, or down, to your expectations."
"Beauty,
was interested in, as if he were someone important in her life.
Even their silences were comfortable, for example while Muireann
gazed out the window admiring the view, or when they ate their
sandwiches side by side, washing them down with some milk they were
able to purchase at a small farmhouse when they made a brief rest
stop to change horses.
Whenever Muireann laughed, she sparkled like a rare jewel. Not for
the first time, Lochlainn compared her to Tara, who had remained
cool, aloof, and had seldom smiled, let alone laughed. She had been
incredibly alluring, but in a frustrating sort of way.
Muireann was also enticing, Lochlainn had to admit. It was amazing
to him that she was full of joie de vivre even after all that had
happened to her. Or was she simply trying to block out all she had
endured, pretend it had never happened?
"You're doing it again, Lochlainn," Muireann remarked at one point
as they neared Enniskillen.
"What's that?" Lochlainn asked, puzzled, his steel-gray eyes
glancing down at her lingeringly.
"Going off into that grim dark little world of yours, where I can't
reach you."
Lochlainn stared at her for a brief moment before looking away. He
told himself he simply couldn't kiss her again, though every fiber
of his being yearned for her.
"I'm sorry, there are just so many things on my mind."
"I know. I can see that. I just wish you'd tell me what they
are. A problem shared is a often a problem halved."
"I'm not sure what the problem is myself," Lochlainn admitted
honestly. "I'm very confused."
"I know I'm young and foolish, Lochlainn, but I do want to help
Barnakilla as much as I can. And you did promise to be honest with
me," she reminded him, taking his hand for a moment.
"I did indeed. I promise I shall keep nothing from you about
Barnakilla," he replied, neatly sidestepping the issue. He scolded
himself inwardly. In future he would simply have to keep his mind on
his work and not on his new employer.
"We'll look over the papers whenever you feel up to it, Muireann, I
swear."
Muireann lapsed into silence again, until Lochlainn reached out and
took her hand in his both of his own, enjoying her spontaneous
gesture of affection, and wishing to prolong the pleasure.
"You re very good with people, you know," he said suddenly. "You
notice things about them. You, well, charm them might be a good
word, if it didn't sound like something deliberate or coquettish.
You're so natural, it just puts people at their ease."
Muireann blushed. "I'll take it as a compliment, though I'm sure I
don't deserve it."
"But you do. That's the other odd thing about you. You're perhaps a
bit too honest and open in your dealings with people."
"Oh dear, didn't I drive a hard enough bargain with the man in the
shop and the owner of the livery stable?" she joked.
"No, I'm not talking about that. I just mean that you and I only met
each other three days ago, and here we are conversing like old
friends. You're my employer, and Paddy's, yet you treat us like your
equals, members of your own family."
Muireann blushed and avoided his gaze as she declared, "Well, you
are my family now. I have no other here." She paused for a moment
and sighed. "People are dishonest with each other all the time. I
try to be honest, and I think you do as well. Just because I've been
badly disappointed though, doesn't mean that I'm willing to stop
trusting everyone entirely. I'll trust you for as long as you prove
yourself to be trustworthy, Lochlainn.
"But if I find you've betrayed me as well, our friendship will be at
an end. But that's better than always being suspicious of people and
fearing the worst. I find if you expect the worst from people, they
inevitably live up, or down, to your expectations."
"Beauty,
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