Destiny's Path by Anna Jacobs

at the far end of the house from you and me.’ He looked at his friend. ‘We’ll have to move some furniture around and I’ll ask your help in putting the beds together for the other rooms. We never did get round to finishing them. Well, there was no reason. Not many people are likely to want to come and visit a convict.’
    His mother patted his hand as if understanding his pain. ‘Shh now. We’ll get through this.’
    He couldn’t think how.
    Maia went through into the kitchen, where her sister was putting some refreshments on a tray.
    ‘ She has decided to eat in the dining room, not her bedroom,’ Xanthe said with a grimace in that direction. ‘I’m not dusting it for her. I’ve enough to do with all the guests.’
    ‘Shall I go and set the table?’
    ‘Certainly not. I’ll take in a tray. But you could start getting some refreshments ready for the others. I’m hoping Orla will help us too, once her mistress is eating.’ She turned towards the outer door and saw the groom who’d come with Ronan standing on the veranda. ‘Come in, do. I’m Xanthe. This is my sister Maia. We’re all at sixes and sevens, but we’ll find you something to eat presently.’
    ‘I’m Bram. I’m not needed in the stables, so can I help you at all here?’
    ‘You can. If you’ll watch the kettle and fill the big teapot when it boils, it’ll be a help. I’ve put the tealeaves in already. Thank you.’ She turned back to Maia. ‘Conn made a point of saying we were to refer any orders that weren’t reasonable to his mother, who will remain in charge.’ She bent closer to whisper, ‘Be careful not to give yourself away!’
    When Xanthe carried the tray into the dining room, she found Kathleen sitting at the head of the table. She set down the tray in front of her, not commenting on that. ‘Please ring when you need this cleared away, ma’am.’ She turned to leave.
    ‘I’m not eating off a tray. I want this table setting properly. I can’t believe Mrs Largan accepts such shoddy service.’
    ‘I don’t have time to set tables. There are other guests needing food.’ Xanthe turned to leave the room.
    Behind her, Kathleen yelled, ‘Come back! Come back this minute!’
    Xanthe carried on walking, wincing at the shrillness of the other woman’s voice.
    She stopped dead in shock when she heard the sound of smashing crockery.
    When he heard the noise, Conn set off running. It had started.
    With a quick word of excuse to his hostess, Ronan followed him, passing Xanthe, who was staring open-mouthed into the dining room. Both men stopped in the doorway.
    Kathleen was sitting at the head of the dusty dining table.
    ‘I will not accept such shoddy service.’ She thumped the table to emphasise her words. ‘How dare that servant speak to me like that? She must be dismissed instantly. Instantly, I tell you.’
    Conn stared at the tray, which was lying upside down on the floor on top of a welter of food and smashed crockery, then looked back at his wife’s furious face.
    ‘You will get rid of her! Dismiss her at once,’ she repeated.
    He said nothing because silence was as good a weapon as any with her. Kathleen glared at him, but when he didn’t move, she began to fight for control over her emotions, something he’d seen her do before. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her struggle for so long, though, nor could he remember her acting quite so outrageously.
    ‘Wait for us in the kitchen, please, Xanthe. I’ll deal with this.’ Conn turned back to his wife, horrified to see how much crockery she’d broken. The mess was so far from the table that she must have hurled it. This was the act of a child in a tantrum or . . . he looked at her flushed face and wild, staring eyes and couldn’t help thinking a madwoman .
    ‘I’ll pick that mess up,’ Ronan said quietly, ‘and I’ll stay here in case you need help.’
    Conn realised then that his friend was thinking the same thing.
    Halting footsteps made them both