The Christmas Secret by Julia London Page B

of Ireland who believed it.”
    He laughed. “If you will not at least consider the possibility that they wrote it, I must consider the possibility that perhaps you wrote it.”
    Eireanne snorted. “A woman did not write that letter. Perhaps you wrote it.”
    She expected him to laugh, but Henry surprised her. His gaze dipped to her lips. “Would that I had.”
    His words caused a rush of blood to her heart. Henry suddenly looked to the dance floor, his charming countenance returned. “Now then, if you wish to be entirely amused, you should accept my offer to dance.”
    “ That, sir, is a proper diversion,” she said.
    They danced a jig, with Henry doing his best to keep up, and Eireanne unable to control her laughter. But when the dance ended, she was swept away by Keira and put to the task of keeping Ryan Walsh company.
    She didn’t see much more of Henry that night, but when the guests left, and the chairs were righted and the cups picked up, she retired with the memory of that surprising, delicious kiss to keep her company in her dreams.

Chapter Seven
     
    Because her thoughts were filled with Henry, Eireanne forgot about the letter entirely until she joined Declan and all the Hannigans for breakfast the next morning. The Hannigan women could speak of nothing but.
    “I don’t know why you give it so much thought,” Mr. Hannigan said gruffly. He looked, Eireanne thought, a little green around the edges. “The bloody thing was entirely overwrought.”
    “It was charming, Pappa,” Keira argued.
    “ Charming .” Declan snorted. Disdainfully.
    “Charming or not, the question remains, who was it intended for?” Molly asked and looked down the table to Eireanne, who was helping herself to eggs.
    Eireanne paused. “Why are you looking at me?” she asked self-consciously. “It was not intended for me.”
    “How can you be so certain?” Mabe asked.
    “For many reasons,” she said calmly and put down her fork. She was accustomed to Molly and Mabe—when they latched onto an idea, it would take a thunderbolt from the heavens to knock it loose. “To begin, I have been away. Secondly, I am not the most eligible woman in Galway, and in fact, some may argue, the least eligible—”
    “Surely now that Declan has married, he no longer taints you,” Keira said hopefully.
    “ Taint her?” Declan echoed with a withering look for his wife. “That seems rather harsh.”
    “Don’t sulk—we are among family here, and we all know it is true.”
    “Is that so?” Declan drawled, looking at his wife. “It would seem to me that if anyone has done any tainting here, it would be you, my sweet.”
    “Aye, I have tainted!” Keira pertly conceded. “I am not the least bit afraid to own to my mistakes.”
    “Please,” Molly said, casting a look of exasperation at her older sister. “We were speaking of Eireanne and not your astonishing love affair with Donnelly.”
    “And I was saying the letter was not intended for me,” Eireanne said quickly. “It was more likely intended for one of you.”
    “Oh no, no,” Molly and Mabe said in unison, and Molly added, “have you not seen how Mr. Canavan gazes at you? I think he wrote it.”
    “I have never seen Mr. Canavan so much as glance in my direction,” Eireanne said.
    “That’s because he is afraid of showing his true feelings,” Mrs. Hannigan said and laughed.
    “There, you see? He has not suffered in showing his true feelings for Mabe.”
    “That letter was not for me!” Mabe said, rather emphatically.
    “Look here,” Declan said, standing up. “We will never know the truth, will we? So it seems that all this nattering on about it is wasted effort.” He moved around the table to Keira, leaned down, and kissed her. “Good day,” he said and strode out.
    Eireanne stood, too.
    “Where are you off to?” Molly demanded. “We are discussing the letter.”
    Did the Hannigans never go home? Eireanne smiled. She would not dream of telling them that she