As they stepped off the bus, Drake glanced around. “Aye. Let’s catch our next ride then.”
“Let me guess,” Raegan pointed. “Another bus?”
“Yes, but then that is it. We’ll be there in no time and able to stretch our legs on the walk from the pub to the village where your, erm, holdings are supposed to be.”
Raegan appreciated Drake not pointing out again that she owned a castle. It was still too far-fetched for her to think about. She was simply going to take it one step at a time.
The bus ride to Kivarleigh proved pleasant enough. Seated by the window, Raegan enjoyed watching the scenery change from the bustling harborside city bursting at the seams with people, to smaller less populated towns, to quaint rural villages. Nessa swatted at the glass for a time, eventually wearing herself out and settling down to a nap as well. When at last their stop arrived, it was in such a place. The noise and bustle of the better part of the day were gone. A quietness met them. A woman arranging flowers in a window box smiled and waved. A girl on a bicycle beeped her small horn at them. Raegan smiled at the loveliness of it all.
“The pub is just around the corner,” Drake motioned. “I’ll have a check inside, set the bags down, and we can be on our way.”
Raegan followed, matching his quick strides, determined not to fall behind again. The Keeper’s Keg wasn’t what she expected. The nameplate hung askew. The door hinges needed oiling, judging by the squeak loud enough to rouse the dead. And the inside was drabber than drab. The pub literally had no personality. Perhaps she judged it too harshly, familiar as she was with The Red Deer and Lorcan’s larger than life presence back home. Still, she found she wasn’t surprised that Drake had been struggling with depression, losing his father and living there alone as he had been.
Raegan let Nessa down to explore as she continued to wander around the small space. Drake spoke to the man behind the bar—she’d already forgotten his name—and then stowed their bags upstairs until they saw the condition of Raegan’s home. Home didn’t fit any better than castle when she said it in her mind, but she found herself hoping that would change when she saw it.
“Ready for that walk?” Drake asked, joining her by the door.
“Definitely,” Raegan answered honestly. She adjusted the strap of a small purse she’d brought over her shoulder. It had all of the documents concerning the estate. Her mother’s estate. Though the papers had been left to her by her father, they clearly stated the castle and lands were coming to her through her mother’s line. Evidently, there had been no male heirs. It was bittersweet knowing she would be seeing where her mother had lived but also the place where family had turned their back on her. Would her mother have ever come back? Would she be glad that Raegan was going? Or would she have told her to stay away? Her thoughts swirled around and around as she mused.
Drake paused. “Wait just a second.” He stooped behind the bar and came back with a smaller picnic basket that he’d stuffed a soft towel inside. “For Nessa.” He handed her the basket.
Raegan smiled. “Thank you! My arms were getting a little tired of being used as pincushions.” She settled Nessa inside the basket, poured a capful of water for her to drink, and after several refills for the thirsty kitten, they headed back outside. Nessa curled up sleepily, content to ride along, thank goodness.
They walked in silence for ten minutes or more. The village disappeared behind them quickly, giving way to land as far as the eye could see, rugged and beautiful. At last, Raegan couldn’t take it anymore.
“It’s so incredible,” she burst out. “I never minded living in the city, really didn’t notice if I’m being honest. But here, the hills. The green! The flowers!” At that moment they rounded a bend and came upon a flock of sheep grazing, a few moseying along across the road, and Raegan laughed out loud. “The animals who are in no hurry.” She tucked a strand of unruly hair back into her ponytail as she shook her head. “Everyone hurries in the city. Very few people even came to the library that weren’t rushing in and out. The library for goodness sakes! That should be a place to slow down, relax, and browse the worlds awaiting you inside the pages.”
Becoming self-conscious of Drake watching her, Raegan ducked her head. “Sorry. I get a little carried away.”
***
Drake found himself entranced as Raegan spread her arms and spun, gushing about the landscape of his country. Then, she launched into the cutest little tirade about her beloved library, and he nearly laughed out loud. As Raegan turned and caught his gaze on her, heat creeping into her cheeks, Drake couldn’t help but murmur, “Beautiful.”
At Raegan’s quizzical frown, he cleared his throat. “Beautiful country, you’re right,” he amended. “Come. We aren’t far now.”
Drake took the lead back and headed down the road, left at a fork where the road narrowed to more of a single and poorly paved lane. The paving soon gave way to dirt. Drake paused to let Raegan catch up as he crested the last hill. Raegan’s gasp of awe was all that he expected as she laid eyes on the land below. He watched as her eyes widened, her hands covering her mouth as her jaw dropped. Her skin fairly glowed with excitement. It was contagious. Drake reached for her hand as it dropped to her side.
“M’lady.” He waved his other arm with a flourish, bowing low. “Your castle awaits.”
16.
R aegan’s breath caught in her throat as she surveyed the rolling hillside below them. Even Drake’s silly comment about her castle waiting couldn’t spoil the moment. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before.
Rolling fields laid out like an emerald-green patchwork quilt with low stone walls providing borders between all shapes and sizes of gorgeous blocks of land. Eight or ten cottages dotted the hillside, with another bunch huddled together along the bottom of the slope where the bright green grass met dark gray and black stones tumbling into the cliffside.
And there, just as Drake said, at the furthest point down the shore, sprawled more stone walls surrounding a tall, gray stone castle, not much longer than it was wide, with a taller wall enclosing a courtyard.
Her mother’s family home.
The thought squeezed at her heart.
The castle itself was mere feet above the shoreline, built at the only area where tall cliffs didn’t make such a location impossible.
Slowly, Raegan realized that she had been staring for quite some time. She also became acutely aware that Drake had been holding her hand as she did. Ignoring the warm tingles dancing inside her, she withdrew the hand under the pretense of tucking another piece of hair behind her ear. The breeze liberated it again immediately.
She licked her lips and smiled. “I can taste the sea.”
Drake nodded. “You’ll be feeling the sand between your toes in no time. Are you ready to see it?”
She knew he referred to the castle, not the sea. Inhaling another breath of salty air, she gave a firm nod. “Let’s go.”
The walk down the hillside was easy and pleasurable. They passed a few more sheep and some sheep dogs. At one of the cottages close to the road, a woman out hanging laundry on a line hailed them.
“Haven’t seen the likes of you two here before.” She smiled as Nessa poked her head out of the basket. “Pardon me, you three, I mean. I’m Shauna. Are you visiting?”
“Sort of,” Raegan shrugged. “We’re going to see Dún Castle. I’m not sure yet if we’ll be staying in the area.” She introduced herself and Drake. “And this little ball of fur is Nessa.”
“Dún Castle, ay? There’ve been a lot of visitors to the old place lately.” Shauna frowned. “Are you tourists?”
“No, not tourists, though I’d happily take the chance be one in this beautiful country. Actually, we’re here because the castle belongs to my mother’s family. To me.” Raegan answered truthfully. Interested, she couldn’t help but ask, “Were there other tourists here? The visitors you mentioned.”
“No. Lord Donovan.”
“I’ve heard that name before
,” Drake said. “Typically, at the end of a curse in my pub over in the next village.”
Shauna nodded, face grim. “He’s not well-liked and for good reason. Fancies himself better than us regular folk, but he bought himself that fancy title. His blood is no more special than my pig out back. Donovan owns most of this land, mine included. Charges rents most can ill-afford. Why half the cottages are empty, the villagers simply giving up and leaving.” Her hands balled up the towel in her hand, her words clipped. “He’s driving them out on purpose. Wants to build some fancy resort here, and if we’re gone, the way is wide open, and the profits are all his.”
“That’s terrible!” Raegan said.
“He probably would have succeeded long ago if it weren’t for one thing.”
“What’s that?” Drake asked.
“Dún Castle. He could never find a way to get his hands on it legally.” Shauna patted Raegan on the shoulder. “But mark my words, he’s still looking for something down there. And he’s one to keep your eye on very closely.”
Drake and Raegan thanked her for the chat and continued on their way.
“It’s a good thing we’re almost there.” Raegan stroked Nessa’s soft fur. “Someone is getting a little restless.”
“She should have plenty of nooks and crannies to explore shortly,” Drake said.
Using Nessa as her excuse, Raegan picked up her pace. They weren’t far from the outer wall of the castle, and if she were being honest, excitement hummed through her.
A castle.
A real-life castle!
She couldn’t help it. Every fairy tale, enchanted kingdom adventure, or historical fiction novel that she had ever read raced through her brain. She was geeking-out on the inside.
Between the scenes flitting through her imagination and the fact that she couldn’t take her eyes off the ancient structure looming in front of them, she didn’t see the rock.
It was a small rock, mixed among plenty of other rocks, not dissimilar to the same rocks in the path they’d been treading for miles and miles. Unfortunately, that rock was covered with just enough moss to cause her foot to slip. Raegan cried out as she felt her ankle twist.
As she stumbled, the basket lurched sideways, and Nessa flew out, rolling safely in the grass by the road. The curious kitten batted the green blades around before loping down the hill and through the arched entrance of the castle courtyard.
“Nessa!” Raegan called out. She moved to chase after the wayward kitten but grimaced as pain sliced through her ankle.
Drake reached out and caught her arm. “Let me take a look at that foot.”
“But Nessa.”
“Look,” Drake pointed calmly. “She’s inside the courtyard, exactly where we’re going. You’ll find her in no time. Maybe she’ll rid the place of mice while she waits for us.”
Raegan continued to grumble but stood still as Drake felt around her ankle. She gritted her teeth as he mashed and squeezed.
“Put pressure on it,” he said.
She did and regretted it. “Ow!” she yelped. Trying again, she put pressure only on her toes and managed to hobble two steps before sinking to the ground. “Maybe we should just rest. I’m sure it’ll be fine in a few minutes.”
Drake rolled his eyes at her. “Can you hold on to your bag and the basket?” he asked.
“Yes…” Raegan thought it a strange question. She’d been carrying it that far, after all. Why should sitting them in the grass for a moment make any difference?
Before she could ask, Drake plopped both in her lap and slipped his arms beneath her legs and armpits, scooping her effortlessly from the ground.
“Excuse me,” Raegan spluttered. “This is ridiculous. I can walk.”
“Except you can’t. You tried.” Drake said pointedly, raising an eyebrow.
Raegan glared. “Put me down. I’ll try again.”
“I thought you wanted to find Nessa.”
Raegan narrowed her eyes and wished for the power to shoot laser beams from them like Superman. She would roast that smirk right from Drake’s mouth. His gloating expression had her plotting payback at the first possible turn. Maybe she’d fire him from the library.
Of course, she worried, he might not want to return anyway. Maybe she could sic Nessa on him in his sleep. She grinned, thinking about his discomfort with the tiny animal.
“Whatever you’re thinking, it can’t be good.”
Raegan’s grin broadened. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”
Once through the wall to the courtyard, Raegan was too distracted to stay mad. She worked to close her mouth, certain she’d felt her jaw drop as she stared up at the moss-covered stone tower-house before them. Smaller than many of the castles and manors she had glimpsed along their route, the structure stood imposing nonetheless. The battlements were missing a stone here and there, but overall, the fortress looked quite formidable. The wall they had entered through to the courtyard, or bailey, was a good three feet thick. She knew from reading that many castle walls were up to seven feet thick. Between the relative thinness of the walls and the fact that the keep was not built at a higher elevation, Raegan assumed that her mother’s home must not have fallen under attack too often when it was built.
Drawing her eyes back down to the grounds where they stood and the surrounding area, Raegan pointed to the small door in the gatehouse next to them which stood ajar. “Let’s check for Nessa in there, please.”
It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness inside the small building. The room they entered appeared to be a kitchen and mudroom. A modern stove and refrigerator took her by surprise. They passed through it quickly.
Drake sat her carefully on a couch in the second room, which turned out to be a bit larger and much brighter than the kitchen, thanks to a beautiful four-paned window on one side of the room.
Raegan was equally astonished to see that the main living area was also furnished and clean. For some reason, she’d been expecting everything to be abandoned and empty. Could it be that someone still lived there? A relative of her mother’s? Squatters?
Her bouncing thoughts were interrupted by Drake. “I’ll search while you sit tight a minute.” He called for Nessa, looking beneath furniture and behind the curtains. He stepped through another door, which turned out to be a tiny bathroom. With no sign of Nessa there either, he gave the kitchen a thorough going over and returned in minutes, shrugging. “Sorry. No luck. I’m sure she’s just exploring further in.”
Raegan frowned.
***
Drake delivered the news to Raegan. As he watched her disappointment at hearing there was no sign of Nessa wash all excitement from her face, it made him wish he’d found the blasted cat after all. Apart from her sadness, he could also see her gearing up for an argument about searching the rest of the castle It was in the telltale way her mouth tightened and her eyes narrowed, creating that deep v between her finely arched eyebrows.
Crossing his arms, he spoke first, hoping to put a stop to her plan before she could voice it. “I’ll go out and search the whole grounds for that little furball if, and only if, you promise to stay here and remain off of that ankle.”
Raegan’s lips pursed into a tiny pout. She seemed to consider her options. Worry for Nessa clearly won out over her irritation at being bossed around. It was all Drake could do not to laugh as she blew out a resigned breath and agreed in a sullen grumble.
True to his word, Drake began a methodical search. He swept the courtyard first, checking behind the gatehouse as well as keeping an eye out for any holes or gaps in the wall where the kitten might have wandered back out into the countryside. Turning up nothing in front, Drake made his way around the side of the castle.
He hoped for Raegan’s sake that the wall continued all the way around. If the kitten had made it out to the ocean, well, he’d rather not think about the possibilities.
17.
R aegan scooted back on the couch. She leaned to t
he left, tried propping her elbow up on the throw pillows, tucked her good foot beneath her, then stretched it out again. She sighed, throwing her head back on the couch. It was useless. She couldn’t get comfortable.
“Drat this stupid ankle,” she growled to the empty room. She was itching to get outside and help Drake look for Nessa, dying not to feel completely helpless. It would be so awful if she’d saved the sweet, albeit feisty kitten from the dingy alley only to lose her in Ireland. Maybe she should have left her behind after all.
“Time to think about something else,” she told herself. Digging around in her purse, she pulled out a new book with a triumphant smile. The book featured the flora and fauna of Ireland. With a mind to try a reverse scavenger hunt, Raegan thumbed through the pages in search of flowers, birds, and even grasses that they had passed on their journey there.
Half an hour later, lost in the pages brimming with beautiful photographs, Raegan didn’t hear the front door open and close, nor did she catch the sound of footsteps drawing closer. A sharp clearing of a throat startled her. The book flew from her hands, landing on the floor with a thump. She cringed, hoping it hadn’t been damaged.
“Hello,” she said to the stranger standing across the small room. “Do you live here? I’m sorry for intruding. I twisted my ankle and needed a place to rest.”
His steely gaze and upturned nose made her comfortable. The suit he wore looked like it must have cost a fortune, all perfectly fitted tight lines, gold cuff links, and polished shoes. Nothing about him fit her romanticized idea of an Irishman.
“Who are you?” the stranger asked, flaring his nostrils, mouth crinkling in disgust as he inspected Raegan from head to toe.
Raegan ignored the feeling of being found wanting and pulled her shoulders back before introducing herself. “I’m Raegan Sheridan, the heir of Dún Castle.”
“Heir, ay?” The stranger’s unkind face crinkled into a beaming smiled. “Welcome to Ireland, Miss Sheridan. I am Lord Donovan. You could say we’re neighbors, as I own most of the land visible from your little castle. I must say, I’m surprised to find you here. I was unaware old Sheridan had any other heirs after he disowned his only daughter. Tragic, all that. You look very much like her.”
The Librarian's Treasure Page 6