Keenan nods. “Aye.”
I speak up. “So the night I saw them on their way to the mansion, they weren’t coming to ambush us, but to help Mary.”
“Aye,” Mary says. “They were, sir.”
“But why? Who, then?” Cormac asks, his brow furrowed. Skittish Mary nearly jumps at his booming voice and stern glare, though he isn’t angry at her.
Maeve speaks up. “I could hazard a guess, Cormac.”
All eyes turn to her, as she settles in. “Tis a long story, though.”
Keenan signals to the staff. “Bring more drinks,” he says. He gestures to the table. “Sit, Mary.”
She obeys. I’m half listening to Maeve as my mind is swirling with thoughts and emotions. If I were a betting man, I’d wager the woman in front of us now is related to my McKenna, seems obvious. She came here to find her mother. Finn will sort her out.
What will McKenna think?
“When I was a lass, the Clans were one, for a time. The Irish, the Scottish, and the Welsh joined together to fight the larger, more powerful, more heavily established groups in Europe. And it may have worked well if not for greed.”
The staff quietly refills our glasses. I take a long pull from a glass of the house wine, and listen to Maeve’s story.
“The Scottish Chief fell in love with a woman from Ballyhock. I knew her well. She was a good friend of mine.” Her face grows sober, her eyes distant. “But he was a married man. He got her pregnant, and the woman tried to flee to Ireland.” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “He thought she’d betrayed him and was pregnant by another man, namely a man from our clan. He tried to kill her, and started a war with Seamus.” She turns to Keenan. “Your father was newly-elected, inexperienced in Clan war. The battles were bloody and left few standing. We finally, through sheer force, drove them home and declared victory. We formed a neutral alliance with the Welsh, and reluctantly with the Scottish… otherwise known as the men of the mountains.”
Her eyes quickly flit to Mary, then back to Father Finn as he speaks.
“I remember it all well,” Father Finn says. “I was studying for the priesthood. It was a sad day in Ballyhock when the blood of the innocent was shed.”
“Aye,” Maeve says, her eyes growing misty. “It was.” She draws in another breath. “Occasionally, they’d send word to us, hinting of ill will. Seamus disregarded it. At the time, we were raising a family, he was learning to be Clan Chief, and we relied heavily enough on our alliance with the Welsh that it seemed the Scots were only blowing hot air.”
Maeve frowns, as if dwelling on a past she doesn’t wish to remember. “Could it be the old man who started war with Seamus is bound to punish those who wronged him before he dies?”
Keenan shakes his head. “The McCarthy Clan, then?”
Lachlan speaks up. “Maybe the other day was a stake-out, Keenan, and not meant to truly cause harm. They were testing the strength of our army.”
Keenan scowls. “And we fucking failed that test.”
“It wasn’t the Cowen clan,” Mary insists.
Keenan shakes his head. “With all respect, Mary, it seems evidence points that it may have been.” He sighs, rubbing a hand across his brow, the weight of leadership weighing heavily on him. “Thanks for sharing what you have, Mary.”
“She’s come here because she’s heard the McCarthy Clan can lead her to her mother. And when she heard rumor of what happened, she came to plead the innocence of the men of the north.”
“We’ll see to it you’re protected, Mary,” I say, and everyone looks to me in surprise. I’ve no doubt the woman here in front of me’s related to McKenna. She’s possibly in jeopardy, and I can’t allow her to be injured or at risk.
“Thank you,” she says gratefully. “I’ll only need an escort back to my home in the mountains.” Her voice wavers. “I… they’ll take good care of me there. Though I did hope I could meet my birth mum before that happens.”
Keenan looks to me. “You’ll have to find McKenna, Tully. Take Mary to her.”
* * *
Chapter 6
McKenna
I stare out at of my window of my flat, frowning at the night sky.
I was confident when I left the McCarthy family home that I was doing the right thing.
Several days later, I’m not so sure.
I know they’ve sent a guard to watch over me. They introduced themselves on the first day, and almost as quickly, disappeared into the shadows. They’re present but careful not to interfere with my day to day.
I go to school. I check in with Mum and feed Cookie, my kitten. I wash my laundry and read my books, but there’s an ache in my heart and trouble deeper still.