Sean lifted her high and swung her about. "I'll have to go away more often, if this is the homecoming that awaits me."

She grabbed two fistfuls of black curls in mock fury. "I'll chain you to the bed, you roving devil!" The minute she said it, she could have cut out her tongue.

How could she have reminded him that for years he'd slept in chains? "Oh, G.o.d, I'm sorry!" Wildly, she covered his face with kisses to take the sting from her thoughtless words.

Sean cupped her face and laughed down into her eyes. "Never pick and choose your words with me, Emerald. I hope you know you can say anything to me." He grinned. "If it's too outrageous, I'll simply take you over my knee and tan your a.r.s.e."

"You wouldn't dare be fierce with me in my condition," she challenged saucily.

He looked down at her, shanking his head. "You're still so slim; I expected you to look like a little pudding by now." Again he lifted her feet from the ground.

"You devil, put me down this instant."

"I brought you a present," he said low.

She slipped her hand inside his black leather jack to discover where he had hidden it. He bit her ear and whispered, "Lower." She gasped as her eyes glanced down at the bulge between their bodies. "c.o.c.ksure devil!"

"I'm only teasing. It's another sort of present." He stepped to one side so that her view of the ship would be unimpeded.

Emerald tore her laughing gaze from his to scan the ship. Her eyes came to rest on the elegant figure of a woman with amber-colored hair who stood at the rail watching them. Emerald's hand went to her throat. She stared unmoving, as if she were seeing a ghost, then she began to tremble like a leaf. She felt rooted to the ground. After all this time, she feared her imagination was playing a trick on her.

"Mother?" she whispered, then her feet began to move toward the ship.

The moment Amber saw her daughter move toward her, no matter how tentatively, she stepped onto the gangplank.

Emerald's step quickened until they stood facing each other. Her green eyes searched her mother's, then flooded with unshed tears. Both were momentarily unable to speak, but they enfolded each other in loving arms as they fought back tears of happiness. When Emerald looked at Sean, the tears spilled over. "However did you find her?"

"I live in Wicklow," Amber said quickly, pointing south to the purple mountains.

Emerald dashed the tears from her eyes as her heart swelled with emotion. She was reunited with the two people she loved most in the world. She had a million unanswered questions, but at this moment she was content to just look at them.

Sean waved the two women up to the house. "Don't worry about your luggage. The pair of you have years of catching up to do."

When they reached the lawns, Amber stopped to take in the splendor of the palatial Georgian mansion.

"Welcome to Greysrones." Emerald led the way to the magnificent receiving room, where Amber sat down on the cushioned window seat overlooking the walled garden, exactly where Emerald had sat the first time she entered this room.

"I came to Greystones once, but only to the gatehouse." Amber paused, trying not to let old wounds overwhelm her. They were suddenly tongue-tied, not wanting to indulge in useless small talk, yet not sure where to begin. "You have turned into a beautiful, vibrant young woman. I was so afraid your father would crush your personality and destroy your very essence."

"But he did!" Emerald cried. "From the moment you deserted us, he made my life as intolerable as he'd always made Johnny's."

"Oh, my darling, I didn't desert you, how could you ever think it? He almost beat me to death. He vowed I'd never see you again. He left me dying, locked in my room without food or water."

Emerald was horrified. She remembered as if it were yesterday. "He told me you'd run off with your lover, but I couldn't believe you would go without us. I came up to your chamber . . . the door was locked; you didn't answer. Oh, Mother, I'm so sorry Johnny and I left you there."

"There was absolutely nothing you could do. Montague is evil incarnate and when the madness is upon hima"no power on earth can overcome it."

"I didn't think I could hate him any worse than I did, but now I know that he savagely beat you, my hatred has doubled. But, Mother, you are wrong. There is a power stronger than his. Sean O'Toole possesses that power. He intends to destroy him."

Suddenly, Amber was more afraid for her daughter than she had ever been.

Emerald was caught between two terrible forces, and only pain and suffering could result. The last thing she wanted to do was frighten her daughter. She must go slowly when warning her against Sean. Emerald was obviously head-over-heels in love with the man and would immediately jump to his defense.

"He told me you were married to Jack Raymond. How could such a thing happen?"

Emerald sighed heavily. "It's such a long story; endless, it seemed to me.

After you left usa"I mean, after we returned to Englanda"Father wouldn't allow me to go to school. Instead he employed a horrible woman as my governess to obliterate every last trace of Irish in me. I was forbidden to utter your name, and my own was changed from Emerald to plain Emma. And they succeeded in turning me into plain Emma. They changed everything about me: my hair, my clothes, my speech, my behavior, my personality. When they finished, I was a little English mouse, cowering in my hole at Portman Square."

Emerald shuddered, remembering that dark house. "It was like a prison. Nay, I lie, it was like a tomb, where I felt buried alive. I had no suitors, nor any slightest hope of any, save my b.a.s.t.a.r.d cousin Jack. When he asked me to marry him, I reluctantly agreed. I thought it would get me out from under Father's cruel dominance. I thought it would be my escape from that ugly brick monstrosity. I was never more wrong in my life. My uncle's by-blow wanted only to become a Montague and live in the Montague mausoleum. I was caught in a trap of my own making."

Her daughter's suffering was so much harder to bear than her own. "Oh, my darling, you repeated my tragic mistake when I married your father to escape the Maynooth menagerie."

They saw each other through new eyes, not as mother and daughter, but as two women with all the same needs and emotions and pa.s.sions.

"Sean O'Toole rescued me."

My G.o.d, no wonder she thinks him her Prince. She was a cla.s.sic damsel in distress; he her knight in shining armor. How can I open her eyes to the fact that he will use her vulnerability to play out his revenge? Amber knew the task before her was monumental. O'Toole was not only dangerously attractivea"witty, charming, virile, and powerfula"but he was also domineering, manipulative, and a ruthless se- ducer. In short he was a man, and therefore a woman's natural-born enemy. How could she make Emerald face these facts, before life ruthlessly taught her its lesson?

I cannot gain her confidence immediately. But I will do everything I can to help her if she needs me.

As they were talking, the Greystones servants, one after another, found excuses to walk past the elegant receiving room, until Kate Kennedy descended upon them and sent them packing. Emerald couldn't very well ignore the woman who had done so much to make her feel at home here at Greystones.

"Kate, come in. Come and meet my mother."

In no way loath to satisfy her curiosity, Kate came forward to meet the young woman she'd persistently heard stories about over the years.

"My mother, Amber FitzGerald aKate Kennedy, Greystones's housekeeper.

As well as being extremely good at what she does, Kate has been both kind and fair to me. She doesn't resent my presence here, not any longer."

The two women sized each other up.

So this is the FitzGerald hussy who caught herself an English aristocrat and lived to bitterly regret it. No wonder Joseph lost his head over her, then paid for it with his life. She has a rare beauty and no mistake, which Emerald has inherited, but Emerald has a sweetness about her this woman never possessed.

Amber was thinking, She's shrewd as well as capable and she certainly has no love for me, but that doesn't matter. It is good for my daughter to have such a one in charge here. "I'm extremely pleased to meet you, Mrs. Kennedy. Greystones must be a heavy responsibility."

"Your daughter has brought sunshine and laughter back to this house after we despaired of ever having either again."

Emerald flushed with pleasure. "Kate, you are too kind."

"You have brought joy to Sean and Shamus. I won't go so far as to say you have replaced Kathleen, that would be an impossibility, but you have filled a great void at Greystones."

"Kate, would you find Nan FitzGerald? I'd like her to meet my mother."

"She's hiding in her chamber. It'd take a crowbar to pry her out of it."

"Oh, well, never mind; you'll meet her at dinner. And Tara's here, do you remember her?"

Kate cut in with a sniff. "And who could ever forget her? The place is overrun with FitzGeralds. I'll plenish the lavender chamber for your mother." Kate nodded her head in lieu of a curtsy before she departed.

"I remember Aunt Tara with great affection, even though Kate Kennedy seems to have none for her."

"Well, they think she's doolally because she pretends to be a Celtic princess.

But she's not mad at all; she's most wise."

"She was the one who taught me all about herbs and their medicinal properties."

"She's only been here a week, but she's completely taken over the stillroom."

Emerald wished they could get back to the personal conversation they had been sharing when they were interrupted. She wanted to learn all about her mother's life, but hesitated to put questions to her, hoping instead she would volunteer the information. When Amber was not forthcoming, Emerald decided she would ask Sean when they were alone tonight.

"Come upstairs and make yourself comfortable. You simply have no idea how happy your visit has made me. If only Johnny were here!"

"Does he visit you?" Amber asked hopefully.

"He and Sean have business together. He's been here once and he has written to me. I'm hoping he will become a regular visitor."

Amber's eyebrows elevated. "Either he has learned to stand up to his father or he has learned to be devious, as I did."

"I think he learned to do a bit of both in order to survive. Apparently, Father gave up trying to make a sailor of him; he presently runs Father's shipping business."

"Ah," Amber said, nodding wisely, "now I see why Sean O'Toole is cultivating him."

Emerald flushed. She wanted to deny that Sean was merely using him, but she could not. "Johnny loves Ireland. He's crazy about May-nooth."

"That's understandable, he always had a pa.s.sion for horses. He probably belongs there."

"We'll ride over one day. You must be dying to see all the FitzGeralds again."

"You go too fast, darling. Maynooth belongs to the Earl of Kil-dare. Perhaps he doesn't want me there."

Emerald tossed her curls and smiled her secret smile. "The earl wants what I want. I have him eating out of my hand."

"Never mistake him for a gelding, Emerald. He is a stallion and I doubt you'll ever tame him," Amber warned.

"I don't wish to tame him, Mother, I want him exactly as he is."

Be careful what you wish for, Emerald. A wish that is granted can turn into your worst nightmare.

27.

aI cannot come down to dinner; I can't face her," Nan said miserably.

"You're being ridiculous! My mother is kind and gentle. When she finds out that you love Johnny, she will adore you. No one will guess your secret, Nan, unless you arouse suspicion by hiding."

When the two young women finally arrived in the dining room, Tara and Amber were having a lively conversation about the beneficial properties of spices.

Sean, too, was awaiting them. He was a charming host, making the proper introductions, then seating them one by one. He put Amber on his right, Tara and Nan on his left, then sat Emerald opposite him, so that he could feast his eyes upon her.

With four Irish females in one room, three of whom enjoyed being the center of attention, the conversation was animated and filled with laughter. Even Nan contributed occasionally, though she blushed scarlet each time Amber's warm eyes rested upon her.

Sean amused his guests without monopolizing the conversation, giving each lady his undivided attention when he spoke to her. Emerald found it difficult to tear her eyes from him. The snowy linen at his throat contrasted sharply with his swarthy skin, black hair, and pewter eyes. Excitement was mounting inside her until all she could think of was the moment they would close their bedchamber door and be tree to express how much they had missed each other.

Before the meal was over, Amber realized just how deeply in love her daughter was with the earl. She also knew that Sean O'Toole was by no means indifferent.

Those dark eyes told her that in addition to a raging desire for Emerald, he felt possessive of her. And yet Amber could not rid herself of the suspicion that, rather than stealing her because he could not live without her, he had likely taken her for revenge against the Montagues.

Sean O'Toole had told her plainly that he would not be satisfied until he had heaped humiliation on his enemies in the eyes of the world and that he had the weapon in his hands. Could that weapon be Emerald?

Amber's gaze was drawn again and again to the dark, magnetic man at the head of the table. His revenge was nowhere near complete. Justice, he had called it.

She wondered uneasily exactly what and whom his justice encompa.s.sed. Amber knew she must have a serious talk with Emerald. Not tonight, of course; Sean and Emerald's longing for each other was so palpable, it saturated the very air.

Sean secretly watched Emerald, but as the meal progressed, he watched her openly. He knew he had done the right thing by reuniting her with her mother.

Emerald was vibrant tonight, she glowed with happiness, and it brought him a measure of deep satisfaction that he was partly responsible for the joy she felt.

He had been good for her; there was no comparison between this ravishing woman who spoke and laughed with pa.s.sion and the pale pathetic girl he had spirited away from London. He admitted that Emerald had been good for him too.

She was generous in her love for him, holding nothing back, and he knew she had helped to heal his more superficial wounds. They had been equally good for each other; he could never have regrets for their time together. It was as close to perfect as anything could ever be in this life.

Amber spoke to him. He gave her his immediate attention. "Forgive me, I was distracted." Their eyes met, clearly revealing their thoughts to each other.

"If you will excuse me, Tara has promised to show me the still-room."

Tara spoke too. "This could take hours, so we will bid you goodnight."

Even Nan murmured, "I need a book from the library." Sean grinned unabashedly at Emerald. "The FitzGerald females are conspiring so that we can be alone."

"Are we that transparent?" Amber smiled. "Are we?" Sean laughed.

As they ascended the stairs Sean slipped his arm about Emerald. "You look well. How is your morning sickness, sweetheart?"

"It is much improved," she a.s.sured him, basking in his tender concern.

Emerald went straight to the window and threw back the curtains that Kate must have drawn. "Darling, thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing my mother.

You have made me blissful; my happiness is now complete! Oh, I feel so alive tonight, like the sea!"

He lifted her in his arms for the sheer pleasure of holding her. "I thought you were afraid of the sea," he teased.