~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A woman in an old fashion dress with dark blond hair secured in a loose bun walked into the Hyperion’s lobby. She glanced around the disserted room with a sad sigh then opened the door to the basement and slowly descended.
Angel stood with his back to the door throwing knives at a dartboard. “We’re closed,” he said without turning.
“I need your help,” the woman said.
“I’m not in the business of helping people anymore,” Angel replied, hitting the bulls-eye with another knife. “My former colleges are still doing that, I could give you their number.”
“Don’t talk that tone with me Liam O’Neill” the knife thudded into the wall a foot from the dartboard.
Angel turned toward the stairwell. He stared at the woman. “Anna?” He asked.
“Aye Liam, it’s been a long time.”
______________________________________________________________
Liam sighed it seemed his Father was finished and truly gone to church now. Slowly the young man climbed to his feet and dusted himself off. He rubbed his temples gingerly, a parental lecture and beating on top of a hangover, this was going to be quiet the headache.
Liam glanced around the courtyard. “Anna?” he called softly, wondering if it was worth pursuing his seduction of the servant girl.
Apparently she’d left during his “conversation” with his father. Liam groaned and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes trying to force the wave of pain back. “Anna could wait,” he decided, it was time for bed.
_____________________________________________________________
A soft but persistent knocking at his door drug Liam from the comfortable oblivion of sleep.
“Go away, I’m trying to die in peace here,” He yelled at the knocker. Light footfalls retreated from the door and Liam groaned. Kathy, the last person he should ever joke about dying with. Especially now, only a handful of months after the death of their three year-old brother Patrick.
Kathy didn’t know better than to become attached yet. She hadn’t learned that most younger siblings died. That it was better not to let yourself love them until they were older.
He’d tried to protect her, tried to distract her from the endless fascination of a new baby, but he’d become lax once Patrick’s first birthday had come and gone. Damn it all to Hell! Patrick should have lived!
The other three had all died in their first few months. Patrick should have been the one, his fathers long hoped for son, the one that would fulfill all those dreams Liam could never quite live up to. Liam had been so glad that there was another boy-child in the family so he could go on failing and not hurt anyone. He couldn’t please his father he just wasn’t good enough, but maybe Patrick would have been.
With a sigh Liam shut off that line of thought. Patrick was just another name and set of dates carved into a piece of rock, like Sean, Mary and Margaret. Kathleen and himself were the only one to live long enough to become people. If he let himself grieve those other brothers and sisters who might have been he’d go as insane as Rachel had.
Quiet, pious, eternally grieving Rachel. Liam hadn’t heard her speak once since Patrick’s death. Her children were her failures, four dead plus the miscarriage, only sweet Kathleen successfully brought into the world and Kathleen was yet another failure in that she wasn’t a boy.
Liam, wondered who his father considered the greatest failure; Rachel who could only give his father a girl, or Liam’s own mother Anabella, who’s son was such a hopeless disappointment and who had died before making a second attempt to get things right.
Of course, he himself was his father’s greatest disappointment and shame. No matter how he tried he wasn’t the son his father wanted and after the scandal ten years ago he’d simply given up even trying to be anything but the whoring, drunken, lay-about his father and the whole village saw him as.
If he could have gone back maybe he wouldn’t have contradicted Corinne’s story, it wouldn’t have been so bad being a father even if he had never been interested in her. Better than having the reputation and scorn to live down to that her lies and death had saddled him with.
The door to his room creaked open and the bed shifted as another person climbed onto it. A wet rag settled over his aching eyes and a small voice asked. “You’re not really dying are you Li?”
“O’ course not sweet,” Liam replied. “Just stayed out a bit late last night and Da tied into me this morning.”
Kathy sighed in relief then curled up against her older brother. Liam forced his brain to wakefulness as she began to shake with repressed sobs.
“Kathleen?” He asked truly looking at her for the first time. She was a mess; the white powder dusting her dark hair, cloths and face looked like flour. Tear tracks cut paths through the flour on her face and Liam could detect the first traces of a bruise on her jaw.
Liam’s muscles tightened in anger, directed both at himself and at his father. He didn’t really mind when his father hit him anymore, he’d long since grown past the point where it really hurt and he usually deserved it. Kathleen didn’t deserve it, and she was so much smaller. Liam was generally able to protect her, but he’d been too hung over that morning to do so and now she was hurt and crying. The one person he swore he’d never let down, and get he had. He could never do anything right, not even when he actually wanted to succeed.
“I tried to make breakfast for Mum. I thought maybe it would make her feel better, but everything went wrong and Da’s really angry,” Kathleen explained.
“And now you’ve got a “make this right or else” ultimatum, with a “you’d better not let Anna help, for it’s not her duty to be cleaning up after your foolishness” stuck on the end correct?” Liam asked. “Where is he now?”
“He left for the docks, a new shipment’s arrived. Mum’s taken to her rooms again,” Kathleen reported.
“In that case give me ten minutes to get fresh cloths, then we’ll see to your bit of a mess, and maybe get a breakfast together for your mum after all,” Liam suggested. If he were caught his father would be furious, helping Kathy in the cleaning and cooking were probably the only two constructive things he could do that would rank below his drawing in his father’s eyes, but to win a smile from Kathleen he’d gladly endure his father’s scorn.
And there it was, a happy smile making it’s way on to Kathleen’s face, just the reward he’d been seeking.
In just under the promised ten minutes Liam was surveying the disaster that had been the kitchen. “Good lord Kathleen, how’d ye manage this?” he asked.
“The flour was too heavy and it’s stupid to store it up so high,” Kathleen explained. The bag burst when it hit the floor. I tried to mop it up but it only made everything worse.”
“That I can see. How’d the syrup come to be involved?” Liam asked.
“The handle of the mop,” Kathleen said blushing. “I forgot it was behind me.”
“And Father bringing home company, more likely than not if a new shipment in,” Liam laughed.
“It’s not funny!” Kathy protested.
“No, it’s really not,” Liam admitted. “Still, I would have enjoyed watching his face go purple.”
A small choked giggled escaped Kathy. “He does turn purple, doesn’t he?”
Cheerfully Liam and Kathy set to removing the mess.
“It would help if ye added a bit of soap to your water,” Anna suggested, standing in the doorway, holding a basket of eggs.
“You’re a genius, my beauty,” Liam laughed, standing up in the spreading mess that his and Kathy’s cleaning efforts had produced.
“Less water would have also been good,” Anna continued grinning. “That is if your intentions were cleanliness and not a recreation of the flood.”
“Da’ll be mad if you help,” Kathy said nervously. “He specifically said you couldn’t.”
“And I won’t dearest, I’ll just advise. It’s quite the treat for me seeing Master Liam get his hands dirty, and me thinking that the lad regards all forms of honest work as a toxin,” Anna reassured Kathy.
“This is not work,” Liam announced, making a grand sweeping gesture to the kitchen. “It’s a favor to my favorite girl, an altogether different matter.”
Anna laughed. “Ah Liam, it’s times line this that make me think I could fall in love with you. You’ve a good heart under all your posturing.”
______________________________________________________________
“How?” Angel asked.
“You’ve heard stories of mortals being taken Underhill by the fair folk for a night’s revelry and returning to find their friends and family aged and gray?” Anna asked. Angel nodded. “I’ve lived Underhill for over fourteen years. There’s not a thing left of the world that I knew, except for you.”
“I have a war to fight,” Angel said pulling his knives from the dartboard and turning his attention back to target practice. “I don’t have time to help you acclimate to the twenty-first century and your Liam has been dead for two hundred and forty-seven years. I only look like him.”
“I’ve seen the stupidity you revel in with this war of yours Liam,” Anna snapped. “And believe me you can afford to put it on hold. I thought you were finally living up to the potential you’ve always had, but no you had to find another way to sabotage yourself. If you’re wise Liam you’ll go back to your friends, apologize on bended knee and let them help you. But regardless of what you choose to do with your life you will help me find our son.”
This time the hilt of the knife thunked against the wall almost a yard away from the dartboard then clattered to the floor.
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Despite coming from ten miles east of Galway before accepting a position in the O’Neill household Anna had heard all the stories about Liam O’Neill. He was handsome, charming and every girl who mentioned him had a list of his faults longer than her arm.
As far as Anna had been able to tell, all the girls who mentioned him fell into one of two equally populous camps; His former lovers, who despised him, but would almost certainly take him back if he asked, and those who hoped to be his next conquest, even though they found his behavior absolutely scandalous.
Anna was determined that she should remain the third type of girl, the ones that just didn’t mention Liam O’Neill despite the fact she’d be sharing a residence with him.
There were many things she’d expected; His flirtatious and persistent pursuit of her, his very notable charm and undeniable good looks. She’d expected those and been prepared to deal with them without destroying her ability to do her job. A job which she truly needed.
Anna hadn’t been ready to find a real person behind all the stories. She hadn’t been prepared for Liam’s honest love for his younger sister or to know that his brawling was, in part, a cover for the bruises his father left on him. She hadn’t expected the odd flashes of hurt anger in his eyes when Corinne was mentioned or her growing suspicion that it had been Corinne and not Liam who had lied about her baby’s parentage and maybe that was why Corinne had killed herself.
That Liam could occasionally drop his act and show that underneath all the garbage there was a fairly likable young man was always a surprise, a dangerous one. Anna had no interest in Galway’s most notorious rakehell, regardless of how attractive the packaging, but Li was another thing altogether. Anna had a potentially disastrous fascination with finding out what Li could become if he only gave himself a chance.
This morning however, only the rake was in evidence. “Anna, come closer,” he called.
Anna knew he hadn’t been home last night and could guess at the state he was in. “Master Liam, your father…” she protested, attempting to tactfully put off his advances.
“Will be off to church by now, repenting of his sin. And well he should. Closer, Anna.” Liam could be so damnably persistent when he was drunk.
“Why do you keep to the shadows sir? Are you not well?” Anna asked lightly.
“The light, it bothers my eyes just now,” Liam explained. Anna felt a touch of dread as she saw Mr. O’Neill appeared behind his son. She didn’t want to be having this conversation with Liam, but of all the ways to get out of it. Intervention by his father wasn’t one she’d wish for.
“And I know the reason why!” The older man exclaimed, knocking Liam to the ground. “Up again all night is it? Drinking and whoring. I smell the stink of it on you.”
Quietly Anna departed, the last thing she wanted to do was witness Liam’s calling down, it could only add to his humiliation and her presence certainly wouldn’t temper his father’s actions.
“And a good morning to you Father,” Anna heard Liam say as she hurried away, just as if being struck was a perfectly normal form of greeting. Anna felt her eyes burn, from what she’d seen in the last few years it was a normal greeting, at least in Liam’s experience.
She’d come expecting to despise Liam O’Neill but in truth it was his father’s behavior that truly disturbed her.
Anna chose duties that kept her in the barns and far from the house for the rest of the morning, giving everything time to die down.
When she was finally forced back to the house she was stunned to find Liam and Kathleen both kneeling on the kitchen floor in a pool of flour paste, syrup and water. The siblings were both smiling and laughing, covered in a fair share of the mess they were attempting to clean up.
Anna fought back giggles at the site of Galway’s Romeo, sitting on the floor his hair and cloths covered in flour. “A bit of soap would help,” She advised.
“You’re a genius, my beauty,” Liam replied gallantly.
______________________________________________________________
And that was the start of it, Anna remembered, the three of them working together in the kitchen that morning, laughing and joking. All of her preconception put aside along with Liam’s pretenses.
Afterwards Kathy decided she wanted Anna to teach her to cook and somehow Li was always on hand for the lessons.
Occasionally they flirted, but mostly they just talked. And even the flirting was different, Liam would never blatantly proposition a girl with his darling little sister watching. Although Anna suspected Kathy wasn’t quite as naive as Liam might like to believe. She seemed to truly know her brother, both the good and the bad and loved him despite his faults.
Anna was rapidly finding that she could do the same. She couldn’t pretend he didn’t end up drunk more nights than not, or that finding a woman between the ages of eighteen and thirty who he hadn’t propositioned was unlikely and all too many of those had said yes. Other than Kathy, Anna couldn’t think of a single person who wouldn’t laugh in her face if she told them she was slowly but surly falling for Liam O’Neill.
Worse yet her own common sense told her that the only person who could truly hold any part of Liam’s heart was his younger sister. Anna found herself cursing Corinne and her machinations at odd moments, blaming the other girl for Liam’s lack of trust.
Despite common sense, public opinion and all of Liam’s faults, Anna found herself doing the one thing she swore she would never do; She was falling in love with Liam O’Neill.
______________________________________________________________
Anna smiled as she watched Liam walking toward the paddock with a saddle balanced easily on his shoulder.
For someone who often claimed to be up to anything… excepting an honest day’s work, he was quiet dedicated to his horses. Liam claimed breaking horse to ride wasn’t work, it was a paying hobby, but it certainly looked like honest work to Anna.
The son of a merchant of Irish decent couldn’t afford the type of horse Liam favored, but the Nobility and the English soldiers needed their animals trained and no one was better with horses than Liam O’Neill.
Anna hurried into the house to gather her mending, she could move that down to the barn and have an excuse to watch Liam work, these were the moments when she could pretend that he really was the man of her dreams.
Dressed in a plain dust colored shirt and coarse breaches, his dark hair pulled back with a simple leather tie. Liam didn’t look like member of the mercantile class. He looked like someone a tenant farmer’s daughter could aspire to marry.
Liam dropped the saddle beside the training paddock and headed for the barn, waving cheerfully to Anna as he did. He returned leading Lord Richard’s black yearling. The horse trotted eagerly after Liam, bumping his back with it’s nose in an urgent demand for one of the sugar cues Liam always carried when he was working with the horses. Liam had been working with the yearling for several weeks already and it was well acquainted with his rewards system.
Anna settled in a sunlit patch of grass with her sewing as Liam tied the horse to the paddock fence.
“Yer a beauty ain’t ya, Dixon,” Liam cooed, rubbing the horse’s arched nose. The horse nickered softly. Liam began brushing Dixon’s shiny coat with a heavy wire brush. The horse snorted with pleasure and Liam smiled as he continued talking softly to the horse. It was good that Dixon associated his touch with good feelings, he’d accept the saddle easier, if the horse already trusted Liam’s intentions.
After about fifteen minutes Liam set aside the brush and picked up the saddle and blanket. He placed them over Dixon’s withers and quickly secured them. Dixon’s eyes rolled fearfully, the whites showing. “Ack, easy Dixon, easy. I’ve never hurt ye and I’m not about to start now,” Liam promised, patting the horse soothingly.
Dixon pranced nervously, suddenly very unhappy about how closely he was tied to the fence. Liam hadn’t left him anywhere to run to. “Easy now, easy,” Liam kept repeating, trying to get through to the frightened animal.
Anna smiled at them proudly, there was so much Liam was good at, it was a shame his father couldn’t see it and that the older man’s view had so thoroughly warped Liam’s self image. The elder O’Neill desperately wanted his son to join him in the family business, but Liam would never be a merchant.
Money held no interest for him, except in the spending of it and Liam spared no manners on people he didn’t like. It was a testament to his skill with horses that he was still training mounts for the garrison since he’d told the commanding officer to his face what he thought of English soldiers in general and the officer in particular. He’d gone to the stocks for a day for that particular transgression but the formal report on the incident simply said “drunk and disorderly” and Liam kept his contract with the garrison.
Once Dixon was standing calmly with the saddle still on his back, Liam untied him, tightened the straps one last time and mounted.
For a moment Dixon stood, frozen in shock, then decided he was most assuredly opposed to this new development and spun sharply, trying to dislodge his rider. Liam gripped the edge of the saddle with one hand and pulled back sharply on the reins. Dixon lashed out with his back hooves then tucked his head down and bucked. Liam pulled up on the reins trying to force Dixon’s head back up, but the horse kicked out his back legs again and his rider tumbled over his head to the ground.
Liam landed flat on his back with a thud that drove all the air from his lungs, but kept hold of the reins.
Now that he was free of the frightening weight on his back, Dixon calmed and came over to nudge the figure on the ground with a curious nose. Happily the horse nuzzled the pocket where he knew Liam kept his sugar cubes. Irritably Liam shoved him away. “You’re in no way deserving of a reward for that ya great beast,” he said.
Liam climbed to his feet, rubbing at new bruises on his shoulder, then resolutely remounted.
By the time Dixon was moving calmly about the paddock, too exhausted to protest against being ridden any longer, the pile of clothing to be mended at Anna’s side was gone. Looking every bit as tired as the horse Liam dismounted pulling his tack off of Dixon and rubbed the horse down then returned him to the barns.
Liam came back and flopped on the ground beside Anna. He smelled of leather and dirt and sweat, all traces of the pub or the whorehouse wiped away by the day’s work.
“Dixon’s coming along very nicely,” Anna commented.
“That he is. He’ll be a fine mount.” Liam replied. “Only wish I could keep him.”
“There’ll be other’s his equal or better,” Anna assured him.
“Aye, and I’ll have to give them back as well,” Liam said.
Anna set aside her sewing and gently smoothed a loose tendril of hair back from Liam’s forehead. “Maybe someday…” She began, but Liam shook his head, they both knew the dangers of hoping for what couldn’t be. Anna smiled sadly and continued stroking his hair in silence.
Gradually the warm summer sun sent Liam to sleep. Anna, well on her own way to the arms of Morpheus, lay down beside him. Kathy and her parents were visiting Rachel’s family on the other side of the bay, they weren’t expected back for another night. She and Liam were behind the barn, well back from the road and the eyes of any curious visitors. No one would be the wiser if she indulged in a little harmless fantasizing.
Anna rested her head on Liam’s shoulder and sighed happily when his arm wrapped loosely around her waist.
Anna woke to find Liam watching her intently, a soft smile curving his lips. “You’re most beautiful Anna, both inside and out, very few are both, but you most definitely are,” he said, leaning over to kiss her.
A burst of warmth flooded Anna’s body as Liam’s lips brushed hers. Still more than half lost in pleasant dreams she returned the kiss.
Liam took her into his arms, expertly untying her apron and undoing the long line of buttons running down the center of Anna’s back as they kissed. Anna clung to his shoulders, her eyes blissfully shut until she felt his clever fingers loosing her corset.
Her eyes popped open in surprise and alarm as she drew back. “We can’t. I’ll loose my position,” Anna protested.
“How will my father be finding out?” Liam asked, reaching up to loosen her hair. “I’ll not be telling him.”
“It’s not right,” Anna argued.
“I love you Anna, how can it be wrong?” Liam asked, kissing her again. Floating on a cloud of happiness Anna returned the kiss. Liam’s hands cupped her face gently. “I’ve never felt this way about any girl before.”
“You’ve never been refused for so long either I’d wager,” Anna said, common sense making another bid for supremacy.
“Most don’t want to know any more of me than my reputation,” Liam said. “If they knew me as you do, they would want nothing to do with me.”
“No,” Anna protested. “You’re a wonderful person Liam, I wish you’d let people see that. You’re so much more than your father sees. The more I come to know you the more I love you.”
“You’re the only one who believes in me,” Liam said, sucking at the base of her neck. Anna moaned softly. When Liam resumed unlacing her corset she didn’t protest.
______________________________________________________________
Two weeks later Anna stood in the shadows as Liam’s father yelled at him again, about yet another of Liam’s all night long escapades. Angry tears burned in Anna’s eyes as she waited for her turn.
Liam’s father stormed into the house, leaving his son lying in the courtyard by the well. Gingerly Liam felt at the side of his head where it had struck the well when he had fallen. His fingers came away bloody. Vacantly fascinated he stared at the bright red fluid coating his hand.
Anna drew up a bucket of water and dipped a rag from her pocket in the cold water then knelt beside Liam and pressed the rag to his cut.
“I thank ye kindly my lovely Anna,” Liam said.
“Don’t,” Anna objected. “I’m angry at ya Li, I didna think you’d do this to me. I thought I meant something to you. I thought I could trust you.”
“I didn’t mean any harm,” Liam said. “You didn’t want us to become known. My friends would of thought it odd if I’d called it a night early. They would of wanted to know who it is that’s calling me away.”
“Your friends are a bunch of drunken imbeciles,” Anna said angrily. “It’s a wonder that they can find the pub each night without assistance. Ya didn’t have to go sleeping with some whore to throw them off the track.”
“Why are you so mad Anna? I’ve not changed,” Liam objected.
“No you haven’t,” Anna said. “I believe you were capable of loyalty, I see now that I was wrong. I never meant anything to you did I Liam? Just another colleen foolish enough to fall for your lies. You’ve stopped bleeding Li, the cut wasn’t bad, it’s just that head wounds bleed liberally.”
Anna dropped the bloodstained rag in Liam’s lap and walked away. He watched her go in bewilderment.
______________________________________________________________
“Don’t ya like Liam any more?” Kathy asked. “You never talk to him anymore.”
“I thought he liked me more than he did,” Anna replied. “And it hurts to learn the truth.”
“He didn’t mean to hurt you,” Kathy said. “Li never means to hurt anyone.”
“He does hurt them though,” Anna said. “He doesn’t think half as much as he ought to and in the end it’s never his heart lying on the ground in pieces is it?”
“You do still like him,” Kathy concluded.
“Yes, I love him, but I can’t trust him and love’s no good without trust,” Anna said tiredly.
______________________________________________________________
“You were pregnant when you left,” Angel said, setting aside his remaining throwing knives. “You should have told me.”
“I didn’t realize it myself until I’d reached the colonies,” Anna said. “Maybe I’d have know it sooner, but I was wretchedly sea sick for the whole voyage. I thought about turning around and going home, but I’d indentured myself to get there and what would the point have been anyway?”
“I didn’t give in to my father,” Angel said.
“A huge surprise that is,” Anna replied. “Ya never did as he wanted.”
“I always did what he wanted,” Angel corrected.
“Naw, Liam. You did as he expected. That’s not the same,” Anna said. “He was a fool and so were you. He told you everything you did wrong and never expected any better from you, but you let his expectations define you. You never once tried to prove that you were more than what he thought of you. Maybe you couldn’t have won his approval, I didna think he knew how to give it, but you would have know what you’d done.”
“Every time the two of you got into serious fight you did the same thing; you went out and tried to find a new dept to sink to. Well that time you exceeded all expectations didn’t you? You became a demon.”
______________________________________________________________
“I’ve arranged for you to marry John MacCullin’s elder daughter.”
Liam’s mouth dropped open as he stared at his father. “I don’t even know her,” he protested.
“And do you think she’d have you if the reverse weren’t true?” the older man asked.
“I won’t do it,” Liam said, slamming the door behind him as he walked out. He didn’t even notice Anna standing in the hallway, her hand pressed to her mouth, her eyes filled with shock and pain.
Liam didn’t bother to saddle Dixon, he simply lead the horse from the barn and threw himself on top. He had Dixon at a gallop before they cleared the yard.
Anna watched him disappear into the darkness, feeling like she’d been punched in the stomach. Slowly she walked back to her room, holding back her tears till she had privacy. Then she cried the whole night long.
The next morning, red-eyed, exhausted, and relieved, having realized Liam wouldn’t marry at his father’s bidding, Anna dressed and waited for his return. She worked distractedly as morning turned to afternoon with no word of Liam. By evening both Anna and Kathy were worried.
It was all too easy to picture Liam lying dead in an ally or in a ditch. They both knew the mood he’d been in when he’d left; angry, reckless and somehow it was always Liam that ended up bleeding when he was in that mood. Riding bareback on a half-broke horse as fast as he could persuade the animal to go, ignoring roads and all common sense. If he made it into town without incident he’d get drunk and find a fight. Liam would only come home when the pain in his body out weighed the pain in his soul.
“Some day he wouldn’t come home at all. Someday the death he courted would take him,” Anna thought. “Maybe today.”
As the second day dawned, Kathy saddled the old family horse and headed town ward. She couldn’t stand not knowing any longer.
Anna couldn’t stand knowing, if not this time then the next or the one after. Someday Liam would find death as he ran from his demons. Anna didn’t want to know, she wanted to go away, where she didn’t have to watch him seek self-destruction, day after day. She wanted to be able to pretend he’d out grown his pain and found a life that didn’t torture him.
Anna packed and gave notice to the elder O’Neill and had left before Kathy returned.
______________________________________________________________
“Where’s Anna?” Liam asked.
“She left, went to the colonies,” his father replied.
“Why?” Liam asked.
“Most likely because she couldn’t stand living under the same roof as yourself.”
“It’s not true,” Liam snapped. “Anna loved me.”
“Who could possibly love you?” the older man asked. “You’ve not one redeeming characteristic.”
“I’m not the failure you wish me to be,” Liam said. “I’ll go find Anna and I’ll marry her, we’ll be happy. You can’t stop me. You don’t control me any more.”
Angrily Liam stalked upstairs and began packing his belongings, his father followed him.
“Liam, stop this foolishness,” his father barked. “You’ve never even been to Dublin and now you’re off to the colonies? You’ve no concept of the distance or the dangers. You know nothing of caring for yourself.”
“We’ll see,” Liam replied. “If I get myself killed, then you’ll be proved right. Either way you’ll never have to worry about me humiliating you again. I’m surprised you aren’t celebrating!”
“You’re my son, you’ll do as I say, and I forbid you to leave this house.”
“Try and stop me,” Liam spat, rushing down the stairs. “I’m not a child anymore, you don’t frighten me now.”
“Liam, you’ll do as I say!” his father yelled after him.
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“The ship wouldn’t leave till the morning tide,” Liam thought. That left plenty of time for a last night of revelry before he left Galway forever.
______________________________________________________________
“What’s done is done Liam,” Anna said. “It can’t be changed and it doesn’t matter now. What matters is our son is missing. He’d lived Underhill his whole life and he’s only a boy. He won’t be able to manage. The world’s changed so much that I’m not any better off. I need you to find him.”
“Of course I’ll help,” Angel said. “I’m glad you came to me.”
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