Chapter 9
“W elcome to Neamh, everyone ,” Darro addressed the crowd. “It’s good to have family and close friends to gather with during the holidays, and to enjoy a meal with. As ye all know, everyone has Christmas secrets and we all try to ferret out as many as we can. But the most mysterious secret I’ve encountered this year is the Clootie Dumplings that no one has admitted to bringing. And they are very good, by the way. So, before we ask a blessing and eat, I’d like someone to volunteer what that’s all about.”
Everyone began mumbling and looking around at each other with smiles and grins, but no one raised a hand.
Darro’s eyebrows shot up. “If ye don’t volunteer, I’m going to sick Pauley MacNamara on ye. She’s known to get results and will be ferreting out every secret ye have if ye aren’t careful.”
They all laughed and the Chief Inspector hooted. “Ye got that right. DS McBride, recently turned MacNamara, never gives up until she solves what she’s working on.”
Dottie wasn’t shocked when Ben cleared his throat and stepped forward. “I believe I can answer that, sir.”
They all stared at Ben and Dottie waited for him to admit he made the treat.
Darro recovered first. “Well...don’t just stand there, lad. Come over here and explain what’s going on.”
Ben flushed slightly, but he took Dottie’s hand and pulled her forward in front of the buffet table. Then he turned to her and took both of her hands. “Dottie, I want ye to know how much I love ye. And because I love ye so much, and I know ye hate cooking, I decided to surprise ye and take a few cooking lessons of my own from Poppy. And I found out that I liked doing it. I also asked Poppy to help me make yer favorite Christmas treat just fer ye fer the party. Merry Christmas, Dottie. I hope ye like yer Christmas surprise.”
Dottie opened her mouth to speak but she was so shocked that nothing would come out at first. Ben was taking cooking lessons? She swallowed hard and tried again. “I don’t know what to say, Ben. I would never in a million years have seen this coming.” She couldn’t keep her eyes from tearing up. “This is the most thoughtful surprise I’ve ever had. Ye are the best husband ever and I love it.” She threw her arms around him and hugged and kissed him while everyone clapped and cheered.
Darro cleared his throat. “I have to admit, I didn’t see that coming either. Anyone else besides Ben and Poppy know about this Christmas secret?”
Everyone muttered and shook their heads.
Dal remained silent and just grinned.
“I suspected it,” Angus threw out. “Since Poppy was makin’ dumplin’s fer the Sangster family Christmas, I wondered if those in the kitchen might have anythin’ to do with the ones she made.”
Darro stared at his second in command. “Why didn’t ye say so before this? That was a good clue.”
Angus threw his hands in the air and rolled his eyes. “Do I have to do everythin’ around here?”
Catcalls and insults abounded until Darro held up his hands with a grin. “Well done, Ben. That’s probably the best kept secret I’ve heard in a long time. Now, let’s have a blessing on the food. I don’t know about all of ye, but I’m starved. Father MacCaulay, will ye do the honors?”
The portly priest who had married Darro and Lucerne, as well as Darro senior and both of his wives, stepped forward. “Aye, with pleasure.”
Dottie was so excited and overwhelmed that she barely listened as Father MacCaulay blessed the food, Heaven’s Gate, and everyone who was there today before he finally finished. She snuggled in Ben’s arms, her heart full of gratitude and love. What he had done for her today was totally amazing and she could hardly believe it. That her husband would learn to cook for her sake, and find out that he actually liked it, was unbelievable. Who would have ever thought that could happen?
Her thoughts drifted to the letter she’d received in the mail today. Now she had a real Christmas secret that Ben wouldn’t see coming either. She couldn’t wait to tell him.
***
A insley couldn’t keep from glancing at Dal every now and then. She hadn’t thought he would come, but he did. She was a bit disappointed that he never intentionally glanced her way that she could tell. She was hoping he might have thawed a little bit and would at least wish her a merry Christmas or something. She was even more disappointed as the afternoon of fun, good friends, and family slowly wound down.
A few inches of snow were predicted tonight, starting around 7:00 p.m. Everyone would be leaving to get off the mountain roads before dark. People would want to be snug in their homes by that time. It was going on 5:00 p.m. and several had already left.
Idly she wondered what he would do if she ‘accidentally’ spilled her drink on him? That would get his attention, but it would catch everyone else’s attention as well. Deciding that wouldn’t be a mature thing to do, she decided to visit Stardust in the barn. At least her horse understood her.
She was putting her outer gear on near the front door when she felt eyes on her. She glanced Dal’s way and he held her gaze captive for a moment before giving her a slight nod and then going back to the game. No thaw there, his eyes were as wary as before. So why did he even look at her? Frustrated, she wrapped her scarf around her neck and went out the door.
The barn wasn’t warm exactly, but it was warmer than outdoors when she stepped inside. The horses and the cats did give off some body heat, and there were space heaters in the offices when the men were working, but it was still cool. Stardust whickered a greeting as she took her gloves off, turned on the lights and headed for his stall.
She took off her coat and cap, hung them over the side of the stall, and put her arms around her horse’s neck. Leaning into his big body provided plenty of warmth and shelter. She’d been here when he was born and they had a strong bond.
“What do ye think, boy? Do ye think Dal is being an arse?” she muttered into the ear where his muzzle hung over her shoulder. His reply was to nuzzle her neck and shoulder and make the appropriate sounds to indicate he agreed with whatever she had to say.
She grabbed the curry brush from the hook on the side of the stall and began brushing his shining coat. His gold and white coloring was beautiful with his dark brown eyes. But the highlight was the golden star-shaped patch of hair on his forehead. Sprinkles of the same coloring, like freckles, danced about beneath the star, hence the name Stardust.
“I tried to apologize and he wouldn’t forgive me,” she complained, brushing the silky neck mane. “So that makes him an arse, right? I mean, we could at least be friends.”
“Ye made it plain ye never wanted to be my friend, brat.”
Ainsley stiffened at the husky voice that sent a sudden vibration through her nerves. Dal must have followed her, but she’d never even heard the barn door open. Whirling around, she glared at him. “That’s because ye were being an arse.”
He folded his arms in the burgundy ski jacket into that superior position men always used to try and intimidate the smaller sex. Admittedly, it looked good on him, the alpha male so naturally displayed making her pulse race. It wasn’t something he was putting on, it was who he was, blast him. She climbed up on the lower railing of Stardust’s gate so she could at least look him in the eye. It seemed to amuse him; she could see it in the smirk that turned up the corners of his lips.
“Being taller doesn’t make ye any righter, ye know.”
“Doesn’t make ye superior either,” she taunted back.
“I never said it did.”
“Well...this is all yer fault anyway,” she finally shot at him. “Ye and that stupid betting pool Angus had going. What was I supposed to do?” The bar was beginning to hurt through the soles of her boots so she hopped down off the rail and put the curry comb away.
Dal took off his white stocking cap and stuffed it in his pocket, then ran his long fingers through his messy blondish hair. “About that, I apologize, but I’m as much a victim as ye are when it comes to Angus. I didn’t even know about the pool until Ben told me a few days ago.”
Ainsley folded her arms around her waist in a protective gesture. “Right, and I’m supposed to believe that?” she scoffed.
“Is that why ye tried to run me over with the snowmobile?”
His shrewd gaze brought a flush to her face. “Ye were watching me and I didn’t like it,” she snapped. “I felt like I was being stalked. Why were ye doing it anyway?”
His hands flew to his hips. “I was thinking ye looked like ye were having fun and mayhap I could grab a snowmobile and we could all have some fun,” he growled.
“Ha! And win the betting pool fer yer friends I’m guessing.” Her toe started tapping all on its own. Did he really expect her to believe he wasn’t vested in the betting pool?
“Cripes! Why are ye so obsessed with that blasted pool? I could care less about it, I just wanted to get to know ye. I work fer Neamh and ye are the boss’s sister, a member of the family. I thought we should at least be on friendly terms.”
She could tell he was frustrated, but so was she. “I don’t believe ye.”
“I don’t care if ye don’t believe me,” he snarled at her. Then he turned around and started walking away. The view from the back was as droolworthy as the view from the front. Much to her dismay, she couldn’t drag her gaze away from those taut buttocks and long legs.
“Running off like a sore loser, are ye?” she taunted. “Now I know I’m right.”
He stopped suddenly and turned around to stalk back towards her. “I was leaving before I threw caution to the winds and just hauled ye over my lap to spank the living daylights out of ye. Ye are a brat, Ainsley MacCandish, and someone needs to take ye down a peg or two.”
“It won’t be by the likes of ye, Dallas MacIntosh,” she threw back furiously.
“I think it will,” he snapped. Two long strides later he was taking her by the arm when her self-preservation kicked in and she started to back away.
“Let go of me, Dal, I’m warning ye...”
“Too late fer that, brat.” He propped his booted foot up on the bottom rail of Stardust’s gate and hauled her over his strong thigh.
Ainsley tried to kick him or stamp on his booted toes but she couldn’t quite get there. Being held on her tiptoes made it hard to maneuver and her view was the stable floor. “Ye better not touch me,” she warned. “I’ll tell my brother and he will fire ye.”
Apparently, he wasn’t listening because no matter how much she struggled and threatened, his left arm had an iron grip around her waist.
“I’ll give ye one chance to apologize and mean it, Miss MacCandish,” Dal offered in a firm tone. “The next words out of yer mouth better be I’m sorry I misjudged ye, or ye are going to be sleeping on yer stomach tonight.”
Ainsley tried to bite his thigh, but the jean material was too thick and so was his muscle. It didn’t stop her from finally getting a nip in.
“Cripes, ye brat,” he growled. “Ye are going to regret biting me.”
The next thing Ainsley knew, her backside exploded with pain and burning heat right through her jeans and long underwear. Not just once or twice, but several teeth gritting blows that were taking her dancing on the tips of her toes. “Stop it,” she ordered, the pain blazing through her defenseless posterior like a wildfire.
Dal didn’t miss a spank. “Not until ye apologize and mean it,” he snapped.
Ainsley’s smacked his hard thigh with her fists, the agonizing pain trying to steal her breath away, but her stubborn nature wouldn’t allow her to give in.
Yet.
“I can keep this up all night. Can ye take it that long, brat?” The full arm swats went on relentlessly.
“Okay, I’m sorry,” she finally blurted through her pain. “Now let me up.”
“Nay, ye aren’t sorry, ye just want me to stop. Ye haven’t learned yer lesson yet.”
“I apologized the other day and ye never accepted it,” she yelled. “Why should I apologize again?” She was having a hard time controlling the urge to burst into tears. She couldn’t let him win though.
He paused for a moment and rubbed his palm over her stinging buttocks. “I did accept it; I just didn’t intend to let ye treat me like a low-class worker and ye were the lady of the manor anymore. Ye are the one accusing me of things I didn’t do, and I’m tired of yer bratty attitude. Ye deserve a good hiding.”
When he began his merciless barrage again, Ainsley finally broke. “Dal, I’m sorry. Maybe ye didn’t know about the pool. If so, I’m truly sorry,” she squealed trying to hold back the tears. Her body wouldn’t cooperate and the sobs finally burst from her chest. “Please let me go.”
He pulled her up then and she tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her. “That’s better. I’m sorry ye were embarrassed by the pool, but I didn’t know anything about it.”
She nodded and kept her gaze down at his chest as the tears trickled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry if I was rude to ye. But I already have a boyfriend in Boston and I didn’t want ye to get any ideas.”
“So, ye really aren’t interested then,” Dal commented, still holding her arms.
She shook her head. “Nay, I’m not, but I didn’t have to be rude either, in spite of the pool. I just thought ye were in on it and playing me fer sport over the holidays.”
He lifted her chin with one finger and she finally gazed up at him. His expression was odd. A mixture of acceptance and regret? At least he didn’t look like his eyes were made of ice anymore.
“Then I’ll just bid ye a Merry Christmas, Ainsley, and good wishes fer ye and yer man. Since I missed the mistletoe in the house, this will have to do.” He dug in his pocket with one hand and held the sprig over her head and dropped a gentle kiss on her lips. Then he laid it in her hand and closed her fist over it. “Goodbye, Ainsley.”
She watched him walk away with a lump in her throat. A chorus of feelings was racing through her. Of course it was goodbye, she had Thomas waiting for her. At least they had parted on good terms, right? Her lips still tingled where his mouth had touched hers. Thomas’s kisses had never left her tingling. Not anywhere on her body. Why was that?
Slowly she put her hat and coat on and then made her way back to the house. There weren’t too many people left, but she didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Her eyes swept the house for Dal but he must have gone straight to his truck and joined the caravan of vehicles headed out the fir-tree lined lane of Neamh.
As she passed Lucerne and Darro saying goodbye to guests, Lucerne touched her arm. “Are ye all right, Ainsley? Ye look upset.”
“I’m fine,” she assured her sister-in-law. Then she pulled away, completely missing the concerned looks Darro and Lucerne gave each other.
In her room she took off her coat and cap and lay down on the bed. She winced and turned to her side and tried to picture Thomas. He was waiting for her and it was only a few more days before she could return.
What was wrong with her then? She should be happy.
But she wasn’t.
***
“Y er sister looks like she’s been crying,” Lucerne remarked quietly to Darro after he closed the front door on their last guest.
Poppy and Angus were in the kitchen helping with clean-up. Jamie and Pauley had also gone back to the city ahead of the snow since Pauley was on Christmas Eve duty the next day.
The guests had pitched in and helped take down card tables to be returned to storage and gathered up what was left of the items they had brought. That took care of a lot of the food. Colorful paper plates had been used instead of China, so that clean-up had been easy.
The living room was back to a semblance of its normal order and Christmas music videos were softly playing on the big screen instead of sports.
Even the buffet table had been wiped down and put away, leaving only what was left in the kitchen to sort out.
Darro turned and took his wife into his arms. “I noticed that as well,” he admitted, a slight frown between his brows. “Do ye think she and Dal had words? I know they were both outside for a while.”
“Probably in the barn,” Lucerne guessed. “She always goes to talk to Stardust when something is troubling her. Should I go talk to her? Or do ye want to?”
Darro shook his head. “There’s nothing I can do fer her with regards to Dal. Ye can talk to her if ye want to, but it’s her life and she’s not interested in the lad. If they are fighting, its between them and I don’t think they will appreciate any interference.”
Lucerne nodded but she wasn’t so sure Darro was right. There was an undercurrent between Ainsley and Dal that she had picked up on. “I’m not so sure she isn’t interested,” she replied thoughtfully, staring up at her husband.
Darro’s eyebrow shot up. “What makes ye say that?”
“Call it womanly instinct,” she teased, running her finger down the dark shadow on his jaw.
“And why would that be a problem then, oh fair one?” Darro intoned like a wise, pot-bellied monk. “He already likes her.”
“It would be a problem if she didn’t want to be interested.”
Darro stared. “Ye just lost me. Cripes, ye women are complicated.”
Lucerne laughed. “It’s time fer little Darro to eat. I’ll just peek in on Ainsley before I get the baby.”
Darro frowned. “We need to figure out something besides little Darro to call the bairn. I don’t want him stuck with that the rest of his life.”
“We could use yer middle name,” she suggested.
“Lachlan? That means warlike in the Viking origins,” he replied. “Not sure why my great grandparents decided on that name, but perhaps it’s because there are several bodies of water on Heaven’s Gate lands.”
“What does that have to do with warlike?”
“It’s the Gaelic meaning of Lachlan,” he explained.
Lucerne giggled. “I like it. Lachlan. A hard, warlike, lover of water. It has a ring to it. The hard being the meaning of Darro, naturally.”
“Mayhap my great grandmother had a hand in the naming, since ye like it so much,” he replied dryly. “But okay, Lachlan he is.”
“Now maybe everyone will stop hesitating when they ask a question about the baby. It’s like no one else knows quite what to call him either.”
Darro turned her around and patted her bum. “Go check on Lachlan, wee mama, and yer Ainsley chick. I’ll go see if Angus has polished off all the left-overs yet and round up Corey and Delilah fer baths.”
“Aye, sir,” she saluted, and was rewarded with a sharp spank instead of a pat.
“I can see it’s almost time to settle up from the last few months,” Darro purred.
She shot him an innocent look sideways as they walked. “Settle up fer what? I haven’t done anything.”
“Fer all the things I never caught ye at,” he replied with a smug grin. He went on to the kitchen and left Lucerne staring after him, a curl of anticipation building in her stomach. Then she shook her head and headed down the hallway to Ainsley’s room and knocked lightly on the door.
She didn’t hear anything so she gently opened the door and peeked her head inside. Ainsley was lying on her side facing away from the door. “Ainsley?”
When Ainsley swiftly turned over, then winced and popped up, she knew the source of her bright eyes earlier.
“What do ye need?” Ainsley asked, walking to the door to meet her.
Lucerne eased inside and closed the door behind her. “Is everything all right? I couldn’t help but notice that ye and Dal both disappeared around the same time. Ye haven’t been arguing again, have ye?”
Ainsley hesitated and then sighed. “I was angry with him over that dumb pool,” she confessed. “So, aye, we argued about that. He says he didn’t know about the betting pool until Ben told him a few days ago, and I didn’t believe him.”
“And that’s been the source of yer attitude toward him since ye got home,” Lucerne guessed. “If it’s any consolation, I don’t think he did know, and he really does admire ye.”
She shrugged. “That’s his problem. I’m headed back to Boston and I don’t want a long-distance relationship with a playboy like Dal. Even if I was remotely interested and thought I could trust him,” she added hastily. “Besides, I have a boyfriend.”
Lucerne was surprised. “Does Darro know?”
“It’s none of my brother’s business,” she shot back. Then she ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. “I’m sorry, Lucerne, I didn’t mean to be rude. I haven’t told Darro because I know how he will react. It’s nothing serious at this point, but I can’t say I haven’t thought about it. Are ye going to tell him?” she asked warily.
Lucerne shook her head. “Not if ye don’t want me to. Ye can talk to me anytime ye like, Ainsley. I will keep yer confidence. It’s up to ye to tell him whatever personal business ye want him to know. But he might surprise ye. He realizes ye aren’t a child anymore.”
“Uh huh. And we both know how far that will go if I should decide to stay in Boston after school. He will be hopping mad about it.”
Lucerne chuckled. “He loves ye very much, so ye might be right. But he will also know that its yer decision whether he likes it or not.”
“Yeah...well...I’d rather skip over the hopping mad part and go straight to acceptance,” she replied with a grimace.
Lucerne grinned. “On that we can agree. I’m headed up to feed Lachlan, I just wanted to make sure ye were okay.” She turned and headed towards the door.
“Lachlan? Ye aren’t settling fer little Darro?”
Lucerne stopped at the door, her eyes twinkling. “Nay, we both want him to have a name and two Darro’s in the household at the same time would be confusing.”
Ainsly rolled her eyes. “Makes ye wonder why people bother to keep the same name fer several generations,” she drawled.
Lucerne chuckled. “Tradition.” Then she was surprised to find herself suddenly enveloped in a hug.
“Thanks, fer caring, Lucerne.” The hug was quick and Ainsley blushed slightly as she stepped back.
“I’m always here, talk to me anytime,” Lucerne replied softly. Then she let herself out and closed the door behind her.
As she made her way to the nursery off the master bedroom, she considered Ainsley’s words about Dal. He did have a reputation with women, that was true. Most playboys just hadn’t met the right woman yet. Dal had seemed so intent on Ainsley that she wondered if he’d actually fallen in love with her? It appeared to her that Ainsley was interested, but didn’t trust Dal. If so, they were off to a rocky start. Time would tell, she decided.
Inside the bedroom she could hear the baby fussing from his crib. She walked over and picked him up. “Hiya, Lachlan,” she crooned softly.
Lachlan quieted immediately, the blue eyes so like his father’s peering up at her. He was only a few weeks old, but was already responding to her voice and touch.
“Mama loves ye,” she crooned as she took him to her rocking chair. As she rocked and fed her baby, Lucerne basked in the Christmas spirit all around her from the small twinkling Christmas tree in the corner to the snowman stuffy sitting near the crib. It was a stuffie that her mother had given her years ago. She closed her eyes and sang softly, feeling the love of her mother and family in her heart.
Rhonda had loved Christmas and so did she.