Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SELENE
Iglanced from Maeve, standing next to me, to Cillian, who stood just inside the great hall, and then to the restoration council chairperson, uncertain what was about to go down.
But something was.
Maeve stood and inched closer to me, whispering, “Uncanny timing.”
I curved my lips into a relieved smile and nodded.
The pressure that had intensified when Margaret arrived rose several more degrees, leaving the atmosphere thick with tension. The sophisticated older woman filled her lungs, expanding her chest, as she turned to my boss with a chilly smile. “Cillian. What a surprise to see you in Killarney.”
“Margaret.” The distinguished man crossed the hall in an unhurried manner, appearing perfectly calm. “I didn’t expect to find you here either. A happy coincidence?”
Mrs. Halbrook held her smile and lifted her chin just the slightest. “I hadn’t planned on a site visit for several more weeks, but I was in the area.”
Cillian cut in, giving her a friendly nod as he did. “As was dictated in the contract.”
Margaret dropped her smile. “But if you recall, the contract stated that those dates were approximations, and there was no limit to the number of times a council member could check on progress.”
She released her breath, and her posture eased into something more even. “Besides, it’s been ages since I’ve been in the old building, and I’ve always enjoyed watching a structure be brought back to life.”
And yet, she’d been part of the group that had prevented it for years.
“Of course. I fully understand.” My boss glanced around as he strolled farther into the great hall, stopping only when he’d reached Maeve and me. It wasn’t lost on me that he’d made certain Margaret would see us as a team. That one small move reassured me greatly.
Cillian curved his lips into a satisfied smile. “This is my first chance to check on the progress too. Looks like things are moving along smoothly, Selene.”
I held his gaze, hoping he sensed my gratitude. “Yes, and now that Maeve’s here, we’ll be able to move even faster.”
He cupped his chin and tapped his finger against his lips as he studied the fireplace.
Then he dropped his hand and inhaled an enthusiastic breath.
“I’m actually glad we ran into each other here, Margaret.
It will save me a trip once we’re back in Dublin.
When you’ve finished your assessment, I hope you’ll spare me a few moments. ”
The pressure in the air intensified while I waited for her response. There was nothing I could do to ease it, but I suspected once Margaret left, it might return to normal.
The woman offered him a chilly smile and then took her time strolling around the great hall, examining scaffolding, before she lifted her gaze to the hairline cracks in the archway leading to the stairs, which I hadn’t touched yet.
She continued around the room, obviously taking her time, while Cillian observed patiently.
I had no doubt it was a game they played, and I yearned to know more about the motivation behind their moves.
Margaret finally approached us, gazing between Maeve and me. “Your work is sufficient and on schedule. I have no complaints.”
Maeve sucked in a quick breath as if she intended to respond. I stiffened, but she held her tongue, and the breath eased out of me.
Cillian cleared his throat. “In that case, please excuse us, ladies. Margaret, if you’ll join me outside?”
The councilperson allowed him to escort her to the door, where he held it open. He turned back, sending us a reassuring smile, before he stepped out and closed the massive oak door behind them.
The pressure in the great hall dropped dramatically, and I slid my gaze to Maeve, wondering if she’d sensed it too.
“Right,” she whispered. “I felt that.”
If we hadn’t just endured what we had, I would have teased her about doubting me earlier. Instead, I acknowledged her claim with a soft sigh. “Let’s get back to work.”
She quickly nodded. “Good idea. Just in case they come back in straightaway. We’ll breathe later.”
Her comment brought a smile to my face. “Exactly.”
I grimaced at the mortar that had dried on my trowel and would need to be cleaned before I could continue. I shifted my gaze to Maeve, ready to offer to clean hers too, but she’d drifted closer to the window she’d opened earlier, standing near it with her eyes closed.
My confusion lasted only a second before I realized she was listening to them. I quietly scurried forward just in time to catch Cillian speaking, his tone low and controlled. “…not the appropriate approach.”
Mrs. Halbrook’s reply was cooler. “The deterioration is worsening, Cillian. The committee has concerns.”
Maeve opened her eyes, locking gazes with me, while we waited for our boss to respond. Several moments passed before he did. “The deterioration is being addressed. The castle is under active restoration for the first time in decades.”
“That’s not the deterioration I’m referring to.”
Maeve and I both raised our brows.
“Has proximity affected his judgment?” Mrs. Halbrook asked. “You know what happens when guardians become personally invested.”
What the…I mouthed, barely daring to breathe.
“Bren is doing his job.” The careful flatness in Cillian’s voice was more deliberate than usual. “He may be more vigilant than necessary. He may read patterns ahead of their confirmation. That’s preferable to the alternative.”
“His attachment—”
“He’s committed to the restoration, Margaret. That’s not a liability where the Veil is concerned.”
“And the restoration specialist? Has her arrival disrupted things?”
Maeve wrinkled her nose, appearing confused. “Things?”
I shrugged, not appreciating Margaret’s scrutiny, and was just as uncertain as Maeve.
Cillian was quick to respond. “Selene is doing a fine job, as you’ve just seen for yourself. The castle is more stable than it’s been in ages. Everyone should be pleased about that.”
“Hmm…” Margaret said but didn’t comment further.
I shook my head at Maeve, continuing our whispered conversation. “I don’t like her.”
My friend pressed her lips together in disdain. “Right? Who does she think she is?”
There was that, but I was more interested in what she was, because every instinct told me she wasn’t an ordinary person. She was more. Like Bren and me, which left me to wonder how many others there were. The entire restoration committee? I couldn’t be sure.
The sound of boots coming down the stairs startled me, and I whipped around. Bren appeared, striding toward us with a dark look. “Where are they? Outside?”
We both nodded wordlessly.
He continued past us and out the door, slamming it behind him.
Maeve shook her head in bewilderment. “Another uncanny arrival. What is going on here?”
And how had Bren been upstairs and we hadn’t noticed? His truck hadn’t been outside.
Before I could respond, Bren voiced the same sentiment as Maeve’s question, only in a much fiercer tone. “What the bloody hell is this? Why wasn’t I notified?”
Mrs. Halbrook replied, faintly cool. “The committee doesn’t require an appointment to assess the property.”
If anything, Bren’s response sounded angrier. “If you have concerns about the restoration’s progress, you contact me or Cillian directly. You don’t arrive without notice, occupy the worksite, and slow our progress.”
Several seconds passed before he continued in a calmer voice. “If the committee would like a full briefing on the castle’s current condition, I’m happy to schedule one.”
Margaret snorted. “That’s generous, Mr. McLoughlin.”
Another long moment trickled past with no one saying anything, until Cillian finally joined the discussion. “I would like to be included in the briefing as—”
The chairperson didn’t let him finish before she spoke over top of him, her irritation clear. “We’ll be in touch about that briefing. Also, expect Doherty’s nephew in the next few days.”
Bren scoffed. “We discussed this, Margaret.”
“That’s correct. I believe the agreement was that if the council sent him, you would allow it upon the condition that if he caused problems, he could be immediately dismissed.”
Bren hesitated before answering. “True.”
“Good,” Margaret said, sounding pleased.
Maeve and I stared at each other in wonder while we waited to see what would happen next. A car door slammed, followed by the sound of an engine starting, and then Bren finally spoke to Cillian. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“My only concern is what might have occurred that would bring her to Killarney. She’s not one to leave Dublin unless necessary.”
Bren’s anger reignited. “How the bloody hell should I know? We’ve done nothing to draw attention.”
“Then perhaps we’ve nothing to concern ourselves with, and things remain as we’ve discussed. I’ll be on my way. Tell my crew I’ll speak with them later.”
The massive oak door opened just as we heard another car starting, and Bren walked in. His gaze went to me first, then to Maeve, and then to the room at large. “What did Margaret say to you?”
I shrugged, surprised by his demanding tone. “She asked questions about the restoration.”
He narrowed his gaze. “Nothing else?”
Part of me wanted to confess my gut instincts, but I needed to process them first. “No.”
Bren dipped his head in acknowledgment of Maeve before focusing on me again. “If you require anything, I’ll be upstairs.”
Maeve exhaled slowly as he stepped through the doorway leading to the stone stairs. Neither of us said anything for nearly a minute.
“Right,” she said finally.
“Right,” I agreed.
I held up my trowel and nodded to the one she still held. “I’ll clean these, and we’ll get back to work.”
Deep down, I knew Mrs. Halbrook’s questions had not been about the castle.
Knew that the things she’d found interesting had nothing to do with lime mortar or cracked lintels or the difference between structural failure and aged stone.
When she said she’d noticed, she hadn’t been talking about the restoration.
I feared powerful people were monitoring this place. It seemed Bren’s intention to restore Mystwood had drawn attention from somewhere beyond a local restoration committee. Bren and Cillian seemed concerned, but I couldn’t begin to guess why.