Chapter Seventeen #2
“She really needed this trip here. Thank you for taking care of her and making her feel whole again. While me coming helped, being with people she loved has too. We absolutely want to pet the puppies and have dinner with Fiona. At her farm, and at the castle. We’d love to host them there, too.
I think that would also make her happy.”
Gabby could do that.
Fiona loved the castle, and with all the children and grandchildren, it would bring life back into the place.
Elizabeth wasn’t the only one who needed that injection of life.
When Elizabeth looked over at them, she smiled, and it was the smile of a whole new reenergized Elizabeth. There was a twinkle back in her eyes, and the worry lines were gone.
Here, she was finding herself again.
“She’s able to see it!” she said, excitedly.
That Catherine was.
In fact, when she was done, she handed the paper back to Elizabeth.
On it, there was the name that had been obstructed.
‘Cathal Connaught.’
It appeared they found the man that likely had Ceit’s heart, and the father of her child.
That was a big chunk of the mystery.
Before Elizabeth could say anything, Gabby went there.
“Isn’t Connaught a place in Ireland?” she asked, pretty sure that she’d heard that name before.
Finn nodded.
“It is, Lass. It’s a providence in Ireland. It once had kingdoms in it before Ireland became part of the English crown.”
Elizabeth considered that.
Sarah had asked about something along the same lines. There was no doubt they were on the right track.
“I think we need to dig deeper into that,” she said. “I doubt it’s a coincidence that the man Ceit loved has the same surname as the providence. We need to see if the Darragh and Connacht clans in Ireland at that time connected.”
Gabby agreed.
“I’ll take that on,” she said. “Because that’s computer work, and that’s my thing. I’ll get us into the Irish archives online to see what I can find. Give me some time, and before you know it, we’ll have it.”
That worked for her.
“Thank you, Gabs.”
She didn’t mind.
“If we found Ceit’s love, I’ll see what history says about him. If he existed, we might know more about the man who gave her that heart.”
That they might.
“Oh, I’m jealous of the mystery,” Catherine admitted. “Look at you solving one here in Scotland.”
Honestly, this was her kind of a mystery.
No one was going to get eaten by a cannibal or shot. Yeah, people died, but not on her watch.
Likely of a plague or famine.
As shitty as that was, not her circus, and not her clowns.
“Well, we’ll let you know what happens,” Elizabeth admitted.
Catherine touched her arm.
“Yes, please, Lass. Ravensmire is very important to all of us. That’s our history. Right now, someone in this town could be part of this story. Their history might be happening all around us. We truly do love that castle.”
Yeah, she understood. She loved it too.
“I’m glad we can restore it.”
Oh, well, Catherine knew it was going to be spectacular. Ravensmire was the talk of the town. Already, word was traveling that there was to be a wedding there in a few weeks.
The florist in town had a big mouth.
“What are you planning on doing with it? Finn won’t tell us shite about it. He’s annoying like that.”
Elizabeth didn’t ignore the question. She just had no say in that. Yes, she was a Blackhawk, and yes, it had been gifted to her by Callen and Chris, but she gave her portion to the two men who were taking care of her.
It was a gift from a mother to her children. In a way, she was doing something for Ceit since she’d not gotten to see her son grow up.
“I’m not involved in that. Now, it’s up to Graham. He’s Scottish, and he and his husband, my son, have the castle. You’d have to pump them for information.”
Finn sighed.
“Oh, Lads, you’re about to be in the news. My sister has a big mouth.”
Catherine laughed.
“I mean, no lies are detected,” she stated. “But when they ordered flowers for a wedding, that kind of blew secrecy to hell and back. No one in town knows WHOSE wedding is happening there, but we know there’s a Halloween wedding.”
Yes, yes, there was.
Ian and Gryphen’s.
It was good to see that it hadn’t leaked that the President of the United States would be there.
Elizabeth was to the point.
“We trust Graham and Michael to run Ravensmire. I’m sure they plan on letting the public have a look at her when she’s done. Let’s leave it at that for now.”
Catherine got it.
She was done talking about it.
“I think I’m going to look around at some of the things you have in here. I want to get something for all of my girls,” she said. “So, they have a piece of Scotland. Can you stay open a few more minutes? I can come back tomorrow if there’s an issue.”
Catherine nodded.
“Go ahead, Lass. I’ll be here. I don’t mind staying open for ya. The owner will be tickled pink that you’re buying presents for your daughters. May I suggest that case over there? We have some necklaces with birthstones in them.”
That was perfect.
When she left, Ethan got Catherine’s attention.
“There’s a necklace over there,” he said. “It has rubies and an infinity symbol. I’d like to buy it, but can you keep it on the down low?”
She winked at him.
Apparently, someone else was getting a token to remember Scotland.
“I’ll box it up, and Michael can drop the money off later. We know he’s good for the money.”
The man was right there.
“Put it on Callen’s tab. We have one here for when he wants to shop for his woman. Just add it into whatever Elizabeth is picking out.”
Catherine could do that for him.
“On it.”
Together, the family shopped, and when they were done, Elizabeth ended up with a necklace for each of her daughters. She was going to get kilts for her sons for the wedding.
Oh, that was going to be a fun argument when she tried to put CJ and EJ in them. Her boys were almost sixteen and fifteen. They were the boy-iest boys that ever lived. Making them wear a skirt…that was going to be a fight.
Only, she’d cross that bridge when she came to it.
Later.
After paying, they all checked out, and Ethan held his wife’s hand in his.
“Is that a fountain over there?” he asked, seeing it in the center of the village square.
It was lit up and looked so pretty. It was the perfect place to give his wife a gift.
She nodded.
“I made a wish on it, and you showed up,” she admitted. “So, like the rest of this country, it’s pretty special to me now.”
Well, he wanted to make a few wishes with his wife. That was his biggest dream for now.
That and to give her the gift he just bought.
Michael held out his hand.
“Give us the presents for the girls, and we’ll go put them in the car to give you a few minutes,” he said. “DON’T get in trouble.”
She laughed.
“What am I going to do? Kidnap a sheep so I can pet it? Seriously. There’s no one around. I think I can behave in a foreign country while on vacation. I’m American, but not that American.”
He laughed.
“That was EXACTLY what I was talking about. I’m going to have to frisk you. You have pockets, and there are stray cats here.”
She lifted a brow.
“Ethan likes cats.”
He stared at her.
“I do, but that’s not my favorite cat to pet,” he admitted. “So, I’ll pass.”
She snorted, as Michael looked horrified.
“Ewww. Mom and dad perversion is at the front and center. I need a drink.”
Finn laughed.
“Gabby and I will get to the pub to get our table. See you there,” he said, taking her hand and leading her away so Ethan could have a moment to make a memory with Elizabeth.
He deserved that.
As they were left alone, Ethan kissed his wife’s knuckles. Then, he stared into her eyes.
“Could I interest you in a walk to the fountain to make a wish, Lass,” he said with a Scottish accent.
She actually giggled.
“Laddie, are you trying to get into my britches?” she asked. “Because if the answer is yes, I’m here for that.”
He laughed.
“I do like a bonny-haired lass,” he said.
Elizabeth kissed him.
Oh, there was nothing she liked more than being his ‘lass’.
As they reached the fountain, he reached into his pocket and pulled out some coins. When he handed her one, she closed her eyes, made a wish, and then tossed it in.
The bottom of the fountain was littered with so many coins that it proved lots of people believed in magick still.
Ethan did the same.
When he tossed his, he watched it fall.
“What did you wish for?” Elizabeth asked.
He was honest.
“That we’d have fifty more years of this love, and that when we die, it’ll be of old age, and all of us on the same day so no one has to live without the other.”
That touched her heart.
She couldn’t imagine not waking up to see the men she loved. That would be something that would devastate her.
“I hope you get your wish,” she admitted.
Ethan was curious.
“What did you wish for?” he asked.
Elizabeth was honest.
“I wished that all the people I love would be safe, and that I would be able to keep protecting them.”
Ethan put his arm around her.
“That is a good wish,” he said. “I have no doubt that my wife will keep them safe. She’s the Raven, and the strongest, most tenacious woman I know. I have faith in her, and I always will,” he promised, knowing he’d been the one who made her feel like he hadn’t.
She hoped he was right.
“I’m sorry that we allowed you to carry all the weight. I want to help. I want to be your partner, not your responsibility. I got lazy and let you do all the work. I want to do half the work, so our family can be strong again. I don’t want to lose you, Callen, Chris, or Gene.”
That to her was a wish coming true.
While she didn’t mind being in the trenches, doing the work, she didn’t want to be in them alone. At one time, they’d been the power behind the Blackhawks.
Then, it became her doing the carrying.
That wore her out.
“I accept your offer, and I’m grateful to have you as my partner.”
He kissed her.
It was soft, tender, and filled with promise. It was a vow renewal of sorts. From here on out, she could count on him.
Not carry him.
When he broke the kiss, Ethan stared into her eyes to stay connected.
“I have a way to remember that promise.”
She waited.