Page 12 of Irish Thoroughbred
“I wouldn’t like to think so. Travis and I won’t be thirty-one until October.” Trish laughed at the stricken face.
“So you’re twins as well,” Adelia concluded, feeling more at ease. “I suppose that’s why I saw your brother’s eyes the first time I met you.”
“Yes, we do bear a strong resemblance to each other, which is why I constantly tell him how handsome he is.” She smiled at Adelia’s light, musical laugh. “Am I holding you up? Are you busy?”
“No, missus.” At the raised brow, she amended, “No, Trish. I was about to take my break and fix a cup of tea. Would you like one?”
“Yes, thank you, I would.”
They paused at the top of the stairs to the garage house as Adelia bent to pick up a long, narrow white box. “Now, what might this be?”
“Flowers would be my guess,” Trish concluded, indicating the printed name of a local florist.
“What would they be doing here?” She frowned down at the box as they stepped inside. “Someone must have left them at the wrong house.”
“You might open them and find out,” Trish suggested, amused by the frown of concentration. “As your name’s on the box, they just might be for you.”
Auburn curls danced as she shook her head and chuckled. “Now, who’d be sending me flowers?” Setting the box on a table, she opened the lid and gave a small cry of pleasure. “Oh, just look! Have you ever seen such a sight?” The box was filled with long-stemmed roses, deep blood red, their half-closed petals soft as velvet to her hesitant fingers. Lifting one out, she held it under her nose. “Ah,” she breathed and passed the bloom to Trish. “Straight from heaven.” Then, shrugging, she returned to practical matters. “Who would they be for?”
“There should be a card.”
Locating the small white note, Adelia read it silently, and her green eyes widened as she read the words a second time. She brought her gaze from the slip of paper to meet an openly curious regard. “They’re for me.” Her voice mirrored disbelief as she handed Trish the card. “Your brother sent them to thank me for helping with Solomy.”
“‘Dee, to thank you for your help with the new foal.Travis,’” Trish read aloud, and added under her breath, “You certainly wax poetic on occasion, brother.”
“In my whole life,” Adelia murmured, touching a silky petal, “no one has ever given me flowers.”
Trish looked over quickly, observing the shimmering eyes and the stunned pleasure passing over Adelia’s features. Pushing tears back, Adelia spoke on a sigh. “This was a lovely thing for your brother to do. I had a rosebush at home—red roses they were, too. My mother planted it.” She smiled, feeling incredibly happy. “It makes them that much more special.”
Later, they walked back to the stables. As they drew near, Travis and Paddy emerged from the building, and the Irishman greeted them both with a beaming smile.
“Travis, we’ve died and gone to heaven. Sure and it’s two angels coming to greet us.”
“Uncle Paddy.” Adelia tweaked his cheek. “Living in America hasn’t lessened your gift for blarney.” Looking up at the man who towered above the rest of them, she treated him to the pure, honest smile of a child. “I want to thank you for the flowers, Mr. Grant. They’re lovely.”
“I’m glad you liked them,” he answered, enjoying the smile. “It was little enough after what you did.”
“Here’s something more for you, Dee.” Paddy reached into his pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. “Your first week’s wages.”
“Oh,” Adelia said with a grin. “It’s the first time I’ve been paid in money for doing anything.” She frownedat the check, confused, and Travis’s brows rose in amusement at her expression.
“Is something wrong with it, Adelia?”
“Yes… no… I…” she stumbled, and brought her eyes to Paddy.
“You’re wondering what it is in pounds,” he concluded, grinning merrily.
“I don’t think I figured it right,” she answered, embarrassed under Travis’s gaze.
Chuckling, he did some mental arithmetic and told her. Confusion changed to astonishment and something close to terror.
“What would I be doing with that kind of money?”
“First time anyone around here complained about being overpaid,” Travis commented and received a baleful glance.
“Here.” Adelia turned her attention back to her uncle and held the check out to him. “You take it.”
“Now, why would I be doing that, Dee? It’s your money; you earned it.”
