Page 71 of An Irish Kiss
“I don’t think I can eat another bite,” Mam said, pushing her plate away.
“I’m done too.But thank you for the meal.”
Rory joined her sister in thanking him.“We’d better go.I already see a few too many curious faces looking this direction.”
He pulled back her mother’s chair and helped her stand, which earned him a look of approval from Mam, and another one when he did the same for Rory.
“He’s quite a gentleman,” her mother murmured as they collected their coats and moved back to the car.Rory was driving, and happy to take him.
“Um, do you mind if I get a few things from the pub?”he asked.
“Not at all.”She waited, and he soon returned with several books and folders.His evidence, she supposed.And while she was tempted to worry, she instead threw her concerns at the feet of Jesus.She would trust God that whatever this upcoming conversation involved that He would make a way forward.And she prayed that whatever Aidan had to say would be something they could all hear with open hearts.
* * *
Aidan satacross from Aisling and Mrs.Fairall—Maeve, she’d insisted on being called.Beside him, on the floral couch in the Fairall’s private living room, sat Rory, with Rover the dog at her feet.Maeve had made tea for all, and he wondered about the wisdom of spilling the tea concerning his family and lawyers.
But he’d felt a sense of conviction this morning during the service, something triggered by the words about trusting God, and he knew that now was the time to finally speak what was true, what was right—at least from his family’s point of view—and see if there was a way to finally forge a path forward.
He cleared his throat.“So I want to start by again saying I am sorry that this situation has caused so much angst.It was never my grandmother’s intention, nor mine, to create such a kerfuffle.”
The three women smiled at that word, easing his tension a mite.
“As I mentioned to Rory before, there was a family legend about a castle that the Quinn family were supposed to own.”
“But—”
“Aisling, let him finish,” Maeve murmured.
“So I did some digging back home, then came here and spoke with Mary, as you know, and since then I’ve spoken with a lawyer in Killarney.”
The three women straightened, Aisling’s eyes narrowed.But he didn’t figure this could come as a surprise to anyone.
Rory glanced at her mum and sister then back at him.“We’ve spoken to a lawyer too.”
“Rory—”
“No, Ash.He needs to know.This is no time for secrets.”She glanced back at him.“Go on.”
He inclined his head.This would be the tricky part.“As I’m sure you’re all aware, this all hinges on the issue of ownership of the castle, and what has been documented in various places seems to differ.”He glanced apologetically at Maeve.“I know there is a title deed that suggests the Griffin family bought it in 1717, but there is a conflicting letter that suggests it was granted to the Quinns the year before.”
Rory’s breath hitched—had she known about the grant?—as the other women’s mouths fell open.
“What?”Aisling.
“I can’t believe that.”Maeve.
“Have you got proof?”asked Rory, wearing a frown, her arms crossed, all look of kindly understanding far away.
He shifted to face her more fully.“The lawyer in Killarney said she was investigating, and hopes to show me a copy this week.”And depending on what that said, he’d either return to Dublin to be with his university friend, or he’d return here.Judging from the faces of two of the three women, Dublin was looking a friendlier option.
Maeve studied him, then nodded.“Well, I appreciate you being honest.I know that can’t have been easy.”
“Thank you for saying so,” he murmured.“I’m sorry this is difficult to hear.”
“It’s not that difficult,” Aisling objected.“Not until the supposed grant has been authenticated.And even then I don’t know what you’re supposed to do about it.What if it is proved to be Quinn land?What happens next?It’s not as if you’re able to easily sell things and get any money out of it.”
“That’s something to figure out when we come to it.”
