Page 26 of Over Verdant Irish Hills

“Unless Mary touches it, and it stops her wicked heart,” Jamie Fitzgerald said in a hard tone.

Everyone looked at him.

He only set his weight. “What? I might teach the children at school to play nicely with others, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want Mary to pay for what she’s done. For what she’sdoing. We’re about to finish building a shed for the village children so they can have art classes. Do we really think Mary won’t do something there? I’m sick of this. I want it to stop.”

Carrick walked over to his brother. “We’ll make sure to keep the kids safe, Jamie.”

“How?” His face reddened with a rare show of temper, something more characteristic of his brother.

“We’ll think of something,” Carrick said, gripping his shoulder. “Come on now. Everyone is upset by this. The village will come together and figure things out.”

Jamie shook his head.

Bets understood how he felt. So far nothing had worked. And here the boys were, doing the only thing they could think of to help: installing an electric fence as if her roses were troublesome sheep. Her heart tore a little.

“Kade, you think I could give Mary a gift certificate for your pony therapy?” she asked, hoping some humor would lighten the mood.

He scowled. “No, Bets, I’m pretty sure Mary has chosen a path beyond help. All we can do is monitor the hot spots she’s focused on—your remaining rose garden and the arts center properties—and work with local officials to help them penalize her for any rules she breaks. There were no witnesses to her destruction of your property, but there isn’t a single person in this village who doesn’t believe she was behind it. She’ll be shunned more than she already has been.”

“Good,” Jamie muttered with heat.

“The problem,” Kade continued, “is Mary Kincaid seems to thrive on the hate, bullying, and victimization. To hear her tell it, you’re the sole cause for her every problem and regret, Bets. You don’t get anywhere with a person like that, certainly not with a mere pony ride.”

She was speechless by the time he finished.

“Kade, that’s the most I think I’ve ever heard you say in one breath,” Carrick stated, whistling slowly. “But I think that covers it. Bets, if you want, I’ll visit the Garda with you. They should hear what’s going on from you.”

Clearly someone had wanted her to know their concerns. Should she share hers? She looked back over her shoulder at Linc. His jaw was ticking, but he hadn’t said anything. She wondered if that was because he was giving her boys the chance to speak their minds or giving her time to decide how to handle things.

“We all know how much respect we have for the Garda and their commitment to law and order in a county known for lawlessness,” Bets finally said sarcastically, “but I’ll pay them a visit.”

“File a complaint officially, Mum,” Liam suggested. “I’ll go with you.”

“We all will,” Kade said in that same no-nonsense voice. “They need to know we’re all tired of this kind of cruelty in Caisleán. I agree with Jamie. It’s scaring the kids. Ollie asked me last night after story time what would happen if the lye had gotten on his dog or his pony. I don’t like having to answer those kinds of questions.”

Bets fisted her hands by her sides. “No one should.” That decided her. “I’m not entering the rose competition.”

“But, Mum—”

“Liam, I won’t be responsible for any more of this crap.” She started walking toward the path back to the house, an intense throbbing beginning at the base of her skull.

By the time she reached the door, she was mad enough to slam it shut behind her. She kicked her sandals off so hard they ricocheted off the wall.

“Dammit!” she cried out to the empty house.

She headed into the kitchen. She was going to clean the stove.

Linc entered as she was pulling the racks out and spraying it down with a harsh lemon-scented cleaner.

His nose twitched. “I admire your tenacity, my dear, but scrubbing your hands raw isn’t going to change anything.”

“It’s going to make me feel better. It always does, and don’t ask me why. I’ve never psychoanalyzed myself. That’s Liam’s department.”

“Then scrub it until you’re blue in the face.” He walked over and stood on the other side of the open door. “Bets, bowing out of the rose competition isn’t the answer.”

“I can’t win with you and Liam.” She slammed the oven door shut. “You tried to convince me they don’t matter because they’re only roses—”

“I did not say that—”

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