Page 102 of Against Ebony Irish Seas

“Have a little faith, Jamie.”

When they turned into the parking lot, his senses leapt at the sight of rows of television trucks—even more so when he saw parents he recognized milling about with placards readingReinstate Jamie FitzgeraldandMr. Fitzgerald for Teacher of the Year.Another saidJamie Deserves Better.

He gripped his knees as he noted his friends standing at the front with the press and other people from the village. In the center of it all was Sophie. Her dark hair seemed almost haloed in the soft light of the sun. Their eyes met, and all he could feel was the heavy beating of his heart and his longing for her.

“It’s a grand day for a protest with international press coverage, don’t you think?” Kade said, reaching over and opening his car door. “Saints be praised, the other protesters have arrived on time.”

Jamie heard the baying and thundering moments before he spotted Carrick herding sheep down the main road with Keegan O’Malley at his side. Some sheep had red words written on them. Keegan’s, he knew. But the others had blue paint, and he recognized Carrick’s prize sheep in the front, along with others he’d tended with his brother.Justicewas sprayed on one, along withReinstateandFairness.

“But Carrick gave up the writing of words on his sheep,” Jamie said, aghast.

“For Sorcha and for his new life with Angie,” Kade said, nudging him out of the truck after unlocking his seat belt. “This is for you, Jamie.”

The crowd started to applaud the moment he left the vehicle. The ground felt uncertain under his feet as he took his first steps.

“Jamie!” Eoghan called out, fairly dancing toward him on his old limbs. “Every parent in the school kept their children home today to protest Principal Doyle’s treatment of you. Have you decided on filing a complaint against her?”

He realized the envelope was still tucked in his hand. “Yes, I will.”

Eoghan exclaimed, “That’s fine then! That’s the right of it.”

Kade took it from him and headed off. “I’m away to the post.”

“Good,” Eoghan called, putting his hand on Jamie and leading him forward.

People’s faces swam in front of him as he walked to the front of the crowd with Eoghan. Cameras flashed and videoed his progress, but his attention was fixed on the woman in front of him. “You stay right here with this beautiful woman while I officially open this protest.”

Beautiful she was, and he the eejit of the century. He brushed against Sophie, completely off-balance.

She only gave him a soft, encouraging smile. “It’s good to see you, Jamie.”

The urge to touch her rose up within him as the crowd continued to fade from his awareness. “And you,mo chroí. I’ve redefined thickheaded and martyrdom, I think.”

“Your brother might have mentioned using a shovel on you,” she said, a smile coming and going from her sweet face. “I’ll admit to being tempted myself.”

“Can we talk after?” he asked as Eoghan climbed onto a raised platform in front of them. “Or have I made a ruin of everything?”

Vulnerability shone in her green eyes at last. “Do you still love me and want to be with me?”

“With all my heart and for all my days,” he answered as an air horn blasted.

Both he and Sophie winced at the sound, but she leaned in and said, “Then you’ve ruined nothing.”

Relief poured through him like a waterfall, and he held out his hand. She took it without preamble, and with it joined them together again.

He turned as Eoghan took a megaphone from Donal. “We’re here today to protest the unjust treatment of one of the finest teachers Caisleán has ever known. Jamie Fitzgerald.”

Flushing as people burst into applause again, he waved at them to still their praise.

“Margaret Doyle!” Eoghan cried when the crowd went silent. “Come out and face us.”

Jamie’s nerves grew taut again. He hadn’t seen her since the day she’d tried to ruin him. When she appeared in the doorway of the school, her face was as stiff and disapproving as ever, as if she’d been zipped up from the inside out.

“Say your piece, Eoghan O’Dwyer,” she called back.

He bowed grandly. “The people behind me stand with Jamie Fitzgerald, both as a fine man and a wonderful teacher. Your charges against him are unjust and an abuse of your power. Your students’ parents have made their wishes known by keeping their children out of school to protest these ridiculous charges and insist on them being dropped and Jamie reinstated immediately. And they’ll keep their children out until you or the education authority accedes to those wishes.”

She waved a hand of dismissal at them, her mouth tight.

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