Page 81 of Against Ebony Irish Seas

She touched his face tenderly. Then she took his hand and turned to them as Donal joined their group, forcing a smile. They shared a look before Linc shifted his attention back to Sophie and said, “You nailed it like a pro. Not that anyone here is surprised.”

“Personally, I think Eoghan stole the show,” she said sweetly.

“He’ll be delighted to hear you say that,” Donal said with an easier smile. “But not as delighted as he is by the news about his gallery show. A gallery in Paris saw some of his art in theLe Mondearticle and contacted him. I’m still stunned.”

Bets socked him. “Why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

“Dad made me swear, and then Ghislaine followed up with one of her scary-sweet threats.” He laughed. “Besides, this way I could do what Dad asked. He wanted me to video your faces when you heard the news. It was priceless. I did it from the back so I could get all of you in one shot.”

Linc made himself laugh, knowing he was covering. None of them wanted to ruin this moment for Sophie. “I’ll bet. When I next see your dad, I’m buying him a round.”

“The whole village will,” Bets exclaimed. “Donal, I’m so glad you decided to leave your cushy seat with us and video it from the back.”

Yeah, they were all glad about that.

“I can’t wait to see it,” Sophie cried out, oblivious to the undercurrent of their conversation.

“Come see this!” Ghislaine cried out, running toward them in her heels. “It’s incredible. In all my years as a publicist, this is one of the best things I’ve ever witnessed.”

Maybe Malcolm had fallen into the muck and was rolling around like the animal he was. They all started hurrying toward the large front windows in the foyer as others started to stride over too.

“I’d know that sound anywhere,” Donal said, shaking his head.

“Me too!” Bets cried out. “Did you do it?”

“Not me,” he said, holding up his hands.

Linc didn’t understand until he reached the window.

A herd of sheep was running up the road beside the protesters, their bodies covered in words. He squinted to make them out.Love. Tolerance. Freedom. Compassion. Kindness. Safety.

Malcolm Coveney was nowhere in sight, Linc was happy to see.

“Keegan O’Malley’s new herd of sheep,” Jamie said, an odd light in his eyes. “I take back everything I ever said about it.”

“What?” Sophie asked, a crooked smile on her face. “But it’s wonderful!”

“Carrick looks to be agreeing,” he said, pointing toward his brother, who stood at the window with Angie and his baby daughter, grinning at the display. “Oh, but it’s a grand gesture, it is. Keegan met his now-wife in ceramics class here, you know. Right at the center.”

Sophie took his arm. “I remember Eoghan telling me. We’ll have to mention it to Ghislaine. Come on, Jamie.”

Linc watched as the sheep surrounded the protesters, their hateful signs falling from the blue sky.

Score one for the sheep.

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

Sophie had posed for a lot of photos in her time, but the one of her standing next to a sheep withFreedompainted across its body might become her favorite.

Reporters clustered together to take a few more photos while she smiled as the sheep sniffed her pocket for food. Then they asked her to take one with the sheep’s owner, Keegan O’Malley, whom Denis from the Garda had called to secure his sheep, showing his true colors by threatening to fine him for the disturbance.

Carrick, Donal, and a slew of locals had laughed until they were wiping tears over that threat. Jamie, watching nearby, did not join in the hilarity.

“Maybe the sheep didn’t know they needed an escape permit,” Donal called out as Denis finally stomped off.

“Maybe they wanted to protest all this nonsense,” Fergus shouted.

Sophie had to firm up her smile when Denis snarled back, “You’re the ones causing the nonsense.”

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