Page 48 of Ordered Home for the Holidays
Mary Kate’s eyes went as wide as saucers. “You knew Mam when she was little like me?”
Deirdre frowned. She couldn’t afford for her daughter to become fascinated by Cassius Trenton - one broken heart in theO’Shaugnessy family because of his carelessness was enough. “It’s rude to ask Mr. Trenton so many questions.”
He gave her an amused look and inclined his head toward Mary Kate. “Well, little miss, it seems your mother is in a great hurry to be on her way.”
Deirdre frowned. “As a matter of fact, I am.”
James whimpered at her side, as if emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Cass doffed his cap and swept into an extravagant bow. “As I said, I’m at your service.”
“I’m only considering it because I need the help and I have no other choice,” Deirdre said through gritted teeth.The last thing she wanted was to be indebted to him. Especially since she didn’t know where he’d been or why he’d returned.
“I won’t linger,” he reassured her. “I see my absence hasn’t made your heart fonder.”
His mouth quirked in a wry grin that just made her angrier. That grin seemed to imply that her anger was irrational, that their separation hadn’t cut her like a knife.
“You’ve been gone for seven years. That’s more than absence - that’s abandonment.”
“Wildflower,” his voice was rough and she closed her eyes to steel herself against the way those three syllables reminded her of the last time he’d said them. When he’d proposed.
“Let me help,” he insisted as his fingers stroked her elbow through the fabric of her muddy dress.
It’s only appropriate for him to help care for his son,her subconscious chided. Though James physically resembled her, he was all Cass in his temperament and daring.
“Fine. You may follow us.”
She heard his heavy sigh as she grabbed both children’s hands and whirled about.
Snow began falling when they were half a block from their destination, and their pace slowed as the cobbled sidewalk became less navigable.
“I’ll take the boy, you take the little one,” he said as he came abreast of them and scooped James up, gently cupping his broken arm.
Deirdre was too tired and too overwhelmed to protest his chivalry. The children’s steps were lagging, and if he carried James, she was that much closer to being rid of the reminder of her youthful heartbreak and folly.
When their ragtag company got to her doorstep, she retrieved the key from the pocket of her cape and unlocked the door with a flourish. “Take him to the bedroom on the right,” Deirdre told Cass as she pointed.
He obediently set off in that direction, and she searched the cupboard for something to use as a sling. After what felt like an eternity of fruitless searching, she grabbed one of her spare aprons from the hook by the door.
“Now, lad, you’ll need to bite down on this while I set your arm. It will hurt, but only for a moment.”
As Deirdre crossed the threshold, she saw Cass had handed her son a piece of half-whittled wood. James was clamping his teeth down on it as she took the sewing scissors from her pocket and cut the apron into one large piece of cotton.
“We can use this for his sling,” she said.
“I want a sling, too, Mam. And a piece of wood!” Mary Kate whined.
Before Deirdre had the chance to reprimand her for pouting, Cass set his hand on the crown of her head. “I don’t think your arm’s broken, Imp, but I’ll whittle you something of your own once your brother’s taken care of.”
She nodded solemnly, eyes shining.
For the second time in less than an hour, Deirdre rued her former lover’s ineffable charm. “Don’t encourage her,” she hissed under her breath as she made her way to his side.
“I can’t resist,” he said. “She’s the spitting image of you at that age.”
Deirdre merely rolled her eyes. “Then you should be tormenting her instead of indulging her. Because that was how you treated me until I turned sixteen.”
“What is it they say about tormenting the ones we love the most?” His eyes sparkled, but his tone was sincere.
