Shadow Spell (The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy 2)

“Because right now is right now, and who knows what tomorrow might be? You and Boyle can look forward—you’re both built that way.” She stepped into Maggie’s stall, the mare she’d chosen for one of the women. “I’m a day-at-a-time sort on matters like this.”

“And Connor?”

“I’ve never known him to be otherwise on any matter. That’s for Caesar. Just leave it there and I’ll tend to it. You have a lesson.”

“At least tell me, was it romantic?”

“You’ve such a soft heart, Iona, but I can tell you it was. And that was unexpected, and really lovely.” For a moment, just a moment, she leaned her cheek against Maggie’s soft neck. “I thought, well, once it was clear we were going forward, we’d just tear in. But . . . he made the room glow. And me with it.”

“That’s beautiful.” Iona stepped in, hugged Meara hard. “Just beautiful. Now I’m happy, too.”

Iona led Alastar, her big, beautiful gray, already saddled and waiting, out of his stall, toward the ring. Smiled as she heard Meara singing again.

“She’s in love,” Iona murmured to her horse, and rubbed his strong neck. “She just doesn’t know it yet.” When Alastar nuzzled her, she laughed. “I know, she’s still glowing some. I saw it, too.”

Meara switched to humming as she led horses to the paddock, looped reins around the fence. She turned to go back for the last, spotted Boyle bringing Rufus along.

“Thanks for that. Since Iona’s got a lesson going in the ring, I’ll take the group around the paddock a bit, be sure they’re as experienced as they say before we start off.”

She looked up. “It’s a fine day, isn’t it? It’s nice they’ve booked a full hour.”

“And we’ve just had someone else ring up to book another four-group for noon. This wedding’s bringing them along.”

“I can take that as well.” She had energy enough to ride and muck and groom all day and half the night. “I owe you for taking so much time away yesterday.”

“We won’t start owing around here,” he said, “but it would help if you could as Iona’s got two at half ten, Mick’s doing a lesson at eleven, and with Patty at the dentist this morning, and Deborah booked for one o’clock, we’re a bit squeezed. Still, I could do it myself.”

“You hate doing the guideds, and I don’t mind at all.” She gave him a pat on the cheek, had him giving her a hard stare.

“You’re a cheerful sort this morning.”

“And why wouldn’t I be?” she asked as four people strolled toward the stables. “It’s a bright day at last, my mother’s going for a long visit with a strong potential of a permanent move to Maureen’s, and I had hot and brilliant sex with Connor last night.”

“It’s good your mother’s having a visit with— What?”

Meara had to smother a snort at the way Boyle’s mouth hung open. “I had sex with Connor last night, and this morning as well.”

“You . . .” He trailed off, shoved his hands in his pockets, so absolutely Boyle she couldn’t resist patting his cheek again.

“I suspect he’s cheerful himself, but you can ask him yourself at the first opportunity. It’s the McKinnons, is it?” Meara called out as she went, smiling all the way, to meet her morning group.

In short order, with the paperwork done, and her ignoring Boyle’s questioning stares, she had her group outfitted and mounted.

“Well now, I can see you all know what you’re about,” she said when they’d walked and trotted around the paddock. She opened the gate for them, mounted Queen Bee.

“You’ve picked a fine morning, and there’s no better way to see what you’ll see than on the back of a horse. And how are you enjoying your stay at Ashford?” she began, sliding into easy small talk as she led them away from the stables.

She answered questions, let them chat among themselves, turned in the saddle now and again just to check—and to let them know they had her attention.

It was lovely, she thought, to ride through the woods with the sky blue overhead, with the earthy perfumes of autumn wafting on the soft and pretty breeze. The scents reminded her of Connor, had her smile brightening.

Then there he was, out and about with his own group on a hawk walk. He wore a work vest but no cap so his hair danced around his face, teased by that soft and pretty breeze. He shot her a grin as he baited his client’s glove, and the wife readied her camera.

“Family of yours?” Meara asked as her group and Connor’s called out to each other.

“Cousins—our husbands’.” The woman—Deirdre—moved up to ride beside Meara for a moment. “We talked about trying the hawk walk ourselves.”

“Sure and you should. It’s a wonderful experience to take back with you.”