Uneasy, she lifted the flap. Her heart careened to her stomach and up to her throat. “It’s money. Cash money.”

“A check would make bookkeeping difficult,” Carstairs explained. “And then there’s the taxes that would be involved.

A cash transaction saves us both from that inconvenience. It’s ten thousand pounds. Irish pounds.”

“Oh, but I couldn’t—”

“Yes, you can,” Gray interrupted.

“It isn’t right.”

She started to hand the envelope back to Carstairs. His eyes lit up briefly, his fingers reached out. And his wife swatted them away.

“Your young man is correct in the matter, Brianna. This is quite right, for everyone involved. You needn’t worry that the money will make an appreciable difference in our lives. We do quite well. It would ease my mind, and my heart, if you’d accept it. And,” she added, “return the certificate to us.”

“Rogan has it,” Brianna said.

“No, I got it back from him.” Gray rose, slipped into Brianna’s rooms.

“Take the money, Brianna,” Iris said gently. “Put it away now, in your apron pocket. I’d consider it a great favor.”

“I don’t understand you.”

“I don’t suppose you do. Johnny and I don’t regret the way we lived. We enjoyed every minute of it. But a little insurance toward redemption wouldn’t hurt.” She smiled, reached over to squeeze Brianna’s hand. “I’d look on it as a kindness. Both of us would. Isn’t that right, Johnny?”

He gave the envelope one last, longing look. “Yes, dear.”

Gray walked back in, holding the certificate. “Yours, I believe.”

“Yes. Yes, indeed.” Eager now, Carstairs took the paper. Adjusting his glasses, he peered at it. “Iris,” he said with pride as he tilted the certificate for her to study as well. “We did superior work, didn’t we? Absolutely flawless.”

“We did, Johnny, dear. We certainly did.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

I have never in the whole of my life had a finer moment of satisfaction.” All but purring, Maggie stretched out in the passenger seat of Brianna’s car. She sent one last glance behind at their mother’s house as her sister pulled into the street.

“Gloating isn’t becoming, Margaret Mary.”

“Becoming or not, I’m enjoying it.” She shifted, reaching out to put a rattle in Liam’s waving hand as he sat snug in his safety seat in the back. “Did you see her face, Brie? Oh, did you see it?”

“I did.” Her dignity slipped just a moment, and a grin snuck through. “At least you had the good sense not to rub her nose in it.”

“That was the bargain. We’d tell her only that the money came from an investment Da made before he died. One that recently paid off. And I would resist, no matter how it pained me, pointing out that she didn’t deserve her third of it as she never believed in him.”

“The third of the money was rightfully hers, and that should be the end of it.”

“I’m not going to badger you about it. I’m much too busy gloating." Savoring, Maggie hummed a little. “Tell me what are your plans for yours?”

“I’ve some ideas for improvements on the cottage. The attic room for one, which started the whole business.”

As Liam cheerfully flung the first one aside, Maggie pulled out another rattle. “I thought we were going to Galway to shop.”

“We are.” Grayson had badgered her into the idea and had all but booted her out of her own front door. She smiled now, thinking of it. “I’ve a mind to buy me one of those professional food processors. The ones they use in restaurants and on the cookery shows.”

“That would have pleased Da very much.” Maggie’s grin softened into a smile. “It is like a gift from him, you know.”

“I’m thinking of it that way. It seems right if I do. What about you?”

“I’ll shovel some into the glass house. The rest goes away for Liam. I think Da would have wanted it.” Idly she ran her fingers over the dashboard. “It’s a nice car you’ve got here, Brie.”

“It is.” She laughed and told herself she’d have to thank Gray for pushing her out of the house for the day. “Imagine, me driving to Galway without worrying something’s going to fall off. It’s so like Gray to give outrageous gifts and make it seem natural.”

“That’s the truth. The man hands me a diamond pin as cheerfully as if it’s a clutch of posies. He has a lovely, generous heart.”

“He does.”

“Speaking of him, what’s he up to?”

“Well, he’s either working or being entertained by the Carstairs.”

“What characters. Do you know Rogan tells me when they went to the gallery, they tried to charm him into selling them the antique table in the upstairs sitting room?”

“Doesn’t surprise me in the least. She’s nearly talked me into buying, sight unseen, a lamp she says will be perfect for my parlor. A fine discount she’ll give me, too.” Brianna chuckled. “I’ll miss them when they leave tomorrow.”

“I have a feeling they’ll be back.” She paused. “When does Gray go?”

“Probably next week.” Brianna kept her eyes on the road and her voice even. “He’s doing no more than tinkering on the book now, from what I can tell.”

“And do you think he’ll be back?”

“I hope he will. But I won’t count on it. I can’t.”

“Have you asked him to stay?”

“I can’t do that, either.”

“No,” Maggie murmured. “You couldn’t. Nor could I under the same circumstances.” Still, she thought, he’s a bloody fool if he leaves. “Would you like to close up the cottage for a few weeks, or have Mrs. O’Malley look after it? You could come to Dublin, or use the villa.”

“No, though it’s sweet of you to think of it. I’ll be happier at home.”

That was probably true, Maggie thought, and didn’t argue. “Well, if you change your mind, you’ve only to say.” Making a determined effort to lighten the mood, she turned toward her sister. “What do you think, Brie? Let’s buy something foolish when we get to Shop Street. The first thing that strikes our fancy. Something useless and expensive; one of those trinkets that we used to look at with our noses pressed up to a shop window when Da would bring us.”