Page 23 of A Wager with the Matchmaker (A Shanahan Match #3)

23

Alannah didn’t move from her hiding spot on the veranda. As far as she could tell, Shaw and Charlie had left Oakland. Zaira had also gotten up and disappeared inside, taking the light with her and leaving Alannah in the dark.

Even with the yard and house now quiet, an unease prickled the back of her neck, almost as if someone was still out there in the dark, watching and waiting for her to step out of her hiding place. Or maybe she was just imagining that Shaw and Charlie had walked off a short distance but were lingering nearby, intending to capture her the moment she made her presence known.

She’d been certain Zaira had known she was hiding behind the plant and chair and had positioned herself there to keep anyone from seeing her. Once the danger was gone, surely Zaira would come out and talk to her and let her know she was safe to emerge.

But only Mr. Shanahan had stepped through the back door and had met the coachman on the lane as he’d been bringing the horse up to the house. Mr. Shanahan hadn’t wasted any more time. He’d mounted and left Oakland, taking the road to the south in the direction of the brickyard.

Alannah shifted, one of her legs numb from sitting in the same place for so long. Had she been here an hour? Maybe not quite so much time had elapsed, but she was ready to stand and stretch.

What had become increasingly clear as she’d waited was that as kind as Kiernan had been all this time trying to help her and Torin out of their predicament, it wasn’t his problem to solve, especially not by marrying her.

She expelled a taut breath. She had to go. But where? She didn’t have enough money saved to return to Ireland. Did she even want to go back anymore? Since moving to Oakland, she’d hardly considered the possibility.

Where else could she go? She didn’t have any friends in the city. She didn’t have any family here except for Torin.

She didn’t know what to do. The only idea she’d had over the past hour was returning to the O’Briens’ for a day or two, just until she could find other employment.

“Alannah.” A whisper came from the open window above her. Someone was in the library, attempting to communicate with her.

She held herself motionless and waited.

“It’s me, Zaira,” the whisper continued.

Alannah’s chest squeezed at the kindness of the young woman. “Zaira, I’m so sorry about all of this.”

“Hush now. You’re not to blame.”

“I am, to be sure. And so is Torin.”

“Your brother?”

“Oh aye. He’s in trouble with the Farrell gang.”

“If you bat an eyelash the wrong way at the Farrell gang, you’ll be in trouble with them.”

If the moment hadn’t been so serious, Alannah might have smiled. As it was, she fought back tears. “Shaw wants me as payment for Torin leaving the gang.”

Zaira released an indignant huff. “I won’t let them have you, and neither will Kiernan.”

“I don’t want Kiernan to be involved any longer.”

“That man wouldn’t be able to keep away from you if someone chained him up and locked him away.”

Leave it to Zaira to be dramatic. Even so, Alannah couldn’t put him in more danger. “I have to figure this out on my own.”

“I’ll help you.”

“No—”

“Yes. I already have a plan.”

“I won’t involve you either.”

Zaira was silent for several seconds. “You won’t deny me this adventure, will you? I need it as research for my next book.”

“I’m not daft, Zaira. I know you’re making an excuse.”

“I’m not. This is the most fun I’ve had in ages.”

Alannah bit back her whispered retort. How could she turn down the offer when the fearsome truth was that she didn’t have a way to sneak back into the city without help.

As if sensing her victory, Zaira spoke again. “I’ve put on one of your black skirts. All I need now is your cloak.”

“You cannot pretend to be me.”

“I can, and I will. I’ll ride out disguised as you—”

“I don’t ride well.” She’d only done it a few times in her life, had never needed a horse in Tralee.

“They won’t know that. Besides, I can pretend to be awkward if you think that would be best.”

Alannah scrambled to come up with a different plan than the one Zaira was concocting.

“Once I leave,” Zaira whispered, “if anyone is waiting in the woods or on the road, they’ll follow me for a ways.”

“I don’t like this idea at all, so I don’t.” Alannah didn’t want Shaw and Charlie to get near Zaira. What if they did something to harm her?

“You’ll wait until I’m gone, then you’ll ride my horse and head out the other way on the eastern road back to St. Louis.”

“I won’t take your horse.”

“You have to. You’ll ride as fast and hard as you can straight to Oscar’s Pub.”

“To Bellamy?”

“Aye. Bellamy might be annoying and arrogant, but he’ll shelter you. I know he will.”

A flicker of hope fanned inside Alannah. If Bellamy hid her, that would give her more time to figure something else out.

“Do you know how to get to Oscar’s Pub?”

“I think I can find it.”

“You’ll need to stick to the alleyway behind the pub. There’s a stable there where you can tie up my horse. Then you can go into Bellamy’s studio.”

“His studio?”

“’Tis a little storage shed behind the pub.”

How did Zaira know so much? And what did she mean by studio? Now was neither the time nor the place to ask.

“I’ll go to Bellamy,” Alannah whispered. “But I don’t want you to be riding out pretending to be me.”

“I’ll be fine.” Zaira’s response contained too much confidence. And perhaps a wee bit of na?veté. “It’ll be a grand adventure.”

Alannah wanted to argue further, but Zaira was already lowering a cloak out the window. “Here’s mine. Now hand me yours.”

Alannah managed to somehow shrug out of her garment. If someone was watching the window, the shadows of the slanted veranda roof would likely keep them from seeing the exchange. But she pushed hers swiftly toward the window anyway.

A moment later, Zaira spoke again. “As soon as I’ve been gone about five minutes, go to the barn. The coachman will have my horse waiting for you.”

Alannah clutched Zaira’s cloak, a fine light linen that wasn’t as heavy as a winter coat but would provide covering for the cooler temperatures that had blown in with the rain. It was soft, almost velvety, and smelled of roses. Even though she couldn’t see the color in the darkness, she knew it was a rich plum that contrasted Zaira’s red hair.

Zaira was so pretty and sweet and innocent.

’Twas a bad idea to involve her, especially with how dangerous Shaw and Charlie were. “Zaira, wait.”

Only silence came from the library.

“Zaira?” Alannah whispered louder.

After a moment with still no response, she sank back against the wall and closed her eyes. Zaira wasn’t like most women, was more determined, more adventurous, and more cunning. Alannah suspected that even if she tried, Zaira wouldn’t be swayed from this mission.

A hooded and cloaked figure raced past the veranda from the direction of the servants’ entrance at the side of the house. As the person started across the backyard, Alannah held her breath. Wearing the ragged cloak and simple black skirt, Zaira looked like a poor maid, to be sure.

Alannah was tempted to call out and put a stop to the plan, but Zaira was hurrying too fast. All Alannah could do was wait.

After disappearing into the barn, Zaira rode out a few minutes later. She bobbled her reins, slipped down one side, and then led the horse the wrong direction before seeming to struggle to rein the horse the opposite way.

Zaira was not only a good writer, but she was also a good actress. Of course, Alannah wasn’t quite so terrible on a horse, but Zaira was at least making her lack of experience believable.

As soon as Zaira disappeared from sight, Alannah counted the minutes. When at least five had elapsed, she crawled out from her hiding spot, sidled off the porch, and then darted toward the barn. She kept to the shadows, not wanting the moonlight to illuminate her if by chance anyone from the Farrell gang was staking out the place.

When she reached the barn, a horse stood just inside the entrance. The coachman was nowhere in sight, which meant Zaira had saddled both horses, likely because she’d wanted to keep their plans as secretive as possible, and probably because she didn’t want the fellow to try to stop her from going.

Alannah hesitated a moment, then she hoisted herself up into the saddle. As she started out of the barn, her gaze settled on Kiernan’s bedroom window at the back of the house. It was dark.

This was it. The last time she would see Oakland. The last time she’d have anything to do with the Shanahans.

“Good-bye, Kiernan,” she whispered. “I thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

A lump pushed up into her throat. She would miss him. She couldn’t deny that. In fact, she couldn’t imagine she’d ever want another man again, not after getting to know Kiernan. No one else would be able take his place in her heart.

She slid her hand into her pocket and fingered the newest book he’d given to her. It had been lying on her pillow when she’d rushed up to don her cloak. The sight of it had brought tears to her eyes, especially at the realization that he’d placed it there after everything that had happened at the pond, after she’d turned down the match and walked away from him. He’d still been as kind and giving as always.

“Good-bye,” she whispered again. “You’re a wonderful man.”

As several tears spilled over and slid down her cheeks, she urged her horse to move onward. Shaw and Charlie would learn soon enough that the woman riding south wasn’t her and only a decoy.

She had to push herself hard, just as Zaira had instructed. She couldn’t let the young woman’s efforts and sacrifice be for nothing.

With a shake of the reins, the horse began to gallop. It moved past the house, circled around front, and then headed down the lane without Alannah having to do anything but hang on.

As she guided the creature onto the road and toward town, she lifted two prayers heavenward—the first for Torin, that he was safe, and the second for Kiernan, that he wasn’t in any trouble.

She hoped this time God would find favor with her and not let anything happen to the two men she loved.