Irish Secrets (29 page)

She put her hand on his thigh. "It doesn't matter, not now. I've sorted it all out in my mind. Anyway, what you've done for my mom, and for Margaret and Jon, is so amazing, I can't thank you enough." When he chuckled and squeezed her hand, she looked at him curiously. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because when I came to Mist Na Mara to ask about Jenna's earrings, Charley told me I'd have to do something pretty amazing to win back your trust and respect. I had no idea what I could do until, by complete chance, I met Margaret and Jon in the café at Glasnevin, and they told me your mother refused to listen to you."

"So you went over to New Jersey to meet my dad."

"And came back thinking I had failed when he said your mother still wouldn't listen."

"Did he tell you what finally changed her mind?"

"No, he called me the day after I got home, and said they were coming over today with Guy's mother, so I liaised with Guy, and called Margaret and Jon, and – well, the rest you know."

"It was your photo of me with Margaret and Jon – and Peter Rabbit."

Ryan's eyes widened. "Is that right?"

Kara's tears brimmed again. "My mom still has the original Peter Rabbit. I didn't know that until today when she showed it to Margaret." She swallowed. "Ryan, will you stop the car please? Anywhere along here."

He pulled over onto the grass verge with the wild, unspoiled Connemara landscape all around them, and turned to her, his eyes anxious. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, but I need to kiss you."

He switched off the engine and grinned in relief. "I can't say no to that, can I?"

After a long and increasingly passionate kiss, he rested his cheek against hers. "I love you,
mo anam cara
. Will you marry me?"

She caught her breath, and smiled as she smoothed her hand against his cheek. "I might consider it now you've shaved off your beard, but only if you tell me why we're going to Galway."

"To pick up Sister Gabriel, of course, and take her back to Mist Na Mara to meet Margaret and your mother. Now, will you marry me?"

"Of course I will. I love you, Detective Ryan O'Neill."

He shook his head. "District Superintendent O'Neill, if you please."

Kara stared at him. "District Superintendent? Where?"

"In Clifden. I was offered the job last Monday, and I'll be shadowing Martin Stevenson until he retires in November. That's why I've just picked up the keys to a rather nice apartment overlooking the harbour, instead of that awful flat on Bridge Street."

"Does it have a rather nice bed, too?"

"A very comfortable double bed."

She laughed. "Good. That's all we need, isn't it?"

* * * * *

That evening, all the staff congregated in the lounge at Mist Na Mara to celebrate Linda's reunion with her birth parents. Even Sister Gabriel accepted a small glass of sherry after her emotional reunion with Margaret, and both of them told Linda about some of the lighter moments at the Ballykane home when she was a baby.

Kara tightened her grip on Ryan's hand. "My mom looks happier than I've ever seen her. It's as if she has finally found herself, somehow."

"I think we all need to know who we are and where we came from. Maybe we can take her up to Doolough while she's here, and to Glasnevin, too, and the children's hospital where her parents first met, and Galway, and even Cork, where her father lived."

"And Ballykane?"

"If she wants to go there, why not?"

They both looked around when Guy tapped his wine glass with a spoon. "Sister Gabriel has something she'd like to say."

Sister Gabriel started hesitantly. "At our convent in Salthill, we receive many requests from mothers and children who are trying to find each other. Sometimes we can help them, but more often, sadly, we can't. I can only offer a sincere apology to the hundreds, even thousands, who came to us in the past but received less than the care and compassion that we offer today. We made some grievous mistakes, but once in a while something happens to gladden our hearts." A smile lit up her lined face. "That's what has happened here today. A baby born at Ballykane in the 1950s has been reunited with her birth parents, and I am so thrilled to be here to witness this happy event, especially knowing I have played a small part in helping Kara and Ryan to achieve this reunion." She raised her glass. "To Linda, and to Margaret and Jon, who have spent many years not even daring to hope that today could ever happen."

Ryan squeezed her hand as they all raised their glasses and repeated the toast, and they both crossed the room to hug the nun, and then her mother.

"I'm so happy for you, mom."

"And I'm happy for you, too, honey."

They both turned as Alistair stood. "I'm sure we all share Sister Gabriel's delight at this happy event. I'm reminded of the legend of the red thread, which connects people who are destined to meet. The thread between Linda and her birth parents has been stretched and tangled over the years, but it has never been broken, and I think another thread has also been untangled today. A few hours ago, Ryan asked me for permission to marry my daughter, and I gladly gave my consent." He stopped when whoops and cheers erupted from the Mist Na Mara staff, and then smiled at her. "Kara, my darling daughter, you came to Ireland to find your ancestors, and you also found the man you were destined to meet. I have absolutely no doubt that you and Ryan will have a very happy life together here in Ireland, the land of your mother's birth family. To Kara and Ryan."

Ryan pressed her close to him, and she smiled happily up at him as everyone raised their glasses.

"To Kara and Ryan."

"And no more secrets," he whispered in her ear.

About the Author

Paula Martin lives near Manchester in North West England and has two daughters and two grandsons.

She had some early publishing success with four romance novels and several short stories, but then had a break from writing while she brought up a young family and also pursued her career as a history teacher for twenty-five years. She has recently returned to writing fiction, after retiring from teaching, and is thrilled to have found publishing success again with her contemporary romances.

Apart from writing, she enjoys visiting new places. She has travelled extensively in Britain and Ireland, mainland Europe, the Middle East, America and Canada. Her other interests include musical theatre and tracing her family history.

Please visit Paula on her website at http://paulamartinromances.webs.com/

Check in on her blog to find out what she's up to http://paulamartinpotpourri.blogspot.co.uk/

And be sure to send her a Tweet https://twitter.com/#!/PaulaRomances

If you enjoyed this story, please try another of Ms. Martin's works.

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