Page 46 of Ryan

“Emma Farraday’s diary.”

“Our Seamus’ wife?” Aunt Eileen’s fingers stilled.

“The one and only. It’s in one of the many trunks Ryan and Nicole found in that small room.”

“Well, that’s nice.” Aunt Eileen returned to slathering the roast in her homemade marinade.

“More than nice.” Joanna sat down. “Listen to this.I found my dear Seamus looking to the horizon with that same lost look he always has when thinking of his Bridget.”

Everyone at the table stilled at the mention of Bridget’s name. Even the lovebirds stopped making doe eyes at each other and stared at Joanna. Aunt Eileen shoved her hands under running water and then drying them on a dishrag, took a seat beside her niece.

“I know he loves me and the children with all his heart, but a small part of that heart died the day he received the letter from Bridget’s mum telling him of her death.”

“Wait. What?” Ryan frowned, taking hold of Nicole’s hand and squeezing it.

“You heard me.” Joanna closed the book. “The rest is just her thoughts but the important fact is that Bridget’s mother told him she’d died.”

Seamus leaned back heavily in his seat. “Why would she do that?”

“Wait.” Aunt Eileen held up a finger while her mind rattled around with a thought. “It was Bridget’s mother who told her she’d received a letter from Seamus’ landlady reporting his death.”

“That’s right.” Seamus was trying to piece it all together as well. “If I remember correctly, the landlady supposedly wrote the mother so she could break the news to Bridget more gently.”

“Or not.” Aunt Eileen’s gaze narrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her hands resting on the table fisted. “That old bitty.”

“Am I missing something?” Ryan asked.

Still holding his hand, Nicole smiled at him. “Don’t you see? The mother was behind it all. For whatever reason, she didn’twant her daughter to come to the United States so she told each of the parties involved that the other had died.”

“Bridget was an only child.” Suddenly—and sadly—all of this now made perfect sense to Seamus.

“That was just mean.” Nicole sighed. “Couldn’t she have just come to the States with her daughter and grandson?”

Seamus shrugged. “No idea. But how sad.”

“Crazy how easily one person’s mistakes can cause so much hurt and pain to so many.” Ryan looked to Nicole. “Makes me think of Mom and Aunt Anne. So much lost time.”

“Thank God they finally worked it out. Tomorrow is never promised.” Nicole nodded and pushed to her feet. “I think I want to go for a little walk.”

“I’ll come with you.” Ryan stood, grabbed her hand, and together they strolled out the back door.

Yeah, Seamus thought to himself. There was definitely something magical about all the love in this family. Not a single one of his newfound cousins seemed even the slightest bit restless or unhappy. As a matter of fact, they all looked as though they’d only married last week and were still in the honeymoon stage of their lives. Heaving a deep sigh, he thought about Naomi, then his son. This was what he wanted for Seamus. It was too late for him, he had his one love of a lifetime, but one way or another, he was going to have to figure out a way for his horse-loving son and himself to move closer to this amazing family. He just had to.