"This is insane!" he bellowed. Alaina"s heart lurched for him-for the pain he was hiding from as he tried to deny the evidence, however frail it may be.
"Why would he hurt her?" he asked in a daze as he stared at the dancing flames of the hearth.
Alaina shrugged. "Jealousy, perhaps? Mary Kate said Sean always wanted the girls you liked. She said he never gave them a second glance until you looked their way. Maybe it started like that-a rivalry of sorts. Him wanting the girl you loved. But if she didn"t care for him in return, maybe he lost his temper or-"
"He"s my best friend," he interrupted. She could see the anger glitter in his eyes. "I can"t believe it. I won"t believe it."
"Torin-"
"Nay! I"ve heard enough of your theories." He turned his back on her. "Let the past rest."
"Wait! Don"t push me away after..." She waved a hand in the air, unable to say the words as her heart sped to a panicked beat.
"This was a mistake," he said as he turned his back, pulled his clothes from the chair and began to dress. "I rushed you into this marriage and then Doogan..." He seemed to choke on the words but bore on. "It was a mistake-all of it. I put you in danger and now I"ll be taking the blame for that. But I will not sit and listen to my best friend made a scapegoat."
"Torin." Her voice broke. "Please, it is possible, isn"t it? I mean someone had to have played a part in her death. She could not have jumped on her own. Think about it!"
"Nay, no more!" he bellowed as he headed for the door, anger and confusion seethed around him like a great black storm.
"Please, don"t leave me like this, Torin!" she cried in a panic. "We"re married! You can"t just-" He slammed the door and left her alone in his bed.
Many tears later, Alaina rose from her marriage bed and began to wash. Her body ached in the most extraordinary ways and places. Her mind whirled with everything that had happened; her heart ached at the thought of losing her husband before they"d even begun a life together.
The pa.s.sion they shared had been beyond anything of her wildest dreams and fantasies. She was not about to give it up over one argument. However, she also knew Torin could not go on with his life until he knew-until the whole world knew what really happened all those years ago upon the Cliffs of Moher. It would hang over them like a dark cloud, a seed of doubt at the back of everyone"s thoughts.
Had Brigit jumped? Had someone pushed her? There had to be a way to find out. There had to be a way to lay the past to rest once and for all. Alaina was determined to do just that. With her purpose firmly in mind, and her own garments in ruins, she scoured the cottage for something to wear besides the blanket she had wrapped around herself. Her tattered dress and chemise were the only options unless she was prepared to walk through town wearing her lover"s shirt and breeches.
She dressed quickly and pulled Sean"s black coat on over her clothes to hide her state of undress and shield her from the morning chill. A plan formed in her head as she set off for Maggie"s cottage. Every step brought with it a fissure of doubt over her future, but Alaina refused to give in to the sorrow that tried to overwhelm her.
First she must put herself in order and then she would prove what really happened to Brigit Doogan. She only hoped Torin would find it in his heart to forgive her when all was said and done.
Since the village of Doolin did not boast enough crime to warrant a jail, they had never built one. So when the would-be rapist had been dragged unceremoniously into town, his ankles and wrists bound by rough rope, they had spent only moments debating what to do with him. Cooler heads prevailed over those who wanted the man hung by that same piece of twine, and they had thrown him onto one of Luke Riordan"s large fishing boats-the plan to sail the scoundrel North to Galway as soon as the tide would allow.
Learning all this by way of the barkeep, Torin found himself on the swaying pier at the edge of the vessel that morning. His thoughts were a blur of s.n.a.t.c.hes of conversation and memories. Although he felt a cad for hurting Alaina so, he still felt a bristle of anger at her and the intimation that his friend-his closest friend in all the world, no less-could be the cause of these last ten years of torment. Not to mention the complete desolation of his heart and his reputation.
The only thing left after wandering the cliffs for hours was to face Nick Doogan. Once and for all, Torin had to know what happened that night. He had to know if Brigit took her own life because of something he said or did...or if Alaina saw the situation more clearly. Could someone else have been there? Could someone else have pushed the la.s.s to her death and let him take the blame?
With a sigh that held a wealth of frustration, he boarded the boat with a scarce nod to the young lad posted as sentry. "Leave us," he growled as he stared down at Doogan, still tied hand and foot in the bottom of the vessel.
"But-" the lad began to protest.
"Now."
The boy"s eyes grew wide and he swallowed noisily but did not protest further as he scampered over the side and ran down the pier. Torin knew his time was short before the other men would come to check on him-though he wasn"t sure they"d hurry too quickly, perhaps with the small hope that justice would be dealt the villain who had dared to harm a woman.
"Do you know what happened to your sister?"
Doogan stared at him through swollen eyes, his split lip twisted into a snarl. "All I know is the truth of it. She went to meet you and then she was dead."
"How did she die? Could she...do you think she could have jumped?"
The man grunted in disgust, coughed and spat out a bit of blood on the deck. "Not b.l.o.o.d.y likely, is it? But we"re both knowing that all too well. She couldn"t get herself to stand less than fifty feet from that ledge! How"s the la.s.s to have jumped from there?"
Torin blinked and looked away for a moment before the thought hit him. "You...you could have coaxed her there. Maybe you killed her."
"She was the only thing good and decent in my life," Doogan insisted. "If I"d wanted her away from you so badly I"d have forced her to go to Scotland meself. I couldn"t hurt a hair on her head." His expression darkened with anger. "You killed her you b.l.o.o.d.y b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Why did you have to take her from me?"
"I didn"t kill her! I loved Brigit, why would I ever hurt her?"
"There"s a liar if ever I heard one. Of course you killed her! We both know she wouldn"t jump. The cliffs were her nightmare, her deepest fear. She went to that b.l.o.o.d.y ruin to meet you...you must have pushed her over."
"Think about it man," Torin prodded. "It makes no sense. If she came there to run off with me, what reason would I have to kill her?"
Doogan shook his head in frustration. "Don"t you be trying to talk your way out of it, Irish. "Tis no way of me knowing what went on that night. All of Doolin has seen your temper on display. Maybe she told you the truth at last, about the babe. Maybe your pride couldn"t handle it then, aye? "Twould give any man reason enough to kill a woman."
"Truth about the babe? What in G.o.d"s name are you talking about?"
Doogan paused a moment and blinked as he studied Torin"s face. "b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, you don"t know...do you?" His tone held a note of wonder, a hint of doubt. "The babe she carried...it wasn"t yours. The little b.a.s.t.a.r.d was sired before you fell into bed with her."
It felt as if the breath had been knocked from his body. "You"re lying."
"Am I now?" He laughed roughly. "I loved my sister, but I knew the truth of her. She wasn"t an innocent when you took her to bed or didn"t you notice such things?"
Torin turned away, his mind reeling. Brigit had been his first and he"d been so nervous, so lost in the moment that he hadn"t paid attention to her state of innocence...or the lack thereof. Could Doogan be telling the truth at last?
"I"ll be d.a.m.ned," the man murmured. "You really didn"t know. She fooled you both. The little b.i.t.c.h had more of her father in her than I realized."
Torin shook his head, his mind reeled beneath the betrayal he felt anew. She had been with another man. She had known the babe wasn"t his. "Who was the father?"
"That I haven"t a clue."
"And how can I believe a b.l.o.o.d.y word you say?"
"If I did know, I"d tell you to be sure. Or I"d kill the b.a.s.t.a.r.d meself, wouldn"t I? "Cause if you didn"t throw her off that cliff, someone else did. I"m thinking it had to be whoever sired her child."
"Your da-?" Torin began.
"Nay! He was a worthless soul to be sure, but he"d never rape his own daughter. Nay, "twas a young buck-that I do know. She bragged on how much he loved her and how he was going to sail her away. Swore she"d never set foot on this G.o.dforsaken rock again."
Torin snapped to attention. "Sail away?"
"Aye." Doogan"s brow furrowed. "Why? Does it mean something then?"
Torin frowned as the truth settled over him like ice. "G.o.d in Heaven. Sean."
"Sean? Sean Riordan?"
Torin raced down the pier as Doogan called after him, but he paid no heed. He hadn"t believed Alaina, had turned away from her and pushed her out of reach because he hadn"t wanted to hear it, hadn"t wanted to believe. But she was right and now he feared she stood in danger of suffering Brigit"s fate.
Poor, stupid Brigit. Nay, she hadn"t Alaina"s courage but Torin had forgotten the la.s.s"s other side-her sly cunning, her mean streak. Had she been a virgin when they first made love together? Nay, he had never let himself think on it much, but now he was almost sure she hadn"t. Despite her declaration of love, she had been sleeping with another man all the time. His best friend.
Strange how death often made saints of the worst sinners.
He ran to Declan, mounted and spurred the animal on to his cottage. As he pa.s.sed through the village, he almost ran over Shannon outside his pub.
"Lad, where"s the devil chasing you?"
"I"ve got to get home to my bride, if she"ll still have me. I"ve been a fool!"
"Ah, but I just saw her," Shannon said. "Went walking down the path with Sean not an hour ago."
Torin"s blood turned to ice. "Sean Riordan?"
"Aye." Shannon frowned. "Is there something wrong? Did the lads lose Doogan?"
"Nay, he"s still bound up tight. Liam, where did they go-Sean and Alaina?"
"Not sure." The older man hesitated as he scratched his head. "But I"m thinking up the path toward Doonagore."
Chapter Fifteen.
It had been an easy thing to tempt Sean Riordan to take a walk with her. Doubt made her feel somewhat like a thief when she had knocked on his cottage door and asked if he would mind accompanying her. Yes, she made it sound as if she was troubled-that her relationship with Torin was in jeopardy somehow.
Indeed, it might be if her hunch proved wrong and she couldn"t uncover the truth about Brigit Doogan.
""Tis a find morning, aye?" Sean ventured.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and found him watching with keen interest. "Yes, it is. Or it might be if everything weren"t such a mess."
They continued up the path toward Doonagore, a soft breeze carried the scent of fresh rain and sea salt. Alaina tried to keep from clutching her hands together, but her old fears p.r.i.c.ked at her nerves like violin strings.
"Torin and I quarreled."
"Ah." He glanced away. "I thought as much."
A few more steps and she forced a shrug. "Perhaps we married in too much haste. But I cannot live with the specter of Brigit Doogan hovering over our lives."
She heard Sean take a deep breath and wondered at the cause. Could it be their exercise or the mention of the other woman?
"You fought about her?"
"Yes." She let the word hang between them, baiting the man into a response.
"And why would that be?" he asked. "Seems on your wedding night, both you and Torin would have better things to...discuss."
Her cheeks warmed at his intimation, but she paid no heed. He would not derail her train of thought. "He worries about me. He thinks the past will always haunt us and that Brigit will never be put to rest. He thinks our marriage may have been a mistake." She let the tears fill her eyes then-real tears she had held back since making up her mind to search out the truth. The thought of losing her husband now seemed too much to bear.
"Ah, come now, la.s.s," Sean said as they stopped at the base of Doonagore tower. "He"ll come around once the shock has worn off. Doogan will be taken care of and you won"t have any more worries."
She turned to him then and let him see the sorrow in her eyes. "I"m not sure it"s that simple. I"ll never be able to live up to her image in his eyes. To him, I"ll always be found wanting. She must have been so beautiful...so perfect."
With a derisive snort of laughter, Sean turned from her and paced the tower. He reached out one hand to trace the smoothed surface of the stone. "If he"s remembering her as perfect, O"Brien has a large hole in his skull."
"Why?" She took a small step toward him. "Wasn"t she? From all I"ve heard, it"s a wonder no one has offered her name up for sainthood."
Another bark of angry laughter and he turned his head. Alaina balked a bit at the anger blazing in his blue eyes. "Brigit Doogan was a bonnie little wh.o.r.e, but nothing close to being a saint. The only miracles surrounding her life were how many men she managed to fool-and make fools of!"
"You hated her."
"Aye, that I did." He fisted his hand against the stone and stared at it a moment. "Hated and loved her, all at once. They say there"s but a fine line, don"t they?"
"Did Torin know?"
"Ah, there"s the rub. He knew nothing of her and me. But I stepped aside anyway, thinking she"d come back. She always had before. But this time...this time she"d found her a prize. Torin had just come home from university and an educated man could take her places a plain fisherman could never go."
At last she had part of the puzzle-Sean and Brigit had been lovers, that much was evident. But how could she make him admit to the rest? She turned and stepped softly around to the side of the tower until his face was in clear view. Anger often made one admit things otherwise held close to the vest. Perhaps, if she made him angry enough, she might trip him up. But what danger would that put her in? Alaina knew it didn"t matter. She had to try.
"That was very short-sighted of her, and cruel," Alaina said, playing on his ego. "But then again, if he had fathered her child-"
"Him?" he shouted, his face suddenly dark with anger. "That babe was mine-it had to be! And there he was, not a care in the world but to lay his da"s plans to waste." He chucked bitterly. "My heart was near shattered and all b.l.o.o.d.y Torin cared for was not to be trapped into marrying you. Any la.s.s would have done as well." His gaze softened a bit, but still held a strange light that made Alaina uneasy.
"And here you are, then," he murmured. "So lovely...so real and alive...and he still has no care for what"s been laid at his feet." Sean moved closer to reach out one hand and caress her cheek. Alaina fought not to flinch from his touch. "How can the man still grieve a ghost when he has this beautiful flesh in his own arms?"
"I"m sorry you were hurt," she said and swallowed hard. "But maybe she really loved Torin. Maybe he was the better man."
Sean"s gaze narrowed and he grasped her about the neck so fast she didn"t have a chance to evade his grip. "The only thing better about O"Brien is that he"s good at wearing blinders where other are concerned," he said through clenched teeth. "If he"d had a bit of sense in that thick skull he would have tossed the tramp off the cliffs himself! Just like her father, was she-cared for none but herself."
"Is that why you killed her?"
"Aye, and Torin should thank me," he raged. "I saved him from a fate worse than death-saved the babe too, from having a worthless wh.o.r.e for a mum."
Alaina stared at him for a moment as realization dawned in his blue eyes. "Tricky little colleen, aren"t you now?" he said. "Why did you have to go and do a thing like that? Now I have to be rid of you, too. "Tis a shame..." He gazed at her with a mixture of desire and pity. "I really liked you, Alaina. You"re a bonnie la.s.s, indeed."
Her heart pounded against her ribs and she fought to keep panic from overtaking her. "You don"t mean that, Sean. I don"t believe you meant to kill Brigit and you aren"t going to hurt me."
He scowled at her and tightened his grip for a moment before releasing her. A look of desolation softened his features, tears swam in his eyes. He took a step back and focused his gaze on the base of the tower.
"Do you see it?" he asked.
Alaina shook her head in confusion and followed his gaze. The weathered stone looked cold and gray, but there weren"t any other marks-at the least, none she could see.