Sarah made it as far as Siobhan Murray’s front porch when she saw the gypsies streaming toward the center of camp. Siobhan came out of her front door squinting into the daylight like a mole.
“What’s going on? Where are they going?”
“Go back inside,” Sarah said over her shoulder as she turned back toward the camp’s center. Mike be damned. If something was going on, she needed to make sure Papin and John were safe. She caught up with one of the heavier-set gypsy women struggling up the gravel path.
“What is it?” Sarah asked. “What’s happening?”
“Gilhooley’s back,” she said, without looking at her. “He’s brung his whole family and a wagon full of supplies, maybe even booze.”
When she entered the camp, Sarah saw Brian in conference with Declan, his head bowed and nodding seriously. The wagon was indeed groaning with bags of rice, flour, sugar and building supplies. Two men in their mid-thirties—looking alike enough to be twins—sat silently on matching bay geldings, their faces severe and closed. An older man sat stiffly in the driver’s seat, the reins to the two draft horses looped over his knees.
Next to him was none other than Caitlin Kelly.
Sarah ran up to Fiona and Mike where they stood on the perimeter of the camp center.
“How can this be? How can she be here?” She glanced at Mike to see if he was leaning toward manhandling her back to the Widow Murray’s but he just shook his head as if trying to wake up from a bad dream.
“Not just here,” Fiona said with disgust, watching Caitlin. “But First Lady of here.”
Aideen slipped under Mike’s arm, claiming him, and patted him on the chest. “Who is she?” she asked.
“My dead wife’s sister. Caitlin Kelly.”
Aideen looked at Fiona and then back at Mike. “How in the world can that be? She’s married to Brian?”
“It appears so.”
“I thought his wife’s name was Katie?”
“Close enough.”
“So do you know the old man? The other men?”
“My father-in-law and brothers-in-law.”
“Ex-in-laws,” Fiona muttered. “Ellen’s gone. The tie to them is broken.”
“Grandda!”
Sarah watched Mike close his eyes in resignation and defeat.
“Not entirely,” he said as Gavin leapt onto the wagon and threw his arms around the old man.
“The shite’s in the pan, Mike,” Fiona said in a low warning voice. “Dec is filling Brian in on the jailbreak. Don’t suppose you know anything about that?”
Mike didn’t answer but Sarah saw him shift his attention from the wagon to where Declan and Brian stood together. He noticed that Iain Jamison was near enough to hear the two of them in conference. Suddenly, Brian threw up his hands and twisted on his heel away from Declan. He marched back to the wagon where Gavin sat with the old man and Caitlin and turned to face the gathering crowd by the camp center.
“Greetings, good people of Daoineville,” he said loudly. “As you can see, I have returned with my family.”
Sarah was annoyed and surprised to hear a spattering of applause from the gathered people.
“While I hope you will take the time to get to know each of them individually, I would like to introduce you to my wonderful wife, Katie, before we go—”
“Only we know her by a different name!” someone yelled out.
Sarah watched Brian’s back stiffen as he stopped in his turn toward Caitlin. He turned back to face the crowd. “Who said that?”
No one answered.
“Because if you mean she is also known as Caitlin and known to you good people as well, I assure you, I am aware of that.”
“Bloody hell,” Mike muttered. “What is that feckin’ Caitlin up to?”
“I am aware that my lovely bride has once lived among you and I want you to know that I am completely prepared to forget and forgive any injustices she may have suffered at your hands.”
Sarah saw Brian turn and look at Mike.
“So long as there is not a hint of disrespect or ill will demonstrated in her direction. I hope I make myself clear.” He paused and then turned to Caitlin. “Stand up, my dear,” he said. “Let them see the mayor’s wife.”
Mayor? Sarah shared a look with Fiona. This wasn’t good.
Caitlin stood up on the wagon, placing a hand on Gavin’s shoulder to steady herself. Sarah saw that she was wearing a very conservative dress. The hem when past her knees and the neck was buttoned to her chin.
She must be miserable in all this heat. Quite a change from the micro-mini skirt and halter-top Sarah had last seen her in running from camp and screaming like a demented woman.
When Caitlin leaned down to blow Brian a kiss, Mike made a noise of disgust in his throat. Brian turned back to the crowd. “So we’ll be getting settled in and there’s just one or two things I need to attend to before I can address the camp again tonight right here by the camp fire after dinner.” His eyes strayed to Mike as he spoke and Sarah felt a clutch of fear.
Declan strode up to the four of them and touched Fiona on the arm. “He needs you to bring his wife to their new cottage and get her settled in.”
Fiona looked at her husband, appalled. “You know who she is, Dec?”
“Yes, of course. I was here, wasn’t I?’
“I’ll not escort her to the feckin’ bog were she exploding with the runs and putting out all the cook fires with her piss!”
“You’ll do it, please, as I’m asking you to do it,” Dec said, his eyes glittering with meaning.
“She is a loathsome skank who nearly destroyed this community the last time she was here,” Fiona hissed. “And she has vowed revenge on every one of us standing here, including yourself.”
Declan glanced at Mike and then took Fiona by the arm and led her away from the group. “We are holding our friends close,” he whispered meaningfully to her. “Ya ken, darlin’?”
Sarah heard what he said and then saw Fiona look at Caitlin who was watching the interaction with interest. Fiona nodded solemnly, then turned and walked toward the wagon.
And our enemies closer.
“A word, Donovan?”
Mike turned to see Iain Jamison approach the group. While the man spoke to Mike his eyes were on Declan, as if he didn’t trust how the gypsy would react.
“Mr. Gilhooley would like to speak with you at the jailhouse, if you have a moment.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I’m assured that you have plenty of time to spare.”
Mike watched Iain’s face contort into a facsimile of a smile. A very false one.
“May I ask what this discussion is in reference to?”
Declan made a snort of impatience. “Can we quit fecking around, please? Come on, Mike, let’s just get this over with.” He pushed out of the group and began walking in the direction Brian had gone with a few well-wishers moments earlier. Mike shrugged and moved to follow him. He saw Fiona struggle with a large suitcase as she trailed behind Caitlin in the direction of Sarah’s old cottage. Before he passed them, Caitlin turned and looked at him, her eyes full of malice and intent.
“Donovan!”
Mike turned to see the old man—Ellen’s da, Archibald—standing up in the driver’s seat of the horse drawn wagon. The last time Mike had seen him was seven years ago at Ellen’s funeral. He looked like he’d aged twenty years since then.
“Archie,” Mike said solemnly, nodding to the old man.
“Caitlin told us what you done to her,” Archie said, his face a mask of hatred and impotent violence. “What you did to Ellen.” Mike saw his ex-father-in-law’s arms flex by his side as if imagining the weapon in them that would take Mike down. Long ropy veins crawled up his arms, a fisherman’s arms, used to dragging in hundred pound nets from the ocean.
Mike turned away as the two men on horseback, Caitlin and Ellen’s twin brothers Cedric and Colin yelled to him, jeering.
“We ain’t done with you, Donovan! Not by a long shot!”
Mike left the crowd ogling the newcomers and focused on Declan’s back in front of him. He was aware that Jamison followed close behind so that he was being escorted to Brian as one might a prisoner.