I laughed while placing them back in my bag. “I could tell. Have you really never had them before? Where did you grow up?”
I thought I saw him shift uncomfortably at my question. “No, ’twas me first and last gummy bear. I grew up verra far from here, ye wouldna have heard of it.”
He said nothing else, and I didn’t press him but stopped walking now that we were far enough away that Cooper and Jerry couldn’t hear us. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
Eoghanan stopped walking as well and faced me. “I wished to apologize for upsetting yer son yesterday morn.”
“Oh, don’t.” I interrupted him and reached my hand out, placing it on the side of his arm to silence him. “It’s not your fault. He only…he thought you were someone else. Really, you didn’t upset him.” His face turned suddenly very white. I jerked my hand away, realizing that I’d placed it right along his scar. “I’m so sorry.”
He rolled his shoulder a bit in an effort to shake away the pain. “’Tis nothing, lass. Doona worry yerself over it. I wish to ask ye if ye will allow young Cooper to join Jerry and meself this afternoon. We intend to go fishing.”
His thoughtfulness in asking me away from Cooper, in case I said no, meant a great deal to me. He didn’t wish to get Cooper’s hopes up if I wouldn’t allow it and didn’t want to place me in an uncomfortable situation by pushing my hand. It was the act of a gentleman, and he instantly gained my trust by doing so.
“Honestly, it would be great to have a few hours of uninterrupted work. If Cooper wants to go, I have no problem with it as long as you stay near the inn and you take care of my son.”
“Aye, I suspected ye might need time alone to tend to yer work.” He took one step toward the direction we’d come, indicating that we could begin our walk back.
As I moved next to him, he placed a hand on the small of my back and leaned in close. It seemed slightly intimate, but I was oddly comfortable with him and I didn’t move away as he spoke.
“And I promise ye, Grace, I’ll return Cooper safely back to ye.”
Eoghanan was still very much a stranger to me, but I believed him. He didn’t seem like the type of man who would say anything he didn’t mean. “I know,” I muttered as we neared the others and stepped away from one another.
*
“Ye are verra talented at catching the wee fish, Cooper.” Eoghanan pulled the fish off its hook, tossing it back into the water to freedom.
“Yep, but I been fishin’ a long time.” Cooper patted him comfortingly on the shoulder. “You’ll get the hang of it. Just takes practice.”
Eoghanan laughed, placing another piece of bait on the rod so that Cooper could cast it into the water once again. “No, lad, I doona think me fishing will improve. The wee beasties doona like me. Who taught ye to fish?”
“My BeBop.”
“What is a BeBop?” Eoghanan found the names in this century no stranger than his own.
“That’s my grandfather’s name. Hey, do you want a gummy? You look kinda tired or something. I think I have two more left in my pocket.”
The thought of another tiny yellow or blue creature entering his mouth made Eoghanan swallow hard to wash away the lingering taste before answering. “I am tired, but why doona ye eat both of them? I doona think I’m verra hungry just now.”
Cooper waved the two bears temptingly in front of him. “You sure?”
“Aye, I’m verra sure.”
Smiling, the child dusted off a piece of lint from one of the gummies that had been in his pocket before he popped them both into his mouth, closing his eyes as he chewed.
Watching Cooper enjoy his mouthful, Eoghanan stood and walked over to Jerry who lay napping in the sun.
“Jerry, I think it best we make our way back. I need to do a travel with Morna, and I’d like to be back before the evening meal.”
“Huh?” The old man jerked up from lying horizontally on the ground, his back cracking as he sat up. “What did ye say, lad?”
“I’m sorry, I dinna wish to wake ye. ’Tis only I think we should go so that I can do me travel with Morna.”
“Ah, verra right.” Jerry held his hand out for assistance. “Ye must help me up though, or I’ll be here all night. I doona have the same knees I once did.”
“Up ye go.”
He reached toward the old man with his left hand, being sure not to strain the other half of his body too much as he lifted him. Seeing Jerry rightly vertical, he hollered after Cooper.
“Have ye had yer fill of fishing? If so, I think it time to go. Yer mother shall be back at the inn soon enough.”
Mention of the boy’s mother had Cooper gathering up his rod and tools as quickly as his little arms could move to reach them. While Eoghanan knew the boy had enjoyed their afternoon, he didn’t wish to be away from his mother for long. He didn’t blame him in the slightest and found himself ready to be in Grace’s presence once again as well.
*