Chapter 2! The Isle of Capri and Anything Goes are songs featured in this chapter, which can both be looked up on YouTube if you wish. Enjoy! :) some Kamesy schtuff in this chapter! XD

Uncle Logan had his secrets, like the rest of them. Only, he wasn't so good at hiding them as the others. Maybe that was why he had such a no-nonsense, strict attitude. Nobody would mock a man who made you feel like a little toddler, ready for detention. Still, he was vulnerable on the inside; inside he was this small boy, trapped and locked in, desperate to escape a life of rules and responsibilities. And sometimes he gave in and let that boy out. But not too often. Logan losing control was a rare sight to see.

Logan trooped into the back garden of the cottage, moaning. God, his arms were killing him. He stopped when he saw Katie kneeling on the ground, fiddling with paper and paints. He grinned, walking over. "Now that's what I call a busy woman!" he greeted. "Come here and give your uncle Logan a big kiss!"

Katie got to her feet reluctantly and hugged him. The schoolteacher tone was something that rarely amused her. "What's all this?" Logan asked. "Is it a kite?"

"It's two kites," Katie corrected.

"Oh, it certainly is! And they're the most wonderful kites I've ever seen!" Logan frowned thoughtfully, looking down at them. "What are those designs?"

"They're faces," Katie replied with large eyes, as if it were obvious. "I painted them."

"Wow, you did those? Oh, they're terrifying! Are they devils, or ghosts? I swear, I wouldn't like to see those lads in the sky, looking down at me."

Katie sighed at the patronising tone.

"Oh, wait a second." Logan dug into one of the shopping bags with slight difficulty, holding the object out to Katie. "Here, do you know what this is? It's a spinning top! And this is the whip. You know how to use it?"

"Um . . ."

"Of course you do! What do you say?"

"Thanks . . .?" Katie trailed off, frowning at the toy in bewilderment.

Logan's smile fell. "Thank you, uncle Logan," he corrected firmly, before his face lit up again. "Oh, I also have a new library book! With coloured pictures! We can start reading it at bedtime!"

Logan straightened up and opened the back door. "Call me the moment you're ready to fly those kites!" he called over his shoulder. "I don't want to miss a second of it!"

Logan strode into the kitchen, smiling in greeting at his three younger siblings. "Where's Carlos?" he asked.

"Wandering around outside, with the hens," Camille replied offhandedly.

"Did you see what Katie's doing out there?" Logan asked Camille with a grin, setting the bags on the kitchen table, ready for unpacking. "She's making kites!"

"Some kites she'll make," Camille scoffed, walking over to the window for a look.

"All by herself!" Logan continued with a proud smile. "No help from anyone. She's very mature for her years!"

Camille laughed. "Very cheeky for her years!"

"I think she's beautiful, Cam," Jo sighed dreamily. "I wish she was mine—"

Kendall's hand clamped over her mouth until she fell silent. That was not something you said out loud. Nobody should want a love child. No one.

"Is that a spinning top she's got there?" Camille asked, frowning.

"Oh, it's nothing!" Logan said quickly, turning to unpack the groceries.

"Oh Logie, you have her spoiled rotten!" Camille sighed. "Where did you get it?"

"Um . . ." Logan bit his lip, trying not to smile. "Morgan's arcade."

Kendall squeaked. Jo let out a high-pitched giggle, the two of them smirking at each other.

"I bet she didn't even thank you!" Camille replied.

Jo hopped up and ran over to where Logan was standing. "I know why you went into Morgan's!"

"Oh, she did!" Logan told Camille quickly. "She's very mannerly!"

"You wanted to see Peggy Morgan!"

"You know, um, every field along the road, they're all out with the, uh, the hay and the corn!"

"Because you have a bit of a crush on that Peggy Morgan!" Kendall teased, laughing happily.

"It's going to be a good harvest by the look of it!" Logan persisted, trying to ignore them.

"Oh, we know you have!" Jo giggled. "You're blushing! But what you don't know, is that she's going with this cattle farmer from Carrickfad—"

"Josephine," Logan sighed witheringly. "What Peggy does or doesn't do is—"

"Why are you blushing then?" Jo yelled in Logan's face. "Why why why—"

"Oh for God's sake!" Logan shouted in frustration. "Shut up, would you!"

A silence fell over the room. Kendall stared up at them with wide eyes. "Jo?"

The blonde turned to him, completely unfazed. "Yep?"

"Pass me those steel needles, please."

Logan was staring down at his shopping bags, biting his lip so hard it started to bleed. Kendall sighed unhappily and went back to his work. Poor Logan.

"Are you tired?" Camille asked Logan gently.

Logan sighed. "That road from town gets longer every day. I swear, Ballybeg is off its head! Everywhere you go, everyone is obsessing over the harvest dance. It's ridiculous!"

Kendall rolled his eyes, standing up to walk over and place some newly-knitted gloves on the dresser. "All the same, I can remember some great harvest dances. Can't you?"

Logan just grunted, fishing a bottle out of the shopping bag. "Here! This is for you, Camille. One teaspoon, every morning before breakfast."

"What is this?" Camille asked, holding the bottle in her hand.

"Cod liver oil." Logan paused before adding bluntly, "You're too pale."

"Wow. Thanks, Logan," Camille sighed.

"It's because you take no exercise!" Logan continued. He pulled out another bottle. "Here's the quinine. The doctor said it wouldn't cure the malaria, it but it might help to contain it. Is he in his room?"

Camille shook her head. "He's wandering around the garden somewhere."

"I told the doctor you found him quiet, Kendall."

No response made Logan lift his head, looking over. Kendall was staring into space as his knitting needles clicked, paying no attention to any of them. He was gone off into one of his daydreams, though none of them had the faintest idea what he dreamt about. Everyone turned to stare at him. "Kendall!" Jo called, waving a hand in front of his face. "KENDALL!"

"Huh?" Kendall exclaimed, blinking dazedly. "What?"

"I told the doctor you found Gustavo very quiet," Logan repeated impatiently.

"Oh."

"Well, didn't you?" Logan rolled his eyes and continued unpacking. "Anyway, the doctor said we should try and understand how strange all of this must be after so long. After all, Swahili has been his main language for years! So if you think about it, his mind isn't confused. He's just struggling to find the words for what he wants to say."

"No matter what the doctor says, he is a bit confused, Logan," Camille replied, folding up one of said man's shirts as she spoke. "Sometimes he has no idea who he's talking to! I've heard him calling you Carlos, and he keeps calling me this weird name . . ."

"Obdul?" Logan questioned.

"Yes, that's it!"

Logan sighed, sitting down. "Obdul was his house boy. He was very . . . attached to him."

They fell into silence. Kendall stared down at his knitting, putting iron the table with a sigh. Why was everything so damn boring? Life used to be exciting, fun, free. When they were younger, and had more time on their hands. Before Katie was born. Or for him, before Katie was conceived, really. After that . . .

Well, here he was.

—9 years ago—

"And some buttered scones," Kendall finished, setting the bundle on the desk. "Don't forget to pick up some sugar and matches on your way home!"

"Thank you, Kendall," Logan smiled, unwrapping his food. "I'll remember."

"Oh, and some apples!"

"Got it! I'll see you later on, Kendall. I need to get back to work."

Kendall left the school, humming as he pulled his jacket around him. The sun was out but the air was a little chilly today, with a harsh wind blowing. He shivered, walking up through the town. "In olden days a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking," he hummed, a spring in his step.

Suddenly something flew straight at him and whacked him in the chest, before landing at his feet. A straw hat. Kendall bent down and picked it up, looking around for the owner.

"Hey there! Sorry!"

A handsome man a couple of inches taller than Kendall, with tan skin and brown hair walked up to him, twirling a walking stick in his hand, even though he walked perfectly fine. He spoke with an English accent. "That's my hat," he said cheerfully holding out his hand. "So glad you caught it for me! You're an angel."

"Um, you're welcome," Kendall stuttered slightly, not really sure what to reply to the compliment. "It was nothing, really. It just flew in my direction . . ."

"Well, isn't that a coincidence! And now that our paths have randomly crossed, we may as well introduce ourselves. I'm James Diamond."

"Nice to meet you," Kendall replied as James set the straw hat back on his head, pushing it back a little with a jaunty wink. And it was suddenly clear to Kendall what had happened. He smile. "You know, I don't think there's a strong enough wind today to blow that hat off your head."

"You think so?" James gave a tragic sigh. "Is my cover blown, then?"

"Just a little," Kendall chuckled.

"Oh well, now that we've sorted that, back to introductions! I've come from Wales," James said with a confident smile.

"You don't sound Welsh," Kendall replied bluntly.

"Oh, I know that. I lived in London a good few years of my life, that's where the accent comes from." James held out his hand. "You still haven't told me your name, sweetheart."

Kendall blushed furiously. "Kendall Mundy," he said slowly, shaking James's hand.

"Ah, there's an Irish name if I ever heard one! Well, not the Kendall bit. That an English name?"

"I think so," Kendall shrugged. "Never given it much thought, really. What are you doing in Ballybeg?"

"Oh, just visiting. I have a great aunt here, so I tend to come over often." James gave Kendall a flirty smile. "And now I have even more reason to come back, don't I?"

Kendall shrugged, trying hard not to give in to what he wanted; giggling in delight. It wasn't every day that handsome men with English accents gave him their attention. "Maybe you do. I suppose it depends."

"Oh? Depends on what?" James's eyebrows were raised as he smirked. "How single you are?"

Kendall burst into laughter, because the idea was so ridiculous. "If I was taken, do you think I would be walking around town to give lunch to my brother? I'd actually have a job."

James sighed. "That's unfortunate. Not having a job, I mean. What do you do all day?"

Kendall sighed at the thought. "I help my sister knit and sell gloves."

"Oh. Sounds dull." James smiled again. "So, you're totally mine for the taking?"

Kendall laughed. "And what if I don't wanna be taken?"

"Hmm. Well, I guess we can arrange a compromise. Maybe I could . . . I dunno, borrow you? Then you can go off, be single and jobless again?"

Kendall rolled his eyes. "Why don't you just tell me what exactly you're suggesting? I'm not going to try and guess."

"Wow, you're kind of feisty. I like you more every second." There was a pause, where James walked closer to him, hands moving up to brush over his waist ever so lightly.

"Well, there's this little inn up the road right there," James pointed with a grin. "We could go there, rent a room, spend the night . . ."

"My brothers and sisters would worry if I didn't come home," Kendall managed to say. It was difficult to speak with James standing so close to him.

"Ah. Big family, then?" James enquired, hand lightly playing with Kendall's blonde hair.

"Yes. I'm the youngest. Except for my sister Jo. So, um . . . I probably shouldn't." But damn, he really wanted to. So badly . . .

"Hmm. I suppose your family comes first. How about this." James paused, smile widening. "I need somewhere to stay anyway. So what about me going and renting a room, you can come with me, and just leave when you need to. That sound ok?"

It sounded way better than ok. But Kendall wanted to seem slightly indifferent, so he shrugged and said, "I suppose that could work. You go, I'll catch up. I have a reputation in this town. Not much of one, but word travels quickly."

"I completely understand," James replied with a wink, walking backwards in the directionof the inn. "Fifteen minutes! Don't be late, blondie!"

"My name is Kendall!" Kendall corrected. "You'd want to remember it!"

Twenty minutes later, James heard a knock on the door of his room. He hopped up and opened it, smiling in greeting. "Did you just ask at the desk which room I was in?"

" her I was a friend of yours. She'll believe anything."

Kendall stepped inside, shutting the door after him. Then James's arms were around his waist, pulling him close and pressing up close to him. Kendall's arms slid around his neck as James pulled him in for a kiss. Kendall was indeed 100% gay. But nobody knew. Not a soul. His brothers and sisters maybe had suspicions, but they'd never brought it up, so he saw no need to mention it either.

James held Kendall tightly in his arms, his tongue wandering inside of the blonde's mouth as he tugged him onto the bed, falling with Kendall on top of him. "I don't know about you, but I'm loving this compromise," James breathed against Kendall"s mouth, pulling Kendall's jacket off and tugging his shirt over his head.

"Mmm, me too," Kendall gasped as James's lips found his neck. James's straw hat was gone, and Kendall ran his fingers happily through James's soft hair before moving down and unbuttoning his shirt. James rolled them over so he was on top, biting on Kendall's chest as he tugged off every other garment he saw on the blonde's slender body, leaving him completely naked.

"Ok, so you're totally single?" James checked again, lifting Kendall's long legs up around his waist.

"Why are you asking that again?" Kendall giggled, pulling James's in for another kiss.

"Because," James gasped against Kendall's open mouth. "You're beautiful."

Kendall's cheeks turned pink at his words. James grinned at him, kissing him softly. Then hungrily, because right now they both wanted each other pretty badly.

James worked his way inside of Kendall with ease, the blonde's legs hugging his waist tightly, pulling their bodies closer together. "You feel amazing," James moaned, hands planted on the pillow either side of Kendall's head. He saw Kendall's face screwed up a little and frowned. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"A little," Kendall replied softly, giving him a smile. "But I'm fine. I want this."

James began sliding in and out of Kendall with a grunt, loving the sounds that spilled from between Kendall's full lips, smiling down at him at little intervals when he had to stop to catch his breath. And after a few minutes, impatience took over and James moved faster, panting against Kendall's neck as sweat slid down his forehead. "Kendall . . . you feel so good . . ."

Kendall just moaned weakly in response, hands gripping James's back as his fingernails dragged over his skin. James gasped at the feeling, hands grabbing Kendall's hips and thrusting in a little harder. Kendall screamed in pleasure, suddenly clamping a hand over his mouth. The place probably had thin walls. James laughed, moving faster and taking Kendall's hand away, leaning in for another kiss.

When they finished, Kendall had to push James's heavy body off him, gaping weakly for breath. James chuckled as he watched him. "You're adorable, you know that?"

Kendall shook his head, cheeks flushing. Well, flushing more. "I'm not at all. But thank you." He rolled onto his side and cuddled up against James, sighing happily when James wrapped an arm around him.

James suddenly bit his lip. "Oh. Um, something's just occurred to me. You're not sixteen or anything, are you? That'd be kind of awkward. And illegal."

Kendall giggled, pressing a kiss to James's strong jaw. "I'm just twenty. So no worries."

"Ok, that's a relief," James chuckled, pulling Kendall closer to his chest, the blonde's head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

"Oh yeah? You twenty? You look a little older."

"I'm twenty-seven," James replied with a slightly nervous smile. "Not too far off. Though I feel like I'm getting old now."

"That why you've got a walking stick?"

"No, no. I just like having it. Not sure exactly why. It's fun to walk around, give it a twirl. Gives me an edge."

Kendall laughed. "An edge. Ok, I completely understand, James Diamomd."

"You're mocking me. I'm hurt," James sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to his heart. "So, tell me, blondie. Do you like dancing?"

Kendall was surprised by the sudden question, but replied honestly, "I love dancing. More than most things."

"Great!" James's face lit up. "I heard the harvest dance was coming up. It's quite a party around here, am I right?"

"Yes, that's very true," Kendall replied, slightly nervous about what James might possibly say next.

"So, would you be interested if I offered to take you?" James asked.

"Oh." Kendall bit his lip. "I, I'm not sure if I could."

"Oh, ok." James's face fell. "I get it."

"It's not that I don't want to go with you," Kendall said quickly. "I do. Thing is, my family would all be there, and they . . . they don't know I like men. They think I'm normal."

"What's abnormal about not liking women?" James questioned, running a hand through Kendall's hair. "I mean, I don't have a preference between them, but since you do, you shouldn't be afraid to show it."

"My brother Logan is very religious," Kendall replied sadly. "His beliefs can be a bit in an overkill . . . I just don't know how they would react and that bothers me."

"I see. Hmm." James looked thoughtful for a second, before he smiled again. "Alright, how about we both go to the dance. Not together. We can arrange a time, and we'll sneak off from your family. Maybe on the outskirts, where you can still hear the music but nobody will see us. One dance?"

Kendall grinned and nodded. "Ok. That sounds perfect."

When Kendall left and went home, he answered his family's questions by offhandedly replying that he went for a long walk around before coming home.

They ended up with a lot more than one dance. They just couldn't let each other go.

"Wouldn't it be a good one?" Kendall said slowly, a smile on his face. "If we all went?"

"Went where?" Jo asked.

"To the harvest dance!"

"Kendall!" Camille exclaimed, looking amazed.

"Like we used to!" Kendall continued excitedly. "Wouldn't you go?"

"I'd go with you, Ken!" Jo replied, holding his hands.

"For heaven's sake!" Logan sighed, annoyed. "You're not serious, are you?"

"I am, Logan!" Kendall replied determinedly, hopping to his feet and walking over.

Logan met him halfway, laughing. "Ha! There's more than Ballybeg off its head lately!"

"We should all go!" Kendall persisted.

"Oh God, have you any idea what it would be like?" Logan cried in disgust. "Crawling with those cheeky brats I taught years ago!"

"I'm up for it!" Kendall replied firmly.

"We couldn't really, could we?" Camille asked. She sounded doubtful but excited.

"What do you say?" Kendall asked Logan.

"No no, this is silly talk!" Logan replied, shaking his head. "We can't, Kendall! How could we?"

"Would Carlos go with us?" Jo asked, standing up too.

"Oh please, try and stop him!" Camille laughed.

"Camille, you have a seven year old daughter, have you forgotten that? And who'd look after Gustavo?" Logan continued, panicked.

"We're going!" Kendall told him firmly. Though he couldn't hide his excitement.

"Are we?" Logan said weakly. His resistance was crumbling and they all knew it.

"We're off, we're away!" Jo cheered, spinning Camille around.

"Are we all mad?" Logan questioned softly.

"It cotst four and six to get in," Camille piped up.

"I've got five pounds saved!" Kendall told her with a grin. "I'll take everyone!"

"Wait!" Logan said, louder this time. "Now hold on—"

"Logan, how many years has it been since we were at the harvest dance?" Kendall demanded, almost pleaded. Because if we was being totally honest, he was desperate. "At any dance? At least seven years! I don't care how young and drunk and dirty—" He bit his lip and his cheeks flushed at the memory — "and how sweaty they are! I want to dance, Logan! It's the festival of Lughnasa, for crying out loud! I'm not even thirty yet! I want to dance!"

"I . . . I know, Kendall," Logan said softly. "I know. All the same . . . I just—I don't know if—"

"It's settled," Kendall interrupted, determined not to let him finish. "We're going, the Mundys, all five of us together!"

"Like we used to!" Jo squealed in delight. "I love you Kendall! More than chocolate biscuits!"

Kendall laughed amd cheered with her as they spun around the room, singing at the tops of their voices. "'Twas on the Isle of Capri that he found her, beneath the shade of the old—"

"NO!" Logan shouted, storming forward and yanking them apart. "No! We're going nowhere!"

Everyone stood still, shocked. "If we all want to go—" Camille started.

"Look at yourselves!" Logan snarled. "Mature adults of our age, dancing at this time of day! That's for young people, with no responsibilities and no duties!"

"Logan," Kendall began timidly. "I think we—"

"Do you want the whole countryside laughing at us?" Logan continued.

"They wouldn't laugh—"

"And this is Father Gustavo's home!" Logan finished. "We must never forget that. No, we're going nowhere!"

"But, Logie—" Jo whined, pulling in his sleeve.

"The matter is over!" Logan snapped, yanking his arm back and walking over to the dresser. "I do not want it mentioned again!"

A gloomy atmosphere came over the kitchen. Camille went back to her ironing silently. Jo walked over to the knitting. And Kendall followed her, lip caught between his teeth as he tried desperately hard not to cry. Maybe remembering was a bad idea after all.

Sometimes I heard Kendall and my mother, or maybe Jo, talking about past harvest dances in hushed voices. It excited me; the stories about drunken dances, and bonfires and singing. It sounded like the most wonderful thing in the world to me. And to them, it probably was. Even Logan. Sometimes I couldn't help associating the wild freeness of the dance with Gustavo's strange tribal rituals, and I thought maybe that was what frightened poor uncle Logan. And I had no idea why the dances meant so much to Kendall. Maybe because he found less enjoyment in his daily life than the others did. Mother had a child, someone to live for. Jo was happily living in her own little world. Carlos sang and made jokes, bringing life to the cottage. Logan was so proper and believed in authority so strongly that his job was fulfilling. What did Kendall have? Day after day of helping Jo with her weak method of making a living.

Well, he did have James. In a way. But nobody knew about that. Not until Lughnasa was almost over.

Carlos picked up his bucket, leaving the henhouse and walking back to the side of the cottage. And there was Katie, still working on her silly kites. He smiled, holding his hands cupped together as if he were holding something in between, balancing the bucket handle on his arm. "The fox is back," he said as a greeting.

"Did you see him?" Katie asked, looking up.

"He has a hole chewed through the henhouse door," Carlos continued.

"Did you get a good look at him, uncle Carlos?"

Carlos chuckled, kneeling down beside her. "I was talking to him and everything! He was asking for you!"

"Haha," Katie replied dully, unamused. Then she frowned, looking puzzled. "What've you got in your hands?"

"Something I've found," Carlos replied, trying to stay serious.

"What?"

"It was sitting very still at the foot of the holly tree," Carlos continued in a mysterious tone.

"Show me!"

"Say please three times," Carlos grinned.

Katie sighed. "Please, please, please."

"In Swahili!"

"Are you going to show me or not?"

"Ok, ok." Carlos held his cupped hands out. "Put your ear over here, love. Shh. Do you hear it?"

"I think so," Katie replied seriously. "Yes, I do."

"What do you hear?" Carlos asked, trying not to laugh.

"Something."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure! Show me!"

"Ok, get back a bit," Carlos instructed. She shuffled back on her knees, and he slowly opened his hands, looking up at the sky. "There! Wasn't it wonderful?"

"Was it a bird?" Katie asked, completely dumbfounded.

"The colours are just so beautiful," Carlos sighed with a grin. He got to his feet. "The problem is, one glance is all you'll ever get. And if you miss that . . ."

He was walking towards the back door when he heard the desperate plea behind him. "What was it, uncle Carlos?"

Carlos laughed, smirking over his shoulder. "You know what it was? It was all in your mind! Now we're even!"

This story has SO much dialogue, omg. I'm sorry . . . about the smut scene too. I didn't feel like doing a really elaborate scene there, because there'll a few more and they'll be more detailed. Guess who's actually gonna make an appearance in the next chapters! XD and by that I mean interact with the other characters, not jut be mentioned or featured in a flashback. Hehe ;D

Reviews!