"Anna, there is something else I need to tell you," Declan admitted that afternoon, once they'd eaten and loved and showered and dressed and undressed and dressed again and were washing up dishes in the pub's kitchen (it had been a busy morning at the Caragh.)

"Oh, yeah? What's that."

"I missed you." Anna turned from the sink to look at him fondly if rather quizzically.

"I missed you, too."

"I missed you so very much, and I thought I'd never see your face again."

"I'm here now." They'd both stripped off their rubber gloves and were rolling down their sleeves as they approached each other between the industrial kitchen sinks in the back of the pub. Anna leaned her hip against the edge of the stainless steel countertop and caressed Declan's scruffy cheek as he cupped her elbow with his free hand.

"Yes," he sighed, leaning into her touch. "It's just . . . I needed some company, and when I passed back through Tipperary . . . "

"Oh! Oh. Oh, my goodness. Well, I . . . I'm glad you told me." She shook her head so that her hair fell in a curtain over her face, trying to hide her surprise.

"No, no, that's not . . . " he reached out to hold her still. "Oh, of course, this must sound ridiculous, but please, just listen a moment. Naturally, on my way back through Tipperary, I ran into our friend Frank and I learned that he and the wife actually have two sheepdogs. We didn't meet the other because she was around back with her paws full. A new mum."

"What on Earth did Frank do when he saw you were traveling home alone? Sic the both of them on you?"

"Of course not! I merely explained that you'd be away a few weeks on business, that it would be our first time apart since we'd wed, and how sorely I was missing you already." At this, he smiled weakly, and she could see the truth in it. "He and Eileen insisted on sending me home with someone to keep me company."

"'With someone' . . . hang on. You said this other dog, she was a new . . . "

"Yes, darling, a whole litter of kittens, she'd had."

"You didn't . . . You couldn't have!"

"You haven't seen the wee thing! I couldn't not!"

"You brought home a puppy."

"Would you like to meet her?" Please? He mimed, clasping his hands and flashing her a clownish grin. Anna nodded slowly.

"What's she called? Bob?"

"Of course not," Declan pushed open the backdoor and whistled. "Lady! Here, lass!" A black and white border collie, still wearing her fluffy, puppy coat dashed inside and promptly sat at attention at her master's feet, gazing up at him with devotion in her blue eyes. Anna supposed she couldn't in good conscious fault her for that. Declan scooped up the puppy and turned toward Anna, holding up one of her paws as though to wave 'hello.'

"Lady?"

"I truly was missing you, Anna Brady." Anna politely shook the dog's paw and got slurped with a kiss in return.

"She is awfully cute. And her father did chase me up to see the castle. With you." Declan kissed Lady's cheek and then leaned forward to kiss Anna's—a sneaky maneuver that allowed him to deposit the puppy into her arms. "Declan!"

"What? She likes you!"

"Aw," Anna cooed softly, adjusting Lady in her arms and accepting a few more kisses. "Okay, okay, Lady O'Brady Callaghan, what else do you like?"

"Burying bones, chasing the chickens . . . and sleeping in bed with me," Declan supplied.

"Oh, is that so? Well, what do you say, Lady? I'll flip you for it!"