Chapter Six
"Excuse me? I was under the impression that all of Cassidy's clients were leaving them. Not only is that not the case, but they have more orders than ever. Care to explain?" Alexander Dimera turned cold, glittering eyes on the sniveling man in front of him.
"I - I don't know what happened, sir. The customers were leaving like ye planned, but then someone helped her, an employee who convinced the customers to stay."
"What is his name?"
"Uh.Sheamus Brady, sir. He's a bright hardworking kid, who has ambitions to move up in the company. He was already a shift leader and now Rhianna has put him in charge of sales." The spy answered, waiting for the explosion of temper that was sure to follow.
But Alexander remained calm, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Brady, hmm? I want you to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't get too close to my bride. I don't want her to depend on anyone but me."
"Aye, sir. What should we do about their customers?"
Dimera fingered his graying beard. "When will the first shipment go out?"
"In two days, sir."
Dimera smiled evilly. "Their customers have put their trust in Rhianna and her company. It would be a shame if that trust was betrayed."
"Sir?" the man asked, not quite following his boss.
"Tomorrow, just before the finished pieces go out, I want you to work your 'magic' on them. When all of their customers receive defective parts, they'll come running to me. And Rhianna Cassidy will follow."
"There, that ought to hold it." Sean Cassidy mumbled as he hammered in the last nail. He stepped back to survey his handiwork. Well, it wasn't the thorough repair that the roof so desperately needed, but at least it would keep the spring rains out. He straightened his body from the hunched over position he had held for the last few hours and shielded his eyes from the bright afternoon sun. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his well-muscled forearm and carefully climbed down the wooden ladder.
"There ye go, Mrs. Ceannt." He said cheerfully to the elderly woman who hobbled over to him as he descended the ladder.
"Och, thank ye so much, Sean lad." She smiled warmly at him, creating deep creases in her heavily lined and weathered face.
"Don't mention it. But next time somethin' needs repairin, be sure t' let me know, okay? Before ye spring a leak?" he added with a wink. "Now, do ye ladies need anythin' else? Mr. Callahan will be by shortly with the food for the week."
"Nae, lad. We'll be fine. Get on now. I know ye have a great deal t' do without worryin' 'bout us." Mrs. Ceannt replied cheerfully. "Wait though, before ye go. Take these for yourself and that sister of yours." The little old lady said and handed him several linen handkerchiefs neatly folded.
Sean unfolded one of the handkerchiefs and admired the fine craftsmanship. A beautiful, exquisite design had been carefully hand embroidered on the white linen. "I don't know how ye do it, Mrs. Ceannt. Each one ye two make is finer than the last. They really 'n truly are a work of art."
The hobbled woman blushed deeply in her pale face. "Och. Tis just a hobby o' ours. Helps pass the time." She replied modestly as she squinted at the young man before her.
"Well, give Mrs. Plunkett my love and I will come back by in a few days t' see how ye're doing."
"Thank ye laddie." Her face grew wistful and sad for a moment. "Your father would be so proud t' see ye now. We can never thank ye enough for all your family has done for us."
Sean felt a deep blush creep into his tanned cheeks. "Ye don't have t' thank us. Tis our pleasure. Talk to ye later. Good day." He called as he exited the ladies' small three room wooden cabin.
As he walked the several acres back to the castle, his thoughts turned, as they often did, to his sister Rhianna. {I wonder how's she doing at the factory.} It had been several days since she first went to work and he was gradually getting used to being separated from her. It was strange. As twins they were already very close. Their mother's death had made them even more so. As their father withdrew further and further from them, they turned to each other for love and support. They were so closely connected, that they could always sense the other's emotional state and knew instinctively what the other was feeling.
{I wish I could help her at the factory. But who would run the castle, and take care of the people who depend on us, like Mrs. Ceannt and Mrs. Plunkett. No, the castle is mine, and 'tis my responsibility t' care for it. Like it's Rhianna's t' see t' the factory.} Besides, he realized with a chuckle, he would not be any help at the factory. He enjoyed the simple life at the castle; farming and carpentry. He was simply too easy going and gentle to be an effective employer.
On the other hand, Rhianna was a born leader; giving orders and overseeing others just came naturally to her. She had spent a lot of time at the factory with their father when she was little, learning about the factory, about business in general. That's why it hadn't taken her long to fall into the role of manager and bookkeeper.
She worked long, hard days, from before sunrise to well after the sun set. Yet, Sean suspected that Rhianna secretly loved it. She loved the business and wanted to see it succeed. As did he. As long as it was successful, they could put off her impending marriage to Dimera.
Sean's stomach twisted with bile at the thought of that man. He saw the way he looked at his sister, the way his beady little eyes crawled over her body. He had wanted her from the very first time he saw her, and had manipulated their father to get her. Sean knew that his father would never have agreed to the match, had years of alcohol and business worries not weakened his mind and heart.
{There has t' be a way out of this. Rhianna cannot marry that man.} Sean racked his brain for a solution to the question that had plagued him since their father died. {We could leave. Just run away somewhere. To America.} But Sean dismissed the idea as quickly as it had come. They couldn't leave their home. Sean loved the old castle and the rolling green estate, just as Rhianna loved the factory. Not only that, but they couldn't desert the people who depended on them. The poor who lived on their land and ate food that they grew, the workers at the factory and their families who lived on their wages, the local economy in general that thrived on the Cassidy business.
No, running away wasn't the solution. If they didn't need the money, then Rhianna wouldn't have to marry Dimera. Since their father's death, Sean was now Rhianna's legal guardian, at least until she married. He could protest the arrangement, annul the agreement. There was still the matter of the Church, since the bans had already been read. But what would they do, excommunicate them? Sean was willing to risk that to ensure that Rhianna remain out of Dimera's clutches.
But this was IF they didn't need the money. Unfortunately though, they did. The estate was fairly self-sufficient as it had been for centuries past. Acres of farmland provided plenty of food for everyone, and the surplus was sold at market for additional income. The estate was also home to a variety of livestock; chicken, goats, and sheep among others. With the estate's considerable assets; land, buildings, antique furniture and priceless jewelry, the Cassidy children were hardly destitute.
But while the estate held a great deal of value, it was severely lacking in money, due to the late Lord Cassidy's mismanagement of the estate's funds. Sean sighed heavily as he looked at the overgrown landscape around him. It was killing him to see the lovely estate fall into ruin and disrepair. But the desperate repairs the castle and lands needed required money, and a great deal of it. Which brought him back to his original problem. How to prevent Rhianna's marriage to Dimera, and still gain the money they need.
{What if I were t' marry into money?} Sean thought. {That would solve all of our problems.} But who? Sean then remembered a young girl he had once been introduced to. She was Scottish, Miriam Lockeheart. Her father was a very wealthy industrialist of humble birth. It would be the perfect arrangement. He would get her considerable dowry, and she would gain a title and move up into the noble class.
Sean smiled as the plan began to take shape. She was a nice enough girl, kind of pretty. {But would she be able to manage a castle like this?} he wondered. {Well, that can always be taught, and with her money, we can hire more servants.} Sean felt a huge weight float from his shoulders with his decision. He would marry Miss Lockeheart and save Rhianna.
A momentary pang of regret twisted in his heart. {What about love?} Sean stopped dead in his tracks. Well, marriages of convenience weren't unheard of. Men in that situation usually found a way around it. Although Sean knew he couldn't be like them and have mistresses on the side. Sean shook away the troubling thought. {I know we'll grow t' love each other. And if we don't, well, 'tis a small price t' pay for Rhianna's happiness.}
Sean was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't see the petite blond- haired girl until he'd almost run her down.
"Oh, excuse me." he trailed off as he found himself staring into the bluest eyes he had ever seen.
The girl blushed slightly under his gaze and hesitantly introduced herself.
"L, Lord Cassidy. I'm your new maid. Elizabeth Brady."
Rhianna closed the general ledger books with a snap. "Time to go home." She mumbled aloud. {The rest can wait till tomorrow.} She stood and stretched from the cramped position she had held as she poured over the company's books. Maybe she didn't yet know what she was doing, but something about the books just didn't look right. It was almost as if there was money missing, but that couldn't be.
She gathered her things and exited the office, locking it securely behind her. {Hmm, I guess everyone has already left.} She glanced at her pocket watch and saw that it was already well into the evening. She stifled a yawn and left the building and began the long walk toward home.
She crunched through the forest, enjoying the beauty of the spring evening. Her spirits had lifted since leaving the factory and she felt the innocent joys of childhood. She looked up at the clear starlit sky and then looked around her again. {Ooooh, Banshee Forest. I hope I don't run into any vengeful spirits.} she laughed. {I cannot believe that people actually believe the old legends. Singing spirits - more like wind in the trees.} A mournful howl ripped through the forest then and Rhianna stopped short at the noise. She paused for a moment before laughing loudly at herself.
She was grateful for the walk; it gave her the chance to clear her mind. She had learned a great deal that day. {Including how to properly read an inventory report.} She blushed in chagrin. {I cannot believe I did that.} she moaned. {Not quite the impression I wanted to make.}
She had misread the report and panicked to find that they were dangerously low on vital supplies. So she called in a large shipment only to learn that they already had more than enough of the raw material in another storage shed. Rhianna shook her head wryly as her cheeks continued to burn. {Of course it had to be that.that.rogue Sheamus Brady to discover my mistake.} His laughing eyes and mocking smile were burned into her memory. He seemed to take a perverse pleasure in taunting her. "Your fancy governess did teach ye how t' read, right? Because if not, I'd be more than happy to teach ye."
Rhianna forced the thoughts of that infuriating man out of her mind. Mr. Flaherty though had been very understanding. "Twas an honest mistake, Rhianna, that anyone could make. Besides, we'll use it all, eventually." And he had flashed her a kind smile that had warmed her heart.
She blushed slightly as she thought of the handsome young man. She wasn't sure when he had started calling her by her Christian name, but she didn't really mind. He was so warm and friendly, very unlike that Sheamus, and she was relieved to know that she could count on him to help run the business. They spent a great deal of time together as they talked about the company, and she learned more from him every day. It was very nice and easy just being around him, and she liked the way he made her feel.
Rhianna came out of her thoughts quickly when she heard a muffled noise ahead of her. She was halfway home, in the middle of a forest, with no one else nearby. Her heart rate increased, as did her pace. It had never occurred to her that walking home at this hour would be unsafe, but now she realized her dangerous predicament.
She continued her brisk pace, keeping her eyes moving about her. Suddenly a dark figure stepped out from behind the bushes in front of her. Rhianna stopped suddenly and stared at the man wide-eyed. She resembled a deer caught in headlights. She slowly took in the man's appearance.
He was dirty. A scraggily beard covered most of a heavily lined tanned face. Red watery eyes peered out beneath two bushy eyebrows. His clothes were ragged and filthy and he reeked of booze. Rhianna raised a dainty hand to her nose to ward off the stench.
"Excuse me miss." his gravely voice rasped. "Do ye have the time?"
She felt a surge of relief flow through her racing veins. She fumbled for her pocket watch and held it in the light of the full moon.
"Tis just after eight." She replied.
"Thank ye, miss."
She stood there awkwardly, waiting for him to leave. She still felt unsure about the situation and she didn't want him following her.
"Do ye need anything else?" she prompted after a long moment had passed and he hadn't moved.
His beady red eyes traveled over her figure. "Lor, but your a pretty thing.young.sweet."
Rhianna backed away then, feeling her earlier fear return full force. She was reminded again of her precarious predicament. She was all alone with this crazy old man in the middle of the forest. What was she going to do?
The dirty man advanced on her slowly. She backed up automatically and caught her heel on an exposed tree root. She stumbled backwards to land on the hard ground. She looked up to find the old man standing over her, leering drunkenly at her. She let out a frightened cry and tried to scramble to her feet. But before she could move the man swayed on his unsteady feet and fell on top of her.
Rhianna froze rigidly under his massive weight. A tense moment passed and then two. Rhianna looked at the drunk. He wasn't moving. She shook him slightly and found him to be unconscious. "He passed out." She realized with a relieved laugh.
"But I still have to get him off me." She struggled fruitlessly with his dead weight. She finally screamed at him from fear and frustration.
"Get off of me!" She pounded her fists against the massive bulk.
Suddenly the crushing weight was removed. Rhianna's sudden relief quickly turned to fear to find another dark figure standing over her.
"Excuse me? I was under the impression that all of Cassidy's clients were leaving them. Not only is that not the case, but they have more orders than ever. Care to explain?" Alexander Dimera turned cold, glittering eyes on the sniveling man in front of him.
"I - I don't know what happened, sir. The customers were leaving like ye planned, but then someone helped her, an employee who convinced the customers to stay."
"What is his name?"
"Uh.Sheamus Brady, sir. He's a bright hardworking kid, who has ambitions to move up in the company. He was already a shift leader and now Rhianna has put him in charge of sales." The spy answered, waiting for the explosion of temper that was sure to follow.
But Alexander remained calm, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Brady, hmm? I want you to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't get too close to my bride. I don't want her to depend on anyone but me."
"Aye, sir. What should we do about their customers?"
Dimera fingered his graying beard. "When will the first shipment go out?"
"In two days, sir."
Dimera smiled evilly. "Their customers have put their trust in Rhianna and her company. It would be a shame if that trust was betrayed."
"Sir?" the man asked, not quite following his boss.
"Tomorrow, just before the finished pieces go out, I want you to work your 'magic' on them. When all of their customers receive defective parts, they'll come running to me. And Rhianna Cassidy will follow."
"There, that ought to hold it." Sean Cassidy mumbled as he hammered in the last nail. He stepped back to survey his handiwork. Well, it wasn't the thorough repair that the roof so desperately needed, but at least it would keep the spring rains out. He straightened his body from the hunched over position he had held for the last few hours and shielded his eyes from the bright afternoon sun. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his well-muscled forearm and carefully climbed down the wooden ladder.
"There ye go, Mrs. Ceannt." He said cheerfully to the elderly woman who hobbled over to him as he descended the ladder.
"Och, thank ye so much, Sean lad." She smiled warmly at him, creating deep creases in her heavily lined and weathered face.
"Don't mention it. But next time somethin' needs repairin, be sure t' let me know, okay? Before ye spring a leak?" he added with a wink. "Now, do ye ladies need anythin' else? Mr. Callahan will be by shortly with the food for the week."
"Nae, lad. We'll be fine. Get on now. I know ye have a great deal t' do without worryin' 'bout us." Mrs. Ceannt replied cheerfully. "Wait though, before ye go. Take these for yourself and that sister of yours." The little old lady said and handed him several linen handkerchiefs neatly folded.
Sean unfolded one of the handkerchiefs and admired the fine craftsmanship. A beautiful, exquisite design had been carefully hand embroidered on the white linen. "I don't know how ye do it, Mrs. Ceannt. Each one ye two make is finer than the last. They really 'n truly are a work of art."
The hobbled woman blushed deeply in her pale face. "Och. Tis just a hobby o' ours. Helps pass the time." She replied modestly as she squinted at the young man before her.
"Well, give Mrs. Plunkett my love and I will come back by in a few days t' see how ye're doing."
"Thank ye laddie." Her face grew wistful and sad for a moment. "Your father would be so proud t' see ye now. We can never thank ye enough for all your family has done for us."
Sean felt a deep blush creep into his tanned cheeks. "Ye don't have t' thank us. Tis our pleasure. Talk to ye later. Good day." He called as he exited the ladies' small three room wooden cabin.
As he walked the several acres back to the castle, his thoughts turned, as they often did, to his sister Rhianna. {I wonder how's she doing at the factory.} It had been several days since she first went to work and he was gradually getting used to being separated from her. It was strange. As twins they were already very close. Their mother's death had made them even more so. As their father withdrew further and further from them, they turned to each other for love and support. They were so closely connected, that they could always sense the other's emotional state and knew instinctively what the other was feeling.
{I wish I could help her at the factory. But who would run the castle, and take care of the people who depend on us, like Mrs. Ceannt and Mrs. Plunkett. No, the castle is mine, and 'tis my responsibility t' care for it. Like it's Rhianna's t' see t' the factory.} Besides, he realized with a chuckle, he would not be any help at the factory. He enjoyed the simple life at the castle; farming and carpentry. He was simply too easy going and gentle to be an effective employer.
On the other hand, Rhianna was a born leader; giving orders and overseeing others just came naturally to her. She had spent a lot of time at the factory with their father when she was little, learning about the factory, about business in general. That's why it hadn't taken her long to fall into the role of manager and bookkeeper.
She worked long, hard days, from before sunrise to well after the sun set. Yet, Sean suspected that Rhianna secretly loved it. She loved the business and wanted to see it succeed. As did he. As long as it was successful, they could put off her impending marriage to Dimera.
Sean's stomach twisted with bile at the thought of that man. He saw the way he looked at his sister, the way his beady little eyes crawled over her body. He had wanted her from the very first time he saw her, and had manipulated their father to get her. Sean knew that his father would never have agreed to the match, had years of alcohol and business worries not weakened his mind and heart.
{There has t' be a way out of this. Rhianna cannot marry that man.} Sean racked his brain for a solution to the question that had plagued him since their father died. {We could leave. Just run away somewhere. To America.} But Sean dismissed the idea as quickly as it had come. They couldn't leave their home. Sean loved the old castle and the rolling green estate, just as Rhianna loved the factory. Not only that, but they couldn't desert the people who depended on them. The poor who lived on their land and ate food that they grew, the workers at the factory and their families who lived on their wages, the local economy in general that thrived on the Cassidy business.
No, running away wasn't the solution. If they didn't need the money, then Rhianna wouldn't have to marry Dimera. Since their father's death, Sean was now Rhianna's legal guardian, at least until she married. He could protest the arrangement, annul the agreement. There was still the matter of the Church, since the bans had already been read. But what would they do, excommunicate them? Sean was willing to risk that to ensure that Rhianna remain out of Dimera's clutches.
But this was IF they didn't need the money. Unfortunately though, they did. The estate was fairly self-sufficient as it had been for centuries past. Acres of farmland provided plenty of food for everyone, and the surplus was sold at market for additional income. The estate was also home to a variety of livestock; chicken, goats, and sheep among others. With the estate's considerable assets; land, buildings, antique furniture and priceless jewelry, the Cassidy children were hardly destitute.
But while the estate held a great deal of value, it was severely lacking in money, due to the late Lord Cassidy's mismanagement of the estate's funds. Sean sighed heavily as he looked at the overgrown landscape around him. It was killing him to see the lovely estate fall into ruin and disrepair. But the desperate repairs the castle and lands needed required money, and a great deal of it. Which brought him back to his original problem. How to prevent Rhianna's marriage to Dimera, and still gain the money they need.
{What if I were t' marry into money?} Sean thought. {That would solve all of our problems.} But who? Sean then remembered a young girl he had once been introduced to. She was Scottish, Miriam Lockeheart. Her father was a very wealthy industrialist of humble birth. It would be the perfect arrangement. He would get her considerable dowry, and she would gain a title and move up into the noble class.
Sean smiled as the plan began to take shape. She was a nice enough girl, kind of pretty. {But would she be able to manage a castle like this?} he wondered. {Well, that can always be taught, and with her money, we can hire more servants.} Sean felt a huge weight float from his shoulders with his decision. He would marry Miss Lockeheart and save Rhianna.
A momentary pang of regret twisted in his heart. {What about love?} Sean stopped dead in his tracks. Well, marriages of convenience weren't unheard of. Men in that situation usually found a way around it. Although Sean knew he couldn't be like them and have mistresses on the side. Sean shook away the troubling thought. {I know we'll grow t' love each other. And if we don't, well, 'tis a small price t' pay for Rhianna's happiness.}
Sean was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't see the petite blond- haired girl until he'd almost run her down.
"Oh, excuse me." he trailed off as he found himself staring into the bluest eyes he had ever seen.
The girl blushed slightly under his gaze and hesitantly introduced herself.
"L, Lord Cassidy. I'm your new maid. Elizabeth Brady."
Rhianna closed the general ledger books with a snap. "Time to go home." She mumbled aloud. {The rest can wait till tomorrow.} She stood and stretched from the cramped position she had held as she poured over the company's books. Maybe she didn't yet know what she was doing, but something about the books just didn't look right. It was almost as if there was money missing, but that couldn't be.
She gathered her things and exited the office, locking it securely behind her. {Hmm, I guess everyone has already left.} She glanced at her pocket watch and saw that it was already well into the evening. She stifled a yawn and left the building and began the long walk toward home.
She crunched through the forest, enjoying the beauty of the spring evening. Her spirits had lifted since leaving the factory and she felt the innocent joys of childhood. She looked up at the clear starlit sky and then looked around her again. {Ooooh, Banshee Forest. I hope I don't run into any vengeful spirits.} she laughed. {I cannot believe that people actually believe the old legends. Singing spirits - more like wind in the trees.} A mournful howl ripped through the forest then and Rhianna stopped short at the noise. She paused for a moment before laughing loudly at herself.
She was grateful for the walk; it gave her the chance to clear her mind. She had learned a great deal that day. {Including how to properly read an inventory report.} She blushed in chagrin. {I cannot believe I did that.} she moaned. {Not quite the impression I wanted to make.}
She had misread the report and panicked to find that they were dangerously low on vital supplies. So she called in a large shipment only to learn that they already had more than enough of the raw material in another storage shed. Rhianna shook her head wryly as her cheeks continued to burn. {Of course it had to be that.that.rogue Sheamus Brady to discover my mistake.} His laughing eyes and mocking smile were burned into her memory. He seemed to take a perverse pleasure in taunting her. "Your fancy governess did teach ye how t' read, right? Because if not, I'd be more than happy to teach ye."
Rhianna forced the thoughts of that infuriating man out of her mind. Mr. Flaherty though had been very understanding. "Twas an honest mistake, Rhianna, that anyone could make. Besides, we'll use it all, eventually." And he had flashed her a kind smile that had warmed her heart.
She blushed slightly as she thought of the handsome young man. She wasn't sure when he had started calling her by her Christian name, but she didn't really mind. He was so warm and friendly, very unlike that Sheamus, and she was relieved to know that she could count on him to help run the business. They spent a great deal of time together as they talked about the company, and she learned more from him every day. It was very nice and easy just being around him, and she liked the way he made her feel.
Rhianna came out of her thoughts quickly when she heard a muffled noise ahead of her. She was halfway home, in the middle of a forest, with no one else nearby. Her heart rate increased, as did her pace. It had never occurred to her that walking home at this hour would be unsafe, but now she realized her dangerous predicament.
She continued her brisk pace, keeping her eyes moving about her. Suddenly a dark figure stepped out from behind the bushes in front of her. Rhianna stopped suddenly and stared at the man wide-eyed. She resembled a deer caught in headlights. She slowly took in the man's appearance.
He was dirty. A scraggily beard covered most of a heavily lined tanned face. Red watery eyes peered out beneath two bushy eyebrows. His clothes were ragged and filthy and he reeked of booze. Rhianna raised a dainty hand to her nose to ward off the stench.
"Excuse me miss." his gravely voice rasped. "Do ye have the time?"
She felt a surge of relief flow through her racing veins. She fumbled for her pocket watch and held it in the light of the full moon.
"Tis just after eight." She replied.
"Thank ye, miss."
She stood there awkwardly, waiting for him to leave. She still felt unsure about the situation and she didn't want him following her.
"Do ye need anything else?" she prompted after a long moment had passed and he hadn't moved.
His beady red eyes traveled over her figure. "Lor, but your a pretty thing.young.sweet."
Rhianna backed away then, feeling her earlier fear return full force. She was reminded again of her precarious predicament. She was all alone with this crazy old man in the middle of the forest. What was she going to do?
The dirty man advanced on her slowly. She backed up automatically and caught her heel on an exposed tree root. She stumbled backwards to land on the hard ground. She looked up to find the old man standing over her, leering drunkenly at her. She let out a frightened cry and tried to scramble to her feet. But before she could move the man swayed on his unsteady feet and fell on top of her.
Rhianna froze rigidly under his massive weight. A tense moment passed and then two. Rhianna looked at the drunk. He wasn't moving. She shook him slightly and found him to be unconscious. "He passed out." She realized with a relieved laugh.
"But I still have to get him off me." She struggled fruitlessly with his dead weight. She finally screamed at him from fear and frustration.
"Get off of me!" She pounded her fists against the massive bulk.
Suddenly the crushing weight was removed. Rhianna's sudden relief quickly turned to fear to find another dark figure standing over her.
