Banshee Song
Book Two

Chapter Sixteen

"So, she rehired him."

"Aye, sir." Brian held his breath wondering anxiously how his employer would take the news of Sheamus's return to the factory.

Alexander Dimera let out a slow, measured breath. He leaned back in the leather chair and steepled his fingers under his chin. "I expected as much."

Brian let out a relieved breath. "Sir?"

"I assume you heard of Mrs. Brady's passing?"

"Ye mean, his mother? Aye, 'tis a shame." Brian answered, not quite following his boss.

"Yes well, Mrs. Brady also worked for Lord Cassidy for many years. In many ways she was a second mother to Rhianna. So of course she's going to take pity on him, if only for his mother's sake."

Alexander furrowed his brow in thought. "Still, it doesn't mean I have to put up with it. I want him gone, Brian. Permanently."

.

It was early in the morning. A warm spring breeze blew through the open window. Birds sang and the fragrance of newly opened flowers hung in the air. And she was on his mind.

Sean stared at the letter that lay on the large ornate desk. But all he could see was her. Large, laughing blue eyes that stood out from a pretty, smiling face. Long, waving blond hair, and a gently curving figure. Despite his concerted efforts to forget her, Elizabeth haunted his dreams and waking thoughts.

His head dropped to the desk and a loud THUNK! bounced off the stone walls of his office. {Och, Sean what is wrong with ye? Why can't ye get your mind off this girl?} He had tried driving distance between himself and Elizabeth, and had succeeded. For a while.

And then she moved into the castle following her mother's death. There was no escape for Sean; he seemed to run into her everywhere. He bumped into her outside her bedroom and the sight of her in her thin cotton nightgown caused many sleepless nights. He ran into her in the gardens, surrounded by flowers and birds. He even once walked in on her as she was bathing, droplets rolling down her smooth skin.

But more than just his obvious physical attraction, it was the emotional attraction that worried him. He was getting to know her better day by day and everyday his love for her grew.

Sean sighed. Elizabeth was still hurting over the loss of her mother. She hid it well behind her brave smile, but he could still see the pain in her eyes. He heard her soft cries in the night. His heart ached for her pain, a pain he was all too familiar with. {I wish there was something I could do.} He longed for the long-absent sound of her laughter. He could hear her laughter in his head; see her smiling face before him.

And then he glanced at the letter again and the fantasy was replaced by cold reality. {Enough dreamin' Sean. Elizabeth can't give ye the money ye so desperately need.} But Miss Miriam Lockeheart could, and she would be arriving in a matter of weeks to begin their courtship. {And that will be the end of it.}

Sean paused from his work when a familiar lilting voice floated through the open window. He smiled and peered out the window to see Elizabeth hanging wet linens to dry. Around her were several baskets of laundry. She was dressed in a simple, but beautiful dress of light blue. He watched as her long blonde hair became airborne in a gust of wind.

"Sheamus Patrick Brady, what do ye think you're doing?" She asked the man who deposited another basket of clothing beside the others.

"Just dropping off my laundry, dear sister."

"Do ye not see that I already have several loads of wash to do?"

"Aye. So what's one more?" he asked with a broad smile.

"Sheamus! I am not your maid. Do your own wash!"

Sean laughed at the helpless expression that came over the other man's face. Sheamus's lower lip protruded in a pout. "But I don't know how and you're soooo good at it and I don't have anything clean to wear and I tried to wash a shirt but it only got dirtier." He blinked his large blue eyes for effect.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Fine. Put yours in with the others."

Sheamus smiled and kissed his sister's cheek as he dashed off.

"But ye owe me something pretty!" she called after him. "Men." She muttered aloud.

Sean stood watching Elizabeth for several moments as she hung laundry up to dry. She was so lovely. There was still the sad pain in her eyes, but it seemed to be less that day. {Forbidden fruit, Sean,} he reminded himself and went to make arrangements for Miss Lockeheart's arrival.

.

"Just watch me and do as I do." Sheamus instructed the man who intently watched over his shoulder. Sheamus slowly took a metal sheet and placed it on the machine platform. He went through the routine: turning gears, pulling levers, stamping buttons. "And the finished piece comes out the other end. See?" He held up the finished piece for the trainee to inspect. He then repeated the process many times.

After several parts had been made he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Rhianna beside him. He bent down to hear her over the noise of his machine.

"Mr. Brady, I'd like to have a meeting with ye. Now, if possible."

He nodded and turned to the trainee. "Patrick, I think you're ready now. Why don't ye take over on my machine? Just do as I showed ye, and if ye need help, ask Thomas. He's the man behind you." Sheamus then turned and followed Rhianna into the office.

"How do ye think he'll turn out?" Rhianna asked, referring to the man Sheamus was training.

"Who - Patrick? I think he'll do quite nicely. He's been working here for several months now and doing various tasks. He's a little slow-witted, but he's a good hard worker. I don't mind repeating myself if it means getting that kind of work out of someone."

Rhianna nodded. "Good. I want to gradually move ye off the machines and have someone else supervise section 5. I need ye up here with me. Ye have a good head for business and I don't want it wasted running the machines." She paused, her eyes twinkling as she planned the future of her company. "In a few months, after we've stabilized and have solidified our core customer base, I'd like for ye and me to begin expanding our sales. Both with new customers and regaining former customers that we've lost. I'd like to see if ye can charm some of them back to us."

"I'd also like to see ye work your charm with some local suppliers. I'm almost positive that we can get our materials cheaper - it's just a matter of talking to the right people." She continued.

Sheamus smiled. "Sounds like a job for Elizabeth."

Rhianna nodded in thought. "Maybe. So that's where we're headed in the future. But for right now, why don't ye share with me this week's sales report?"

He began without even glancing at the report, as if from memory. "Well, Mr. Flannigan has added 100 pcs onto his usual order."

He was cut off suddenly by a loud wailing of the alarm system. Rhianna looked up in surprise. "What's that?" she asked as she covered her ears.

The blood fled from Sheamus's face. "It's the machines. Come on!" he cried and ran out of the office.

Their hurried footsteps rang off of the metal stairs as they raced toward the cause of the alarm. They were met by chaos; loud panicked voices, screeching gears, workers running to and fro.

"It's got his arm!" one voice cried.

"Get back, or it'll get you too!" another voice answered.

Sheamus pushed through the crowd, followed closely by Rhianna. He stopped suddenly when they had broken through the throng of people. He held a restraining arm against Rhianna.

"Ye shouldn't see this." He said softly, his voice strangely detached.

"See what?" She pushed around him in annoyance and froze as the machine came in view.

"Oh God." she moaned as swift nausea assaulted her stomach. Her head swam from the horrifying vision that greeted her. Patrick had gotten his arm caught in the grinding gears. Every second pulled him further into the metal monster. The poor man cried helpless tears while blood flowed from deep wounds.

Rhianna looked around her. Many workers slaved frantically at shutting off the gigantic beast but no one tried to free the trapped worker. Instead they hung back, keeping their distance while looking on sadly.

"Somebody help him!" she cried as she stepped forward.

But an arm pulled her back. She looked up at one of the workers. "It's too late, Lady Cassidy. There's nothing we can do. It's too dangerous." He explained.

Rhianna looked around her in stunned disbelief. "You're just going to let him.die?" She looked back at Sheamus for help. Her words died on her tongue. Sheamus stood there, his glossy eyes staring blankly at the struggling worker. Ice shot through her veins when she recognized the expression on his face. It was fear. A fear so strong it paralyzed him.

She looked back at poor Patrick and tears filled her eyes. She bit her lip in determination. There was still time to save him. There had to be something she could do. She ran toward Patrick, ducking under a wildly swinging metallic arm. She braced herself against his body and joined him in pulling on his arm. But she couldn't get a good grip on his arm due to the slick blood covering it. She pushed against his torso.

"Pull, Patrick, pull!" she yelled. But despite their efforts, his arm disappeared bit by bit into the machine's gaping jaws.

She looked at the machine. It was no use trying to free him from the outside. He was caught on something and no amount of force was going to pull him free. {If only there was a way to get inside,} she mused. She looked above and saw the machine's steam vent. It was a small hole, but seemed just large enough for her to wiggle through. The vent would take her to the core of the machine, where Patrick was caught.

She climbed the ladder to the vent and poised herself above the opening. She looked apprehensively at the moving gears and presses. The workers hadn't yet been able to shut off the machine. She inhaled a deep breath and climbed down the vent out of sight of the other workers.

She made her way carefully but quickly through the machine's inner core. She wiped the bead of sweat that ran down her cheek. {Okay, so where is it?} She finally came to the right place and immediately spied Patrick's badly wounded arm as well as the top of his head. She gasped to see that Patrick was on a collision course with a press that stamped rapidly several times a minute. There wasn't a moment to lose.

She ran toward Patrick and studied his arm. {Ah ha!} His shirtsleeve had gotten twisted around one of the gears. She pulled and twisted at the fabric, aware of the press that grew ever closer to them both. Finally with a satisfying RIP the sleeve came loose.

"PATRICK, PULL!" She screamed to the man on the other side. He ripped his arm free of the machine. But the force of his movement knocked Rhianna off balance. She fell on her back and looked up to see the press coming down on her.

She only had time to scream.