Banshee Song
Book Two
Chapter Twenty-Eight
"There ye go – all nice and settled in your bed. I'll call for the doctor in the morning. Until then, just stay off your feet, okay?" Sean smiled at Miriam who gazed up at him with adoring eyes.
"Oh, I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't rescued me!" she cried dramatically. "You saved my life!"
"Aye well, just try to be more careful from now on." Sean patted her hand and then exited the room. He looked around the hallway. "Where's Miss Brady?" he asked Mr. Callahan.
"I thought she was right behind us with the tools."
Sean began heading down the hallway. "Elizabeth?" he called as he quickened his pace. "Beth?"
He turned onto the north passageway and his heart stopped. Elizabeth was lying on the floor having apparently fainted. He listened for a heartbeat. It was faint, but steady.
"Go get the doctor!" he yelled to Mr. Callahan. He gently lifted Elizabeth's limp body up in his arms and headed back the way he came. He carried her into the first bedroom he came to, which just happened to be his own.
With great care he laid her on the bed. His anxious eyes flickered over her and landed on her bandaged wrist. He took hold of her fingers and looked up at her bandaged head. He realized with a cold chill that she had been seriously hurt.
He reached up and brushed the dirty hair out of her face. His fingers lingered to caress her cheek. Guilt stabbed at his heart as he remembered making Elizabeth walk with her severe injuries. (Och, she carried the tools, too.} He took hold of her unbandaged hand and squeezed it.
"I'm so sorry. Please be okay." He gazed upon her pale face, still as death and tears stung his eyes. "Come back to me, Beth. I can't lose ye."
He stayed by her side, waiting a tortured eternity for the doctor to arrive. Then Sean waited anxiously while the doctor examined Elizabeth.
"How is she, Dr. O'Sullivan? Will she be okay?"
The doctor removed his glasses and directed him with a grim stare. "Well, her arm is broken but it should heal nicely. She will need to wear a sling while it heals. What concerns me, though, is her head. I'm afraid she took a nasty blow to the side of her head. The damage to her brain could be quite severe, or nothing at all. Ye will need to keep a close eye on her. Keep her in bed for seven days. And there should be minimal movement or exertion for two weeks after that. I'll leave with ye something for the pain. Call for me when she wakes up so I can assess the damage, if any."
Sean thanked the doctor and showed him to the door. He went back to her side and gazed at her. He felt like he was trapped in a dream – nothing felt real. He couldn't believe that the same lively, vibrant girl who had served him breakfast that morning was now lying almost lifelessly before him.
He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the doctor's echoing words. He just couldn't deal with the possibility of brain damage. What if she never woke up? Or was only a shadow of her former self? What if Sean looked into those amazing crystal blue eyes of hers and found no hint of recognition, no sign that she knew who he was?
{Stop it!} his mind screamed. He took a deep breath. His anxious worrying wasn't going to help Elizabeth. He pulled up a chair and sat beside her. He took her hand and just held it.
"How long has it been, Beth?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light and conversational. "Two, three months? I can't believe it's been three months since we first met and yet, it feels like so much longer.
"I still remember the dress ye wore that day. It was just a simple, blue cotton dress and yet it remains my favorite. I remember your curls, golden in the bright afternoon sun, were tied back with a blue ribbon and as blue as the ribbon was, it couldn't compare to the sea of blue that were your eyes. I remember they sparkled with such radiant life. I felt as if I had always been dead, never truly alive.
"That's what these last three months have been like, Beth. They have been both the best and the worst moments of my life. They are the best because you've been in my life, but the worst because I couldn't completely let ye in my life.
"I've tried to fight it for so long. I thought I could control my heart – that I could just…not love ye and love someone else instead. But I can't and I'm sorry that it took your injury for me to see it."
His brown eyes shone with moisture as he gently kissed her fingers. His voice was gravelly when he spoke. "I'm so sorry for the pain and heartache I've caused ye. Come back to me, Beth, and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to ye. Come back to me – I, I can't live without ye. I love ye, Beth." He gazed at her a minute more and then kissed her forehead. He then sank down into a plush chair in the corner of the room and settled in for a long night.
Birds were beginning their morning songs and a pale light was fluttering in through the windows when Sheamus opened his eyes. He yawned and looked around him in momentary confusion before remembering the events of the previous night. His eyes fell on Rhianna who was still sleeping peacefully in his arms.
He stretched as much as he could without disturbing his sleeping angel. He could tell from the stiffness in his limbs that he'd stayed in the same position all night. But as Rhianna moaned softly and cuddled closer to him, he knew that it had been worth it.
He gazed at her in wonder. Her long hair spilled across her bare shoulders, across their pillow and a few ringlets even found their way onto Sheamus's bare chest. He picked up one of the locks and marveled at the perfect spiral of glossy red-gold hair. {Like spun copper,} he mused.
He glanced back over at Rhianna. Her lashes fluttered against her milk white cheeks. Her full red lips were parted just slightly and soft breathing could be heard from the sleeping girl.
{Remember this moment,} he told himself. {Remember how it feels to hold her in your arms, to wake up beside her, to watch her sleep. Remember this moment. Ye might not get another one.}
As he watched, Rhianna fluttered open her eyes. She stretched sleepily, nearly smacking him in the face with her arm. She looked around her and Sheamus smiled to see the rising confusion in her green eyes. She finally took notice of him and her eyes grew wide as saucers.
"AAAAAH!" she screamed as she jumped out of his arms. "What are ye doing here?" she demanded. She took another look around her. "And where is here?"
Sheamus looked at her incredulously. "Ye don't remember? Wow, ye DID have a lot to drink last night. Remember, Rhianna? We're at the cabin. We had to stay the night because we missed the ferry."
Understanding dawned in her eyes. "That's right. Ye fixed us dinner," she remembered with a smile, "and we sang to each other."
Sheamus sat up causing the sheets to fall off his bare chest. Rhianna was suddenly very aware of their near naked states.
"And what else do ye remember?" Sheamus whispered.
"I remember…" she trailed off as her cheeks blushed with memory. Her fingers touched her lips remembering the powerful kiss from the previous night. "Did it really happen?" she asked. Part of her hoped that their passionate encounter had only been a dream.
"Ye mean the kiss?" he asked with a hint of a smirk on his face. "Aye, it happened. And it was…incredible."
"Did…anything else happen?" she asked softly.
Sheamus paused. He had considered lying to her, telling her that they had made love. It was a good plan; he was the only one who knew the truth and Rhianna's betrothal to Dimera would be annulled. But when he saw the fear and shame that shone in her watery eyes, he knew that he couldn't do that to her.
"No," he replied with a heavy sigh. "Nothing happened. Ye had a bit too much to drink and passed out in my arms. I put ye to bed and that's it."
Rhianna let out a relieved breath and sat down on the bed. "I guess ye really are a gentleman. Thank ye."
"Aye well, next time lay off the wine."
Rhianna rubbed her throbbing temple. "No worries about that. Oh, how do people endure this? I feel like my head's going to explode."
"Aye, I know the feeling all too well. Come on." He stood up from the bed and Rhianna got a good look at his body clad only in thin cotton boxers. "I'll make ye my special morning after remedy."
Sheamus rummaged through the kitchen and gathered the ingredients. A few minutes later, he handed her a cup filled with the most ghastly smelling liquid. Rhianna wrinkled her nose.
"What is this?"
"Trust me, ye do NOT want to know. Just drink it. You'll feel better."
Rhianna stared questioningly at the burbling dark liquid. She took a deep breath and pinching her nostrils tightly closed, gulped the drink down.
"Bleccch! I think I prefer the sharp stabbing pain in my head to drinking that."
"Well, you'll thank me when your headache goes away."
"Speaking of away – we should probably be getting on our way. Sean must be worried sick about me."
They got dressed and were soon on their way. They stood on the porch and Sheamus closed the door securely. He looked over the old cabin appreciatively.
"Ye know, this is a nice little cabin. Not a bad place to spend the night."
Rhianna smiled fondly. "No, it wasn't."
They turned to leave when suddenly Rhianna stopped short. There, not fifty feet away from them, was an elderly woman walking by. Rhianna recognized her as a prominent member of her church – and also the biggest gossip in town. Rhianna waited stone still until the woman walked out of sight. She whirled around to Sheamus, her face white.
"Ol' Widow Clayton!" she hissed. "What is she doing out here? Do ye think she saw us? Oh, Sheamus, what if she saw us leaving the cabin? What if she heard us? It will be all over Dublin by mid-morning."
Sheamus frowned in confusion. "What will be all over Dublin?"
"The fact that we spent the night here! Sheamus, the only thing that woman loves more than sticking her nose into other people's business, is gossiping about other people's business."
Sheamus lay a calming hand on her tense shoulder. "Rhianna, relax. I don't think she saw us – she just walked by like she didn't even notice us. Ye have nothing to worry about."
Rhianna nodded and inhaled a deep breath. "You're right. Let's go, before anyone else sees us."
They made it back to the ferry without further incident. As the boat carried them across the river, Rhianna kept looking around her. She had a strange feeling that the other passengers on the boat were talking about her. She could sense their stares and whispers seemed to float in the wind.
"Is it just me, or is everyone talking about us?" she questioned softly through her teeth.
Sheamus frowned. The other passengers did seem to be acting strangely. "I'm sure it's just nothing. Ignore them."
Rhianna put the others out of her mind and soon they were on land, making the rest of the journey home. They reached the estate and she turned to Sheamus. "I'm giving us the day off today. Why don't ye go get some rest?"
Sheamus yawned. "Oh, I will. I just want to let Elizabeth know I'm here. I hope she hasn't been worried about me."
They went inside and shortly bumped into Mr. Callahan. He looked at them in surprise. "Rhianna, are ye just now getting in? Oh, never mind that now. Mr. Brady, I'm glad you're here – we've been trying to find ye. There's been an accident – I'm afraid your sister's been hurt."
Book Two
Chapter Twenty-Eight
"There ye go – all nice and settled in your bed. I'll call for the doctor in the morning. Until then, just stay off your feet, okay?" Sean smiled at Miriam who gazed up at him with adoring eyes.
"Oh, I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't rescued me!" she cried dramatically. "You saved my life!"
"Aye well, just try to be more careful from now on." Sean patted her hand and then exited the room. He looked around the hallway. "Where's Miss Brady?" he asked Mr. Callahan.
"I thought she was right behind us with the tools."
Sean began heading down the hallway. "Elizabeth?" he called as he quickened his pace. "Beth?"
He turned onto the north passageway and his heart stopped. Elizabeth was lying on the floor having apparently fainted. He listened for a heartbeat. It was faint, but steady.
"Go get the doctor!" he yelled to Mr. Callahan. He gently lifted Elizabeth's limp body up in his arms and headed back the way he came. He carried her into the first bedroom he came to, which just happened to be his own.
With great care he laid her on the bed. His anxious eyes flickered over her and landed on her bandaged wrist. He took hold of her fingers and looked up at her bandaged head. He realized with a cold chill that she had been seriously hurt.
He reached up and brushed the dirty hair out of her face. His fingers lingered to caress her cheek. Guilt stabbed at his heart as he remembered making Elizabeth walk with her severe injuries. (Och, she carried the tools, too.} He took hold of her unbandaged hand and squeezed it.
"I'm so sorry. Please be okay." He gazed upon her pale face, still as death and tears stung his eyes. "Come back to me, Beth. I can't lose ye."
He stayed by her side, waiting a tortured eternity for the doctor to arrive. Then Sean waited anxiously while the doctor examined Elizabeth.
"How is she, Dr. O'Sullivan? Will she be okay?"
The doctor removed his glasses and directed him with a grim stare. "Well, her arm is broken but it should heal nicely. She will need to wear a sling while it heals. What concerns me, though, is her head. I'm afraid she took a nasty blow to the side of her head. The damage to her brain could be quite severe, or nothing at all. Ye will need to keep a close eye on her. Keep her in bed for seven days. And there should be minimal movement or exertion for two weeks after that. I'll leave with ye something for the pain. Call for me when she wakes up so I can assess the damage, if any."
Sean thanked the doctor and showed him to the door. He went back to her side and gazed at her. He felt like he was trapped in a dream – nothing felt real. He couldn't believe that the same lively, vibrant girl who had served him breakfast that morning was now lying almost lifelessly before him.
He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the doctor's echoing words. He just couldn't deal with the possibility of brain damage. What if she never woke up? Or was only a shadow of her former self? What if Sean looked into those amazing crystal blue eyes of hers and found no hint of recognition, no sign that she knew who he was?
{Stop it!} his mind screamed. He took a deep breath. His anxious worrying wasn't going to help Elizabeth. He pulled up a chair and sat beside her. He took her hand and just held it.
"How long has it been, Beth?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light and conversational. "Two, three months? I can't believe it's been three months since we first met and yet, it feels like so much longer.
"I still remember the dress ye wore that day. It was just a simple, blue cotton dress and yet it remains my favorite. I remember your curls, golden in the bright afternoon sun, were tied back with a blue ribbon and as blue as the ribbon was, it couldn't compare to the sea of blue that were your eyes. I remember they sparkled with such radiant life. I felt as if I had always been dead, never truly alive.
"That's what these last three months have been like, Beth. They have been both the best and the worst moments of my life. They are the best because you've been in my life, but the worst because I couldn't completely let ye in my life.
"I've tried to fight it for so long. I thought I could control my heart – that I could just…not love ye and love someone else instead. But I can't and I'm sorry that it took your injury for me to see it."
His brown eyes shone with moisture as he gently kissed her fingers. His voice was gravelly when he spoke. "I'm so sorry for the pain and heartache I've caused ye. Come back to me, Beth, and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to ye. Come back to me – I, I can't live without ye. I love ye, Beth." He gazed at her a minute more and then kissed her forehead. He then sank down into a plush chair in the corner of the room and settled in for a long night.
Birds were beginning their morning songs and a pale light was fluttering in through the windows when Sheamus opened his eyes. He yawned and looked around him in momentary confusion before remembering the events of the previous night. His eyes fell on Rhianna who was still sleeping peacefully in his arms.
He stretched as much as he could without disturbing his sleeping angel. He could tell from the stiffness in his limbs that he'd stayed in the same position all night. But as Rhianna moaned softly and cuddled closer to him, he knew that it had been worth it.
He gazed at her in wonder. Her long hair spilled across her bare shoulders, across their pillow and a few ringlets even found their way onto Sheamus's bare chest. He picked up one of the locks and marveled at the perfect spiral of glossy red-gold hair. {Like spun copper,} he mused.
He glanced back over at Rhianna. Her lashes fluttered against her milk white cheeks. Her full red lips were parted just slightly and soft breathing could be heard from the sleeping girl.
{Remember this moment,} he told himself. {Remember how it feels to hold her in your arms, to wake up beside her, to watch her sleep. Remember this moment. Ye might not get another one.}
As he watched, Rhianna fluttered open her eyes. She stretched sleepily, nearly smacking him in the face with her arm. She looked around her and Sheamus smiled to see the rising confusion in her green eyes. She finally took notice of him and her eyes grew wide as saucers.
"AAAAAH!" she screamed as she jumped out of his arms. "What are ye doing here?" she demanded. She took another look around her. "And where is here?"
Sheamus looked at her incredulously. "Ye don't remember? Wow, ye DID have a lot to drink last night. Remember, Rhianna? We're at the cabin. We had to stay the night because we missed the ferry."
Understanding dawned in her eyes. "That's right. Ye fixed us dinner," she remembered with a smile, "and we sang to each other."
Sheamus sat up causing the sheets to fall off his bare chest. Rhianna was suddenly very aware of their near naked states.
"And what else do ye remember?" Sheamus whispered.
"I remember…" she trailed off as her cheeks blushed with memory. Her fingers touched her lips remembering the powerful kiss from the previous night. "Did it really happen?" she asked. Part of her hoped that their passionate encounter had only been a dream.
"Ye mean the kiss?" he asked with a hint of a smirk on his face. "Aye, it happened. And it was…incredible."
"Did…anything else happen?" she asked softly.
Sheamus paused. He had considered lying to her, telling her that they had made love. It was a good plan; he was the only one who knew the truth and Rhianna's betrothal to Dimera would be annulled. But when he saw the fear and shame that shone in her watery eyes, he knew that he couldn't do that to her.
"No," he replied with a heavy sigh. "Nothing happened. Ye had a bit too much to drink and passed out in my arms. I put ye to bed and that's it."
Rhianna let out a relieved breath and sat down on the bed. "I guess ye really are a gentleman. Thank ye."
"Aye well, next time lay off the wine."
Rhianna rubbed her throbbing temple. "No worries about that. Oh, how do people endure this? I feel like my head's going to explode."
"Aye, I know the feeling all too well. Come on." He stood up from the bed and Rhianna got a good look at his body clad only in thin cotton boxers. "I'll make ye my special morning after remedy."
Sheamus rummaged through the kitchen and gathered the ingredients. A few minutes later, he handed her a cup filled with the most ghastly smelling liquid. Rhianna wrinkled her nose.
"What is this?"
"Trust me, ye do NOT want to know. Just drink it. You'll feel better."
Rhianna stared questioningly at the burbling dark liquid. She took a deep breath and pinching her nostrils tightly closed, gulped the drink down.
"Bleccch! I think I prefer the sharp stabbing pain in my head to drinking that."
"Well, you'll thank me when your headache goes away."
"Speaking of away – we should probably be getting on our way. Sean must be worried sick about me."
They got dressed and were soon on their way. They stood on the porch and Sheamus closed the door securely. He looked over the old cabin appreciatively.
"Ye know, this is a nice little cabin. Not a bad place to spend the night."
Rhianna smiled fondly. "No, it wasn't."
They turned to leave when suddenly Rhianna stopped short. There, not fifty feet away from them, was an elderly woman walking by. Rhianna recognized her as a prominent member of her church – and also the biggest gossip in town. Rhianna waited stone still until the woman walked out of sight. She whirled around to Sheamus, her face white.
"Ol' Widow Clayton!" she hissed. "What is she doing out here? Do ye think she saw us? Oh, Sheamus, what if she saw us leaving the cabin? What if she heard us? It will be all over Dublin by mid-morning."
Sheamus frowned in confusion. "What will be all over Dublin?"
"The fact that we spent the night here! Sheamus, the only thing that woman loves more than sticking her nose into other people's business, is gossiping about other people's business."
Sheamus lay a calming hand on her tense shoulder. "Rhianna, relax. I don't think she saw us – she just walked by like she didn't even notice us. Ye have nothing to worry about."
Rhianna nodded and inhaled a deep breath. "You're right. Let's go, before anyone else sees us."
They made it back to the ferry without further incident. As the boat carried them across the river, Rhianna kept looking around her. She had a strange feeling that the other passengers on the boat were talking about her. She could sense their stares and whispers seemed to float in the wind.
"Is it just me, or is everyone talking about us?" she questioned softly through her teeth.
Sheamus frowned. The other passengers did seem to be acting strangely. "I'm sure it's just nothing. Ignore them."
Rhianna put the others out of her mind and soon they were on land, making the rest of the journey home. They reached the estate and she turned to Sheamus. "I'm giving us the day off today. Why don't ye go get some rest?"
Sheamus yawned. "Oh, I will. I just want to let Elizabeth know I'm here. I hope she hasn't been worried about me."
They went inside and shortly bumped into Mr. Callahan. He looked at them in surprise. "Rhianna, are ye just now getting in? Oh, never mind that now. Mr. Brady, I'm glad you're here – we've been trying to find ye. There's been an accident – I'm afraid your sister's been hurt."
