I know I said this would be all conventional coupling, but I added one unconventional. It's nothing major but it's just for the storyline to run smoothly. It makes sense, well at least to me. Just as a warning.

Oh and to answer one question: Yes Michael and Maria will be in this, but I'm not quite sure where I want them yet. There are two places in my mind and they both work perfectly. So it may be a while before we see them.

I'm sorry for the wait. Between three band concerts, a choir concert, and a band/choir concert, and rehearsals for all three I don't have a lot of time. Mix in the holidays and FAFSA forms, it's been a nightmare. Should be smoother these next two weeks though.

Thanks for all the feedback, it makes me happy.

Chapter 5

"Nancy." He said soon as he walked into the room he knew she was there, he could feel her.

"James." She stated. Her heart thumped in her chest. She had seen him only hours before but it seemed like forever.

"What's wrong?" He knew there must be something wrong for her to come to him like this, in the night.

"It's happening again, John, all over again." She stated, her voice cracking.

"What's happening?" He crossed the room and sank down on his knees before her and took her hands, his eyes searching for something.

"Our daughter, Jim, she's falling for Max Evans." She said and broke down in tears. She had held them in for her family's sake, but here in her love's arms she didn't need to be so strong.

"Oh, Nancy." He lifted her and sat her on his lap in the chair. "Are you sure?"

"Almost positive. I won't let her do it, I'll send her back to Ireland if I have to, I'm not letting her give up her life for something that can never be." She said vehemently, before her body was overtaken by sobs.

"That didn't keep us from each other did it?" He asked, with a smile. "The Evans have millions, darling, and those millions can have a long arm."

"Did I make a mistake bringing them back here?"

"No, my darling." He held her close. "No, we should tell her, Nancy."

"Do you think so?" She sat up and looked him in the eye.

"Yes." Gently he nudged her off his lap. "Maybe we can make this work, Nancy. I still don't have an heir."

"I know, why didn't you ever marry, Jim?" She asked looking at the floor.

"Because the only woman I've ever loved was already taken." He answered honestly. "Come here, this is what we'll do."

"Jim, are you…do you…is it possible for Kyle to be your heir?"

He smiled at her, but it wasn't a happy smile, but one full of hope. "We can try."

"Jim, if it is possible, are you going to bring Liz into society?"

"If you would like that, yes." He nodded.

"I would like that very much, for her sake."

"And what about you?" He asked softly raising her chin to look at him. "What do you want me to do with you?"

"I'm still married." She said sadly. "Not me, but our daughter would glow Jim."

He nodded and went to his drawer. "Come here, darling I'll show you what you need to do."

"Morning, Miss Parker." Max greeted as he walked into one of the rooms she was cleaning. "Where's your shadow?"

"With your mother, picking out new dresses." She put the cloth down and looked at him.

"Really?" He smiled and folded his hands behind his back. "I bet she's enjoying that."

"Yes, she is, Mr. Evans." She said with anger in her voice. "What little girl wouldn't?"

"You're angry." He said walking closer.

She didn't answer him but picked up the rag and continued to polish the wooden cabinet. "I'm busy, Mr. Evans, please leave me to my duties."

"Liz, look at me." He walked closer and took the rag from her hand.

Her hands were still but she still kept her chin down.

"Darling, please look at me." He said quietly.

"This is inappropriate, Mr. Evans, please leave me." She squeaked out.

"Why are you angry?" He asked. It was then that she noticed there was true concern in his voice. There was none of the snobbery she had thought was there. He was always nice to her, never really ignoring her, treating her like one of his own—which she was not.

"You had no right to tell your mother about me, Mr. Evans. Now we're forced to live off her charity, not that we don't appreciated it, but we would offend her if we didn't, which in turn insults my brother's pride."

"Is that all you're angry about?" He said with a smile.

"All, all?" She exploded in a string of Gaelic. It was a beautiful language even if she was cursing at him. Her face was a wonderful shade of red. She cut off abruptly when she realized what language she was speaking. "I'm sorry, Mr. Evans I know we're not supposed to speak it."

"No, no, it's a nice language." He smiled at her. "I apologize if my mother offended you, Liz, I thought it would be a great help to you."

"Oh it is, we love that she's going to go to a good school, Mr. Evans, but Kyle wants to do it himself. No, his pride isn't so great he'll deny it his daughter but it hurts him, deeply."

"But you're working it off, are you not?"

"No, not really." She shook her head.

"Don't worry about it." He whispered to her as his lips took hers.

Before she knew it she was pinned against the wall her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. His hands were roaming everywhere and she knew she should stop him but it felt too good. There was no harm in just touching was there? His mouth left hers and made a trail down her throat, automatically she lifted her head to give him better access. Then his mouth was on hers again.

She dropped the rag she was holding and the thought made her remember where she was. He lifted his head when she stopped responding. "Liz." He said her name quietly leaning his forehead on hers.

Her eyes searched his. Her body was aching for his touch; her mouth wanted his on hers again. But it couldn't be. Tears of frustration started down her cheek.

"What's wrong, darling?" He asked.

"Mr. Evans, you can't, we can't be together." She said and tried to push him away.

"Liz…" He said again.

"Stop, Mr. Evans." She pleaded, before her voice broke. "I have, I have to get Cassidy, and it's time for us to be going home."

"No, Liz we have to talk." He wouldn't let her move.

She didn't like being imprisoned by him, but she felt safe. She wanted to stay in his arms forever and something told her that if she asked he would hold her.

"About what?" She asked. "Mr. Evans…Max, we can't let this get anywhere, we'll only get hurt." Or she would at least.

"I know." He nodded. "I just wanted to know if you felt the same way." He said quietly.

She looked into his eyes, and saw he cared for her. His eyes were specked with amber and she could get lost in them.

"You know I do." She answered honestly. "Now, Max, would you please let me pass."

"Certainly." He moved out of the way and watched her run for the door.

He closed his eyes as he collapsed on the chair. She was right this could only lead to bad things. But she fascinated him. He stood and went to the window, his favorite place for him to watch her. She was holding Cassidy's hand as she skipped happily beside her.

"Max, you need to leave her alone." His mother said gently from behind.

"I know." He said. But he wasn't so sure that he could. There was a heavy ache in his heart anytime she was around him. A yearning only her closeness could stop. It wasn't lust, he knew the difference, but he was afraid to admit what it really was.

" Here we come a wassailing among the leaves so green"… Cassidy sung as she made the drink and poured it into a cup.

Liz listened to the familiar carol as she folded dough over onto it self. It had been two months, two weeks, and six days since Max Evans had kissed her. She didn't know what to do about him. Her mother knew something was going on but couldn't figure it out.

Her mother had secrets of her own.

She had warned her to stay away from him with a conviction that surprised Liz. Her mother had been introducing her to nice boys from around the neighborhood. Boys that serenaded her with ballads from their homeland, boys who had voices that caressed her inner soul with sounds of home. Boys who were not Max Evans, so she paid no attention to any of them.

"Afternoon, Miss Cassidy."

"Afternoon, Mr. Evans." Cassidy greeted happily.

"Are you getting ready to go caroling?" He asked.

"Yes," she exclaimed. "I got a new muff, it's snow white."

"That's good, I bet you look very pretty."

"Would you like to try some wassail?"

Liz was about to explain that he really didn't need to, that Cassidy wasn't the greatest cook, but she caught the look of determination on Cassidy's face and couldn't disappoint her.

Liz caught Max's eyes and shook her head—softly laughing at him.

Cassidy set the glass of liquid on the table before Max at the same time Liz set a glass of water on the counter by her, her eyes were dancing.

He took a big gulp, and almost gagged. He swallowed.

"Delicious, Miss Cassidy." He said trying to not choke.

"Thank you," She said happily, Liz never took her eyes off Max as he took another gulp, and finished off the glass.

"Would you like some more?" Cassidy asked.

"No, thank you, my mother was looking for you; she says it's time to go caroling." He sputtered.

Liz watched in fascination. She, herself had yet gotten the courage worked up to try some of what Cassidy called Wassail. Mrs. Higgins had helped her make it, but Cassidy had taken the lead.

"I'll save some for you for later." Cassidy went skipping out of the kitchen upstairs to Mrs. Evans.

Liz smirked and handed him the glass of water. "Good?"

He drank the glass in one gulp and Liz watched him try to get the taste out of his mouth. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she fell in love with him right then and there.

Max must have seen her change in face and took a step towards her.

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"I know." She looked down, her heart thumping in her chest. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't want to look up, her heart was in her eyes—or so Kyle told her.

"I'm leaving the first of the year." He told her.

"I know." She had been thinking about that, Mrs. Evans was upset about her son going so far away, and the whole household knew it.

"You shouldn't be down here, Ma, it's not proper." She said quietly.

"It's not proper to be in love with one of my mother's servant girls is it?" He said and stepped next to her.

She looked up at him then, and realized that it was hopeless. So utterly hopeless.

"Max," she said quietly. "We can't." She pushed him back.

"Yes, we can, Liz." He took a step forward to close the space.

"Where's this going to lead us, Max, where can this possibly go?" She said her eyes accusing. "We can't get married."

"Who said anything about getting married?" He asked, before he thought.

He hadn't meant that. Max wanted to hurt himself, he needed to take those words back. He needed to be able to say them again. But the look in Liz's eyes told him it was too late, he couldn't take anything back.

"Liz I…"

She stepped back and looked up at him anger and hurt in her eyes.

He reached out to touch her.

"Don't. Do not touch me." She bit out at him. "I let you kiss me, I let you hold me, I let you itouch/i me. What exactly did you have in mind?" She asked seething in anger. "Just because I am who I am, doesn't mean I'm going to become your mistress. It doesn't mean I'm going to be at your every beck and call. That is not who I am, who I was raised to be. And you know what, Mr. Evans," She took a step towards him and pointed and accusing finger at him. "I don't think that's how you were raised either."

He didn't have anything to say to that and he just stared at her open-mouthed, that is not what he had meant either.

"You don't have anything to say?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

There was nothing to say to Liz, she wouldn't believe him anyway.

"Fine." She nodded. "I have other things I could be doing, if you would excuse me?" She stepped around him and exited the kitchen, so he wouldn't see her tears.

"I was going to ask you to wait for me, Liz, let me come back after I came back from the west, so I could have everything ready, for when you joined me." She had already walked out and hadn't heard a word he said.

He fell into a chair and cursed himself.