Nicholas stepped in front of her. "I'm not a landlord. For a short while--"

"Don't ye lie to me!"

"I wanted to tell you. I just didn't know how."

"It no longer matters."

"It matters to me. My brother gave me that property after I met you."

"It makes no difference. Ye have Irish laborers, and don't tell me yedon't."

"I don't. I have people who work for me, but they are no longer justlaborers."

"I saw the paper from yer caretaker with my own two eyes!"

"But you didn't see the missive I sent back to him. Everyone who now worksfor me will share in the profits. I guess you could say I've made them mypartners. My equals."

Sheridan didn't want to believe him again, because mistaken faith wouldonly chip away another piece of her until there was nothing left--nothing leftto give their child, nothing left to give anyone.

Nicholas cupped her cheek. "Was that why you were crying when Ian saw youin my office? Because you saw the missive and thought I had lied to you?"

The exhaustion, the anger, the disappointment all conspired againstSheridan, pushing her over the edge. She pounded her fists against Nicholaschest. "Stop it! Leave me be! I hate ye!"

Nicholas seized her wrists. "You don't hate me," he growled.

"I do!"

"Don't say it, Danny!"

"I do. I hate ye!"

Sheridan realized too late that she had pushed him too far. His eyes turnedto a dark, glittering green.

"I won't let McDonough have you. You're mine, Danny."

Sheridan shook her head.

"That baby is mine. I won't let you leave me."

Fear made Sheridan tremble as Nicholas towered before her, reason havingleft his eyes to be replaced by something harsh and unyielding.

She stumbled away from him. He reached out for her, catching the top of herchemise. Panicked, she tried to flee ... and her chemise tore down the front.Her knees hit the back of the bed. She tumbled back. He followed her down.

"Nay!" Sheridan's fists flew out trying to ward him off, but her blows weretoo meager. He wedged his legs between her thighs. "Leave me alone!"

"I'll make you forget him, Danny--by God, if it's the last thing I do." Hetook hold of her wrists, pinning them above her head as he pressed her downinto the mattress.

Fear and excitement warred inside Sheridan. How she wanted him, loved him,needed him. But she wouldn't allow him to take her, to claim her defeat as hisright.

She shoved at his chest but could not budge him. His lips came down onhers, searing her to her soul, branding her as nothing else had.

He demanded everything from her. Her traitorous body responded to him,arching up as he took her nipple between his lips, drawing darts of passion,sending heat to the very core of her.

"Nay," she half moaned, half pleaded, even as she writhed beneath him as helaved her other aching peak. His tongue then trailed between her breasts,kissing the underside, her ribs, moving down to her belly button . .. andlower.

Tears trickled down her face. "Nay .. . Nicholas. Please ..."

"Dear God." He stopped, laying his forehead on her stomach. "I'm sorry,

Danny. I ... damn it! I just feel crazy. I don't know what I'm doing. Forgiveme." His eyes searched hers, despair reflected in their depths as he sank tohis knees. "I'm so afraid of losing you--of losing the one person who hastouched my heart, my soul, who has made me see that it's my time for love."

Sheridan shook her head. "Don't," she begged. "Not now."

"You're beautiful," he murmured, his expression tortured. His gaze slowlymoved down her naked form, and Sheridan hated herself for responding to hisperusal. He frowned, his gaze stopping at a spot near her waist. "This tattoo..." His eyes snapped to hers. "That first night at the inn ... I rememberthis tattoo, but I thought I had imagined it." His brows drew further togetheras he looked between her and the tattoo. "A shamrock."

"Meant to bring good fortune."

"And here you are." Nicholas shot to his feet, staring at her. "SweetJesus, you were a virgin." The blood drained from his face. "You let me makelove to you, but you'd never been with another man." He stepped further awayfrom the bed, self-condemnation in his eyes. "God, Danny ... why? Why wouldyou give yourself to me?"

Sheridan's inner voice begged her to protect herself, to lie or saynothing, but her tongue would no longer be stilled. "Because I loved ye. Iloved ye from the first moment I saw ye. I loved the way ye came to myrescue."

"I got pummeled."

"I loved the way ye looked at me."

"You slapped me."

"I loved the way ye charmed me with yer smile."

"And got a knee to the groin."

"Ye walked out of my dreams and into my life. It seemed as if I had waitedso long to find ye, so I couldn't..." Sheridan stopped. Memories threatened toengulf her.

Nicholas moved toward her and took her hand, pulling her to her feet.Gently, he tugged the ripped material of her chemise together. Then he tippedher chin up. "You couldn't what?"

Sheridan squeezed her eyes shut. "I couldn't wait any longer to love ye. Iknew ... I knew ye were the one."

Nicholas pressed his forehead against hers. "Oh, God, Danny," he murmuredin a choked voice. "What a blind fool I was. I saw the blood, but I didn'tremember anything. The alcohol. The blow to my head. When I woke up and foundyou had left with another man, I just..." He shook his head.

She frowned. "Ye thought I left with another man?"

"That's what the innkeeper said."

"He didn't tell ye it was my uncle?"

Nicholas realized with sudden clarity that his clouded judgment had causedhim to think the worst, and that mistake might very well have cost him the onewoman he had ever loved. "My pride and fear stepped in," he tried to explain."I hated the way I felt when I found you gone. It was as if you had taken apiece of me with you. And then when you came here and I saw you with Ian ..."He glanced away, staring out the window as the sun's rays slanted across theirbodies. "I didn't want to end up like my father."

Sheridan raised her hand, cupping his cheek, turning his face to hers. "Iwould have never hurt ye like that."

"I know that now." Nicholas brushed a kiss against her palm. "Danny,please, give me a second chance to make things right. You said you wanted toheal me. Well, you're healing me. But if you leave, then all that hard workwill go to waste. I'll be lost without you. Please ... marry me. I love you."

"I--".

"Marry him, me girl, or I vow the Almighty will take me up in the palm ofHis hand this very moment."

Sheridan started at the endearingly familiar voice that had come out ofnowhere. Aunt Aggie.

"Aye, lass," her uncle echoed. "Marry him or I'll have to skewer the blighter where he stands."

Quickly, Sheridan snatched up her dress, her fingers flying over thebuttons. Then she raced to the bedroom door and flung it open.

Her aunt and uncle stood there, identical smiles on their dear faces,telling her they had shamelessly eavesdropped.

Sheridan wrapped her arms around their necks, hugging them close. "Oh, I'mso happy to see ye."

"Och, now." Her uncle fidgeted. " 'Tis chokin' me ye are, lass."

Sheridan flushed, realizing she held them in a death grip. She loosened herhold and stepped back. Her uncle glanced over her shoulder at Nicholas.

"Did I not tell ye to keep low, lad?"

"You did."

"But ye didn't heed me advice. Ye had to rile the girl, and ye did thisknowin' the temper she's possessed of." Uncle Finny shook his head. "HolySaint Peter, lad, must I teach ye everything? How do ye think I survived allthese years?" He brushed passed Sheridan. "Insanity, me boy. Ye got to be awee touched in the head to be in this family." He tsked tsked. "Ye Englishalways were a dense lot."

Sheridan whirled around. "I knew ye weren't as crazy as ye seemed!"

Uncle Finny pressed a finger to his lips. " Tis a secret I'll take with meto the grave, and should ye tell a single soul, niece, then I swear to ye,I'll start bayin' to the moon every night to prove ye wrong."

Sheridan smiled at her uncle and pressed a hand over her heart. " 'Tis asecret between us."

"Good. Now tell the man ye accept his troth, because ye know as well as I,lass, that not every man will take ye and yer family." He slanted a glance atNicholas. "Ye will take her family now, won't ye, lad?"

Nicholas chuckled. "With open arms."

"There, ye see. He must love ye, girl. 'Tis not every man who will take onthe Delaneys."

Sheridan wanted to believe her uncle. But more than that, she wanted tobelieve Nicholas, and her desire had nothing to do with the babe growingbeneath her heart and everything to do with the love she could not shake forthis man.

She closed her eyes and prayed--prayed for a sign to tell her she was doingthe right thing, that Nicholas truly was her destiny as her heart claimed.

A loud squawk snapped her eyes open, her gaze riveted to the wildlyflapping mynah bird she thought she'd never see again.

"Scally!"

Scally hovered for a moment and then arrowed past Sheridan and made abeeline straight for Nicholas, landing on his shoulder with a great display offeathers.

"Hello, jerk-face."

Sheridan knew then her prayers had been answered.

*Epilogue*

Four months later ...

"All right, wife. Open your eyes."

Slowly, Sheridan did as Nicholas bid, staring at the lovely, familiarcottage in front of her.

Nicholas had brought her home. Ireland, the land of her birth, a placeSheridan thought she'd never see again.

Tears pricked her eyes as her gaze roamed over the house she had grown upin, so tiny in comparison to her new home, but one that had been filled withjust as much love.

Sheridan looked up at Nicholas's handsome face. "Why have ye brought mehere, husband?"

He smiled that smile that never failed to make her weak in the knees. "This is where you said you wanted to raise your children."

"I don't understand."

"I bought your family's cottage from the landlord. This is your house now,Danny, and no one will ever make you leave it again."

"But ye've already given my family Mulholland Manor."

"That is for them. This is for us."

Emotions constricted Sheridan's chest. "What about Silver Hills? And London?"

"What about it?"

"That's yer home."

Nicholas shook his head. "Wherever you are, sweet girl, is home."

A single tear coursed down Sheridan's cheek. Nicholas swept it away andpulled her close. How she loved him.

He pointed to the two rocking chairs blowing gently in the breeze. "I planto sit right there every night and listen to you tell our children stories."

Sheridan lifted a brow. "Ye do, do ye?"

"Aye, that I do, lady wife," he returned, mimicking her accent. " 'Twill begazin' at ye with a glint of wickedness in me eye and a hint of a dimple in mecheek, me preenin' rooster ready to crow."

Sheridan slapped him lightly in the arm. "Wretch."

"At your service." He winked. "But you'll have to amend your tale."

"Oh? And what part would that be, husband?"