"Are you in love with me?"
In response to Daniel's question, Maeve pulled away from him and walked across the room, as if she felt the need to put distance between them. "I was- for a very long time," she admitted slowly, finally looking at him again. "When Meg came back t'Dublin from London and told me about her husband, I was jealous. Oh, I never let her know that of course. She wouldn't have understood. But the more I heard about you- the more jealous I became. I wasn't jealousy of your love for her, though. It was hers for you."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Until then, Meg and I were all we had for most of our lives. I don't know how much she told you about our childhood-."
"Not a lot," Daniel said. "She never seemed to want to talk about herself- and I was selfish enough not to mind, I suppose. I know that she told me that her parents died when she was a child, though."
Maeve nodded. "Yes. We were ten when it happened, and it was a constant struggle after that for me t'keep us together, not let them separate us. Meg would never have survived if we'd been apart. As it was, she took refuge in her dreams, while I-"
"While you were the more practical one," Daniel noted. "The one who got things done."
She nodded. "As soon as I could, I got us out of that awful system and found a way t'support the both of us."
"By working in a pub," Daniel said.
"Yes. And- other things that I'm- not very proud of havin' done," she said in a quiet voice. With a small smile, she told him, "I even tried workin' your side of the street a few times."
"Successfully?"
"Not on your scale, I'm sure. But I- wasn't too bad," she told him. "I managed a decent livin' for myself and Meg."
"How did Meg end up in London alone?" he asked.
"She didn't- approve of the things I was doin'," Maeve recalled sadly. "We argued terribly about it when she found out. I tried t'keep it from her, but those things had a way of- bein' found out."
"So they do," Daniel agreed. "So Meg went to London and took a job as a maid."
"I was surprised when she wrote t'me, tellin' me about it. Th'idea of my sister workin' as a lackey for an Englishman-" she shook her head, and Daniel could see the anger still in her from that time. "But then her letters were full of you. Of the man she'd met and who she'd fallen in love with at first sight. I was worried that you were just out t'-well, you know. I'd seen your type before."
"Had you really?" He was fascinated by her story- and the fact that her Irish accent was more pronounced the longer she talked. If he closed his eyes, he could almost hear Meg again.
"So I thought. I very nearly packed a case and headed t'London m'self when she wrote me that you and she had gotten married. But before I could get away, she showed up on my front doorstep, hat in hand, tellin' me that you were in prison and she'd come home t'wait for you."
"That must have confirmed all your worst fears," Daniel said.
"Oh, that it did, Daniel Chalmers. That it did. I called you every name I could think of- shocked poor Meg terribly doin' it, too. As a result, she didn't tell me about the baby until she could no longer hide it from me. She was so- certain that you'd come to Dublin as soon as you were able- that you'd want her and the baby. I thought she was livin' in that dream world again. Thought you'd have forgotten all about her by th'time you got out. I thought we'd end up havin' t'raise the child ourselves- and started lookin' about for somethin' that would make a wee bit more money- but Meg didn't have an easy time of it. Th'doctor restricted her to her bed- and- God help me,- every time she wrote you a letter, I'd promise to put it into th'mail- but I didn't."
"You told me that much when I came to Dublin," Daniel recalled. "Once you realized that I knew about the baby. You told me that you'd burned all of her letters to me- and kept mine from getting to her."
"I was furious with you for putting her through that and not bein' there for her," Maeve pointed out. "For makin' *me* have to watch as she faded slowly, day after day. I knew she wasn't goin' t'survive the birth of her child. She knew it as well. She asked me t'-" She closed her eyes. "T'take care of him until you got there. I gave her my word," she recalled, sitting down in the chair. "I gave her my word."
"And then sent him away," Daniel said, trying not to let the pain of that action color his tones overmuch. They had both failed Meg. In different ways, perhaps, but they had.
"I couldn't stand t'look at him. Meg's eyes- he had her eyes even then. Losin' Meg- it was like losin' a part of m'self, Daniel," she tried to explain. "Like-" she looked at her arm, "like losin' an arm- or a leg. I was too filled with anger at you t'want the boy around as a constant reminder of what I'd lost. So I went on with m'life as best I could- til one day there you were in that pub, thinkin' that I was Meg. I thought if I could make you believe that I was, and that I didn't love you anymore, that it had been a mistake, you'd go away and-"
"And never have to know about my son- or what you'd done," Daniel nodded. "Yes. But I did know, Maeve."
"One letter. She'd gotten one letter out t'you before I found out that she was pregnant. Never said a word about it. And I never thought t'ask if she'd told you. Too busy feeling sorry for m'self, I suppose." Daniel watched as she rose from the chair and went to the window to look out at the slowly dawning new day. "I hated you when I first saw you," she said told him, looking at him. "I thought you'd leave Dublin, go back t'London and your life there. But you didn't. And over the next year, I watched as you practically tore Dublin apart lookin' for the lad. Y'didn't seem t'sleep or t'eat, all you seemed to think about was your son."
"Harry was the only thing on my mind," Daniel admitted. "He was all I could think about. All I had left-" his voice trailed off at the memory of that time.
Maeve nodded. "I saw how devastated you were when they forced you t'leave. I think- I know that it was at that moment that I realized my hate and jealousy were gone. I admired th'way that you were so focused on findin' your son. And I heartily regretted havin' done what I did. You yourself made me understand that I'd lost the only part of Meg I had left by givin' him up."
"Is that when you tried to find him on your own?" Daniel asked. When she looked at him, he said, "You told me that you had tried to find him earlier, remember?"
Maeve nodded. "Yes. But even though I was his aunt, and I'd been the one t'sign him over, he was too deep into that system t'be found. I spent every penny I could get for a year in the search, but had no luck. So I took t'doin' what you had done: watchin' every boy I saw that had dark hair and blue eyes. But I didn't find him."
"And then enter Nate," Daniel said.
"Aye. Nathan." Her face softened. "I really thought he was you, y'know. Thought you were getting a bit of your own back by pretendin' t'be your twin brother and chasin' after me. I felt so guilty for costing you your son that I didn't want anything t'do with you. I'd already hurt you enough. I didn't want you to be able t'hurt me as well."
"And how could *I* have hurt you, Maeve?" Daniel asked.
"By findin' out that I'd fallen in love with you and usin' it against me," she confessed. "Watchin' you durin' those months, I saw what Meg must've seen in you," she told him. "The heart of gold that y'kept hidden beneath that happy-go-lucky exterior you presented t'the world." She shook her head. "But I also knew that you'd never feel the same way about me. I didn't deserve anything but your scorn, your hatred. Not after what I'd done."
"Maeve-"
"No, let me finish. I've never told anyone about any of this, not even Nathan. Now that I've started it- let me finish. Please." Daniel raised his hand in silent surrender. "Nathan's right, in a way. He was a substitute for you. Once I realized he wasn't you, I saw how kind, and gentle he was. And he loved me. Unconditionally- in spite of what I'd done. I needed that acceptance, that love. I'd never really known what it was liked to be loved before. Not like that. So I married him, and never told him that while I loved him, I was *in* love with you. I didn't think he knew."
"I see."
"Over the years, y'see, everything changed. Nathan's been the most wonderful husband, the best father, that a woman could ask for. And I put aside any thoughts of- what might have been. For the last thirty years, I've come to love him more than I ever thought I would, Daniel. I'm *in* love with him. With my husband."
"Did you tell him that?"
"I tried. But - the other night- when I opened that door and saw you- For a moment, I- I slipped. Nathan must've seen that, and -"
"And now he believes that you're still in love with me and intends to take himself out of the picture to clear the field so that we can be together," Daniel told her.
"Yes. If anything happened to Nathan, Daniel, I'd be lost."
Daniel extended a hand toward her. "Come here." He grasped her hand, and then covered that link with his other one. "Maeve, Nate will be back. I promise you that. Laura and Harry won't let anything happen to him." He saw her grateful smile, and released her hand. "I'm a bit- tired, Maeve," he told her. "Would you mind?"
"No," she said. "I'll go and ask Carol t'come and sit with you. Daniel- I know it's too late for you- or Remington t'ever forgive me, but -"
"You're forgiven, Maeve," he told her gently. "You still have to settle this with Harry, though."
She nodded, and left the room.
Daniel put his head back against the pillows, recalling his visit to Dublin with Paddy O'Rourke after a sting in London a year before he'd met Meg. He'd needed a place to lie low for a few weeks, and Paddy's offer of a place had seemed perfect. On the last night of his stay, just before he'd departed for Paris and another scam in a long line of them, he'd seen a dark haired Irish beauty in an Irish pub. But the girl had left with another customer, never even glancing in his direction. He'd been pleasantly surprised to find what he believed to be that same Irish lass working as a maid in London. She hadn't mentioned her time as a bar-maid, and Daniel hadn't asked her about it. He'd been too caught up in his good fortune at finding her again. The realization that it hadn't been Meg at all that he'd seen in the pub, but Maeve, had startled him, made him realize that he'd fallen in love with at first sight in that Dublin pub was the same woman that had given his son over to strangers. Fate played strange tricks, sometimes. If things had been different, if he'd followed his instincts that long ago night, and followed Maeve out of that pub-.
Daniel sighed, welcoming the pain now. "What ifs were never your strong suit, old man," he reminded himself. "No sense in dwelling on the past." He had his son at last, a chance to be the father he'd wanted to be for so long. And as for Maeve- "You and I are going to have a long talk when you get back, brother Nate," he promised. "And this time, you're going to listen." His eyes moved to the window, where dawn was finally breaking. Laura and Nathan would be at Harmon's by now, Daniel realized.
"Bring them home safe, Laura," he whispered. "For all our sakes."
***
Remington came down the stairs behind Hank, frowning as he would be expected to do. He'd seen Laura get out of the car outside, and sent up a silent prayer of gratitude that they had apparently been on the same wavelength.
The game was afoot.
"Your friend is here," Harmon told him as they waited in the entry hall. "And he's not alone."
"So I noticed," Remington said grimly. "I'd be careful of Eve Trent if I were you, Harmon."
Harmon looked doubtful. "Indeed? And why is that?"
"She might look like a harmless little thing, but she's got a deadly sting."
Harmon's eyes took on a thoughtful gleam. "She sounds- fascinating," he commented. "I'm almost looking forward to meeting this Eve Trent. Too bad she's got to pay the same penalty as Chalmers for his crime."
"Your mistake," Remington told him, shrugging, as the doors opened, preventing Harmon's question about his statement.
Billy and another guard flanked Laura and "Daniel"- and Remington winced. Even knowing that the "bruises" on Nathan's face were likely only make-up, they *looked* painful. "Daniel," he nodded.
"Harry, my boy," Nathan said, and for a moment, Remington thought it might indeed *be* Daniel, the accent was so similar. "I'm very relieved that you're well."
"So am I," Remington said. Jerking his head toward "Eve", he said, "I thought I told you *not* to bring her along?"
"Oh, come now, Harry," Laura said, and Remington hid his surprise at her English accent, fighting not to wince at it. Harmon, however, didn't seem to notice anything amiss. "You didn't really think I'd let him do that, did you? That money's half mine, remember. And *I* was the one who supplied the diamonds."
"Half? When Daniel took all the risk?" Remington tsk-tsked his former partner. "You're slipping, old man. Not like you to be taken in by a - pretty face."
"Enough of this," Harmon said, interrupting them. "Where's my money?" he asked "Daniel". Billy grabbed Nathan by the shoulders and held him.
"I have it," Laura announced.
Harmon looked her over. "I don't see a purse," he told her. "Or anywhere else you might be able to hide two million pounds." He was right. The skin tight skirt left little to the imagination, Remington couldn't help but notice. And the blouse- no chance.
"You don't think I'd be foolish enough to bring it in with me, do you, Mr. Harmon? Once you have the money, you've no reason to keep us alive."
Harmon nodded toward Billy, who forced Nathan to his knees. His gun was pressed against the back of Nathan's head. "I don't like games, Miss Trent. Either you tell me where the money and diamonds are, or I'll kill you all anyway. Beginning with Chalmers."
Laura shrugged. "Go ahead. I was getting bored, anyway."
"Eve!" Nathan said. "What about-"
"I tried to warn you, Daniel," Remington said. "After what she did to her last partner, you were a fool to take her on." Laura's eyes narrowed slightly as Remington informed Harmon, "Left him hanging high and dry while she made off with a cool - six million in untraceable bonds, wasn't it?" He saw the speculative gaze that Harmon gave Laura and silently congratulated himself. "If you kill Daniel, Harmon, you'll have to kill me. And while the death of a second-rate con man-"
"Really, Harry," Nathan protested, only to grunt and fall silent as Billy pressed the gun into his head.
"- might not set off any alarms, my death won't go entirely unnoticed," Remington finished.
"And who says that I wasn't planning on killing you anyway, Steele?" Harmon asked. "You're a detective. I'm sure there are quite a number of people who could be suspected of causing your early demise." He turned that hawk-like gaze back to Laura. "Now, Miss Trent- my money and gems. Where are they?"
Laura smiled and took a step closer. Billy's gun moved smoothly in her direction, but Harmon waved it aside. "Why don't we- make a deal, Mr. Harmon?" she suggested, stopping directly before the tall man to slide a finger up the lapel of his tailored suit. "I'll give you the money and the diamonds- just as soon as you let them go."
"I thought you didn't care what happened to Chalmers?" he asked, eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"It was my plan," she reminded him. "Chalmers was just the errand boy, that's all. Why kill him? Believe me, he'll be of no further trouble to you. Isn't that right, Daniel?" she asked without looking at him.
"That's- right," Nathan agreed, still looking at the floor, the gun to his head. "I've been thinking about a long trip to- Hong Kong," he said. "Or perhaps Los Angeles, eh, Harry?"
"And what about Steele?"
Laura lifted her eyes to Remington, looking him up and down in a way that made him feel as though she were seeing him without his clothes. Now he knew how she felt when he gave her that same assessing look. "It would be a pity to waste someone as handsome as he is," she said, then turned her attention back to Harmon. "Besides, he's right. He's too well known. Kill him, and Scotland Yard be knocking on your door before you can blink."
Harmon grabbed her hand from his lapel. "And how do I know you'll give me my property if I go along with this?" he asked. "How do I know that you won't double-cross me as you've- apparently done to so many others?"
Remington held his breath, forcing himself to remember their respective roles and not go into "protect-Laura" mode. Hadn't he learned by now that the lady could take care of herself? When he saw her smile at Harmon, he deepened the breath. "I'll make whatever agreement you like," she assured him. "I'll stay in their place to lead you to the money and diamonds, if that will make you- happy."
That was going too far, Remington thought, forcing himself to breath normally. There was no way that he was going to leave Laura here alone with Jason Harmon. But before he could object, he saw Nathan lift his head and send him a warning glance.
Harmon's eyes narrowed even further as he considered Laura's offer. "And if I let them go, what assurance do I have that they won't talk? Or try to rescue you?"
"Ha!" Remington said. "Wouldn't dream of it. And I'll keep Daniel in line, Harmon, never fear." He sent Nathan an angry glare. "Isn't that right, old friend?"
"My lips are sealed, Harmon," Nathan said. "No one will hear a word of this from me," he said, gulping as the muzzle of Billy's gun pressed into his head.
"Then get out of here. And if I ever see either of you again, you're dead men."
Remington took the offer and moved forward to help Nathan to his feet. "Bye, luv," he told Laura, who was again stroking Harmon's lapel. The man's arm was now resting on her waist. "Good luck, Harmon. You're going to need it. Come on, Daniel."
"Good idea. Never can tell when I'll change my mind," Harmon warned him, signaling to Billy to follow them outside.
He put Nathan into the passenger side of the car that sat outside and went around to the drivers door. "Let's get out of here," Nathan told him.
"I'm not leaving Laura in there," Remington said.
"Keep in character, *Harry*," Nathan reminded him, waving nervously at Billy, who was standing on the steps, waiting for them to leave. "Laura can handle herself."
Remington glanced at the house, then at Nathan, and nodded. "You're right. Let's go." He put the car into gear and turned it down the winding driveway.
Inside the house, Laura stood beside Jason Harmon, listening as the sound of the car's engine faded into the distance. When Harmon's hand touched her chin and lifted it, she willed herself to remain in character.
Those dark eyes glittered menacingly as he told her, "Well, my dear, my part of our little bargain is done. It's your turn, I believe."
To Be Continued---