I hadn’t realised it before. It was soft, barely there at all; only in the sing-song way she said my name did I hear it, so similar to my own father’s cadence that it made my chest simultaneously glow and ache.
“Everyone has an accent.”
“Oh for gods’ sake,” I groaned. “Are you always this suspicious of small talk?”
“Do you want to know the key to a long life such as my own, Miss Rosaleen?”
I shrugged, and nodded.Why not?The old woman’s eyes flashed mischievously, and she leaned across the table, crooking a gnarled finger at me until I met her halfway.
“It’s minding your own business.”
I blinked at her - then burst out laughing. She leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed, a smirk playing about her lips as my peals of laughter eased into minor hiccups.
“Oh gods,” I sighed, still half-laughing. “You are much better company than you’d like anyone to believe, aren’t you?”
She inclined her head, and perhaps flattery did get you everywhere, because she conceded enough to add; “I lived on the Isles for a time.”
“I could tell. Your accent reminds me of someone.”
She wrinkled her nose, seemingmostdisgusted. “Not that Captain whatsit?”
I paused at the unexpected leap of my Flame, my skin warming.
“Oh, I – Well actually, I meant my father. He was from theIsles too, it’s where his coven, erm –”
I broke off, my brain suddenly misfiring with flashes of Caelan’s smirk against my throat and the lilt of his voice in the dark. A spark of flame went somersaulting through me and I pressed a hand to my warm face to confirm the flush that was spreading through my cheeks – then promptly tried to hide my flustering with another long sip of tea.
Madame Bracken wasn’t fooled.
“Good gods, are you steaming your face over that tea, girl?”
The awkward little laugh snuck up on me and I ended up inhaling my tea, then spluttering it back out with a cough. I pulled my sleeve over my hand and dabbed sheepishly at the little bit of tea I’d dribbled down my front.Ugh.
“I suppose it does remind me of the Captain, too. A bit.”
“And that’s what’s got you red as a hen’s wattle?”
“I’m sorry, red as awhat?”
“You’re blushing,” she translated, a little impishly.
“Oh,” I said, like this was news to me. “I suppose I am.”
Had I always been this transparent? Sorcha had been needling me about the Captain before I’d even admitted anything tomyself. And now, my most decidedly stand-offish guest had taken one look at me and unveiled not one buttwoclosely guarded truths in the space of a half hour. She sat there watching me until I felt compelled to elaborate, and I couldn’t fight the smile that caught on my lips as I blurted the words out.
“He… kissed me. The Captain.”
My blush burned a little brighter, and I squirmed inwardly even as my Flame gave a happy little leap in my chest, bouncing from rib to rib. Amid the awful whirlwind of guilt and heartbreak that was the last two days, it was comforting to feel somethinggood. To acknowledge what had happened, to say it out loud – or some small piece of it, at least.
Madame Bracken froze for an infinitesimal moment –then came to life with an almighty click of her tongue. It was actually rather impressive how the green of her irises disappeared with the vigour of her eye roll.
“Dagda spare me. You young people only think about one thing,” she grumbled. I thought there may have been a hint of amusement in the way her lip twisted, but then she gave a brisk clap of her hands and rose to her feet.
“Right,” she said, in that same curt manner. “You’re feeling better?”
I nodded, and she did the same before turning on her heel and striding away without a hint of a shuffle. I shook my head, laughing a little dryly under my breath; it must have truly pained her to endure the handful of personal details we’d swapped. She’d practically flown out of here in her discomfort - in fact, I realised as my eyes snagged on her chair, she’d been in such a hurry she left her shawl behind.
I eased off my seat, pausing a moment to see if my head was likely to go spinning off once more, but I was steady on my feet so I snatched up the shawl and hurried out the kitchen door.
