Gift of the Realm by Mackenzie Crowne Read Free Book Online

you.”
    A
devilish gleam lit his laughing, green eyes as the door to the kitchen swung
open, and Nora herself stepped out. Hefting a tray full of steaming bowls, her
eyes widened in surprised welcome, and she changed direction to head Keely’s
way.
    “I
like that, you big clod,” she tossed Sean’s way. “If memory serves, it wasn’t me doing the chasing.”
    Sean
let go of Keely’s hands and straightened. He winked at his wife.
    Nora
smiled, pausing beside the stool to lean close and buss Keely’s cheek with her
own. “Pay the man no mind, Keely. He fancies himself a silver tongue, he does.
It’s about time you came back to stay, and welcome to you.”
    Keely
smiled in return. “It’s good to see you again, Nora. You haven’t changed a
bit.”
    Nora
shrugged. “I’ve added a few pounds here and there. Three babies, one after the
other, will do that for a woman.”
    “You
haven’t gained an ounce since the day you first set your sights on me, wife,
and well you know it,” Sean said with a lecherous smile for the mother of his
children.
    “Mind
the tap, husband,” Nora scolded, but her eyes twinkled with warmth. “And leave
the flirting to the single lads.” With a wink to Keely she was off to deliver
the order she carried to the table full of tourists at the back of the room.
    “What
can I get you?” Sean asked, swiping at the surface of the bar with a clean
towel.
    “I
wouldn’t mind a pint.”
    “There’s
a lass.” He went about building her one. The muscles of his forearms were thick
and tanned when he set the pint before her and leaned on his elbows to give her
a broad smile. “I read your book, Keely girl.”
    “I’d
hoped you would. That’s why I sent you a signed copy.” And she’d wanted his
approval. She took a sip and asked, “So, what did you think?”
    “I
always knew your Irish blood ran true, despite the fact you’d planted yourself
among the Yanks. You’ve the gift for storytelling, Keely.”
    She
toasted him with her glass. “High praise indeed.” His deep chuckle vibrated
through the bar. “I was wondering if you could help me with something, Sean.”
    “And
what would that be?”
    “It’s
about Dunhaven’s Door.”
    She
should have thought of it before. If a subject was worthy of discussion, Sean
Connelly, by virtue of his position behind the bar, would know of it. Rattled
by Colin’s presence in her dreams, and in her mind, she hadn’t been thinking
straight. Thanks to this morning’s embarrassing conversation in his office, she
was now.
    “What
about it?” Sean asked.
    “Table
two needs a round, Sean,” Nora called out, passing by the bar to enter the
kitchen. Sean stepped to the tap and took care of the order.
    “Does
the name Owein ring any bells in connection to Dunhaven’s Door?” Keely asked
when he returned.
    “In
connection to the Door?” His brows drew together in concentration. “I assume
this Owein would be a local lad?”
    Keely
shrugged. “Possibly.”
    “Well,
then. The only local Owein I’ve heard of is said to have ruled one of two bands
of fairies who walked the shores of Dunhaven, back when the Good People did
such things.”
    “Ruler
of fairies?”
    “King
Owein the Fine.” Sean propped his thick hands on his hips. “Like most of the
legends you’ll hear, a fair amount of it is pure shite.” He returned her grin.
“The trick is to be able to discern the shite from the truth. With Owein,
legend claims he lost his heart to a local girl. A human girl. He married the
lass, or so it’s said, and carried her off to live amongst his kind beneath the
mound in the realm. The two were never seen again.” He eyed her. “You’ve heard
the story of their twin babes, I know, since they had a place in your book.”
    Her
pint paused half way to her mouth. She set the glass down. “The twins were this
Owein’s children? Owein’s and the human girl’s?”
    “Aye,
Saraid was her name.” He looked at her with raised brows. “You