The irish blessing, p.15
The Irish Blessing, page 15
“I think that’s a father and son. They’re adorable.” I peeked at Shane over my shoulder. “That might be you one of these days.”
“I’d like that. I look forward to having a bunch of kids, and we can start working on that after we get married. Speaking of marriage, do you have any thoughts on where and when? I’d prefer to wed as soon as we can manage it.”
“Well, I already know I want the wedding to be here. I want it exactly as I’ve seen it in my dreams, under a tent in the rose garden with us facing the side of the castle. We can’t have the wedding too soon because of the extensive planning involved, and I’m sure other couples have already booked the hotel for the summer and fall. Winter isn’t the best idea, so that leaves next spring or summer. I’d narrow it down to April, May, or June. Are there any Irish superstitions about wedding months that we should be concerned with?”
“I don’t know. I’ll Google it and see if I can find out.” Shane pulled his phone out of his pocket and browsed the internet. “I found a website with a wealth of information about planning an Irish wedding, and it lists some of the superstitions. Hmm. May is out of the question since it says those that marry in May will rue the day. These are better. It says if you marry in June, over land and sea you’ll go, and if you wed in April, there will be joy for maiden and man. Those are interesting.”
“That was easy. I pick April. What do you think?”
“I agree, mainly because it’s sooner than June. Since you want the wedding here, why don’t we book everything before we leave? It beats trying to do it over the phone later.”
“I like that idea. Can we see if someone’s available to talk to right now?”
“Why not? Let’s head back and see. Since you know what you want, it shouldn’t take us that long to book everything.”
Shane got up and helped me to my feet. We walked hand in hand back to the castle.
“Good morning,” Shane cheerfully addressed the man standing behind the reception desk. “We were wondering if the hotel’s wedding specialist was available. We’d like to see about booking your venue for next year.”
“I’m not sure, sir. If you can give me a moment, I’ll give her a ring and find out.” The clerk picked up the phone and dialed a number. “Rowena, it’s Peter. I have a couple at the front desk wanting to speak with you about booking a wedding. Okay. Yes, I can do that. Thank you.” The clerk hung up the telephone. “Sir, Rowena has an appointment in an hour but can meet with you now. She’ll be with you in a moment.”
“That’s great. Thank you.” Shane joined me across the lobby as we waited.
“Hello. I’m Rowena.” A middle-aged woman dressed in a skirt and blazer walked up behind us. She had her ginger hair neatly pulled back into a bun.
“Hello. I’m Shane.” He shook Rowena’s hand.
“I’m Liz. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. If you could follow me, I’ll take you to my office, where we can go over some of our wedding packages and options.” Rowena led us to a door around the corner from the lobby. She opened it, revealing a corridor. Her office was on the left. “Please take a seat.” Rowena motioned to two chairs in front of her desk. “Can you give me an idea of what you’re looking for?”
“Certainly.” Shane leaned back in the chair. “We’re looking for a Saturday in April for the date. We prefer a civil ceremony under a tent in the rose garden and a reception immediately following. My best estimate of the guest count is somewhere around a hundred and fifty people.”
I gasped. “Shane. That’s a lot of people.”
“I know, but I have a big family, and my aunt and uncle have a lot of close friends, both socially and through the family business. I did a quick count while we walked over here, and that’s my estimate. We can adjust the count as we get closer to the date.”
“Okay.” I stared at him, still shocked at the thought of that many people.
“Wonderful. First, I’ll need to check our availability for April.” Rowena opened up a calendar on her computer. “You have a choice of the twenty-third or the thirtieth. To maximize the bride and groom’s experience, we only allow one wedding per day. I can look at May if you don’t like either of those dates.”
“We prefer April. We’ll go with the twenty-third.” I glanced at Shane, and he nodded his head in agreement.
“The twenty-third it is, then. Did you happen to pick out a wedding package?”
“Not yet.” I looked over my shoulder at Shane. “I supposed we should do that now.”
Rowena took a binder off the shelf behind her and opened it. She set it down on the desk in front of Shane. “The binder lists our various wedding packages. Please feel free to look through them. The reception will have to be in our large hall based on your guest count. I can assure you it’s quite lovely.”
Shane scooted his chair closer to mine and opened the binder across his lap so we could both view it. He flipped the pages as we browsed the options. “I like the first package.”
I caught my breath. Good Lord, it was expensive. With that large a guest count, the reception would cost a fortune. “It’s a lot of money. We should pick a cheaper package.”
“Yes, it is a little expensive. But it has everything from the arrival reception for our guests to the late-night reception with finger foods. It includes a five-course dinner selection, plus four hours of an open bar and a champagne toast. When you look at the other options, this one seems the best.”
I took a second look at the other packages. As they got less expensive, they included far fewer things. Shane was right. The one he had chosen was the nicest. I placed the binder back on the desk. “It’s pricey, but I agree with you. The package you picked has everything we’d want.”
“I hoped you’d agree.” Shane turned to Rowena. “We’ll take the first package.”
Rowena looked pleased with our selection. With the date and wedding package now selected, she went over some of the other items we needed to discuss. Forty-five minutes later, we had taken a quick look at the reception hall and signed the contract, and Shane had paid the deposit. Finished, Shane and I stood to leave. He grabbed the folder Rowena had given us containing our copy of the contract and a detailed wedding brochure.
“Thank you so much for your booking.” Rowena stood and came around her desk to walk us out. “I always like to ask—what made you choose our venue for your special occasion?”
“I’ve always dreamed of having my wedding here. I’d seen images of it over the years.” I caught Shane’s smile at my choice of words.
“That’s wonderful. We’ll do everything possible to make the day a memorable one for you. Now, let me walk you back to the lobby.” Rowena escorted us out of her office, stopping when we reached the lobby. “Thank you both, again. It was a pleasure assisting you with your special event. I’ll be in touch once the date gets closer so we can finalize those last few items.” She shook both our hands and then turned to greet a young couple sitting in a pair of high-backed chairs.
Shane and I went upstairs to our room. We had packed earlier, so Shane grabbed our two suitcases while I picked up my carry-on bag. It hadn’t made sense to keep my room at the hotel in Kilkenny since we’d be here, so I had brought all my luggage with me.
“I got a text message. Hang on.” Shane let go of the suitcases and looked at his phone. “It’s Conor. He says he’ll pick up Mel and meet us at my aunt and uncle’s estate. I’m glad he could make it to our engagement celebration.”
“Me too. It’ll be fun to see Mel. She sounded so excited when I called her last night.”
“My family sounded excited when I talked to them too. Speaking of my family, I should send my aunt a text to let her know we’re getting ready to leave.” Shane typed a message on his phone. “Okay. I told her we booked the castle for our wedding on the twenty-third of April and would be leaving here in a couple of minutes. Luckily, Kilcullen is only a twenty-five-minute drive.”
We checked out of the castle, packed our luggage in the car, and headed north to Kilcullen. Butterflies swirled in my stomach as Shane drove. The prospect of meeting the rest of his family made me nervous.
“Which of your family members will be there today?”
“You’ll be meeting my aunt and uncle, of course. I’ll also introduce you to my cousin Niall, his wife, Tara, and their nine- and eleven-year-old boys, Michael and Ronan. Niall went on a business trip a few days ago, but my uncle expected him back this morning. Patrick and Caitlin will be there with their twelve-year-old daughter, Glenna, and that’s it. It’s supposed to be an intimate gathering with only my immediate family.”
“That’s not bad. I was worried you were going to introduce me to so many family members I’d have no hope of remembering their names.”
“I’m saving that for the wedding,” Shane said, giving me an impish grin. He turned his attention back to the motorway, his cell phone suddenly ringing. He pulled it from his pocket and answered it, putting the call on speaker. “Hello.”
“Shane, it’s Niall.”
“Hey, you’re back. How was the trip?” Shane laid his phone down on the console between our seats.
“I’m not sure yet. I’ve got our vet checking out the stallion we were interested in using for stud services. I’ll know in a day or two whether we go ahead with the purchase or not. Anyway, that’s not why I’m calling. Tara told me about your engagement, and I wanted to talk to you about it. I’m concerned your proposal might be premature. You haven’t known Liz that long, and the caliber of women you’ve dated over the years hasn’t been terribly impressive. Are you sure she’s the right one and that you’re not so enamored with her that you’re jumping the gun?”
Niall’s words floored me. Jumping the gun? Hadn’t known me that long? Shane’s choice of women hadn’t been impressive? Who did he think he was to question my character like that? Besides feeling hurt, I was resentful of Niall’s comments. I turned toward Shane, crossing my arms over my chest while I waited to hear his response.
“Now is not a good time to discuss this. We’ll have to talk later.” Shane’s body was visibly tense, and he shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable.
“I think we should discuss it now before it’s too late. You’re like my little brother, and I feel compelled to make sure you’re not making a big mistake.”
Shane’s face flushed, and he cleared his throat. “Umm…Niall. We seriously need to talk later. Liz and I are in the car driving to the estate. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Oh, damn. Sorry. I’ll catch you when you get here.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you in a few minutes. Bye.” Shane hung up his call and glanced at me over his shoulder. He looked thoroughly embarrassed. “I’m sorry you heard that, mo ghra.”
“I am too.” I stared out the window. I was so irritated that I wished I could confront Niall right now. I turned back toward Shane. “He already doesn’t like me. That’s not fair. And why would he question your marriage proposal and our relationship?”
“I swear, Niall isn’t doing it to be mean or malicious. It’s because he’s being protective of me. You and I have only known each other for a few months. From Niall’s perspective, we’re rushing into a commitment. He doesn’t know you, and I’m certain he’ll change his tune when he meets you. He’ll see right away that you’re different and we’re meant to be together. Trust me. There’s no reason to be concerned.”
“We’ll see.” I pursed my lips as I reached forward and turned up the volume on the radio. Music always put me in a pleasant frame of mind, and I needed to be at my best when I met Shane’s family.
Shane exited the motorway and headed east along a two-lane road. After several more turns, he drove through a gated entrance and into a wooded area along a private lane. When we emerged from the trees, a large Georgian mansion was in full view in the distance.
I sucked in my breath, my gaze frozen on the palatial house. It wasn’t anything close to what I expected.
Shane drove past rolling lawns and formal gardens. There was a pond on our right, a white wooden gazebo on its far side. As I turned my head, straining to see, I spotted a red footbridge spanning a fingerlike extension of the pond. It connected to a walkway that led to the gazebo. Shane continued driving toward his family’s estate.
“Are all those buildings off to the side and behind the house part of the stud farm?”
“They are. Those are the stables, an indoor arena, equipment sheds, tack room, and paddocks. There are more buildings on the far side that you can’t see from here.”
“It must be a huge operation. I’m impressed.”
“I’ll take you on a tour of it later.” Shane parked the car and turned toward me. “Are you sure you’re comfortable staying here with me for the next two nights until you fly home?”
“I am. Your aunt and uncle sound like nice people.”
“They are. You’ll like them.”
We toted our luggage up to the house, entering a foyer with a stunning double grand staircase. Off to our right was a parlor with yellow walls, French provincial furniture, and a bank of windows facing the front of the house. After depositing our luggage next to the staircase, Shane escorted me through an entryway underneath the stairs to a large living room. Patrick and Caitlin were sitting on a beige-colored brocade couch next to an ornately carved fireplace. An older couple sat on a second couch across from them, a coffee table between the pieces of furniture. A third couple sat in two chairs between the sofas. I assumed the man was Niall.
“It’s about time you got here.” Caitlin jumped up and hurried toward us. She gave me a huge hug. “I’m tickled at the news. I knew you two were meant for each other from the very beginning. Thank goodness my cousin finally figured it out.”
“Hey, you better watch it.” Shane gave her a mock scowl.
“That’s what you get for making me wait for you to get here.” Caitlin took me by the arm. “Come with me. I want to introduce you to my family.” She walked me over to the sitting area by the fireplace and motioned toward the couch across from Patrick. “These are my parents, Colin and Neasa.”
“It’s nice to meet you both.” I stepped forward as they both stood.
Shane’s uncle was a tall man with an average build, brown hair interspersed with gray, and a kind-looking face. There was an abundance of laugh lines around his eyes. Shane’s aunt was motherly looking, wearing horn-rimmed eyeglasses with her auburn hair pulled back into a tidy bun.
“It’s about time someone got Shane to settle down. I like you already.” Colin chuckled and shook my hand.
I turned toward Neasa and found myself suddenly wrapped in her embrace.
“Liz, I’m so happy to meet you. I’ve never seen my nephew happier. I can’t wait to show you his childhood photos and tell you all his embarrassing stories.” She gave a short, half-suppressed laugh as Shane came rushing toward us with a horrified look on his face.
“Auntie, don’t you dare.” He was looking at her as if trying to figure out whether she was serious or not.
“I’m Niall, and this is my wife, Tara. I figure I better butt in and save you from my family before all this excitement gets them too carried away.”
“Oh, don’t mind my husband. He’s always the serious-minded conventional one. The family is lovely,” Tara said with a slight chuckle.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I smiled at the two of them. Tara was short with long red hair and reminded me of Mel. Niall was a younger version of his father and not the mean or evil-looking person I envisioned. Our eyes locked when I studied his face, wondering what other preconceived opinions he had of me.
Niall frowned and shifted his gaze.
“Liz, Shane—come sit next to me and tell me what you booked for the wedding.” Neasa sat on the couch and patted the space next to her.
Shane and I joined her.
“I texted you the date, Auntie. We figured marrying in April would give us plenty of time to work out the wedding details, plus the weather should be decent.” Shane handed Neasa the folder the wedding specialist had given him. “The ceremony will be outside in the rose garden, and the reception will be in their hall. The contract inside the folder details the wedding package we chose. You can look at it.”
Neasa opened the folder and looked through the paperwork. “This is a very nice package. You still have a few details to sort out, like the musicians, photographer, flowers, and a few other things. Do you want help with any of this?”
“Liz and I would welcome the help.” Shane glanced at me, and I nodded my head.
“Oh, this is going to be fun.” Caitlin rubbed her hands together. “Mom, Tara, and I can work on anything you need us to take care of on this end.”
“Thank you. We appreciate it.” I was relieved to have help. Trying to plan it all from back home would be a challenge.
A stocky middle-aged woman in a uniform walked into the room. “Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Bradley are here. Shall I show them in?”
“Yes, Maeve. Please bring them in here.” Neasa glanced at Shane. “We’re all here. Tea should be ready in a few minutes.” She turned toward Niall. “Can you round up the kids?”
“Of course.” Niall left the room, running into Conor and Mel in the foyer. The sound of his exuberance at seeing Conor flowed to the living room.
Mel rushed into the room, followed by Conor. She hugged me and then Shane. “Dang. I knew it. I knew you two were destined to be together. I’m so excited for both of you.”
