“At least the house part is looking better,” Maura told Gillian, taking a critical look at the rambling place on Ballinlough. The views would be great no matter how much of a pit it was, but you couldn’t sleep and cook on views alone.

Gillian was bouncing the baby against her chest. “We’re doing what we can. I can’t believe you dragooned your pub friends into helping clear out the rest of the stuff here.”

“Fair’s fair. I won a bet. And promised them plenty of Guinness. Plus I threatened to get their wives to nag them. Did they bring along any baby stuff?”

“They did, and I almost kissed more than one of them. I don’t know how Harry and I managed to stay so clueless when we had months to plan.”

“It’s been a confusing time for all of us. Let’s hope things improve now. Is there anything out in the old creamery that you particularly want the guys to haul away? Or want them to save?”

“Good question, Maura. It’s such a hodgepodge, like people have been dumping their discards there for years. If there are hidden treasures, I haven’t seen them yet, but they could be under there somewhere.”

“Want to go watch them work?”

Gillian looked down at her sleeping son. “Let’s. I could use the air.”

They walked around the corner of the building to where the old creamery stretched along the road from Leap. If Gillian wanted to use it as a studio and class space, there was certainly more than enough room. Seamus and his gang had arrived as a group, two of them driving battered trucks—clearly they knew what kind of a mess they’d be dealing with. They tipped their caps to Gillian and Maura but kept right on toting junk out of the interior. Maura saw a couple of orphaned toilets, some very rotten mattresses, a door, some old windows, and a cushionless couch go by. And a small, brightly painted rowboat.

She called out suddenly, “Hey, hold on a sec.” She turned to Gillian. “You want to keep the boat? It looks like it might still float with a little patching.”

“Well, there is a lake out back. Why not? Have them haul it around to the other side by the house.”

Maura walked over to the two men who’d been hauling out the boat. “Guys, can we put that behind the house? Maybe Harry will take up fishing.”

“Good place fer it,” one of the men said cheerfully, and they pivoted and marched toward the water. The cleanout continued: piles of old rags or clothes (and Maura had to wonder if there had been squatters here at some point), old cans, bottles, and boxes. But an hour’s work cleared most of it out, leaving only dirt and mold and some dangling wires.

“You know, if you’re going to use this space, you’d better have the wiring checked out,” Maura told Gillian.

“Of course, but that can wait. It may be a few months before I can think about that. What do you think of the house, now that you’ve seen all of it?”

“Well, it’s in better shape than this side. You’ve got plenty of space. It’s, what, three bedrooms? So that’s the two of you, the baby, and an office for Harry?”

“That’s right. We were lucky to get it well below the price asked. I guess the seller hadn’t seen the shape it had fallen into.”

“Does Harry have any leads on work?”

“He says he does, but none’ve come home to roost yet. But he remains optimistic.”

“That’s good. How’s he enjoying being a dad?”

“More than he ever expected. More than I ever expected. Don’t tell him I said so, but I think he’s finally grown up. Maybe I’ll tell him you thought he could learn to fish. Can’t you see him, teaching our son to bait a hook?”

“That’ll take a few years, but I do think you should keep the boat. Do you know how to row?”

“I can learn. You?”

“I’m a city girl, remember? I can tell you which end of a boat is the front, and that’s about it.”

“And here we are, living in the country. Me with a baby. Not what I would have foreseen a year ago, eh?”

When they walked around to the front again, Gillian peeled off to give the baby his latest feed. Maura kept going and saw an ordinary car parked in front with Sergeant Ryan standing beside it. Trouble? Maybe not—he wasn’t in uniform. “Were you looking for something or someone, Sergeant?” she called out as he approached.

He looked oddly uncomfortable. “I heard that yeh were askin’ fer some help to get yer friends settled. I thought I’d come by and see if there was anything I could do. I’m on me own time now.”

Wow—Maura hadn’t expected that. “I’m sure we can find something. Do you know these guys? Most of them are regular patrons at Sullivan’s. Do you have a wife or kids?” When the sergeant shook his head without commenting, Maura pushed on. “So I guess I can’t ask you if you have a secondhand crib or toys. But there’s still a lot of junk to be hauled away. Why don’t I introduce you around, and you guys can work out what needs doing?”

“I’d appreciate that, Maura. I don’t know many folk around here, and I seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot wit’ some of ’em.”

“Don’t worry—they’ll get over it. Especially if you buy ’em a pint at Sullivan’s. Come on, I’ll take you back to where they all are now.”

After she’d handed the sheepish sergeant over to the work crew, she came back around to the front in time to see a car approaching along the road—usually a rare occurrence on this road, particularly in the middle of the day, but today it seemed to be more like a highway—and recognized her mother’s rental car. She stepped closer to the road so Helen would see her and waved. Helen pulled in to the side of the creamery building near the house.

Maura walked over to join her. “How on earth did you find this place?” she asked.

“I’m learning my way around. And I asked someone how to find the old creamery near the lake. Besides, this road has a sign for Ballinlough, thank goodness.” Helen took a moment to admire the view. “This is really nice, or it will be when it’s fixed up.”

“Come meet Gillian. She and her husband bought this place.”

Maura led Helen over to where Gillian was still sitting. The baby slept on, but a slow, gentle rocking seemed to have become Gillian’s usual activity. She turned when she heard Maura approach.

Helen stepped up quickly. “Please, don’t stand up. How old?”

“We’re still counting in days. You’d be Maura’s mother?”

“Yes, Helen Jenkins. She told you about me? Not just the bad things, I hope.”

“No, she’s been fair to you. Welcome to my home—well, mine and Harry’s. It’s a work in progress.”

“Is Harry here?”

“No, I sent him off to get more baby supplies. Amazing how fast a very small child can soil things.”

“It is. Listen, if I miss Harry now, tell him I’d like to speak with him. We might be able to use a man with his financial skills at Crann Mor.”

Gillian’s face lit up. “He’d be more than glad to hear that! Wait, does that mean you and your people will be holding on to the place?”

“It looks that way. I must be more persuasive than I thought because I’ve convinced our investors to give it a try. I told them West Cork was an untapped market and definitely trending.”

“Good for you!” Gillian glanced slyly at Maura. “Does that mean you’ll be spending more time in this part of the world?”

“I hope so. We’ll have to see how things develop. Maura told me you’re the artist who painted some of the art in the pub?”

“I am—or was before this little one came along. Why do you ask?”

“I think the hotel could use something a bit fresher for the walls. I’d love to see more of your work.”

Gillian stared for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Good heavens, woman, Maura didn’t mention you’re a miracle worker.”

“She hasn’t seen the best of me yet. Sorry I couldn’t warn you, Maura, but the board only decided this morning on an emergency conference call. But once I had the go-ahead, I started bubbling over with plans and ideas—how to remodel without spoiling the place, how to find local staff, all that.”

“I guess I can’t complain.” Maura turned and checked the progress the guys were making on clearing out the creamery. “You want to come see my place?”

“I’d love to. Is it far?”

“Just over that hill there. You up for walking?”

“I think so.”

Maura turned to Gillian. “We’ll be back in a bit. I’m sure the guys will be wanting their pints soon enough, but I’ve warned Mick and Rose to expect them.”

“Take your time—I’m not going anywhere soon. Nice to meet you, Helen.”

“Thanks. I’m glad Maura’s got a friend in the neighborhood. Maura, lead the way!”

Maura checked to see that Helen was wearing sensible shoes because the road was a bit steep, then set off up the hill. She was relieved when Helen didn’t start panting after the first few hundred feet. “Do you remember Gran or my father talking about where they came from?”

Helen shook her head. “Not much. Tom was pretty young when they came to America, and he mostly remembered kid stuff like walking to school.”

“We just walked past the school he was talking about—it’s a private home now—and this was the road he would have taken. Gran lived the other side of the hill when her husband was alive. Old Mick lived near the top of the hill. Did Gran ever mention Bridget Nolan?”

“I can’t say that she did, but it was a long time ago. She might have.”

“Bridget lives just down the lane from me. She knew Gran and Tom when they lived here. She’s in her eighties now, but her memory is good.”

“You haven’t told her I’m the witch who abandoned you and your grandmother to fend for yourselves?”

Maura stopped, and so did Helen, halfway up the hill. “No, but Gran used to write to Bridget. I don’t know what she might have said. Still, Bridget’s not one to judge. Times were different then, and people did what they had to do to get by. She’d like to meet you.”

“Then I’ll be happy to meet her.”

After a few more minutes, they reached the crest of the hill, and Maura pointed out the landmarks. “That’s my place there on the left—you can just see the chimneys. Bridget’s is the yellow house down a bit farther on the right. The road at the bottom of the hill is called the bog road, and there’s a bog on the other side, where those horses are grazing.”

“It’s lovely,” Helen said quietly. “Peaceful. So unlike cities and suburbs.”

“That’s very true. Come on, I’ll show you my cottage.”

Once again, Maura led the way, suddenly conscious of the overgrown ditches and various bits of abandoned dairy equipment, not to mention the long-empty house next to her own, now reduced to a stone shell. Maura, listen to yourself. If you’d known your mother was coming, you would have cleaned the neighborhood?

“This is it.” Maura stepped aside to let her mother into the house, then followed her, leaving the door open. “It’s not much, but . . .”

Helen laughed. “Maura, stop apologizing! Your father and I could never have afforded anything like this. After he died when I was your age, I was living in crappy apartments with multiple roommates, trying to get a degree and make something of myself. You have a home of your own here! With, what, two bedrooms? Views to die for? Neighbors who know you? You’re a lucky woman!”

“Yeah, but I don’t feel I’ve earned it.”

“Stop feeling guilty. Look at it as compensation from the gods for what I did to you. It all evens out in the end.”

“I guess,” Maura said, smiling reluctantly. “Are you serious about making the hotel work?”

“You mean, am I going to get bored and leave if everything doesn’t go my way? No. I’ve spent enough time here, talked to enough people, to know that it’s going to take some serious effort and some money, but it matters to a lot of people. To the town itself. I’m going to do my damnedest to make it work. I’m not walking away again.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Maura was contemplating the idea of a hug when there was a rapping at the open door, and she turned to see Mick on the doorstep. “What are you doing here?” Maura asked. “And who’s covering the pub?”

“Maura, half your patrons are down the hill there. Jimmy’s at the place, and Rosie’s keeping an eye on him. So I came up here to see what’s what. I saw the two of you comin’ up the hill and wondered if yeh planned to stop by me grannie’s place. She said to tell Helen she has pictures that your gran sent her, from years back.”

Helen replied quickly, “I’d love to meet your grandmother and to see her pictures. If that’s okay with you, Maura?”

“Sure. I’m glad she asked. We should go see her now, because sometime today, I really should get to work.”

“So let’s go now.”

“Both our cars are over at the creamery. We may need to hitch a ride from you to get back.”

“Not to worry,” Mick said, smiling. “It’s this way, Helen.”

He led the two of them down the lane and turned at the end. But he fell back just a bit to ask Maura, “Are the two of yeh good?”

She smiled up at him. “You know, I think we are. And you and me?”

“The same. Have you told yer mother about us?”

“I haven’t had time. But I think if she sees us together much, she’ll figure it out on her own.”

“Then let’s go down the hill before Bridget talks the woman’s head off. And give Helen more of a chance to see the two of us together.”

“Sounds good to me.” Maura linked her arm through Mick’s, and together they walked down to Bridget’s cottage.