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answering laugh was edged with pointed sarcasm. “You also needed someone with an interest in making a home, someone looking to put down roots. And I’m afraid my dear sister fails on both those counts.”
    For the briefest of moments Ruairi’s eyes met Maggie’s. Then his gaze flicked back to Peter, and although she knew it was just something to do with the light, to Maggie they appeared to lose their green and gold flecks and become a dull, muddy pond color.              
    “Maggie was very helpful,” he said, putting a slight emphasis on the word very. “And nobody can be more rootless than me, not even your sister.”
    The n he turned his back on Peter and smiled at the children. “Now I’d like an ice cream. Does anyone here know where I can buy one?”
    The excited children immediately surrounded him, eager to direct him to the ice cream van parked near the entrance to the park. Peter frowned at the unexpected put down but then he shrugged as Ruairi pulled out his wallet and bought ice creams for everyone.
     
    * * *
     
    Much later, after several ball games, and when the boys had been taken home for their tea, Ruairi lay back on the grass and watched Maggie. She was sitting cross-legged and searching for four-leafed clovers.
    “Don’t you mind the sniping?” he asked.
    She didn’t bother to pretend not to understand. “Of course I mind. But there’s not much I can do about it is there? If I lose my temper then it’s just Maggie having a tantrum. If I stay calm then it’s Maggie not caring. I can’t win either way. It’s another reason why I want to travel. I need to prove to everyone that I’m capable of making a life for myself. I want them all to recognize I’m an adult who doesn’t need their continual advice. I want them to realize I’m not little Maggie anymore.”
    “They must be blind not to see that,” he said lazily, resting his head back on his hands. “It was the first thing I noticed at the party even though you were trying to disguise yourself as a ten year old!”
    “That’s not funny!” she snapped. “Don’t make a joke of it Ruairi because I am just about fed up with everyone so it wouldn’t take much to add you to the list.”
    He sat up and put his hand on her arm. “Slow down! I wasn’t joking Maggie. Don’t you know how beautiful, clever and full of spirit you are? It shines out of your face, all of it…so why do you let them do it? Why do you let your brothers take advantage of you? Why do you let them treat you as a sort of joke?”
    “I guess because they always did,” she said unsteadily, hoping he would take his hand away before the imprint burnt straight through her skin and on, down towards her heart.
    He heard the tremor in her voice, saw the glint of tears on the end of her eyelashes, and felt an unexpected surge of anger. How could they treat Maggie like this? Dear sweet Maggie who had been like a little sister to him all those years ago. Without thinking he slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him, just as he would have done when she was a child. At the same time he put his free hand under her chin and tilted her face upwards. He had been going to say something soothing to her, words that would persuade her out of her sadness. It wasn’t until their eyes met that he realized his mistake. He had told her he had seen from the first that she wasn’t little Maggie anymore but it hadn’t been true, not until she was in his arms. Now, with her face inches from his own and her wide grey eyes glittering in the sunlight, he discovered she was very grown up indeed and there was only one thing he wanted to do. He wanted to kiss her.

 
     
    Chapter Four
     
    Maggie went back to her search for four-leafed clovers. Anything was better than looking at Ruairi. For the briefest of moments, no longer than it took to draw breath, she had been so sure they were going to kiss one another that without thinking of the consequences, she had