DARING TO DREAM

MONTANA SKY

BORN IN SHAME

BORN IN ICE

BORN IN FIRE

TRUE BETRAYALS

HIDDEN RICHES

PRIVATE SCANDALS

HONEST ILLUSIONS

DIVINE EVIL

CARNAL INNOCENCE

GENUINE LIES

PUBLIC SECRETS

SWEET REVENGE

BRAZEN VIRTUE

SACRED SINS

HOT ICE

JEWELS OF THE SUN

TEARS OF THE MOON

HEART OF THE SEA

CAROLINA MOON

in hardcover from G. P. Putnam’s Sons

Titles written as J. D. Robb

NAKED IN DEATH

GLORY IN DEATH

IMMORTAL IN DEATH

RAPTURE IN DEATH

CEREMONY IN DEATH

VENGEANCE IN DEATH

HOLIDAY IN DEATH

CONSPIRACY IN DEATH

WITNESS IN DEATH

For all my Irish pals, on both sides of the Atlantic

I know my love by his way of walking and I know my love by his way of talking

IRISH BALLAD

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Prologue

Amanda dreamed dreadful dreams. Colin was there, his sweet, well-loved face crushed with sorrow. Mandy, he said. He never called her anything but Mandy. His Mandy, my Mandy, darling Mandy. But there’d been no smile in his voice, no laugh in his eyes.

Mandy, we can’t stop it. I wish we could. Mandy, my Mandy, I miss you so. But I never thought you’d have to come so soon after me. Our little girl, it’s so hard for her. And it’ll get harder. You have to tell her, you know.

He smiled then, but it was sad, so sad, and his body, his face, that had seemed so solid, so close that she’d reached out in sleep to touch him, began to fade and shimmer away.

You have to tell her, he repeated. We always knew you would. She needs to know where she comes from. Who she is. But tell her, Mandy, tell her never to forget that I loved her. I loved my little girl.

Oh, don’t go, Colin. She moaned in her sleep, pining for him. Stay with me. I love you, Colin. My sweet Colin. I love you for all you are.

But she couldn’t bring him back. And couldn’t stop the dream.

Oh, how lovely to see Ireland again, she thought, drifting like mist over the green hills she remembered from so long ago. See the river gleam, like a ribbon all silver and bright around a gift without price.

And there was Tommy, darling Tommy, waiting for her. Turning to smile at her, to welcome her.

Why was there such grief here, when she was back and felt so young, so vibrant, so in love?

I thought I’d never see you again. Her voice was breathless, with a laugh on the edges of it. Tommy, I’ve come back to you.

He seemed to stare at her. No matter how she tried, she could get no closer than an arm span away from him. But she could hear his voice, as clear and sweet as ever.