Then his world turned upside down.

The vision stood in the doorway, watching through cool and glorious green eyes. Her skin was like the alabaster he’d read of, and looked as soft as fresh milk. Her hair shone as it followed the lines of her face to sweep the chin that was lifted high.

The fairy queen, was all he could think. And the spell was on him.

“Oh, Shannon.” A flush heated Brianna’s cheeks as she spotted her half sister. How much had she heard? Brianna wondered. And how to handle it? “Tea’s nearly ready. I thought we’d have it in here. I’ll serve the guests in the parlor.”

“The kitchen’s fine.” She’d heard plenty, and would take time to decide just how to handle it herself. Just now her attention was focused on the man who was gaping at her as though he’d never seen a female before.

“Shannon Bodine, this is our good friend and neighbor Murphy Muldoon.”

“How do you do?”

Coherent speech seemed to have deserted him. He nodded, only dimly aware that he probably resembled a slow-witted fool.

“Murphy, would you tell the others tea’s ready?” When she received no response, Brianna glanced up at him. “Murphy?”

“What?” He blinked, cleared his throat, shuffled. “Aye, I’ll tell them.” He tore his eyes from the vision and stared blankly at Brianna. “Tell who what?”

With a laugh, Brianna gave him a shove toward the door. “You can’t go to sleep on your feet like one of your horses. Go out and tell Grayson and Maggie and Liam we’re having tea.” One last push and he was out of the door with her shutting it behind him. “He’s been working since sunrise, I’ll wager, and tuckered. Murphy’s usually a bit sharper than that.”

Shannon doubted it. “He’s a farmer?”

“He’s a fine one, and he’s breeding horses, too. He’s like a brother to Maggie and me.” Her eyes leveled with Shannon’s again. “There’s nothing I can’t share with Murphy and trust it stays with him.”

“I see.” Shannon stayed where she was, just on the other side of the threshold. “So you felt you could tell him about this particular situation.”

With a quiet sigh, Brianna brought the teapot to the table. “You don’t know me, Shannon, nor Murphy, nor any of us. It isn’t fair for me to ask you to trust people you’ve only just met. So I won’t. Instead, I’ll ask you to sit down and enjoy your tea.”

Intrigued, Shannon tilted her head. “You can be a cool one.”

“Maggie’s got all the fire.”

“She doesn’t like me.”

“Not at the moment.”

Shannon had the oddest urge to laugh, and gave in to it. “That’s fine. I don’t like her, either. What’s for tea?”

“Finger sandwiches, cheese, and a bit of pâté, sugar biscuits, scones, cream tarts, apple cake.”

Shannon stepped in, surveying the spread. “You do this every afternoon?”

“I like to cook.” Smiling again, Brianna wiped her hands on her apron. “And I wanted your first day to be special for you.”