“All right.” He sliced into the chicken on his plate, sampled, and was pleased he’d done a good job. “Be reasonable then.”

“Number one, you’ve got to understand I’m only going to be here another week, two at the most.”

“You’ll stay longer.” He said it placidly as he ate. “You haven’t begun to resolve the problems and feelings that brought you here. You haven’t once asked about Tom Concannon.”

Her eyes went cold. “You know nothing about my feelings.”

“I think I do, but we’ll leave that for now since it makes you unhappy. But you’ll stay, Shannon, because there are things for you to face. And to forgive. You’re not a coward. There’s strength in you, and heart.”

She hated that he was seeing in her things she’d refused to admit to herself. She broke open one of the biscuits he’d brought to the table, watched the heat steam out. “Whether I stay a week or a year, it doesn’t apply to this.”

“It all applies to this,” he said mildly. “Does the meal suit you?”

“It’s terrific.”

“Did you paint more today, after I left you?”

“Yes, I—” She swallowed another bite, jabbed her fork at him. “You’re changing the subject.”

“What subject?”

“You know very well what subject, and we’re going to clear the air here and now. I don’t want to be courted—by anyone. I don’t know how things are around here, but where I come from, women are independent, equal.”

“I’ve some thoughts on that myself.” Idly he picked up his wine, considering his words as he drank. “It’s true enough that in general your Irishman has a difficult time with seeing women as equals. Now, there’s been some changes in the past generation, but it’s a slow process.” He set his wine aside and went back to his meal. “There are many I’d call mate who wouldn’t agree with me in full, but it may be because I’ve done a lot of reading over the years and thought about what I’ve read. I feel a woman has rights same as a man, to what he has, what he does.”

“That’s big of you,” Shannon muttered.

He only smiled. “It’s a step of some proportion for someone raised as I was raised. Now in truth, I don’t know just how I’d react to it if you wanted to court me.”

“I don’t.”

“There you are.” He lifted a hand, smiling still, as if she’d made his point for him. “And my courting you has nothing to do with rights or equality, doesn’t make you less or me more. It’s just that I’ve the initiative, so to speak. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in my life. And I’ve been fortunate enough to see a great deal of beauty.”

Flummoxed by the quick spurt of pleasure, she looked down at her plate. There was a way to handle this, to handle him, she was certain. She just had to find it.

“Murphy, I’m flattered. Anyone would be.”