The memories of the dinner party and the Boyles came flooding back and panic engulfed me. I stopped humming and made for the stairs. But Mrs. Donahue grabbed my elbow. “Come with me,” she said as she led me to the kitchen. She bustled about, taking two glasses down from a cupboard and pouring whiskey into a decanter. She put everything on a tray and thrust it at me.

“Here, take these into them.”

I stared at her.

“Well, go on,” she said.

“But who’s in there?”

Mrs. Donahue rolled her eyes. “’Tis Mr. O’Hanlon’s father-in-law,” she said, “poor Mary’s da. He’s the high and mighty James Sullivan.” She sniffed as she pronounced the name. “There’s always ructions when the two of them get together. Now go on in. They’ll stop the shouting when they see ye—they pay no heed to me at all. And besides, I’ve to be getting on with the dishes.”

“Where’s Kathleen?” I said, hoping for a reprieve.

“Still out gallivanting with some boyo. Now, go!”

She shoved me out of the kitchen. In the hallway I could hear the raised voices from the library. I wished Kathleen was here. She would have thought Aidan O’Hanlon and his father-in-law fighting was great craic and would have jumped at the chance to witness it. As for me, I hated confrontation, but I had no choice but to go in. I tapped on the library door, but the men kept shouting.

“You’re a fool and you always were!” It was the father-in-law’s voice, revealing a faint Irish brogue. “I knew you’d come crawling back to New York when you’d had enough of Texas. Damn ridiculous idea, going to look for oil! And dragging my poor Mary with you. Texas is what killed her, and you know that.”

A fist thumped on a table and Aidan’s voice rose. “Leave Mary out of this, you bastard, or—”

James Sullivan laughed. “Or what? There’s nothing you can do to me, my boy! I own this house. I bought it for Mary, and I can throw you out any time I please. And I’d do so if it wasn’t for the child.”

“And I’d be happy to go!”

“Go on then, you ungrateful spalpeen. Back to the Texas dirt where you belong. But you’ll not be taking Lily with you. I’ll fight you tooth and nail to keep her, mark my words.”

“Lily is my daughter, and as soon as she is ready, I’m taking her back to Texas and you’ll never set eyes on either of us again.” Aidan’s voice was so cold it sent chills through me.

Silence fell. I knocked on the door again, this time more loudly.

“What is it?” Aidan snapped.