All Roads Lead to Swatragh - Chapter 49

Grace convinced Peter to hang around while she used the small upstairs room to shower and change. It was not as comfortable as her own bathroom, but it worked and she was able to get things done around the cottage while Peter kept an eye on Quinn. As she peeked into the quiet room, she had to chuckle to herself. Quinn was sleeping propped up with a few pillows, and Peter had fallen asleep in the chair next to the bed. Fine nursemaid Peter would make! She quietly closed the door and headed to the front room to take care of some business.

Grace had no sooner settled down to check the computer when there was a knock at the door. She hadn't even heard a car pull up. It was the Police wanting to question Quinn about what happened. Grace explained to them what Quinn had told her, and they were not surprised. They did find his bike but it was in pretty bad shape. There was no other evidence to indicate who had done this. Their assumption was that some young drunk motorists had hit Quinn from behind knocking him off his bike. When they checked him out he was unconscious, and they might have thought he was dead considering their drunken state. They took any money and identification he had on him, but missed the B&B business card as it was by itself in a pocket rather than in his wallet. Once daylight came and the Police went back to the scene, they found the bike tossed off the road into a ditch below the area where Quinn was found.

As Grace listened to this tale, Peter came out of the room indicating that Quinn was awake. The Police went to question Quinn and explain what they had found. When the Police left Grace went back to the bedroom to check on Quinn. She could see his dejection and frustration over all of this.

“I should have known better than to be riding the back roads so late at night,” he explained. “Especially out here where the roads are narrow and not lit.”

“Quinn, it's just an unfortunate experience. Is there anything I can do?” Grace was feeling sorry for Quinn. This was not the man who left her cottage so angry the day before.

“I hate to ask, but I'm feeling a little hungry. Could I get something to eat? Not much. I know it's near lunch, but I'd love one of your breakfasts. I did miss it yesterday, you know,” Quinn was trying to make up for yesterday's behavior between the two of them.

“I'm going to get Peter to check some of the deeper cuts you have and change the bandages. I only had one size of Plasters (Bandaids) and you look like a child who went wild with an entire box of them. Maybe he can handle that. I'll make some breakfast for you in the meantime. It's good to see you are gaining your strength back,” Grace was mellowing toward Quinn now that yesterday's anger had been replaced with her concern for his well being.

While Peter took care of Quinn, Grace set out to prepare his normal breakfast. She knew that he was probably hungrier than he realized since he had not eaten for a whole day. Not much....she mused. If Quinn was eating a double breakfast when he was riding, he would easily eat a full one now. If not, there was no harm in making it. Grace took extra care to make this just right. As she did, she wondered why she really cared about impressing this man.

Peter came into the kitchen just as Grace was finishing. “That smells just amazing, Grace. Is there any left over, that plate for Quinn looks pretty full?”

“There's some sausage and eggs left on the stove, Peter. Help yourself. I'm taking this tray to Quinn. And while your at it, how about putting some more water on for tea. You can bring it along when it's ready,” Grace directed Peter.

Quinn had been dozing in the bed as Grace walked in with the breakfast tray. “That is such a welcome aroma. Thank you so much.”

“Just the ole cottage breakfast,” Grace responded, but was filled with pride hearing Quinn's comment.

Grace could tell that Quinn was feeling better as he did end up eating every bit on the plate along with a couple cups of tea that Peter brought in. As he ate he asked about Grace's plans for the day and told her he was probably going to need to stay a couple more days to fully recover before he could drive back to Dublin. He did tell Grace that he had called his brother, Tommy, to let him know what happened, and a manager at the office to check on things.

It was just after Quinn finished breakfast that Grace heard a car in the drive. She excused herself from Quinn, and went to check out who was arriving as she was not expecting anyone this Sunday afternoon. As she opened the door, she saw a taxi pulling away and a handsome lad approaching the door. He had a familiar look, and it took her a second to realized how much he looked like Quinn.

“Afternoon, lass, me name's Tommy Nolan. I'd be Quinn's brother. I rushed up here right after Quinn called this morning and told me what happened,” Tommy smiled as he introduced himself and while Grace did the same she was aware he was checking her out. He had a natural charm about himself that instantly attracted Grace. What was it with these Nolan lads?

Grace showed Tommy to the bedroom where Quinn was and she could see how happy Quinn was to see his younger brother. They were only two years apart and while there was definitely a family resemblance, they had two very different personalities. Both very handsome, but Quinn was much more reserved while Tommy was more the ladies man. After having read the article about Tommy, she could see how women would be attracted to him. This was not lost on Grace, and she kept trying to shake it off.

Grace was working in the room with the office when a knock on the door interrupted her.

It was Tommy, “Grace, I know this is short notice, but it there some way I can stay the night. I took a bus up to Swatragh, then a taxi over here because I knew Quinn had his car. No sense in having two cars here. I was thinking I'd be taking Quinn home right away, but he's in no shape to be moving right now. Best he stay put for another day or two. You'd be really helping a lad out, if I could stay.”

“As a matter of fact, I don't have any bookings for the next two days, so you could take Quinn's room upstairs. It's good that you are here to help your brother out, since I do have a lot of errands and didn't want to leave him here alone.” Grace blushed as she explained this as Tommy seemed to be staring into her eyes.

“Well, whose room is Quinn using? I thought that was his room. A little girlie for me, but a nice room. You know you've got some beautiful eyes, Grace,” Tommy was starting to work his way on Grace.

“Oh, no, Quinn had a small single upstairs. The room he's in is my room,” Grace was blushing and had to turn away from Tommy's gaze.

“Your room? What a lucky lad!” Tommy backed off a bit jumping to conclusions that there might be something between Grace and Quinn.

“No, it's not that,” Grace felt the need to clarify herself and was not quite sure why. “It was easier for the Police to put Quinn downstairs, when they brought him in. He's just not able to get upstairs and this is easier for me.”

“Then where are you sleeping?” Tommy was probing a bit now.

“Well, last night I slept in the chair next to Quinn. I was worried about him and they said to watch him closely,” Grace felt she was having to justify her actions and was not liking this one bit.

“I see...no worries,” Tommy caught that Grace was getting a bit annoyed and he didn't want to get on the wrong side with this lass. She was attractive and just his type. At least he decided she was. He had not been attracted to anyone for at least a couple of months. Tommy was out at the pubs a lot charming all the skirts he could. It was his style. Maybe that's why his marriage went bad. He had such a difficult time staying true to just one lass.