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thing to name children after those who came before them." A distant expression entered Brady's eyes, but he quickly resumed smiling. "There's somethin' about the name Frye I should be rememberin'." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "It'll come to me later, to be sure."
    "Tell us about the curse," Jacob said, leaning across Bridget's lap.
    "Jacob." Bridget really didn't want to hear about a curse. She'd faced enough of those in real life without dealing with a make-believe one, too.
    Brady exchanged glances with Bridget and seemed to sense her reluctance. He shrugged and flashed Jacob a cock-eyed grin. "I might've stretched the truth a wee bit, lad."
    "No curse?" Jacob's disappointment was downright palpable. "Well, there was a tragedy at Caisleán Dubh , to be sure," the old man said. "Do you know the story of Romeo and Juliet , Jacob?"
    Jacob shook his head and Bridget gave him an indulgent smile. "I don't reckon they teach Shakespeare in kindergarten," she said, ruffling her son's hair.
    "Well, what happened at Caisleán Dubh is somethin' akin to that tale," Brady continued, shaking his head solemnly. "You ask your mum to read the story to you. A lad is never too young to be learning."
    Bridget sighed and whispered, "Thank you."
    "Besides," the Irishman said with an emphatic nod, "I believe you'll be hearin' all about the Curse of Caisleán Dubh soon enough."
    * * *
    Riley Mulligan shoved a stubborn shock of black hair out of his face and unfolded himself from his mum’s car. He despised the city, and the nature of his mission today made his belly burn and his temples throb.
    Fiona Mulligan was beside herself, because she had badly wanted to make the trip. However, an attack of gout had different ideas. The poor woman wouldn’t be able to venture farther than her rocking chair for at least two days. And Maggie was too young to send alone to Shannon, though she’d been driving for over a year now. Besides, she had school today.
    Riley sighed and made his way across the parking lot and into the terminal. A quick glance at his watch confirmed that he should reach customs in plenty of time to meet the woman.
    He’d rather drink a watered down pint. Jaysus, he’d even rather eat Maggie’s pitiful excuse for soda bread—a shudder rippled through him at the thought of his sister’s most recent effort in that regard. Truth be told, given his druthers, he’d choose to be doing anything but this.
    But a promise had been made, and keep it he would. Mum’s tears and pleading had done him in, just as she’d known. He’d never been a man to deny a weeping woman anything, so long as it made her stop. A weakness among the Mulligan males, it was, handed down from generation to generation. Alas, Riley Francis Mulligan was no exception.
    And now, Jaysus help him, he was in the city to fetch the woman who claimed to have married Culley and borne his son.
    Renewed anger vibrated through Riley as he emptied his pockets and passed through airport security. Soon he would see the liar's face for himself, and he’d be having nothing less than the truth. Culley wasn't here to defend himself, so it fell to his brother to do it for him. And do it he would.
    Clenching his fists, he paused before a monitor and checked the flight number and gate. "On time," he muttered, shoving his unruly hair out of his face again. He glanced at his watch, and moved to the area where passengers would emerge after going through customs.
    They didn't have so much as a photograph of the woman or the lad, though the attorney Mum had spoken to had provided a description. Bridget Mulligan was, so Mum had informed Riley, an attractive young woman with wavy brown hair, above average in height and slender. The boy was said to have nearly black curls.
    Like Culley's... and his? By the saints, he didn't want to ponder any of this. The woman was a fraud and he would prove it. Any resemblance would be pure coincidence.
    Armed with this certainty, he stood staring as