To Love A Wild Irishman

Chapter Seventeen

"Let's go, Cassandra," Vincent urged.

"No, I won't leave Finnegan lying here helpless," she replied.

"Well you will have to because he is out cold," her father countered.

"Your time is counting down," the tall man with the watch warned.

Cassandra glared at him. Thanks to her father and Finnegan she was being booted off a train in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night! As badly as she hoped this was all a bad dream, she knew it wasn't. Now how was she going to wake Finnegan up?

Cassandra glanced up at the table and saw a half-finished bottle of whiskey. She grabbed it and held it under Finnegan's nose. She saw his nostrils flair and then his eyelids began to flutter as he gained consciousness.

His brown eyes locked with hers when they opened and then he glanced over at the bottle and tried to reach for it. Cassandra shook her head and put it back up on the table. "I don't think so, Finn. You've had quite enough for tonight. Thanks to you and my father acting like an angry ogre and a mischievous leprechaun, we've been kicked off the train and have ten minutes—"

"Eight," came the attendant's dry voice.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Eight minutes to get our belongings before they throw us out on our backsides."

"Did you just call me a leprechaun then, Little Cass?" Finnegan questioned quietly. "That's hurtful."

"You will be fine," Cassandra assured him. She stood up then and held out her hand. Finnegan took it and she helped him to his feet. Instantly he grabbed the table for support with one hand and grabbed his head with the other.

"I feel as if a mortar round burst in me head," he moaned.

"I wish I'd killed you," Vincent growled.

"Papa..."Cassandra warned and Vincent raised his hands and took a step back.

"You now have seven minutes," the man with the watch intoned. "I would suggest you move with haste."

Cassandra took Finnegan by the hand and began to lead him toward their passenger car and bedroom. He stumbled and nearly fell multiple times and it was all Cassandra could do to get him to their door.

"Stand here, Finn," she said as she leaned him against the wall.

"O'course, Little Cass. You only need ask and your will shall be done. You are my—"

Cassandra had been sliding open the door when Finnegan's voice trailed off and she realized he was sliding sideways, unconscious and she jumped forward and attempted to catch him.

Unfortunately the man was half a foot taller than her and a considerable amount heavier and she couldn't support his weight so the two of them fell into a heap on the floor. Cassandra was thankful that her father had gone on to his room in the second passenger car and they were alone in this hall.

Cassandra tried to shove Finnegan off but he was nothing but dead weight on top of her. "I had to give my heart to an Irishman," she mumbled.

With a grunt Cassandra slid from beneath him and went into their room. Quickly she gathered up their belongings, stuffing them into the sack. She knew that Finnegan had the treasure map tucked into his clothes and so with one last glance to ensure she had everything else, Cassandra slid the door closed as she stepped back into the hall.

Now she had to get to the car where Theo was put up. But how was she supposed to do that with an unconscious Finnegan? Her worries were eased when she realized Finnegan was awake once again and standing against the wall.