To Love A Wild Irishman

Epilogue

Epilogue

Two Years Later

"Mama, daddy said he needs another case of whiskey brought upstairs."

Cassandra nodded at her son Luke's request and tousled his blond hair. "Will you sit here and add up these numbers I was working on?"

"Aw, mama, do I have to?" Luke whined, kicking at the floor.

"Yes you do," Cassandra kissed his hair and pointed at Marie sound asleep in her cradle beside the desk. "Keep an eye on your sister."

"Yes, mama," Luke mumbled as he sat down at the chair and picked up the abandoned pencil.

Cassandra gazed at both of her children a moment. Marie was one and a half years old now and the spitting image of her father with curly dark hair and a smile that drew people in. Luke was ten years old and Cassandra and Finnegan had adopted him on their journey to California under Finnegan's orders. The boy had been in an orphanage and had known Finnegan upon sight. Finnegan had apparently spent a lot of time with the boy and had always longed to see him have a real home; a real family.

Cassandra still could barely believe that some had once considered Finnegan to be a bad man unworthy of respect or love. Already they were in talks with another orphanage and looking into having a five year old girl named Abigail join their family. Cassandra smiled, she loved her life.

Cassandra hefted up a small case of whiskey and headed up the stairs. She entered the brightly lit, spacious pub and simply admired for a moment what she and Finnegan had built, with the help of Seamus and Calvin of course.

A well lit stage was on the back wall where a beautiful woman in an elegant red dress was currently singing to the tune an elderly man played on the piano and men crowded around to watch her. The poker tables, dice tables and Faro tables were all made of dark cherry wood with elegant green felt tops. The bar was thirty feet long and also solid dark cherry and brightly colored bottles of different whiskey's shone brightly in the kerosene lights all around the massive mirror.

The tables were full of men, women and even some children relaxing their way through their Saturday evening. Finnegan and Cassandra had worked hard to ensure that their pub would be a safe place that anyone could come and enjoy music, dancing and cards without fear of guns fights or brawls. All weapons were checked at the door and there were limits to just how drunk they allowed their patrons to get before they would have to leave and finish their night elsewhere.

"Here you go, Finn. Luke said you need whiskey," Cassandra said as she stepped behind the bar.

Finnegan's brown eyes lit up when they fell upon her and Cassandra's heart swelled. Even after all this time the love that Finnegan had for her was plain to see. "I was just tellin' Lewis how good ya are at poker, Little Cass, and he don't seem to believe me. He's accused me of simply doin' what Irishman do best and tellin' tales."

"Is that right?" Cassandra smiled as she sat the case of whiskey on the bar. She smoothed out her black skirt and tapped her chin. "How about we plan on a game a little later tonight and I'll prove the Irishman right?"

Lewis rubbed his gray whiskered cheek and chuckled. "Maybe I just bit off a bit more than I can chew."

"I guarantee ya did, Old Lewis," Finnegan nodded, pouring a few shots of whiskey and sending them sliding down the bar to the waiting customers.

"Finn, I need to get back downstairs and finish the expense reports I was doing. I told Luke to practice his numbers with them but if I know our son, and I do, I'm sure he's drawing pictures of trains or cattle or..."

"Serving ladies?" Finnegan grinned and Cassandra rolled her eyes when one of their serving ladies chose that moment to walk past.

"Yes, serving ladies. I was sad to see Sonya go," Cassandra lied which only made Finnegan laugh.

"Oh yes, ya looked real sorry to see her go as ya tossed her outta here by her corset strings."

"Well we were very clear about the rules! She shouldn't have flashed those--" Cassandra emphasized her breasts through her red blouse, "--for the entire pub to see!"

Lewis choked on his beer as he laughed. "Too bad I was at home that night!"

"Ya had better be happy ya were home! I doubt Martha would have taken too kindly to havin' her lovely husband admirin' those fine breasts that Sonya so willingly displayed."

"Finnegan?" Cassandra snapped.

"Yes, love?"

"Speak of Sonya or her breasts again and I will ensure that we are forced to adopt all our children from here on out."

Finnegan winced with a grin. "Of course, love."

Cassandra kissed Finnegan's cheek and then made her way back to the cellar where sure enough Luke was drawing pictures instead of practicing his numbers. "What are you drawing?" Cassandra asked as she came to stand behind him.

"Sorry, mama. I know I'm supposed to be practicing numbers but those are really big numbers!"

"I know they are," Cassandra assured him gently. "I'm not upset. I'll simply make sure your tutor knows you need extra math sessions next week."

Luke slumped in his chair. "Yes ma'am."

"Now what are you drawing? It looks like the pub."

"It is!" Luke replied, holding up the piece of paper.

Cassandra smiled as she looked at the drawing of the outside of the 'Pot O'Gold'. Luke was truly a very gifted artist and he had every detail perfect, even down to the gilding on the upstairs balcony.

"Can I frame this and hang it behind the bar?"

"You think it's that good?"

"Of course I do," Cassandra kissed his hair. "Your grandma and grandpa will be coming to visit soon. You should get a few of your drawings together and let them take them east with them. I'm sure there would be some people very interested in buying them."

"You really think so?!" Luke gasped, his blue eyes lighting up.

"I wouldn't say so if I didn't," Cassandra assured him.

Marie stirred in her cradle and Cassandra quickly went to her and lifted her into her arms. "Hello mommy's princess," she whispered to the tired girl as Marie curled up against her.

"My niece looks tired."

Cassandra smiled as she turned and saw Seamus and Calvin stepping into the cellar. "She'll get wound up soon enough now that you're here."

"Uncle Seamus! Uncle Calvin!" Luke ran forward and hugged both men tightly and they returned the gesture.

"Finnegan tells us there's going to be quite the poker match between you and Lewis later," Seamus told Cassandra as he stepped forward and held his arms out for Marie.

Cassandra placed the now smiling baby into Seamus' arms and nodded. "Oh yes, Finnegan just loves getting me into those kinds of situations."

"Because he knows you'll always win," Calvin assured her.

Cassandra sighed and decided the numbers could wait until morning. "Well let's get up there and prove Finnegan right shall we?"

The group entered the pub and Cassandra burst out laughing at what they found. Finnegan was now on stage singing along with, Lillian, the woman in the red dress, and sounding twenty times more terrible.

The crowd however was cheering as Finnegan made up songs about rye whiskey and then his eyes found her and a flush covered her cheeks when the next verse began discussing her mile long legs and luscious breasts.

As Cassandra ran for the stage to silence her brain addled husband she couldn't help but laugh. It was certainly an adventure to love a wild Irishman.