“Aunt this be Irean. Cap’n Crawley found ‘er ‘alf dead on our way back from Singapore,” he said pushing me toward his aunt.

“Why ye poor lass. Come ‘ear and let me see ye,” she said grabbing my hand and looking me over. She prodded me all over. She grabbed my face and looked into my eyes. She opened my mouth and looked at my teeth. “Ye are a ‘ealthy and pretty little thing,” she said after she finished her examination and pulling me into such a strong hug I lost my breath. “ I be right happy to meet ye me young lass. It’s not often that we be ‘aving company a staying with us, and not often it be a woman at that,” she said with a big smile. Turning to Seamus, “Where be yer uncle?” she asked.

“That be a good question,” Seamus said looking back into the crowd.

“There he is!” the eldest of whom I assumed were his sons announced. I looked to where his finger was outstretched and I saw Branson walking toward us with what looked like an oversized briefcase, and a sea bag. All at once the boys rushed to Branson as soon as he cleared the crowd.

“Papa, Papa!” the cried jumping into his arms. Branson nearly fell over with the weight of the boys.

“There be me best lads. ‘ow are ye?” he asked holding each of them in his arms. All the boys talked at once and Branson just nodded along to the jumble of words. It was a very heartfelt moment. I just watched and smiled at what seemed like Godlike wonder in the boy’s eyes as they talked to Branson. “Now I be wanting ye to meet someone,” he said releasing the boys and walking over to where Seamus and I stood. “This be Irean. She is going to be staying with us on the farm while Seamus and I are ‘ere the next couple of weeks,".

“What?” the eldest asked.

“Irean ‘as no place she be callin ‘ome so while Seamus and I be ‘ome on leave Irean be staying with us. Now all of ye go over and tell ‘er yer names,” Branson said to the boys.

The eldest came up and introduced himself, “My name be Sean,”, he had red hair and was only up to my shoulder

The second one was much younger he was a head shorter than Sean. “My name be Allan," he says looking at his feet.

The littlest one shuffled forward with his thumb in his mouth and looked up at me with big green eyes the same shade as Seamus and Bransons. “Me name Bowen. I’m five,” he said still looking at me. I bent down and looked in his little eyes.

“Hello Bowen my name is Irean. You’re such a big boy for only being five. What is your favorite color?” I said looking at the little boy.

“I be liking blue,” he says stepping closer to me. I held out my hand and he put his hand inside mine and I straightened up. Looking around at the rest of the family I notice they are looking at me with surprised looks on their faces.

“He normally don’t warm up to people like that,” Agitha said looking at me in wonder. I just smile

We walk away from the dock and towards a grey colored van. Seamus loads up all of our luggage and opens the door for me. The boys had already gotten in the car and were sitting in the way back. Branson got into the driver's seat and Agitha in the passenger's seat. I climbed in and he followed closing the door. Branson started the car and we were off. The car was mainly silent except for the ever so often murmur from the boys in the back, or the nearly silent chatter from Agitha and Branson up front. I sat quietly and looked in wonder out of the window at the countryside. It was all lush and green. I saw several men out herding several groups of livestock.

After an hour and a half of driving Branson turned down a road lined with gravel toward a large house on top of a small hill. “This be our ‘ome Irean. What ye think?” Branson asked looking back at me.

I was overcome with the beauty of the home. It was made of a grey brick and was at least three stories. “It is beautiful Branson,” I said continuing to take in the splendor of the house.

“It ‘as been in me family for over ‘undred ‘ears,” he said with pride in his voice. We pulled into the driveway and like little rockets the kids popped out. Each of the boys ran into the house making the loudest possible ruckus. Seamus grabbed the bags out of the back and motioned for me to follow him.

We walked into the house and I just stopped and looked around. The house was just as beautiful inside as it was outside. Dark wooden beams lined the ceiling. There was a stone fireplace in the living room. There was a balcony at the top of the stairs overlooking the lower level. The inside smelled like wood and bread. “Come on Irean. I’ll show ye to yer room,” Seamus said beginning to walk up the staircase. At a loss for words I followed him. There were pictures on the wall of who I assumed were early family members and the boys leading up the stairs. Everyone in the pictures looked very happy. There were even some I recognized as a young Seamus.

We got to the top of the stairs and we turned right down a long hallway which was full of more pictures and several pieces of artwork and taxidermy pieces. Seamus stopped about halfway down the hallway and opened a dark brown wooden door. “'ere is your room,” he said flipping on a light. I took a light gasp when I walked in.

This room was massive. There was a queen sized four posted bed against the right wall on the left there was a changing table. There was a small walk in closet straight ahead and another door over on the other side of the room. “What is thorough there?” I asked pointing at the door.

“Oh, that be the bathroom. Me aunt ‘as already set it up for ye,” he said putting down my bag and walking over to the door. I followed him and he opened it. It was a perfect sized bathroom. It had a tub shower and a sink and a mirror. I walked out and he closed the door. “Me aunt said we be ‘aving dinner round six o’clock. I am goin to be freshening up in me room down the hall. It is the last door if ye need me help with something,” he said walking towards the door.

“Thank you Seamus, I’ll keep that in mind. This house is so beautiful. I have never seen anything like it. I think I might want to take a small nap if that will be alright,” I said walking around the room.

“Of course ye be needing a nap. That’s what I bout to be doing as well. Dinner not be for three hours,” he said with a chuckle and walked out.