Chapter Thirty-Two

"This is it?" Finnegan looked around at the stone walls and frowned, "These are the great old things that folks come from near and far to look upon?"

"I never said they were anything fancy," Calvin replied.

"Well we certainly can't call ya a liar than can we?" Finnegan grinned and hopped off the wall. "Now let's have a look at that map shall we?"

He stepped closed to Cassandra as she pulled the leather bound map from her saddlebag and spread it open on the ground. The four treasure hunters studied it carefully.

"The next point is this," Cassandra pointed at a spot on the map that appeared to be a big blob with a circle beside it that had a tail.

"What the hell is that then?" Finnegan questioned, hoping that either Cassandra or Calvin would have an idea.

"I have no idea," Calvin finally admitted.

Cassandra snorted when Finnegan looked at her. "Do you honestly think I know? It's a circle with a tail beside a blob! You should have picked a mapmaker with more artistic skills."

"Well isn't that just fine and dandy." Finnegan strode away from the group and climbed back onto one of the stone fences. He looked in every direction for anything that resembled what was on the map but saw nothing.

"Maybe we can just figure out where this last landmark is and get to the treasure from there. I don't know why we would have to visit each landmark," Cassandra offered.

"There is a key to the treasure at each landmark, Little Cass, it says so on the back of the map," Finnegan replied. He saw her flip the map over and study the back before she fixed him with an accusatory glare.

"Why didn't you tell me this was back here?"

Finnegan shrugged. "Why didn't ya look?"

Cassandra looked quite like she wanted to throttle him. "So we have to find a key. A real key or a clue? What is the key?"

"The treasure is a lost shipment of gold." Finnegan jumped from the stones and walked toward her, staying far enough away to avoid a slap or punch. She look mad enough to do either. "They ship gold in lockboxes so it would make sense that they are real keys."

"Can I see that?" Seamus asked, holding his hand out for the map. Cassandra placed it in his hands and he studied the next landmark closely for a moment before laughing lowly and turning his gaze to Finnegan. "You should know what the circle with a tail is, Finnegan. You've had one wrapped around your neck more than once."

Finnegan grinned. "Dear Seamus, ya need to have your eyes checked. There is no way that picture is a set of milky feminine thighs."

"Finn, divorces are becoming easier all the time," Cassandra warned, though Finnegan could see the amusement sparkling in her green eyes.

Seamus shook his head. "A noose, Finnegan. It's a noose."

Finnegan stepped a bit closer and studied the picture. "You're right! Wow! Those are two words I never thought I'd be speakin' to ya, Seamus."

Cassandra snapped her fingers. "Focus please."

Finnegan kissed her cheek, she was rather testy lately. "Alright then, it's a noose and a.... blob. Blobby noose? Noosey blob? Hang blob? Hanging blob?"

"It could be a rock," Calvin suggested.

"The Hanging Rock?" Finnegan tested that on his tongue and then he laughed, jumped forward and kissed Calvin square in the mouth.

"Finnegan!" Seamus roared.

Calvin flushed bright red and stammered while Finnegan laughed loudly and dodged Seamus' fist.

"Boys!" Cassandra stepped in between the three men and shook her head. "Can the three of you please act your ages for even ten minutes?"

Finnegan gave her a sheepish grin and shoved his hand through his thick dark curls. "Sure can, love. Sorry to irritate ya so. Are ya feelin' okay? Ya seem a bit...on edge." Seamus and Calvin nodded their agreement.

"I'm fine," Cassandra spat. "I'm simply tired, nauseous, a bit dizzy and irritated beyond belief that the three of you are acting like children! I'm not nearly old enough to be the mother of three obnoxious grown men babies!"

Finnegan was worried. He took Cassandra in his arms and kissed her brow gently, checking her for fever. "Little Cass, if rest is what you're needin' we can take ya into town and settle ya down and then we'll come back out find the key. There's no need for ya to be overdoin' yourself...."

Her eyes met his and he saw them soften. She laid her hand on his cheek and he shamelessly leaned into her touch. "Finn, I'm fine. Just try to behave, okay?"

Finnegan nodded and made a big show of crossing his heart. "Best behavior."

"Alright. If I were a key where would I hide?" Calvin spoke out loud as he glanced around. "Hopefully it wasn't hidden anywhere too obvious or there's a good chance somebody already picked it up."

The four of them split up and began searching for a key. They had nothing to dig with and no idea where to dig so they simply had to hope it wasn't buried in the ground. Finnegan searched through some of the scattered stones, looking under them and finding nothing but creepy crawlies.

"What about in there?" Calvin pointed to a large maple tree that stood not far from the first fence. It was clear from the massive trunk of the tree that it had been there a long long time. And at the base of the tree was an opening. It was dark and overgrown with grass and impossible to see inside of.

"Reach in there and find out," Finnegan urged.

Calvin shook his head. "I'm not reaching in there."

"Me either," Seamus agreed. "There's no telling what's hiding back in that hole."

Finnegan certainly didn't want to reach in. He glanced at Cassandra and she rolled her eyes. "Are you serious!?" she demanded.

Finnegan swallowed hard. "No, o'course not. I'll reach in and see what I can find," he winced. "If something bites my hand off just know that'll be five less fingers I have to touch your....."

"Finn!" Cassandra flushed red and shook her head.

Finnegan sighed. Time to do what he had to do to find the key. He had to find all four keys if he wanted to have the entire treasure and pay off the debts he had while starting a new life with Cassandra.

Finnegan dropped to his knees and peered into the hole. It truly was as black as night, blacker than night honestly. Finnegan took a deep breath and stuck one shaking hand inside.

Something brushed against his hand and he let out a scream and yanked his hand back out. He heard Seamus and Calvin laughing and could feel Cassandra's eyes burning holes in his back. With a heaving sigh Finnegan placed his arm back in the hole and once again began to search.

He found what felt like leaves and sticks littering the bottom of the hole and began to dig in them for anything that felt like a key.

He was getting over his nervousness about having his hand in a dark, terror-filled hole when something slithered over his finger. With a yell that deafened even him, Finnegan yanked out his hand and leapt away from the hole.

"Damn the key, damn the treasure, damn the whole damn thing!" he exclaimed, hopping up and down and wiping his hand on his pants.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Cassandra demanded.

Finnegan pointed a shaking finger at the hole. "There's something slithering in there!"

"A snake?" Seamus questioned skeptically.

"Snake or centipede or millipede, does it really matter? It's slithering on my hand and I can't see it!"

"Finnegan, put your hand back in that hole and find that key now," Cassandra snapped.

Finnegan shook his head. "Lass, your brain has gone soft! I'm not reachin' back in that hole and no threat or amount of money could make me."

"Seamus? Calvin?" Cassandra looked at the other men.

"Nope," they spoke in unison.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll do it myself."

Finnegan was biting his nails as Cassandra knelt beside the hole and stuck her arm inside. She had a look of concentration on her face as she felt around and then he saw her green eyes light up just before she pulled her arm out and he saw the black key clutched in her hand.

"Got it," she stated, holding out the key. "It was hanging on the backside of the hole."

"Little Cass, I love ya!" Finnegan exclaimed as he wrapped her in his arms and spun her around and around.

"Yes I know. Now put me down before I lose my breakfast on you," she warned.

Finnegan sat her down quickly and looked at his brother and Calvin. "Thanks to my amazing wife here finding that key all that is left to do is get to town for some rest and ask around a bit about this Hanging Rock."

"Do I have to do the asking or can I trust that you big, strong, brave men can handle at least that much?" Cassandra asked dryly as they all mounted their horses.

Finnegan didn't like the increasingly pale quality to her skin but he didn't want to draw attention to that just now. He would ensure she got some rest and perhaps a visit from a doctor to make sure there wasn't anything serious wrong with her. It wasn't like his little Cass to be so tired, so grumpy or so pale. "I think we can handle that much, Little Cass," he promised gently. "Y'ave earned ya some rest."

***

Finnegan knocked on the door to Seamus and Calvin's room and waited a solid two minutes before it was opened by a disheveled looking Seamus. "Were ya a bit busy then, Dear Seamus? Y'ave only been here ten minutes, could ya not wait?"

"What do you want, Finnegan?" Seamus grumbled.

Finnegan laughed. "When ya finish here with that good looking man y'ave got I'll let the two of ya handle findin' out where that Hanging Rock is."

"You're not going to help?" Seamus questioned.

"I'll be busy with Little Cass." Finnegan waggled his eyebrows.

"Finnegan, is something wrong?" Seamus' voice became very serious. Finnegan sighed, so much for hiding his worry. Apparently his brother had sensed it despite his attempts to keep it to himself.

"Somethin' is wrong with Cassandra," Finnegan admitted. "I'm worried that she's sick and I'm going to try to talk her into lettin' the doc in town have a look at her."

"You better find me and let me know what he says," Seamus warned.

"I will. Now ya get back in there to your man and have fun," Finnegan winked just before Seamus slammed the door in his face.

Finnegan made his way back down the hall to the room he was sharing with Cassandra. He found her sound asleep on top of the covers on the bed. She had not even taken her shoes off and his worry grew.

"Cassandra?" he whispered as he sat down on the bed and smoothed her golden curls from her face.

She moaned and didn't not open her eyes. "Please not now, Finn. I'm so tired.." she whimpered.

Finnegan shook his head. "I think I'll last a night without, Little Cass. Right now I'm concerned for ya,"

Her green eyes opened then and she looked up at him with a crease between her eyes. "Concerned for me? Why?"

Finnegan lay down beside her and pulled her against him. "Because ya haven't been yourself, love. Y'ave been more tired than usual, run down, complainin' of bein' sick to your stomach, ya look as pale as a ghost and those rings around your eyes are darker than any bruise I've ever seen."

"Gee, Finn, why can't you always tell me how beautiful I am? I find it quite flattering," Cassandra dryly intoned.

Finnegan poked her nose. "Ya know I think ya the most beautiful woman in the world," he assured her. "But I think somethin's wrong and I want ya to let me go fetch the doc so he can..."

"Finnegan, there's no need for the doc," Cassandra stated assuredly as she pushed out of his arms and sat up.

"I know ya can be stubborn, Little Cass, but I won't stand for ya to be sick and not go to the doc. I love ya and..."

"Finnegan, I know what's wrong with me," she bit her lip and searched his eyes but he had no idea what she was searching them for.

"Is it a bug, Little Cass? Are ya sick?"

Cassandra laughed lightly. "Well there is something inside of me, Finn, but it's not a bug."

Finnegan studied her face as he struggled to understand her meaning. His gaze went to her stomach and then back to her face and she nodded. "How many did you say you would like to have?"

Finnegan forgot how to breathe momentarily. His eyes became locked on Cassandra's stomach and imagined the life that was now growing inside. Swallowing hard he looked into Cassandra's eyes once again. "Y....you're with child?"