Free Born in Shame by Nora Roberts

feeling in her heart that she had known this, just exactly this, would be there all along.
    â€œIt is beautiful, isn’t it?” Brianna murmured andslowed the car to give Shannon another moment to enjoy.
    â€œYes. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. I can see why my mother loved it.”
    And that thought brought the grief stabbing back, so that she turned her gaze away again.
    But the new view was no less charming. Blackthorn Cottage waited to welcome, windows glinting, stone flecked with mica that sparkled. A glory of a garden spread beyond the hedges that were waiting to burst into a bloom of their own.
    A dog barked in greeting as soon as Brianna pulled up behind a spiffy Mercedes convertible.
    â€œThat’ll be Concobar, my dog,” she explained and laughed when Shannon’s eyes widened as Con raced around the side of the house. “He’s big, is Con, but he’s harmless. You haven’t a fear of dogs, have you?”
    â€œNot normally.”
    â€œSit now,” Brianna ordered when she stepped out of the car. “And show your manners.”
    The dog obeyed instantly, his thick gray tail pounding the ground to show his pleasure and his control. He looked over at Shannon as she cautiously alighted, then he lifted a paw.
    â€œOkay.” Shannon took a deep breath and accepted the canine handshake. “Handsome, aren’t you?” A little more confident, she patted his head. She glanced over and saw that Maggie and Brianna were already unloading her luggage. “I’ll get those.”
    â€œIt’s no problem, no problem at all.” With surprising ease for such a slender woman, Brianna hauled suitcases toward the door of the house. “Welcome to Blackthorn Cottage, Shannon. I hope you’ll be comfortable here.”
    With this, she opened the front door and pandemonium.
    â€œCome back here, you little devil! I mean it, Liam. She’s going to have my scalp.”
    As Shannon watched, a black-haired toddler scrambled down the hall on short, but surprisingly quick legs, trailing crumbs from a handful of cookies. His gut-busting laughter echoed off the walls. Not far behind was a very harassed-looking man with a small, wailing baby tucked in one arm.
    Spotting company, the boy grinned, showing an angelic face smeared with food. He tossed up his chubby arms. “Mum.”
    â€œMum, indeed.” With an expert swipe Maggie had her son scooped into one arm. “Look at you, Liam Sweeney, not a clean spot to be found on you. And eating biscuits before tea.”
    He grinned, blue eyes dancing. “Kiss.”
    â€œJust like your father. Kisses fix everything.” But she obliged him before turning to aim a killing look at Gray. “So, what have you to say for yourself, Grayson Thane?”
    â€œI plead insanity.” He shifted the baby, patting, soothing, even as he dragged his hair out of his eyes. “It’s not my fault. Rogan got called into the gallery, and Murphy’s out plowing something, so I was drafted to watch that twenty-pound disaster. Then the baby was crying, and Liam got into the cookies. Ah, the kitchen, Brie, you don’t want to go in there.”
    â€œIs that a fact?”
    â€œTrust me on this. And the parlor’s kind of . . . well, we were just playing around. I’ll buy you a new vase.”
    Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Not my Waterford.”
    â€œAh . . .” Taking help where he could find it, Gray turned his attention to Shannon. “Hi. Sorry about this. I’m Gray.”
    â€œNice to meet you.” She jerked a little as Con rushed past her legs to take advantage of the crumbs litteringthe floor. Then jerked again when Liam leaned over and took a handful of her hair.
    â€œKiss,” he ordered.
    â€œOh.” Shannon’s heart sank a little. Gingerly she pecked his pursed and smeared lips. “Chocolate chip.”
    â€œI made them