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Chapter Three

The Blake Women

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"I had no idea you were such a poor flyer."

"I'm not," said Diaval shortly.

Maleficent let out a disbelieving huff, gaze darting pointedly to his white-knuckled hand on the armrest between them. "Really?"

"If you must know, it's more the thought of my impending prison sentence that's bringing me out in a cold sweat."

Maleficent spared him a long-suffering look. "And I've told you, no-one will find out. Speaking of, did you research the interview questions like I asked?"

Sighing, Diaval retrieved a manilla folder from his laptop bag and handed it to her. Inside was a long list of the 'Mr & Mrs'-type questions Barnaby would doubtless ask, which Diaval had copied and pasted from various relevant websites between panic attacks and booking his and Maleficent's plane tickets to The Eire.

As he watched her read and make the occasional snide remark, Diaval found he couldn't keep a lid on his own questions any longer.

"How did you know about Gammy's ninetieth?"

"It's marked out on your desktop calendar," said Maleficent without looking up from the papers. "In red marker. And all caps."

"And you thought this would be a good idea, why?"

She finally met his gaze, golden eyes sparkling shrewdly. "Because, darling, if we can fool your family, then we can fool anyone." She shrugged. "Think of it as a preliminary."

"This is my family we're talking about," said Diaval, not quite able to keep the tremor of distress from his voice. "Deceiving them like this..."

"It won't do them any harm," said Maleficent casually. "Besides, it would be a much nastier shock to them if you lost your job, wouldn't it?"

To everyone but my father, thought Diaval bitterly. Outwardly, he said, "I will go through with this on one condition."

Maleficent had already gone back to perusing the papers, clearly bored with their conversation. "And what's that?"

"You will promote me to editor."

She whipped her head up, wide-eyed with alarm. "What?"

"You will make me editor," said Diaval again, calmly. "And not a year from now. As soon as we get back from The Eire. You will announce it and make it so. Otherwise, no deal."

Maleficent pursed her lips, watching him for a long moment through narrowed eyes.

"Alright," she said at last, extending her hand. "Deal."

Diaval took the proffered appendage, her skin warm and soft against his own, and felt a faint sense of relief. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all...

.

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.

"This is it?" Maleficent looked about incredulously, taking in the ramshackle town where she and Diaval had been deposited by the crowded bus from the airport.

"Not quite." Diaval gestured with a nod which Maleficent followed. Parked across the street was a shiny black jeep, from which tumbled a trio of women, all smiling and waving. They ranged in age. The oldest - small and white-haired - was obviously Diaval's grandmother. Identifying the other two was a bit trickier until they'd crossed the road to join them, at which point Maleficent could see that one raven-haired beauty was significantly older than the other. Diaval's mother, and one of his sisters.

"My sweet boy!" The mother was the first to step forward, enveloping Diaval in a big, warm hug. Drawing back, she held his face in her hands. "It's been too long."

"I know, Ma," said Diaval regretfully. "I'm sorry."

"And you must be Maleficent," she said, turning towards the woman in question. Her smile was warm and infectious. "Diaval's told us so much about you."

"Not all good," said Gammy in her broad Eire-ish accent. From her spot latched onto her grandson's midsection, she watched Maleficent with a sceptical look as if she couldn't fathom what Diaval saw in her.

"She's joking," said Diaval's mother quickly. "I'm Roisin, by the way."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, finally."

When Roisin made as though to embrace her, Maleficent panicked. She stuck her hand out into the small space that separated them and Diaval's mother, to her credit, took it into her own with only the barest hint of surprise.

"As you've probably already guessed, this is Gammy," introduced Roisin. "Also known as Moira."

The older woman had since relinquished Diaval to his sister's attentions and stepped forward, gaze sweeping over Maleficent from head to toe. "You're not Diaval's usual type."

"Oh?" said Maleficent before Roisin could dole a chastisement. "And does he bring many women home to meet the family?"

Gammy opened her wizened mouth to reply, but Roisin intervened.

"Not at all. And none in the last few years."

Maleficent noted a flicker of sadness cross the older woman's face. If she'd blinked, she might have missed it.

"Oh, and this is my younger daughter," said Roisin as Diaval and his sister joined them, the former's arm draped over the latter's shoulders. "Siobhan. And now that the introductions are done, shall we go? It looks like rain..."

The sunshine and blue skies that had greeted Maleficent and Diaval on their arrival had almost completely vanished. Clouds raced each other overhead, darker ones heading towards them from the West.

"Good idea," said Diaval. "Come help me with the luggage, sweetheart."

Maleficent arched her brows, but complied. Their suitcases were standing beside a park bench in the square. As Maleficent went to retrieve her own, Diaval gently took her arm.

"Thank you."

Maleficent shot him a quizzical look. "What for?"

"For playing nice. I know Gammy can be a bit..." He shrugged helplessly. "Just try to keep it up, yeah?"

"I sweet-talk writers for a living," said Maleficent, deadpan. "I'm sure I'll manage."

What he was unaware of was the growing sense of guilt Maleficent had felt as she'd spoken with his kind, affectionate mother. An emotion Maleficent could ill afford, and promptly swept back into the dark recesses of her mind...