Soon Muireann and Lochlainn were sailing into Donegal Town harbor, where her cousin Michael dropped them off at the dock. "Don't forget to give them all my letters," she called as she disembarked. "As if I could! Any more of those packets would have sunk the ship!" Muireann stuck her tongue out at Michael and then waved to her younger cousin. "Bye, Archie! Take care! And remember, not a word to Mother or Father!" Archie waved his new puppy's paw by way of reply. He had managed to secure a lovely bitch from Colonel Lowry, which they named Earc. Lochlainn told them the Irish name meant ‘red.' The Andromeda cast off then, heading north, then east for Scotland. Muireann watched it wistfully for a time, and then turned to Lochlainn, who had been standing behind her waiting for the ship to disappear and leave him alone with her once again. Her amethyst eyes glimmered with unshed tears, but she forced herself to smile. Lochlainn put his arm around her waist, for a brief moment, then stepped away to make some inquiries for them to be taken out to Rossnowlagh to get started gathering sea sticks. A few minutes later he announced, "I've got a lift." They managed to get a ride on the back of a furniture cart heading back out of the town after having sold all its wares early at the market. After a few miles, Lochlainn declared, "Now we have to get down and walk." He lifted her off the back of the cart, his hands lingering on her slender waist intimately for a blissful moment.
