Page 60 of The Granddaughter's Irish Secret
‘What happened with her husband?’ Rose asked. ‘I mean, she’s single now, you said.’
‘Yes, that’s right,’ Noel replied. ‘Single and free, she said. And now she’s going to India on a voyage of spiritual awakening, she told me. She won’t be back for a long time.’
‘How do you feel about that?’ Rose asked, studying Noel to gauge his mood.
‘I’m happy for her,’ he said after a moment’s silence. ‘I thought for a moment that we might… But then I realised there was too much water under the bridge, so to speak. Too much time and too many arguments in the past. She’s quite a prickly person, really, and I find it hard to put up with that.’
‘You mean she’s easily offended?’ Rose asked, feeling strangely happy to hear him say something negative about her perceived rival.
‘Not only that, she imagines an insult where there is none. And then she is always analysing everyone and passing comments on how they should feel. It’s very tedious. I had forgotten that bit about her.’ Rose couldn’t help but smile. Noel scanned the signposts. ‘Hey, do you mind if we take the faster way home? The Cork–Killarney road inland is much quicker than the coast road.’
‘Great idea,’ Rose replied. ‘I just want to get home. It’s been such a tiring day.’
‘In so many ways,’ Noel agreed, and swung left onto the main road. ‘Very emotional for you. I know you must be disappointed.’
‘Yes.’ Rose looked out at the rolling green hills as she tried to gather her thoughts and feelings. ‘But I was relieved that I didn’t have to convince them to give the real necklace back. That would have been awkward.’
‘So was I,’ Noel said. ‘Especially as I’m related to them. That wouldn’t have been a great introduction.’ He started to laugh. ‘Hey, imagine if they had the real necklace and then you’d said you’d sue them and that I was your lawyer and—’ He stopped and shook his head. ‘Thank goodness that didn’t happen.’
Rose smiled. ‘Or I swapped them back secretly. Would you have defended me in court if I was caught stealing?’
‘No. You’d be on your own with that one.’
‘I suppose I’d deserve it.’
‘Definitively. I’d visit you in jail though,’ he remarked.
‘How kind,’ Rose said, smiling. ‘But it didn’t happen. I might not have had the nerve to do it anyway.’
‘I think you’d have chickened out at the last minute,’ Noel agreed.
‘You’re right.’ Rose looked at him as he drove, at his strong hands on the wheel, his blonde hair falling into his bright blue eyes, and felt a surge of something akin to love. He mightn’t love her back, but at least there was a close bond between them. And she had found out he wasn’t entering into some kind of relationship with his former girlfriend. As far as she knew anyway.
Rose’s thoughts were interrupted by Noel suddenly pulling up by the side of the road. ‘Why are we stopping?’ she asked, confused.
‘I have to tell you something.’ He took a deep breath. ‘There’s a black leather box in your grandmother’s safe. She told me it contained some valuable items that were part of the late Caroline’s estate.’
‘Caroline? Cornelius’s wife?’
Noel nodded. ‘Yes. It was all kept in the strongroom of your grandmother’s former solicitors in Tralee. When her files were moved from them to me, that box was with all the documents. Sylvia asked me to put it in her safe instead of keeping it in our big one in the office. The necklace could be there.’
‘Why are you only just telling me this?’ Rose asked, shocked.
‘Sylvia made me promise not to tell anyone. I know there are some valuable pieces there,’ Noel replied, looking awkward. ‘But I haven’t looked at them. Sylvia wanted to itemise everything so she could decide what to leave to whom in her will. And then I would draw it up once she had decided.’
‘So this is the itemisation you first mentioned to me? Why didn’t you tell me Granny has been worrying about her will?’ Rose asked glumly. ‘More secrets,’ she muttered.
‘Yes, but,’ Noel started, ‘I had to adhere to client confidentiality, Rose. I couldn’t break that. And besides, you’d already found the second necklace when you told me yours wasfake. I hoped we’d find the real one, and I wouldn’t have to break Sylvia’s trust in order to help you find it.’
‘Have you told Sylvia anything about the necklace being fake?’ Rose asked.
‘No, of course not, Rose. I would never do that. And I’m probably going to get in trouble for divulging Sylvia’s business to you.’
‘I’ll handle that,’ Rose said. ‘I just want to get home now. I don’t want to talk about this.’
‘Okay.’ Noel started the car and pulled away from the edge of the road.
Rose tried to put it all into perspective while Noel drove. She knew it was difficult for him; he had now revealed something a client had told him in confidence, which had to make him feel bad. But he had kept important information from her, even though it might have solved the whole mystery a lot sooner. Now she didn’t know how she would convince Sylvia to reveal what was in that box. She might have to tell her the necklace was fake after all.
