Page 13 of The Girl with the Irish Secret
‘Oh, was there?’ Vi realised that the press release was out there already. ‘Yes, as you know they’ll shoot some of it at Magnolia. I’m sure Granny told you.’
‘She did. Good news. It’ll bring in some money and publicity for the manor and Lily’s café and garden centre. It’s getting hard to make ends meet in the wintertime.’
‘I can imagine,’ Vi said as they exited the station. She scanned the street for Martin and spotted him a little further away, getting out of a Toyota SUV. ‘There’s Martin,’ she said, quickening her step. ‘And you have a new car.’
‘We do,’ Nora said. ‘A bit big but Martin loves it. It’s a hybrid so we’re doing our bit for the environment.’
‘That’s great,’ Vi said and hurried to greet Martin with a hug. ‘Hi, Martin. So good to see you. How are you?’
Martin hugged Vi back. ‘I’m grand, girl. And you’re all grown up and a famous actress and all over the papers for the film they’re going to shoot here. How about that for excitement, eh?’ He drew breath and beamed at her.
Vi laughed, feeling sheer joy at seeing Martin after such a long time. He was a little stooped and his hair white but he was still the father figure from her childhood, the one who had been there for the little girls after the tragedy, even though Vi had been just a toddler then and not known what had happened until she was older. Martin and Nora had been such a support to Sylvia all through the years and still were, even though they were now both retired. But Sylvia knew she could count on them whenever she needed support or a helping hand. Vi had always found it comforting to know her grandmother had people around her who were loyal and dependable. But now that two ofher granddaughters lived locally, Sylvia had even more support and would never have to worry if something should happen.
‘Please get in, ladies,’ Martin said when he had put Vi’s luggage in the boot. ‘It’s going to be wet and windy tonight so we need to have Vi all tucked up before we go home.’
They laughed and piled into the car, and Martin took off at speed down the empty street. Vi looked out the window at the little houses lining the road, their windows lit up and smoke coming out of the chimneys. The old-fashioned street lights shone on tiny front gardens with neatly clipped hedges and camellia bushes that would be flowering in early spring, which didn’t seem too far away in this mild climate. Even now, in late November there were roses still in bloom. She could smell turf smoke and slowly began to feel that she was coming home.
Her thoughts drifted to the press release that had been in the local papers and she wondered how Lily and Rose had taken the news. Maybe they thought history would repeat itself and Vi would yet again talk about them in a derogatory way. But it had been completely accidental and her words had been twisted to make her sound as if she was belittling Lily and Rose and felt somehow superior. This was far from the truth and she wished with all her heart that she had kept her mouth shut and not talked to the journalist when she had thought she was off the record. In any case, the article had not been helpful to her career in any way. Of course it was yesterday’s news, or even last year’s, but still fresh to Lily and Rose, who could not forget or forgive Vi for letting them down in this way. And now she was coming home and they would be giving Vi the cold shoulder for all to see. Dingle was a small town and everyone knew everyone’s business, so Vi knew she would be looked at askance by all the people she knew, even old friends. It was not a good feeling.
‘Here we are,’ Martin said what seemed like a short while later, as they made their way up the drive towards Magnolia Manor. It was a cold night with clear skies after the heavy showers, and Vi could see the manor gleaming in the moonlight at the end of the avenue. Soft lamplight shone in some of the windows of the big house and she figured that these were the senior apartments now all occupied. It looked so nice to see the lights instead of the huge empty house with dark windows that she remembered. How lovely that the house was now full of people who were probably happy to live in such a beautiful place.
Martin drove around the corner and pulled up in the courtyard where a light shone over a green door. ‘Your granny is waiting with supper,’ he said. ‘We’ll go back to the gatehouse with your luggage and then pick you up after you have eaten.’
‘That’s okay,’ Vi said. ‘I’d love to walk back to the gatehouse in the moonlight. I’ve been sitting all day and the fresh air will be good. You go on home.’
‘Are you sure?’ Nora asked, looking doubtful.
‘Absolutely,’ Vi insisted. ‘You were brilliant to meet me and drive me home. But now I want to manage on my own. I know the gardens like the back of my hand, you know. I could walk down the path with my eyes closed and still find the gatehouse.’
Nora nodded. ‘Okay, Vi. I see what you mean. But we’re so happy to see you back, aren’t we, Martin?’
‘We are,’ Martin agreed. He got out of the car and held the door open for Vi. ‘You go inside now. Your granny is waiting.’
Vi jumped out of the car and reached up and touched his cheek. ‘Thank you for everything, Martin. You and Nora saved my life tonight.’
‘Oh, you’d have been all right,’ Nora said, sticking her head out the window. ‘But I’m glad we could help out. Don’t worry about that old story. The girls will come around. Silly of them to carry a grudge. Tell them I said that.’
‘Thank you, Nora,’ Vi said, opening the passenger door to give Nora a hug. ‘Goodnight. See you tomorrow, I hope.’
‘Goodnight, pet,’ Nora said and patted Vi’s arm. ‘Sleep tight when you get to bed. I’ll turn on the electric blanket for you.’
‘Wonderful. Goodnight, darlings,’ Vi said and blew them both a kiss before she went to the green door and pressed the button beside it. She shivered slightly as Martin’s car drove off, feeling a dart of dread at facing her grandmother.
But then the door flew open and Sylvia stood in the doorway beaming, her arms open. ‘Violet,’ she said. ‘How wonderful that you’re here.’
Vi stifled a sob and fell into her grandmother’s arms, breathing in that special scent of expensive perfume mingled with newly baked bread. ‘Granny,’ she mumbled and hugged the old woman tight. ‘I’m here at last.’
‘So you are,’ Sylvia said, stroking Vi’s hair. ‘Welcome home, Violetta.’
Vi smiled as she heard the old nickname. ‘Thank you, Granny. I’m so happy to be here.’ She sniffed the air. ‘Is that freshly baked soda bread I can smell? And Irish stew?’
‘It is indeed,’ Sylvia said and pulled Vi into a small cosy hall. ‘Hang up your jacket and come into the kitchen and I’ll feed you. I want to put some flesh onto those bones.’
Vi laughed and hung up her jacket on a peg among a lot of other jackets and coats. ‘I do need to put on weight for this role.’
Sylvia smiled and led the way into a cosy kitchen where the smells of fresh bread and Irish stew were even stronger. She pulled out a chair at the round table in the large alcove. ‘There was an item inThe Irish Timesabout it today with a photo of you looking the spit of Kathleen. Quite eerie, I have to tell you.’
‘I know. The makeup artist did a great job. I was quite amazed myself.’ Vi sat down at the table while Sylvia went to thecooker to ladle stew onto a plate. Then she sat down while Vi dug in to the food.
