Page 30 of The Girl with the Irish Secret
‘Okay.’ Vi shook herself out of her musings and took her jacket from a peg in the hall. ‘Come this way. It’s not far and it’s not raining so we’re in luck.’
‘It’s not a bad day,’ Jack said as they went outside. ‘Windy but with sunshine now and then. I love the salty smell in the air, the seagulls and the glimpse of the ocean through the trees.’
‘Yes, it’s really nice,’ Vi agreed, zipping up her jacket once they were outside. ‘There’s nothing like the seaside.’ His words made her suddenly realise that it was true. Being by the sea was certainly invigorating. She glanced at him as they started up the avenue towards the manor. ‘Did you grow up by the sea?’
‘No. We lived in Yorkshire. Near the moors. On a little sheep farm. Real Herriot territory.’
‘Wow, I had no idea,’ Vi said, surprised. ‘I thought you were from London. You speak with that posh boarding-school accent.’
‘Oh, that’s what I picked up at drama school,’ Jack replied. ‘A kind of neutral British accent that Americans love. Got me a lot of parts, especially in period dramas. But you should hear me when I’m with my folks at home. Then I’m a pure Yorkshire lad.’
Vi laughed. ‘Amazing. A bit like me when I’m here. My Kerry accent just comes out naturally after a day or two.’
‘It’s very charming and melodious,’ Jack remarked, taking her arm. ‘I’m so glad I came, you know. It’s such a rest from the movie world.’ He looked up at the blue sky and took a deep breath. ‘This is an incredible place.’
They walked slowly up the avenue and Vi found that seeing the place through someone else’s eyes made her notice things she hadn’t thought of before. Jack remarked on the lush gardens and the many subtropical plants that grew here in the mild climate, how the sun shining through the foliage of the evergreen trees and shrubs cast a dappled light on the grass and the path. Then he suddenly stopped, awestruck by the sight of the old manor, its Georgian architecture, the mellow stone of the façade and the tall windows reflecting the sunlight. Vi kept glancing at him, thinking again that he was so different from the slightly stuck-up man she had had a drink with in London. Now he seemed relaxed and at ease, deeply interested in both the garden and Magnolia Manor, and enjoying all of the magic Kerry had to offer.
‘Tell me the story of this gorgeous house,’ he said. ‘When was it built and by whom?’
‘It was built in eighteen hundred by one of my ancestors, a Fleury who had made a lot of money importing spices from the West Indies,’ Vi told him. ‘The first Fleurys were Huguenots who came to Ireland in the sixteen hundreds. But they weren’t that wealthy until Gerald Fleury made his fortune. Then the house was built as a summer house and later became the mainresidence of the family. You can read about the later Fleurys on the Magnolia Manor website.’
‘I’m going to look that up,’ Jack declared. ‘Great that all the historical facts are there.’
As they drew nearer, Vi saw people come and go through the big oak entrance door, and getting into their cars parked at the new car park beside the house.
‘A busy place,’ Jack remarked. ‘Despite the fact that the tenants are all quite old.’
‘They’re all pensioners,’ Vi explained. ‘People who are still active but want somewhere easy to live where there’s a community and certain services, like a library, an infirmary and a communal dining room on the premises. There’s an indoor pool now, too, and a gym in that extension on the west side. Don’t worry, they’re normally quite respectful of our family’s privacy with Sylvia still living in the house.’
‘Amazing,’ Jack said, looking impressed. ‘Who thought all this up?’
‘My grandmother,’ Vi said with great pride. ‘It was all her idea. Then this French businessman and his son arrived on the scene and founded a partnership with our family. There was a bit of trouble between the two families at first but it’s all sorted now and it’s running very smoothly.’
‘A bit of trouble?’ Jack asked, looking intrigued. ‘That sounds interesting. What happened?’
‘It’s a long story,’ Vi said, not wanting to reveal any family secrets just yet. ‘I’ll tell you later.’ She spotted Sylvia driving out from the courtyard at the back of the house and waved. ‘There’s my grandmother,’ she said to Jack as the car slowed down. ‘She’s coming to say hello.’
The car stopped and Vi saw there was someone sitting beside Sylvia. A distinguished-looking older man with white hair. Itwas Arnaud, smiling and waving. Vi waved back, shouting: ‘Hi, Arnaud. Welcome back.’
Sylvia rolled down her window. ‘Hello, Vi,’ she said, glancing at Jack. ‘Is this a friend of yours?’
‘Eh, yes… this is…’ Vi hesitated but then decided to come clean. ‘It’s Jack Montgomery in disguise, actually.’
Jack leaned forward and lifted his cap. ‘Hello, Mrs Fleury. How lovely to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.’
‘Have you now?’ Sylvia said, lifting an eyebrow. ‘I suppose those movie people called me all sorts of names.’
‘Not as far as I know,’ Jack replied. ‘I just heard that you’re an amazing businesswoman and a great negotiator.’
‘Hmm,’ Sylvia said. ‘I’m sure that’s the polite version. Your disguise is terrible, by the way. I knew who you were straight away. I’d lose the wig if I were you. That blond shade does nothing for your complexion.’
Jack laughed. ‘I’m sure you’re right. Anway, I must compliment you on this beautiful house.’
‘Well, I didn’t build it,’ Sylvia countered. ‘But thanks. We love it very much.’ She turned towards Arnaud. ‘This is my fiancé, Arnaud Bernard.’
‘How do you do, Mr Bernard?’ Jack said. ‘Very nice to meet you.’
Arnaud smiled. ‘Nice to meet you, too, Jack. Of course I’ve seen some of your movies. You’re a talented actor,’ he said in his correct but accented English.
