Page 58 of The Widow's Irish Secret
‘Yes?’
‘You’ve been keeping all of it from Cillian, too, I imagine?’ Sylvia asked. ‘All this stuff about Terence?’
Tricia nodded. ‘I was going to tell him but then I got the phone call about you and…’
‘I’m sure he’ll understand,’ Sylvia said.
Sylvia was right, Tricia thought. ‘He’s been hiding things from me too,’ she said. ‘I have found it hard that he hasn’t been honest with me about his work.’
‘Perhaps you need to give him a bit of grace?’ Sylvia replied. ‘You’ve been trying to protect us; maybe he had a good reason for not telling you his story.’
Tricia nodded, and looked out of the window, deep in thought. Everything Sylvia was saying made complete sense. Had she been too harsh on Cillian? ‘Maybe you’re right.’
‘Of course I am,’ Sylvia stated, picking up her newspaper. ‘Now, I just want to read the papers and have good rest before I face the doctor tomorrow. And you, young lady, will go and find Cillian and try to get him to cool down. I’m sure he’ll be very happy to hear what you have to tell him.’
‘What’s that?’ Tricia asked.
Sylvia looked at Tricia over the news section ofThe Sunday Times. ‘I think you know. You will have to eat humble pie and tell him you have been really silly and then tell him you love him. Now off you go and try to be just a little bit selfish. Arnaud is coming to see me in a little while.’
‘Where was he last night?’ Tricia asked.
Sylvia lowered the newspaper. ‘He was in Dublin when all this happened, thank goodness. I wouldn’t have liked him to see me the way I was.’
‘I’m sure you weren’t that bad,’ Tricia protested.
‘Yes, I was. Now, you must get Cillian back, but don’t rush to him right this minute. Let him miss you and wonder where you are and what you’re thinking.’
‘I suppose so,’ Tricia said, knowing that she couldn’t talk to him until that other matter had been resolved, the one Noel was helping her with. Now that Sylvia knew, it might be better to wait a little.
‘Take it easy and don’t rush things. Now off you go and I’ll see you soon.’ Sylvia picked up the paper and started to read it.
Tricia, knowing she had been dismissed, said goodbye and left the room, going over the conversation. She knew Sylvia was right; she had been overthinking everything. She had pushed Cillian away. She wouldn’t go and see him straight away even though she was burning to tell him everything about her problems with the will. After that, she would be ready to commit to him if he still wanted her. But she would wait until after the press conference. Then his project would be over and he would have time and peace to think about their relationship. If they were to have one.
31
The following week was eventful to say the least. The press conference on Tuesday was broadcast on the evening news and everyone was amazed at what was revealed, most of all Tricia. She listened with bated breath to the story Cillian and Ilse told the press and realised that it was far from what Cillian had hinted at. She had thought he was digging out a Viking grave full of treasure and that nobody must know or the grave would be plundered. The real story was much more amazing and as she listened, all the dots connected and she saw the whole picture. The diving in the bay, Ilse and her team, the rib and the boat and everything else suddenly made sense. And after her chat with Sylvia, Tricia finally felt at peace with Cillian’s need to keep it secret.
The find of an ancient ship from the Spanish Armada was big news indeed. The ship had been loaded with gold and silver and some jewellery worn by the officers of the day. The fact that around twenty-five ships of the Armada had sunk all the way up the Wild Atlantic Way was something she had heard about from time to time but thought of as fantasies and myths. The ship in question was the best preserved of the ones that had been foundaround the west coast of Ireland. Cillian and Ilse replied to all the questions from the reporters in detail and it was featured in all the newspapers the following day. But Tricia still hadn’t heard from him. She assumed he was overwhelmed with all the attention he was getting.
The most exciting event of the week, however, was when Rose arrived at the cottage the morning after the press conference with a letter she had found in the storeroom at the manor. It was a letter to Mary O’Grady from her cousin in Tralee dated September 1880, telling her that Kieran had arrived safely and would start school the following week. He would visit his family at Magnolia Manor at Christmas time and Mary was not to worry about him as he would be well looked after.
‘Oh,’ Tricia exclaimed when she had read the letter sitting on the sofa in the living room. ‘This proves without a doubt he was the lad who grew up to become the famous painter.’
‘It certainly does.’ Rose hugged her mother. ‘Isn’t this exciting?’
‘It’s about to become even more exciting.’ Tricia told Rose about the painting she had found and that the expert from the National Gallery would come and take a look at it. ‘I have to tell Sylvia,’ she said.
‘Oh, yes,’ Rose agreed. ‘She’ll be so excited.’
‘It’s up to her to decide what to do with the painting,’ Tricia stated. ‘It belongs to Magnolia, after all.’
‘It does,’ Rose agreed. ‘I’m sure Granny will want it to hang in her sitting room.’
‘We’ll have to wait until Friday and then we’ll see,’ Tricia said. ‘If it’s the real thing, there will be complications with insurance and so on.’
‘I didn’t think of that,’ Rose said. ‘But we’ll find a way. Granny always does.’
‘She does indeed.’ Tricia nodded, knowing that it was true. Sylvia always found a solution to most problems and managed to have a life as well as looking after everyone at the same time.I used to resent that, she thought.But now I admire it and want to be like her. How strange…
