Page 60 of The Widow's Irish Secret
‘So that was quite okay, actually,’ Noel said. ‘Your joint account was yours when Sean passed away. So…’
‘So I didn’t do anything wrong, then?’ Tricia asked, feeling a dart of hope. ‘Terence has nothing on me at all?’
‘Not a thing. In fact, you could report him for blackmail and slander after what he’s been telling the local newspapers.’
‘I could?’ Tricia brightened, but she knew Terence had only done this out of sadness. Grief did terrible things to people, she knew that, of course. Tricia met Noel’s earnest blue eyes and felt a surge of affection for this sweet man who had made Rose so happy. He was doing his best to help her. When she thought of Terence, she realised that revenge wasn’t in her nature. ‘I don’t think I will. But thank you,’ she whispered, taking his hand.
‘No need,’ Noel said. ‘I didn’t do much. Just a few phone calls and emails here and there. You can relax now and go forward.’
‘Oh, I will,’ Tricia said. ‘But first I have to talk to someone who might not feel I was that innocent in all of this.’
‘Oh, I’m sure whoever you mean will understand that you were all alone and trying to cope during a terrible time in your life.’
‘I hope he will,’ Tricia said, feeling less than confident. Cillian might not understand why she had tried to fake a power of attorney to get access to her late husband’s money. There were so many secrets and misunderstandings to sort out before they could regain the trust between them. It would all be decided when they met tomorrow and she told him everything.
32
All was quiet outside Orla O’Malley’s house when Tricia arrived in her car just before lunchtime the following day. The campervan was parked just outside the front garden, looking equally deserted, except for a bike leaning against the side. Tricia saw a curtain move in the little side window. He had to be there. Her heart beating, she got out of the car and went to the side door and knocked. There was a moment’s silence before the door slowly opened and Cillian peered out. ‘It’s you,’ he said.
‘Yes.’ Tricia looked at him for a moment, trying to gauge his mood. But the hooded hazel eyes were bland and his mouth unsmiling, which unnerved her. She knew she would have a hard job convincing him that she meant what she said and that from now on, she would take a step back from her family in his favour. ‘I went to see Sylvia last Sunday,’ she started. ‘And she gave me a roasting.’
‘About what?’
‘Can I come in?’ Tricia said. ‘I can’t tell you standing here outside your campervan.’
He opened the door wider and stepped aside. ‘Yes, of course. Please come in. I was making a cup of coffee. Would you like some?’
‘Yes, please.’ Tricia shivered slightly as she brushed past him into the van. Inside, there was a lovely smell of coffee and newly baked cinnamon buns that sat on a plate on the table by the window. There were also bits of paper and what looked like a chart on the table.
‘Please sit down and I’ll make more coffee,’ Cillian said. ‘I have this fancy espresso maker I bought just last week. I love a good cup of coffee as you know.’
‘I do.’ Tricia shot him a nervous smile, feeling somehow she was on trial. What she said next would decide their future – if they had one.
There was suddenly a noise from the back of the campervan. Tricia gave a start as Ilse appeared through the bathroom door. ‘Hi, Tricia,’ Ilse said, looking as if she was just as surprised as Tricia but not in a pleasant way. ‘What are you doing here? We’re working, as you can see by what’s on the table. Winding up the project.’
‘Oh,’ Tricia said, still hovering by the door. ‘I didn’t know you were still working on it. I thought Cillian was here on his own. Do you want me to leave? I wouldn’t want to disturb you.’
Cillian shot Ilse a glance. ‘We had nearly finished. And Ilse was just about to leave, weren’t you?’
‘Not really, but…’ Ilse stopped. ‘I have feeling something is going on, so I’ll leave now.’
‘Tricia and I have to talk about something important,’ Cillian said. ‘But first we should ask how Sylvia is.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Ilse said, looking only slightly guilty. ‘How is she?’
‘She’s fully recovered and back home safe and sound,’ Tricia replied. ‘And you know what? She doesn’t give a hoot aboutViolet’s wedding dress. She said she never really did. Don’t know why you brought it up.’
‘I didn’t really,’ Ilse protested. ‘It just came up in conversation.’
‘Well, it wasn’t really the best thing to bring up, was it?’ Cillian remarked with a touch of irony.
‘I suppose not.’ Ilse looked a little sheepish. ‘Silly of me to mention it.’
‘I’m sure you didn’t mean any harm,’ Tricia soothed, feeling sorry for Ilse. ‘Sometimes we say things without thinking.’
‘Yes, that’s true,’ Ilse said. ‘It was an accident.’
‘Could happen to a bishop, as my mother used to say,’ Cillian quipped.
