Snow Falls In Clover Cove: A heart-warming romance set on the beautiful west coast of Ireland

by Maggie Finn

  ‘Eliza,’ called Moira, ‘Come, come. I have a job for you.’

  Nervously she stepped down to be confronted by three expectant children, their excited faces turned her way. ‘Eliza, say hello to Jolene, Josie and Joseph.’

  Eliza glanced at Moira, but there was no punchline: apparently, she was serious.

  ‘Their father’s a big Dolly Parton fan,’ explained their mother wearily. ‘He was so pleased with Jolene as a name, he wanted to keep the theme going.’

  ‘Good to meet you all,’ said Eliza.

  The toddler on the woman’s hip whispered in her mother’s ear.

  ‘No Jo-Jo, she’s not from the YouTube,’ she replied to the tot. ‘I think the nice lady’s just from America.’ She rolled her eyes at Eliza. ‘YouTube now! This is what we’re up against, isn’t it?’

  ‘Okay kids,’ said Moira, ‘Eliza’s going to find you something to read. She’s from Los Angeles and she knows all about books.’

  Eliza forced a smile. She had worked exclusively in women’s literary fiction and celebrity tie-ins. She’d have felt better qualified to teach them their times tables – and Eliza was terrible at mathematics.

  ‘Are you really from America?’ asked the smallest girl, wide-eyed.

  ‘Yes, I am,’ said Eliza.

  ‘Does everyone have a shower there?’

  ‘Uh, yes. Mostly.’

  ‘Why?’

  Eliza lowered her voice, like it was a secret. ‘Because it gets so hot. We get real stinky.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Josie, with a sharp nod. ‘That makes sense.’

  For obvious reasons, the children’s books were on the lowest shelves, so Eliza got down on the floor with the kids. It was surprisingly easy to help them choose: the younger kids were open to everything from silly rhyming stories to factual books about ancient Greece. They were just happy to have something to point their minds at. Jolene, the eldest at eleven, was a little more picky, but Eliza recommended ‘By Midnight’, a story about vampires at an elite London school and the ‘Divergent’ series which she had somehow managed to miss. They all went away grinning, their arms full. It set the pattern for the day. When all the customers had been satisfied, Moira bolted the doors and they rumbled onto the next remote settlement: Kinnock, Peterbridge, or Carradoyle where Eliza would assist the readers in choosing books, either from her own experience or they’d work it out together. It was fun and rewarding at the same time.

  ‘Hey Eliza, come help me with this delivery,’ called Moira at their final stop.

  A dark-haired woman was unloading a box of books from the trunk of a station wagon. She was slim and dressed in a tweed jacket and leather boots and she exuded the can-do efficiency of a country woman.

  ‘This is Linda,’ said Moira, ‘Linda used to work in the Font, didn’tcha Lin?’

  ‘I did that,’ she said with what Eliza thought might have been a touch of sadness. ‘Don’t miss all the lifting and carrying though.’

  ‘Linda has also she has been involved with this crazy library scheme since the beginning. In fact, it might even have been her idea.’

  ‘Hey, you can’t blame it on me,’ laughed the woman, ‘I told Nancy it’d never work. And yet twelve years on, here we are.’

  ‘Well I’m seriously impressed,’ said Eliza, ‘You’re doing a great thing here.’

  ‘Ah, not me darling, I just collect up a few donations – Moira’s the one out here spreading the word – literally.’

  ‘And without your donations we’d have nothing to spread, now would we?’ countered Moira. ‘Don’t sell yourself short – in this or anything else, whatever that dope thinks, eh?’

  Eliza sensed a private conversation beginning and excused herself to referee a group of kids who were squabbling over a pop-up version of the Wizard of Oz. When they finally packed up the van and headed back towards the Cove, Eliza turned to Moira.

  ‘Who is Linda? I had a feeling I’d heard about her somewhere before.’

  ‘Linda’s engaged to Noah’s father.’

  Eliza’s mouth formed a perfect ‘O’.

  ‘Exactly,’ smiled Moira.

  Eliza frowned.

  ‘But she seems lovely.’

  ‘She is,’ said Moira.

  ‘So why does Noah disapprove of her so much?’

  Moira sighed. ‘Because Linda was his Ma’s best friend. Noah grew up calling her ‘Auntie Lin’ – and when Linda and Niall got together? Well, Noah felt there was something a little Shakespearean about it.’

  ‘Yes, I can see that. Especially if he’s still grieving.’

  ‘I think Noah was upset at how quickly it happened, but apparently, there’s quite a high percentage of widowed men who remarry quickly. Women who lose their husbands, though? They’re generally just relieved.’

  Eliza laughed politely at Moira’s joke, but she could sympathize with both sides. If Niall had found someone who made him happy, well why shouldn’t he try to rebuild his life? But she could equally see that Noah might see it as a betrayal.

  ‘It doesn’t help that Noah’s had a run of bad luck himself with the girls. Been hurt, has Noah. He feels things too deeply, always has.’

  ‘So you know Noah well then?’

  Moira gave Eliza a sideways look.

  ‘And why would you be asking, Miss Eliza Carlisle?’ she replied with a smirk. Eliza hoped she wasn’t blushing.

  ‘I’ve known Noah Moyes since he was four,’ said Moira. ‘We had a tussle over a plastic elephant at the St. Mary’s Sunday School. So yes, I know him. And you know what he needs? A good woman.’

  ‘You?’

  Moira looked at her, then cracked up laughing, the van swerving across the road. ‘Lord bless you, Eliza, that’s a good one. I love him to death, that boy. He’s a lovely, lovely fella but it’d be like hooking up with my brother. My nerdy brother.’ She shivered. ‘Ugh, no.’

  She gave Eliza another sidelong glance.

  ‘But you now? That’s a different kettle of fish.’

  ‘I wasn’t asking because…’ began Eliza, but Moira waved her objections away.

  ‘Ach, anyone can see he’s sweet on you, girl. And what’s not to like about our handsome Guard? He’s good looking, tall – and don’t tell the big eejit I said this – he’s one of the finest men on the west coast.’

  ‘I’m not interested in anything like that,’ said Eliza, hoping she sounded more convincing than she felt. ‘I’m just here for a vacation.’

  ‘Are you now? And you’ve spent the day sunbathing and going to the spa, have you?’

  Eliza shook her head and Moira gave her a knowing smile.

  ‘My point is that you’ve been here three days,’ she said, ‘And you’re almost one of us. I think you have a connection to Kiln County, Eliza Carlisle. Sure, it’s a pretty place and the folks, they’re grand too. But I’m thinking something else is making that connection.’

  Eliza swallowed. ‘So what is it?’

  Moira laughed.

  ‘I think it might just be your heart.’

  Chapter Thirteen

  ‘Julianne George is coming here?’ said Colleen. ‘You’re serious?’

  Noah shrugged. He’d just finished a telephone call with Jeff Spader, head of Wener Studio Pictures in Los Angeles. The fence-climbing film scout’s story about searching for locations for a new movie was true – although his boss was keen to point out that trespassing wasn’t part of his remit.

  ‘That’s what this Spader fella said on the phone. Apparently, the contract’s all signed.’

  Colleen let out a long whistle. ‘Julianne George! She’s like, the biggest actress in all Hollywood. My, but I’d love to see that woman walking down Fish Street in all her designer finery. Imagine her popping into Molly’s for a slice of rainbow cake!’

  Even Noah had seen Ms. George in a few movies and he hardly ever went to the cinema.

  ‘Who else is in this film?’ asked Colleen.

  Noah shook his head, trying to remember.<
br />
  ‘The American did say, but it meant nothing to me. I don’t follow the films, Coll, you know that. More of a book man.’

  But Colleen was not to be deflected.

  ‘Was it Leo Walker, was it? Oh, what I wouldn’t give to meet that man in a Jacuzzi.’

  ‘A Jacuzzi? And that’s likely to happen in Port Quinn, is it?’

  ‘I’d buy my own Jacuzzi if Leo Walker was coming to town.’

  She looked at Noah.

  ‘Best let this Si Sanders go then, d’ya think?’

  ‘I’ve still a mind to charge him for climbing the fence at Bluff Point.’

  ‘Aye, but you won’t.’

  ‘I won’t? And why not?’

  Colleen just raised her eyebrows and turned back to her paperwork, as if it were beneath her to explain. Irritating though it was, the woman knew Noah better than himself. She was right: Si Sanders and Wener Pictures had him over a barrel. The Garda had many functions, but their one true purpose was to protect the community. From criminals, from injustice, even at times from the weather and especially from themselves – especially that. And if that were so, then Noah had a duty to protect the residents of Kiln County from financial disaster and, ultimately, from poverty. Si Sanders, Jeff Spader, Julianne George and the whole she-bang, represented a huge opportunity for this part of the coast. A Hollywood film crew coming to the Cove could bring in hundreds of thousands of Euros and might even have the power to rescue the area’s fortunes long term. After all, people were still visiting Dunmore beach fifty years after filming on Ryan’s Daughter had wrapped.

  Noah didn’t like people flouting rules, but Colleen had a point. For the sake of a fine, he had to let the fella go.

  ‘Well, before you go and take off his chains,’ said Colleen, ‘You’d better look at this.’

  She passed him the local paper, The Kilmara Examiner. ‘Page four,’ she said.

  GARDA BAFFLED BY CRIME WAVE

  By Danny Brennan, editor at large

  A spate of break-ins in Kiln County has left local police scrabbling for clues. Valuables have been taken from properties in the Clover Cove area in a number of burglaries which the Garda seem powerless to prevent. The thief targets specific dwellings, leaving no evidence behind and appears to be stealing to order. The Guards were unavailable for comment, but are believed to be working on the idea that an outside gang is responsible. Garda Headquarters in Galway said ‘We are doing all we can to…’

  Noah put his head in his hands and groaned. ‘Danny… why?’

  ‘Because it’s his job,’ said Colleen. Which was true, of course, but Noah knew this was going to make life much more difficult for him: for the investigation certainly, but also it was also going to stir up feelings towards any outsiders in the area, the travelers in particular.

  ‘Well, we should just be thankful it didn’t make the front page,’ said Colleen, ‘What with the Cove’s ace reporter being personally involved and all.’

  Sighing, Noah walked down the corridor to the ‘cell’, in actuality, just another room with a door that locked – Noah hadn’t even shut it and Si Sanders was sitting with a tray of tea and biscuits. No sense in making their guests uncomfortable, was there?

  ‘Well I’ve just spoken to your man over at Wener Pictures,’ he said. ‘Your story checks out.’

  Sanders nodded.

  ‘Julianne George, eh?’

  The man shrugged. ‘I get to travel all over the world looking for locations but I never get to meet the stars. By the time they arrive for shooting, I’m long gone.’

  ‘Still, glamorous job though, eh?’

  Sanders gave an ironic smile and gestured to the door with his tea cup. ‘Not always.’

  ‘Well you’re free to go once you’ve finished your tea. I’m not happy about the trespass, but seeing as we have actual crimes to investigate, I’m prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt.’

  ‘Thanks.’ The man had a thoughtful sip of his tea. ‘Actually, I’ve been sitting here thinking: you didn’t just pull me in because I came up on the CCTV at the lighthouse, did you?’

  Noah didn’t reply, he wanted to see where this was going.

  ‘Well, those actual crimes you mention,’ the film scout continued. ‘You’re obviously looking for someone else, for something more substantial than a man crossing the wrong field, am I right?’

  ‘I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say…’ began Noah, but Sanders lifted a hand.

  ‘I saw him.’

  Noah stopped.

  ‘You saw who?’

  ‘You’re looking for someone lurking around taking photos of properties, yes? Maybe watching people come and go?’

  ‘Maybe.’

  ‘Well I think I can help.’

  The snow had come. Noah had been smelling it in the air for days, but finally, the dark sky was filled with puffy flakes. He walked over to the window and watched it fall. It was grand, that was for sure. Yes, it would cause him all sorts of problems: traffic accidents, stranded livestock – he’d once even had to rescue a family from a house where the roof had collapsed from the weight of the snow. But right now, at this first flurry, it looked wonderful, like Christmas was officially here. Noah stretched and rolled his neck. He could certainly do with the boost; he was tired just from sitting at his desk.

  Sometimes it hit you like that. Paperwork piled up so high it felt like it would bury you like one of those snow drifts, especially when you had an actual arrest to deal with. The only time the station’s cell usually got used was when old Jango Bean had too many gins and started to sing Tom Jones songs in the street. Noah never officially arrested Jango, just let him sleep it off and brought him a bacon sandwich in the morning. But even when the Port was quiet – most of the time if he was honest – there always seemed to be something that needed typing up or filing or sending up to headquarters. And now he had this new lead on the burglaries – the film scout Si Saunders had given him a description of another man he’d seen in the same area, watching the backs of houses and – this was the odd thing – making notes in a hand-held Dictaphone. Curiouser and curiouser. He just couldn’t make head nor tail of it. Sighing, Noah grabbed his coat. Still, there was something to be said for all this work – it did tend to focus the mind, which meant that he didn’t have to think about anything else. Like Da, like Eliza.

  Eliza. He knew he hadn’t behaved well. He’d been angry with his father and had turned it on her. It wasn’t fair and it sure wasn’t clever either. After all, he’d only known the girl a matter of days and their relationship, such as it was, was almost entirely professional. If he wanted to convince Eliza he was a great guy underneath this uniform, snapping at her and pretty much telling her to ‘butt out’ of his business wasn’t the smart way to go.

  He rattled the keys in the lock, then turned towards his little house, thoughts of a bath and maybe that book he’d been reading.

  ‘Hi,’ she said simply. Eliza was wearing a red coat and a half-smile, as if she wasn’t entirely sure the kind of reception she would get. That was fair enough: if their positions had been reversed, Noah didn’t know what kind of reception he would expect either.

  ‘Hi,’ he said.

  For a moment, they stood there in the cold evening, strings of fairy lights swinging in the sea breeze, the stars far above them, the snow dropping silently, settling on their shoulders. Noah wondered whether Eliza would ever look more beautiful than this one moment.

  ‘Eliza, I’m so sorry for the way I behaved yesterday…’ he began, exactly at the moment Eliza began to speak. ‘Listen Noah, it wasn’t my place to tell you how to it feel about your family…’

  They both trailed off, then grinned at each other.

  Noah walked over, his hand extended. ‘How are you? I’m Noah, and I’m an eejit.’

  Giggling, Eliza shook his hand. ‘Eliza, she said. ‘Ditto.’

  Her smile made something glow in Noah’s chest.

  ‘Well now we’re introduced pr
operly,’ said Eliza. ‘I was wondering if I could ask you one small favor.’

  ‘Anything,’ said Noah. ‘Anything at all.’

  Eliza glanced up the hill.

  ‘So I was hoping to go to the carol service up at the church, but I’m not entirely sure I’d be welcome, what with Mrs. Brennan waging a secret vendetta against me.’

  ‘Oh it’s not a secret,’ smiled Noah. ‘Everyone knows about that.’

  ‘Well, either way I think I’m going to need protection. Would you escort me?’

  Noah looked up towards the church clock glowing yellow in the evening blue, the snow gently falling past. You could already hear the sound of the organ fighting against the ever-present cries of the gulls. ‘It would be my honor,’ he said, ‘But it’s almost seven, we better hurry.’

  Boldly, he put out his hand and, after a moment’s hesitation, Eliza took it. Hand in hand, they walked slowly up the cobbled street towards St. Mary’s, making footprints for the first time that year. Noah’s heart felt light at the touch of her, proud that other churchgoers might glance across and see them together. They turned in through the arched gates woven with pine and ferns and walked to the open doors, orange light and music spilling out onto the white-dappled path. Noah could feel Eliza’s hand tighten as they stepped inside, and wondered if she was genuinely anxious. Not about Diana Brennan, he didn’t believe that, but Eliza was here doing her best to apologize to him – not that it was needed – while simultaneously being thrown in at the deep end amongst all these strangers. It had to be daunting.

  ‘Hello there, Guard.’ Father Declan, the parish priest stepped forward clasping Noah’s hand in both of his huge paws. ‘Brought the snow with you, I see. And who’s this?’ he said, turning towards Eliza, ‘I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure’.

  Declan was a big man, ex-military and imposing, and yet he had a way of setting people at ease.

  ‘Eliza Carlisle,’ she said, meeting his gaze. ‘I hope I’m not intruding?’

  Declan laughed a deep throaty chuckle. ‘The doors of St. Mary’s are always open, Eliza. I don’t think it’s possible to intrude on the Lord. Everyone is welcome here, but especially Americans.’