‘He won’t keep you for long, he’s taking a client to lunch,’ Esther informed her tactlessly.
‘I can’t stay long,’ Ellen said coldly. ‘I’ve arranged to meet . . . Denise McMahon for lunch.’
Esther blushed to the roots of her mousy brown hair. Ellen ignored her as she walked into the manager’s office. Good enough for the silly cow, she thought crossly.
‘Sorry for the delay,’ Terry Carson said offhandedly. ‘Mr Williams needed to see me on an urgent matter.’
Lucky for him he could skip the queue, Ellen thought irritably. But then Sean Williams could offer free dinners, all she’d be able to offer was a club sandwich and side salads. The notion amused her and she almost smiled.
‘Sit down, Miss . . . er . . .’ he glanced at his diary of appointments. ‘Munroe.’
‘Thank you.’ He knew very well who she was, Ellen thought contemptuously. He was trying to make her feel unimportant. Ellen sat down on the hard chair. The bank manager lolled in a luxurious black leather one. Ellen didn’t like him. He was tall, bony, with a beaky nose and greasy greying hair. He had a mean little mouth. She noticed that he bit his nails. Not as self-confident as he pretends to be, she observed. He had a patronizing air. The expression in his old grey eyes was dismissive. Ellen knew he felt she was wasting his time. She watched, stunned, as he glanced at his watch, took it from his wrist, and placed it face up on his desk. His rudeness appalled her. He had kept her waiting almost an hour while his bridge-playing crony had skipped in and taken her appointment. And then he had the nerve to put his watch on the desk as if she was some kid up in front of the headmaster.
‘Speak to me,’ Terry clipped as he folded his arms across his chest.
‘Pardon!’ Ellen was rattled.
‘Tell me what you want the loan for,’ he said in a weary tone.
Ellen took a deep breath and launched into details of her proposed business. She made to hand him a typed page with details of what she hoped her business turnover would be, but he brushed it aside.
‘What collateral have you got?’ he barked.
Ellen looked at him. She put her page back in her folder. She stood up.
‘You are an extremely rude man, Mr Carson. Pig-ignorant actually. I don’t have to sit here and be treated like dirt by the likes of you. I’ve more respect for myself. You can put your watch back on. I won’t be needing any more of your time. My time is far too precious to squander on an ignoramus like you.’ She marched out the door with her head held high.
Esther nearly jumped ten foot when she saw her and went scarlet again. Ellen glared at her and marched on. They could stuff their loan, she thought grimly. She’d get the money some other way. She wasn’t that desperate.
She walked downstairs to the main part of the bank area, scowling. She was so angry she didn’t notice Doug come in through the front door.
‘Ellen!’ he called out as she strode past him.
‘Oh . . . oh, Doug. Sorry, I didn’t see you.’
‘Who’s been rattling your cage?’ He eyed her quizzically.
‘That . . . that slug upstairs,’ Ellen fumed.
‘What happened?’ Doug frowned.
‘It’s a long story.’ Ellen didn’t want to recount the ins and outs of her dealings with Terry Carson in the middle of the bank with people all around them.
‘Right, let’s go and have a cup of coffee over beyond and you can tell me about it.’ Doug took her arm and steered her out of the bank.
‘Doug!’ she protested, laughing.
‘Well I haven’t seen you in ages. We can catch up on the news.’ Doug grinned.
‘Actually I might be wanting you to do another job for me, if everything goes to plan.’ She smiled at him. It was a treat to see Doug, he hadn’t been around much. He was working all hours.
‘Sounds interesting. There’s one condition though,’ he said seriously.
‘What!’ Ellen was dismayed at his tone.
‘Lunch has to be included.’
‘You messer.’ Ellen gave him a dig in the ribs. ‘I thought it was something serious.’
‘Grub is serious,’ Doug informed her as he led her into the lounge of the hotel. ‘Can I buy you lunch? Or are you in a hurry?’
‘I haven’t been at work for most of the morning,’ she said guiltily. ‘Ah, why not?’
‘We’ll have a drink, and order. And you can tell me why you called that nice Mr Carson a slug.’ Ellen giggled. Doug had a way of making her laugh. She’d missed that, she thought as he went over to the bar to order their drinks.
She watched him as he chatted easily to the barman. Doug had a very pleasant manner about him that was genuine. She liked the way that he’d immediately asked what was wrong with her. When he’d been doing up the flat he’d always been interested in what was going on in her life. Much more so than Chris. No doubt Chris was getting on with life. Enjoying himself. Chatting up women. She wouldn’t put it past him to have a mistress. He probably never gave her a thought now, she thought ruefully. She could have had him and she’d let him go. Their parting wasn’t the tragedy it had been for her years ago, she reflected. She’d moved on with her life. Now she was ready to take it a step further. She hadn’t slipped into depression and misery like she had the first time he’d left her.
No you didn’t, she thought a little proudly as she watched Doug carry over the drinks.
‘Why is he a slug?’
Ellen laughed. ‘Sit down. I’ll tell you the whole story.’
‘The bloody nerve of him,’ Doug growled when Ellen told him how Terry Carson had removed his watch and put it on the desk in front of him. ‘Just who does he think he is? I’ll settle his hash for him.’
‘How?’ Ellen was mystified.
‘Never you mind, I’ll tell you when I’m good and ready. Now where are you going to get your loan? I think it’s a great idea to revamp the coffee shop. The town is crying out for a place like that. Go for it, Ellen. How much do you need?’
‘Oh a few thousand. I need to gut the place and start afresh. I need equipment and seating and stuff like that.’
‘Hmm.’ Doug sipped his beer reflectively. ‘Just as well you know a terrific builder, who knows a carpenter or two. You know, Ellen, you could open out the top floor there too. You could have stairs leading up to the first floor area. We could do it in pine. It would be lovely. You could have pine tables and chairs, and dressers along the wall. The salad bar will be self-service so people can go upstairs to their tables if downstairs is crowded.’
‘Yeah.’ Ellen got really enthusiastic. ‘And I could put flowers in vases and make it homely and pretty. We could light a fire in the winter.’
‘What are you going to call it?’
‘I don’t know yet. Denise, Miriam and I are racking our brains out. But listen to me, I haven’t got my loan yet.’
‘Would Stephanie’s father be able to help you out?’ Doug stared her straight in the eye.
‘We’re not together any more. I don’t expect to see him again.’ Ellen stared back.
‘I see.’
‘It was the best thing.’ Ellen took a sip of wine. She was glad Doug knew she was no longer seeing Chris.
‘I’ve a suggestion.’ Doug eyed her cautiously.
‘What’s that?’
‘How about if I lend you the money?’
‘You’re not serious, Doug. I couldn’t have that. Thanks very much. It’s really kind of you but I couldn’t have that,’ she prattled.
‘Calm down, will ya,’ Doug laughed. ‘How about if I put the money into a share account in the Credit Union in your name so that you can borrow against it. You pay the interest on the loan, and you can give me the dividends. Then, when you’ve paid it off, my money will be there plus interest earned. You’ll have your deli and both of us will come out of it smiling. Look at it as a way of saving for me. It’s no big deal, Ellen.’
‘It is a big deal and you know it.’ Ellen was very touched.
‘I’d lik
e to.’
‘Why?’ Ellen stared at him.
‘Because I like you, Ellen. I admire you. And I think it’s a great business opportunity for you. We all had to start off somewhere,’ Doug said quietly.
‘You’re a nice man, Doug Roche,’ Ellen said simply.
‘Are you over him?’
The question hung in the air. She knew this was the moment she would let go of Chris Wallace for ever.
‘I’m over him, Doug.’ Ellen smiled at the tall bearded man with the lovely kind eyes sitting opposite her. She felt light-hearted.
He reached across the table and took her hand in his. ‘I’m glad for you, Ellen. I really am.’ Doug squeezed her hand very tightly.
‘Me too,’ she murmured as she squeezed his back.
‘Will you take the loan?’
‘Are you sure?’
‘We’re pals. I’m sure.’
‘Will I call it Doug’s Deli?’ Ellen laughed. She suddenly felt ridiculously happy.
‘You will not. You could call it Slug Carson’s or Ellie’s Deli,’ Doug teased.
‘Maybe I’ll just call it The Deli.’ Ellen smiled.
‘Sounds good to me,’ Doug approved as the waiter came to tell them that their lunch was ready.
Ellen was bubbling with excitement as she poured the entire story out to Denise and Miriam that evening.
‘Doug is a dote,’ Denise exclaimed. ‘He’s a real nice fella, Ellen. You grab him with both hands. I’d better go and get my pair in for bed.’
‘Send Stephanie in as well, Denise. Doug’s going to get an architect to draw up plans. I’ll show them to you as soon as I have them,’ Ellen explained.
‘It’s exciting, isn’t it?’ Denise couldn’t wait to get things moving. ‘See ya.’
‘See you, Denise,’ Ellen and Miriam chorused.
‘You look really pleased with yourself,’ Miriam observed.
‘It’s just the way things turned around. That slime-bag Carson made me so mad and then bumping into Doug and him offering me the money.’
‘You will be paying it back,’ Miriam said as she rinsed out the teacups. ‘And I’ll have my money.’ Ben had insisted that they cash in an insurance policy so she could invest in her new venture. He was behind her all the way. He thought it was a perfect opportunity for Miriam. ‘Doug’s not going to lose any money,’ Miriam pointed out.
‘I know that. It’s just that he’s very kind. He needn’t have got involved at all.’
‘He’s a very decent man and he likes you, Ellen,’ Miriam said firmly. ‘And I mean really likes you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.’
‘I like him. He makes me feel as if I’m special. He makes me feel I’m someone. He told me he admires me. No-one ever told me that before.’
‘You are special. You are someone.’
Ellen was embarrassed. She changed the subject quickly. ‘Well I’ll tell you one thing, Miriam. We’re going to show Terry Carson that we can make a go of this. We might even start a chain of delis,’ she said defiantly. ‘And not one penny of our profits is going into his bank. We’ll lodge our millions in the bank in Swords.’
‘Fine by me,’ Miriam agreed. ‘I think this is going to be a great partnership. Glenree, hold on to your hat, the Munroe women are coming to town.’
‘Yee haw,’ Ellen hollered as Stephanie came in the door.
‘Mammy, you’re mad.’ She giggled.
‘Ah sure as hell am, honey.’ Ellen grabbed her hands and danced around the floor with her.
Doug stood atop the scaffolding of the house he was building and felt the heat on his bare back. It was a great day, he thought happily as he plastered the blocks.
Bumping into Ellen had been the best thing. He’d kept out of her way knowing that there was another man on the scene. He’d actually seen him going into Ellen’s one night. A business-type sort of bloke, with expensive clothes and a big car. Good-looking too.
That had pissed him off. Big-time. Doug smiled ruefully. He’d been jealous. Wasn’t that something? He never thought he’d fall for a woman again and he’d gone and fallen for Ellen Munroe. And today, when she’d told him she was finished with the other bloke, and she’d looked him straight in the eye, he’d felt he was in with a chance.
Now he was going to be able to spend time with her again doing up the coffee shop. He’d meant it when he’d said it was a good business venture. It was. It was well situated. Good cooking and baking would always draw customers. If anyone could make a go of it, Ellen would. She was very quick and capable. She ran her father’s business for him, and in such a discreet way that Mick thought he was the one in charge. That was a nice thing. Doug liked her for it.
They’d had a lovely lunch. Well the meal itself had been mediocre – the Glenree Arms was not noted for its cuisine – but they hadn’t noticed. They’d chatted nonstop for almost two hours. Ellen was great to talk to. He loved being in her company.
He’d asked her out for a drink on Friday night. Miriam would mind Stephanie.
Doug trowelled on the plaster smoothly. He’d something to tell Ellen the next time he saw her, something that would give her a laugh. He chuckled. Ellen had a wonderful sense of humour. It was one of the many things he liked about her. He felt like climbing off his scaffold and driving in to Glenree just to share the joke with her.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
‘Are you sure about this idea of letting Miriam and Ellen take over the coffee shop?’ Sheila asked Mick crossly. ‘I’m worried that the children will be neglected.’
‘They won’t be neglected, Sheila. The girls have it all worked out between them.’
‘Well I still don’t know. When I asked Miriam what would Ben do for his dinner she told me he could get it in the canteen. Imagine having to eat that kind of food.’ Sheila’s nose flared at the thought of her precious son eating canteen cooking.
‘Leave them be.’
‘Huh,’ snorted Sheila. ‘She’s going to be a working woman, and that Emma one wouldn’t know how to work. Nannies my bonnet. God be with the days when I had three of them to rear and no such thing as a nanny.’ Sheila buttered her toast and sliced it in half.
‘It’s the children that will suffer,’ she muttered darkly. She wasn’t a bit impressed with the idea of Miriam taking a full-time job. Mothers were supposed to be mothers. Husbands were the breadwinners. Ellen was different. Nothing could be done about her situation. She had to work. But Miriam didn’t. Madame Miriam was being less than helpful to her in her reign as president of the guild.
She wouldn’t go to the quilting classes and only yesterday she’d said she couldn’t bake for the guild’s weekly cake sale because she was going into Dublin with Denise McMahon to look at menus in self-service restaurants. Such nonsense! Sheila needed Miriam’s help. Being president was not an easy job. Bonnie Daly was just waiting for her to make a mistake. This was not the time for Miriam to go all modern and become a career woman. It was most inconvenient.
‘And another thing.’ Sheila paused before taking a bite from her toast. ‘Who are you going to get to work in the shop to replace Ellen?’
Mick was sorely tempted to say ‘Bonnie Daly’, but he restrained himself admirably.
‘I’ll get someone. Don’t worry. It’s a good chance for Ellen, Sheila. She’s a hard worker and it’s a sound proposition. I wouldn’t have let her get into it otherwise,’ Mick said sternly. Sheila knew by the sound of his tone that it was better to say no more. This was one battle she was not going to win.
‘Hello O Fertile One.’ Chris popped his head around the door of Emma’s room and waved a bottle of champagne at her.
‘What are you doing here at this hour of the night? How did you get in?’ Emma’s eyes widened with pleasure.
He thought she was looking surprisingly well, compared to the way she’d looked when she’d had Julie Ann.
‘Emma! What a daft question. That little blonde nurse couldn’t wait to let me in to see you. I told h
er I was your brother, home from America.’
‘You’re incorrigible, Chris Wallace, but it’s great to see you.’ Emma threw her arms around her cousin.
‘I wanted to visit, but I didn’t want to bump into Vincent, if you know what I mean?’ he said dryly.
‘Hmmm.’ Emma grinned. ‘Have you loads of gossip for me?’
Chris flicked open his briefcase and took out two champagne flutes. ‘I was a boy scout once, believe it or not. So I’ve come prepared.’
Emma giggled as he popped the cork and poured the champagne.
‘So you’ve given the Stern One a son. Was there great rejoicing?’
‘Yes.’ Emma beamed. ‘It’s lovely. Vincent’s really delighted. He’s got a nanny all lined up for when I get home. Although I have to say they’re so nice to me in here I don’t want to go home. I’ve been here for nearly two weeks already and the time has flown. I’ve had loads of visitors. But none of them brought me champagne.’
‘Well you’re a special little sod. Now let’s see what gossip I have. Did you hear that Carol Jones and Paul Walsh have split up?’
‘I heard that. You’ll have to do better.’
‘Did you hear that – now this is complicated – Kenny McMurrough is having an affair with Dervla Lynch, even though, six months ago, Dervla had a fling with his best friend, Norris. And get this, Kenny is also, unbeknownst to Dervla, having a hot and heavy fling with Vicky Stone.’
‘I don’t believe it!’ Emma was delightfully gobsmacked. ‘Did you know that Declan made a pass at Vicky Stone, at Marianne Deasy’s party? And then Nina Monahan went for him and there was a huge row.’
‘I’d like to have seen that.’ Chris grinned as he topped up the glasses. ‘Nina Monahan in full flow is a sight not to be missed. Was that good gossip?’
‘The best,’ Emma said with relish. ‘How’s Suzy?’
Chris made a face. ‘OK I suppose.’
‘What’s going on with you two?’ Emma stared at him.
‘Aah nuttin’. It’s one of those things. We’re not getting on great at the moment.’
‘Are you having an affair with Alexandra Johnston?’
Chris’s eyes widened. ‘What makes you say that?’
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