They reached another bench. Leo motioned towards it and they took a seat again. He put the briefcase on his lap. ‘Maggie, before I go to see Sadie, I want you to read Tessa’s diaries and find out what it was that Sadie read. I don’t want to know all the details. I just need the facts. I can handle facts.’
‘But they’re private, Leo. If anyone should read them, it should be Clementine or one of the others, surely?’
He shook his head. ‘That would be impossible. If one read it before the other, there’d be uproar.’
‘One already has. Sadie has.’
‘And look what happened. Look what she did as a result. I couldn’t bear it if it happened with the others. It’s been hard enough having one missing daughter. It would break my heart to upset the others. If I can find out what Sadie might have read, though, I can go to her as an equal. Because it will hurt me as much as it hurt her.’
‘But can’t you read them yourself? Aren’t you curious?’
He shook his head. He told her why not – the effect just one entry had on him, years before. ‘Perhaps if I knew exactly what Sadie read, if I knew which diary to go to, then I would chance it. But I’d have to read them all. Read through descriptions of her and Bill together.’
She understood then. ‘When would I do it? Would you send them to me?’
‘I don’t need to. They’re here.’ He opened the briefcase and she saw two bundles of blue notebooks. He handed one to her. She cautiously took off the rubber band holding them together and opened the cover of the one on top. ‘Tessa Faraday’ was written flamboyantly on the inside page, with the date underneath. Maggie recognised the writing from the scrapbooks filled with recipes that Juliet still used. It gave her a little jolt to make the connection between her image of that Tessa – nurturing, home-making, the loving mother – and the Tessa Leo had just described.
She closed it, put her hand on top of it. ‘I’m worried you’re asking too much of me.’
‘It has to be you, Maggie. There’s no one else I can ask.’
Maggie stayed quiet, thinking. She remembered a conversation between Miranda and Clementine during one of the Donegal Christmases. ‘He’s a wily one, that father of ours,’ Miranda had said. ‘He might play the fool, but have you noticed we still do whatever he wants?’
‘We don’t do whatever he wants. I’m here because I want to be,’ Clementine answered.
‘No, you’re here because Leo wants you to be here. I tell myself every year, this is the last one, but I keep coming back. How does he get away with it? Because once I find out, I want some of it myself.’
Clementine had laughed. ‘You haven’t realised you’ve got it already? Miranda, we’ve been dancing to your tune all your life as well.’
Had they been right? Had their lives always revolved around Leo? He was looking at her now with such eagerness, almost pleading in his eyes. Three months ago she would have said yes, straightaway. But something had changed over the past weeks. The self-imposed separation from her family had forced her to be self-reliant, not to check everything, every decision and every piece of news with them. If she said yes to Leo, was she being a loving granddaughter, helping him as he had helped her so much all her life? Or did she need to say no, to somehow keep that distance?
‘I need to think about it. It’s a lot to take in. If I was to say yes, when would we go to Donegal?’
‘As soon as possible. Juliet’s there already. Miranda’s due there at the end of the week. As soon as you say yes —’ He stopped himself. ‘If you say yes, I’ll ring Clementine and Eliza and tell them you’ve changed your mind. They’d come then, I know they would.’
He nearly had her, she realised. ‘I’ll think about it. I’ll tell you by tomorrow, I promise.’
‘Early tomorrow? It’s just the sooner we tell Clementine and Eliza, the sooner they could get flights and —’
‘Early tomorrow.’
‘Do you want to take the diaries now?’
She was tempted. He must have known that. Of course she would love to read her grandmother’s diaries, to hear about her mother as a child, and her aunts. Who wouldn’t want to do that? ‘Not yet,’ she said firmly. ‘You take care of them until I decide.’
‘Thank you, Maggie.’
‘You’re welcome, Tadpole.’ As they stood up, she hooked her arm into his, the way she’d always done as a child. She was shaken by all she had heard, but she needed to show her grandfather she was fine; that everything was as normal as possible. She put on a bright face. ‘And that’s enough family business for now. It’s not every day my grandfather arrives out of the blue. I want to take you sightseeing. What about a bus tour? Or do you want to take the ferry to Staten Island?’
‘I’ve already organised a little surprise for you tonight.’
‘You have? What?’
‘It’s a surprise. All you have to do is be ready in your finest evening wear by six o’clock tonight.’
‘You can’t have organised anything yet. You just got here.’
‘No?’ He gave her that big smile of his and her heart melted a little more. ‘Just you wait and see, Miss Maggie, just you wait and see.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
She got home to her apartment just after four. She and Leo had enjoyed a long lunch, taken a carriage ride around Central Park afterwards and then she’d walked him back to his hotel. He wanted a nap before this evening, he told her. ‘You’d better have one too. We’ve got a lot to do,’ he said.
There was a message from Gabriel on the machine when she checked it. ‘Maggie, hi. I hope things are good with your grandfather. I just wanted to let you know I’ve told Mom about Dolly. She’s been in touch with Dolly’s nephew and passed on our sympathies. The funeral will be next week, family only, but we’ve sent a wreath, from you as well. And we’ll understand if you don’t want to work for us for a while. You’ve got the real McCoy now, with Leo, after all.’ A pause. ‘I enjoyed last night a lot, Maggie. Thanks again.’
She checked the time. He’d rung at ten-thirty that morning. Should she ring him back? She wanted to. But to say what? Thank him for his thanks?
It was all too much at once. Leo’s revelations were spinning around her head. She decided to concentrate on getting ready. She had less than two hours. It had been so long since she’d been out for a gala night she would need every minute.
At exactly six p.m. Ray buzzed through her intercom to tell her Leo was waiting downstairs.
When she emerged from the lift, he and Ray wolf-whistled. She gave a small bow. She was wearing a black sleeveless dress, a gold pendant, beautiful vintage high-heeled shoes and a vintage hair slide, its red flower vivid against her dark hair. She’d taken a long time over her make-up, carefully applying eyeliner and smoky eyeshadow, red lipstick and a touch of blush. She carried a light shawl in a vibrant red that matched her hair slide and lipstick.
‘You remind me of Audrey Hepburn,’ Leo said.
‘There’s a touch of the young Elizabeth Taylor too, I think,’ Ray added.
‘You both need your eyes tested,’ Maggie replied.
It was still hot, the evening air thick with humidity. A limousine was outside, the driver holding the door open for them. Maggie slid inside, grateful for its airconditioning.
‘Leo, you astonish me. How did you organise this?’
‘Marvellous things, concierges. The fellow in my hotel is extraordinary. I do believe if I’d asked him to arrange a trip to the moon he would have given it his best shot.’
It was like being in a film or playing at being a princess for a night, driving in a limousine through Manhattan in the hazy light. Their first stop was the Algonquin Hotel for cocktails in the Blue Bar and then dinner in the Round Table Room. Maggie had walked by the hotel several times over the past weeks, peeping inside at the opulent lobby, the rich fabrics and leather, but never feeling confident enough to go inside. It felt lovely to step inside now, with her grandfather beside her.
Leo w
as in sparkling form. He obviously hadn’t napped that afternoon, but had spent the time memorising facts about New York to share with her. He’d also announced in the limousine that he wasn’t going to mention that day’s conversation in the park and nor was she.
‘This is a spoiling night, regardless of what you decide to do about Donegal and the diaries. And that’s the last time I’ll mention it tonight.’
The atmosphere and elegance of their surroundings infected their mood. Leo regaled Maggie with snippets of poetry. It had become a new passion, he announced. Maggie told Leo tales from her early days in New York – getting lost in the subway, going to poetry readings. ‘All on your own?’ he asked.
She nodded. She hadn’t tried to make any friends. It had been hard to know where to find any, without a job to go to as a starting place. She’d grown used to her own company. She liked the thinking time.
‘Don’t do too much thinking,’ Leo said. ‘It’s bad for the soul.’
They had just finished their desserts and coffee when he reached inside his suit pocket and produced an envelope. At his urging, she opened it. Two tickets to see The Producers at the St James Theatre, just two blocks away.
Her eyes widened. ‘This has been sold out for weeks. How did you get them?’
‘Charm, mostly,’ Leo said.
They walked there, swept along in the throngs of people heading to other Broadway shows, the air rich with different languages, dressed-up couples beside groups in casual wear. Their seats were excellent and the show wonderful. It was exactly the diversion Maggie needed – an opportunity to put her own thoughts away and be swept up in pure spectacle, music and wit instead. Beside her, Leo laughed so enthusiastically he nearly hit his head on the seat in front.
‘You must be exhausted, Leo,’ she said as they walked through the crowds coming out of the theatres to where they’d arranged to meet their driver and car.
‘Exhausted? Of course not. The night is still young.’
‘It’s after eleven.’
‘That’s young. You’re young. I’m young-at-heart. We can’t go home yet.’
She expected the car to head downtown in the direction of Greenwich Village and was surprised when he took the opposite direction.
‘Where are we going now?’
‘Don’t you feel like a nightcap?’
Ten minutes later the driver pulled into the kerb just down from an Irish pub. She knew in that instant why they were there and who else was going to be there too.
‘Gabriel is singing here tonight, isn’t he?’
‘I couldn’t possibly say,’ Leo said. ‘I liked him, by the way. Much more than Angus, if you don’t mind me saying.’
‘I don’t mind at all.’ Maggie said. She felt the same way.
They could hear the conversation before they went in, underpinned by taped music. The Pogues, Maggie thought. ‘We could be in Donegal,’ Leo declared as they went inside, taking in the Guinness posters, shelves of battered books and cabinets of old pottery. While Leo went to the bar, she found a seat between a leaning wooden post featuring road signs in Irish and English, nearly hitting her head on one. The main room was crowded, with three quarters of the tables filled with people of different ages and accents. She heard Irish accents to her left, American accents in front of her. In the opposite corner was a small stage, a chair and microphone waiting in the centre, under a red spotlight. There was no sign of Gabriel.
Until she turned around and there he was beside Leo, who was holding two glasses, one of Guinness, the other an amber fluid she guessed was whiskey.
Gabriel smiled at her. ‘Maggie, hello. What a nice surprise.’
‘Gabriel, has my grandfather been harassing you today? I don’t want you to think we’re stalking you.’
‘You mean you’re not? No, he was very polite, weren’t you, Leo? He rang me at the office and I said I’d be delighted if you both came tonight. It’s easier to sing in front of two people than an empty room.’
‘You’ve almost a full house.’
‘I can’t take credit. There are two thirtieth-birthday parties in here tonight, a tour group from County Kerry and a family reunion. I’ll have my work cut out if they all start shouting requests.’
‘You don’t mind us being here?’
The background music suddenly increased in volume. Gabriel leaned forward. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’
Maggie was very conscious of how close he was. She was equally conscious how good it was to be so close to him. She got that nice aftershave scent again. ‘I just wanted to make sure you don’t mind us being here.’
He touched her, fleetingly, on her bare arm. ‘It’s great to see you here. I’ll talk to you afterwards.’ He turned to Leo and had a quick word in his ear too. Maggie couldn’t hear what he said over the noise of the music, but whatever it was it made Leo laugh. Leo patted Gabriel on the shoulder and then took his seat next to Maggie.
Gabriel began his set without any fanfare. He simply walked up onto the stage, took a seat and began to play. She already knew he was a talented guitarist; she’d seen that from the brief snippet he’d played for her in Washington Square. But it was his voice that was truly special. Warm, distinctive and confident. He began with ‘Raglan Road’ and then U2’s ‘A Sort of Homecoming’. He sang ‘Trouble’ by Ray LaMontagne and ‘Babylon’ by David Gray. He did a rollicking version of Bob Dylan’s ‘Like a Rolling Stone’. The crowd gradually stopped talking and his background music became centre stage. The applause was loud and genuine when he finished his set a half hour later with three more traditional Irish songs.
‘Tessa would have loved that,’ Leo leaned over and said. ‘She adored Irish music. What did you think, Maggie?’
‘I thought he was wonderful.’
‘Maggie thought you were wonderful, Gabriel, and so did I,’ Leo said in hearty greeting when he came over. ‘Sit down here and let me get you a drink.’
Maggie couldn’t send her elderly grandfather back to the bar a second time. She stood up. ‘I’ll get this one. Whiskey, Leo? Gabriel?’
He smiled. ‘Thanks.’
There was a crush at the bar. Nearly fifteen minutes passed before she returned. Leo and Gabriel were deep in conversation. The background music was too loud to be able to join in easily. She noticed Gabriel’s respect for Leo, the way he listened so carefully to the older man. She noticed Gabriel’s long fingers, the muscles on his tanned arms. She noticed the way lines appeared in his cheeks when he smiled, something he did often. She noticed how he threw his head back when he laughed. Leo was making him laugh a lot. She watched Leo grow serious as Gabriel answered a question. She wished she could lip-read. The background music finally lowered.
Leo leaned across. ‘Gabriel’s never been to Ireland, Maggie. Did you know that? No Irish blood in him at all, yet he had those songs down perfectly.’
‘I have been to Spain, though,’ Gabriel said. ‘I apparently had a Spanish great-grandfather, so I’m much more authentic when I’m in a Spanish bar.’
‘I’d like to hear that too. Another time, I hope,’ Leo said, standing up. ‘Thank you again, Gabriel. It was an honour to hear you.’
‘We’re going?’ Maggie said. She was disappointed. She’d hardly exchanged a word with Gabriel all night.
‘We’ve still got one more item on our agenda tonight, Maggie.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Our patient driver will be expecting us any moment now.’
‘You’ve had a busy night already, I hear?’ Gabriel said, as Maggie gathered her wrap and bag.
‘He’s rushed me off my feet. I think it’s time he started acting his age,’ Maggie said. She took the opportunity to say some more. ‘Thanks for your message today about Dolly. I appreciated it very much.’
‘How are you? You’re okay?’
‘I am, I think. Are you?’
He nodded. ‘I’m glad for her she had a visitor on her last day and that it was you. I think she would have liked that.’
Leo w
as waiting. ‘Maggie, are you ready?’
She spoke impulsively. ‘Gabriel, would you like to come with us? I don’t know where we’re going, but you’d be more than welcome to come along too.’
‘I’d love to but I’ve got a second set in about ten minutes.’ He checked his watch. ‘In about three minutes, in fact.’
‘We’d better leave you to it, then. I don’t want to get you fired from this place as well.’ She still didn’t want to go. ‘It was good to see you again.’
‘Good to see you too, Maggie.’
He shook hands with Leo, briefly touched Maggie’s arm again and then he was gone.
‘What a charming young man,’ Leo said as he buckled himself into the back seat of the car. ‘He was a cameraman, you know. He’s done everything – news, current affairs, documentaries. He’s taking a career break at the moment, though. Like you. You’ve got a lot in common, now I think about it.’
‘Do you think so?’
‘He seemed very pleased to see you again tonight too.’
‘Is that right?’
Leo smiled. ‘I’d make a good matchmaker, wouldn’t I?’
‘Not a very subtle one.’
‘No?’ Leo laughed. ‘Well, I’m too old for subtleties.’
It was almost one a.m. before Maggie was back in her apartment. Leo’s final surprise of the evening had been a beautiful night-time tour of New York. The driver opened the hatch between the front and back seats and joined in their conversation as he drove them across the Brooklyn Bridge, pointing out all the landmarks.
Maggie had the princess feeling again as she was dropped off in front of her apartment building. She leaned across and hugged her grandfather. ‘It was a wonderful night, Tadpole. Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome, chicken. I’ll see you in the morning.’ They arranged a time and place. Eleven at his hotel. ‘And I promised I wouldn’t say anything about the other matter, so I won’t. But I’ll look forward to talking about it with you tomorrow.’
Those Faraday Girls Page 36