“I see Bernice is away,” Mia smiled as Archie tried to kiss her with the cigarette still in his mouth.
“In Dublin. She had a meeting in Rosshaven earlier and then off to a black-tie dinner in the Westbury. Left with a cocktail gown on a hanger!” Humphrey was wooing her back, Archie was pleased to note. “Turning into quite the jet-setter, rarely here these days.”
“Does her good to get away and you having visitors gives her a break,” Leela reminded him. Much as she loved Bernice, having Archie to herself was by far her favourite arrangement. Just Archie and Mia, suited her perfectly.
Archie took Mia to one side, looking into her face.
“Tough time, darling one, most unpleasant state of affairs. How’re you bearing up?”
“I’m fine.” She gave him a small smile. “We took his clothes to the tip and changed all the locks.”
“Had to be done and ..?” he whispered.
“He didn’t get the part he went after. Fenella’s influence, I imagine.”
“Gook work,” Archie agreed. “And ..?”
“I slept the whole way on the train and am about to eat the best fish and chips in the world!”
“That’s my girl!” Archie kissed her forehead. “Rosshaven fish and chips, the perfect remedy for a broken heart. Now, drinks.”
“Shall I fetch plates?” Ross put the food on the table.
“Not at all,” said Leela. “Sure, that spoils the taste. We eat them out of the paper. Who wants bread and butter?”
Ross’s eyes widened.
“To make chip sandwiches,” Mia enlightened him.
“Of course,” Ross replied and laughed again, land of his forefathers it maybe but sometimes this really did feel like a foreign country.
Archie hardly ate a thing, though he was certainly enjoying the impromptu supper party, eyes twinkling as he explained to Ross that ray was not ‘stingray’ as the American had assumed but skate wing, a delicious meaty white fish. Mia knew what was coming next, Archie’s anguished bemoaning of the failing fishing industry, devastated by European Union rules and regulations.
“Was your father a seafaring man?” Ross asked, assuming the grandeur of Galty House had been the result of a thriving fishing enterprise.
“No, my father was a playwright, my grandfather was a shipbuilder though, that was the family business,” Archie said.
Ross looked at Mia.
“And your family business?”
“Show business,” she replied; her stock answer.
“Even the men?” Ross was interested.
“Mia’s grandfather was a fishing captain, lost at sea long before she was born,” Leela cut in. Mia had already left the table, taking the wrappings out to the bin. Leela busied herself pouring cups of strong tea but Ross requested milk, he had never taken to the blackish brew the Irish seemed to drink by the gallon.
“Mia likes milk too.” Leela handed him a glass. He had good hands, she noticed, long fingers. She liked hands, indulging in a weekly manicure herself, although Bernice baulked at the electric blue varnish she favoured, saying she could not eat a thing served with such garish talons. Archie advised Leela leave the varnish on, his sister needed to lose a bit of weight anyway.
“I only like the full fat version, none of that skimmed rubbish for me,” Mia confirmed, pouring herself a glass. “It’s a wonder I’m not the size of a house.”
Difficult to know what size Mia was beneath her layers, Leela considered, watching their guest give her an appreciative glance. Ross was remembering the night at the hotel, when Pearl had been transfixed by her beautiful mermaid friend and despite all the angst in his life ‒ head crammed with finance, worries about Tara ‒ this was not the first time the image of Mia that night crept into his mind, momentarily transfixing him too.
“You can’t fatten a thoroughbred, as they say,” Leela laughed and Archie agreed, he had also noticed Ross looking at the mermaid.
The attention was making Mia uncomfortable, she had been thinking about the meeting on the train, when she had given everyone the impression Ross was a pervert; she still blenched at the memory.
“How’s Pearl?” she asked.
“Having the best time.” He gave that rare smile again. “Irish dancing classes, barbecues on the beach and her school project, she’s obsessed with anything to do with the island. It’s great to see her so engaged.”
“The island?” Leela asked.
“Yeah, the one out past the harbour, Phoenix Island, isn’t that what it’s called?”
Mia laughed. “Archie’s fault. We went exploring the day we went out in the boat, Archie’s history lesson sounded like a cross between Harry Potter and James Bond.”
Leela shot Archie a look.
“Just entertaining my guests,” he explained. “Everyone loves a legend.”
“Well, Pearl says it’s more than a legend. She’s keen to get back there, carry out field research, as she calls it, very determined once she gets an idea in her head.”
“Must be a family trait.” Archie lit another illicit cigarette. “Shame I can’t take her, but I’m out of action for a while, medics running tests, confined to base I’m afraid.”
“I’ll take her,” Mia cut in. “Not in Banshee though, too much for me but I can take the tender, can’t I?”
“Of course, she’s old but sturdy,” Archie replied.
Leela flicked him with a tea towel. “Don’t be cheeky, a bit of respect for the elderly ladies around here if you don’t mind.”
The clock struck.
“I’ve outstayed my welcome as usual.” Ross shook hands with his host, looking hopefully at Mia. “Pearl would love you to take her, you’re a mermaid in disguise, don’t forget, she feels safe with you.”
Mia felt herself blush. “I’ll call her.”
“You guys stay put, I’ll see myself out.” He looked back at Mia. “Maybe I could come along?”
“Sure, why not?”
But she was not sure, not sure at all, there was something disturbing about Ross Power, if she was in his presence for too long her nerves seemed to jangle. Her own fault, she forgot to make him a pirate, she needed to remember to do that the next time.
Cruising along the coast road heading south, Mia’s erstwhile colleague Lol Battersby was having a lovely time. Convinced the night of passion with her old flame had been no more than drinks and a tumble in the hay for old times’ sake, she was more than surprised when Dominic Driscoll called.
“Funnily enough, I was planning to stay for a few days. Take in some sea air before I drag my sorry arse back to the smoke looking for another job to drive me crazy.”
Driscoll stifled a sigh, Lol could be a right whinge once she started. He had picked her up at Brittas Bay; she looked like an elderly student, backpack, baseball cap, skinny jeans.
“Bloody hell,” she cried when the beautiful car drew up beside her. “Did you win the lottery or is it stolen?”
Driscoll gave her a slimy smile. “Neither, someone with more money than sense lent it to me. To be honest he won’t need it for much longer.”
“Why, been nicked for drunk driving?” she asked, climbing in.
“No, he’s terminally ill.” Driscoll pulled away. The penny dropped.
“It’s Archie Fitzgerald’s, isn’t it? Poor old bugger. Mia was driving this, last time I saw it.”
Driscoll did not reply. Lol slid him a look.
“Does he know you have it?”
“Of course, I gave Fenella Flanagan a lift to the airport, so I thought I’d look up an old friend.” He squeezed her knee.
Lol was not falling for it. All a bit too close to home.
“So, what’s the story?”
“No story.” Driscoll kept his eyes on the road. “You’ve been working with her daughter Mia, haven’t you? Nice kid … is she seeing anyone do you know?”
Lol bit her lip. Mia’s engagement was hush, hush.
“Why do you ask?”
He tho
ught for a minute.
“There’s a chance she may be in for a very large inheritance and I was just wondering if this inheritance came to pass, would she take it up or carry on her life elsewhere, you know, take the money and run?”
Lol twigged that Driscoll was talking about what Archie might leave Mia.
“I think you might be a bit old for her,” she told him.
“Ha, I’m not interested in her, lovely girl though she is.” Driscoll forced jollity. “It’s just that I’ve friends who’d be interested to know what she’d do with the property, if she inherited it, that is.” Eamon had been most insistent Driscoll find out if Mia would stay; they stood a far better chance if the property was uninhabited, Bernice could gain squatters rights while they fought the case, although Eamon would never dare suggest that in front of Bernice.
“You mean, someone wants to try and do Mia out of her inheritance?” Lol’s brain flicked into overdrive. That’s why Driscoll had reappeared. The reason he had sabotaged the set. Someone wanted Mia out of the way and Driscoll was being paid to make it happen, he had always been trouble. “I’m sure whoever is bequeathing such an inheritance would have enough about them to take proper legal advice, your friend could be on a hiding to nothing.”
Driscoll was quiet for a while.
“That’s as maybe, but if she does end up with the property, my question is, would she sell it? Are the ties over in England enough to keep her there? You know the job, a fella if she has one?”
Lol sat back, watching the beautiful landscape fall away from the road as they motored on; rolling hills; fields of every shade of green bordered with soft grey stone; the hand-built walls a signature sealing its heritage. She hoped if Mia did inherit a house there would be room for her, nothing grand, just somewhere to live out her retirement in peace on this beautiful island, she felt ready for it now.
“Don’t know, none of my business.” She was not happy with this line of questioning.
“Come on, Lol, spill. Wouldn’t want me to start any rumours now would you? About how you might have got pissed and forgotten to lock the truck. People might think it was your fault the shoot was wrapped, why they all lost their jobs.”
Lol bridled. She remembered now why she had finished with him. He was a shit, a snidey, blackmailing, dirty low-down piece of shit.
“If it’s anything to you, Mia loves her job and she’s bloody good at it. Directors breathe a sigh of relief if she’s in charge of wardrobe. Not sure how much work she’d get based here but with an inheritance she might not need to work.”
“And with a man in the picture?” Driscoll pushed.
“Might make a difference.” Lol was thinking about Rupert. She had only met him a couple of times but was unimpressed. He had dismissed her as soon as Mia introduced them, looking over her shoulder, seeking out someone far more important to talk to. She had heard rumours too, one of the reasons Courtney looked so stressed was because his wife was having an affair with another actor, some guy called Russell or Rupert. But the business was so riddled with gossip who knew if it was Mia’s Rupert, or even true.
“Depending on the guy, of course. Someone ambitious, building a career, would definitely have to be based in London,” she said.
“And she’d stay with him? Does she want kids, family all that stuff?” Driscoll felt sure Lol knew the score.
“As I said, depends on the guy. If she inherits loads maybe he won’t need a career and she can keep the both of them.” Lol could just imagine Rupert, the little prick, poncing about some country estate. But he would soon be off, stuffing a load of Mia’s money in his back pocket and disappearing to New York or Los Angeles, she knew the type, knew the type only too well. She looked at Driscoll.
“Where are we going?”
“I thought we’d head to Kinsale, some fabulous gourmet restaurants there, nice hotels.”
“Bit beyond my budget I’m afraid.”
“You short of funds then?”
“Flat broke,” Lol told him. “I’m backpacking, nothing fancy, just a couple of days taking in the scenery, you know the stuff that’s free.” He wants me to pay as usual, she thought.
Driscoll squirmed in the leather seat; he always borrowed off his girlfriends, it sounded like Lol had closed his account.
By the time they stopped at The Bridge Inn in Arklow their initial banter had become strained. He was put out when Lol refused a beer. She was back on the wagon and despite enjoying what she could remember of their intimacy, she was not prepared to let it happen again. No way.
They were finishing lunch when it started to rain. Driscoll’s plan of fun in the sun was beginning to dissolve. Relief, he had a voicemail from Eamon, requesting a meeting; they had important business to discuss.
“Sorry, sweet thing, I’ll have to drop you at the nearest station.” He gave a sad smile. “Just had a call. I’ve to get back.”
Lol was nonplussed. “Didn’t think you’d be allowed to keep that car for long.”
TREASURE ISLAND
Mia had her head in the cupboard under the stairs, seeking out lifejackets and the spare can of fuel when she heard wheels screech on the gravel and the whole house rattle with the loud banging of someone at the door. The letterbox lifted.
“Quick let me in!”
Pearl threw her arms around her, clinging like a limpet.
“You never said goodbye, didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” The huge cornflower blue eyes stared up at her. Mia returned the hug.
“Silly thing.” She smiled. “House rule, no one here ever says goodbye, because we never leave, not for good anyway.”
Ross Power appeared in the doorway.
“You trying to give me the slip?” he scowled at his niece.
“Yep.” Pearl was defiant.
“Because of Caroline?”
“Yep,” she said again.
“What have I told you about eavesdropping? I was only saying things might change, you have to give people notice if their services are no longer required.” Ross was serious.
“But if Caroline’s no longer required it only means one thing.” Pearl was glaring at him. “You’re sending me away.”
Mia gestured for Ross to come in. Pearl edged back, gripping Mia tightly.
“The family think it might be good if you went home, just for term time, you can come back on vacation.”
“There is no home,” she said baldly.
Ross dropped to his knees. “Come on now, that’s not true …”
Mia watched as he knelt there, worry etched across his face. He felt her gaze.
“Pearl, can we discuss this later?”
“I won’t change my mind. There isn’t anyone back home, you’re here.” A large tear rolled down her cheek. Ross looked desperate. Mia felt a stab of pity, concern for the scared little girl and the worried man, their hearts breaking right there in the hallway of the big house.
“That’s enough.” She took the child by the hand. “Let’s fetch our picnic. It’s high summer, far too soon to be talking about school or anyone going anywhere. Now, field research, that’s the only thing on the agenda today, okay?” She guided Pearl towards the kitchen, Ross was leaning heavily against the grandfather clock.
“Don’t just stand there, get in here and help. All hands on deck if you want to be part of this crew.” She threw a lifejacket at him.
“I’m not sure … I have a meeting …”
“Make a call. Cancel. You’re needed elsewhere today,” Mia told him.
Pearl was in the bow, Mia at the tiller as Ross pushed them off the beach. The water was streaked with mist, a hazy sun shimmering in the distance, another fine day. Pearl seemed totally unfazed as she sat boldly upfront in her life vest, bag slung over her shoulder, pointing straight at the island in case Mia might miss it.
Mia was just about to tell Ross they were afloat when he disappeared. She killed the engine. He bobbed up, spluttering as he wiped his eyes, then hauling himself over the s
ide, landed full length in the boat like a huge, wet fish. He sat up, coughing. Pearl started to giggle.
“What’s so funny?” He smirked, pulling his sweatshirt over his head. He threw it at Pearl. She was laughing now, the sound was infectious. He tugged off his tee-shirt, Mia looked away.
“What happened?” She busied herself at the tiller.
“Lost my footing.” He moved up beside her. “Here, let me do that, I’m fine, no need to go back.”
“You’re wet through.” Water ran from his shorts down his long, tanned legs. He pushed dripping hair out of his eyes.
“I’ll dry by the time we get to the island, sun’s coming out.” He smiled. Mia pulled the zip of her sailing jacket down a little, the temperature was rising, alright.
“See what I’ve brought for the project,” Pearl called. “We can make a map and everything.”
Mia let Ross take the helm.
“Be careful, hidden rocks, stay in the channel,” she warned.
“I will.”
He stretched out as he guided the tender skilfully through the water. Mia kept her gaze fixed over the side, straying from the channel could be dangerous.
Pearl held the paper as Mia drew the shape of the island. They had spread the rug in the courtyard near the well. Ross was busy unwrapping food; homemade scotch eggs, baked ham and tomato in soda bread with chunks of syrupy apple cake for dessert, a flask of Leela’s bitter-sweet lemonade to drink. The sea air made him ravenous, having been holed up in his office for days; preparing reports, attending meetings and now this latest scenario, the debate over Pearl’s education.
“Save some for us!” Pearl reached to pluck a scotch egg. “I’ve never had these before.” She nibbled at the spicy sausage meat.
“This place is amazing.” Ross took a swig of lemonade. They had already trudged the path circling the island. “I’m guessing you know every inch of it, coming here as a kid?” he said to Mia.
“It was off limits. Only came once, history field trip with Sister Agnes. The seminary’s been derelict for years, someone found an unexploded bomb, whole place was fenced off.”
That Summer at the Seahorse Hotel Page 22