A Taste for It

by Monica McInerney

  He helped her open it. She smiled as she looked inside. Nestling on top of the black velvet was the little red London bus brooch she had thrown across her bedroom at Ardmahon House.

  “Bernadette found it, embedded in the curtains in your room. She had a feeling I might know something about it, and gave it to me. Would you like it back?”

  She gave a big smile. “I’d love it back,” she said softly, holding her breath as he gently pinned it on to her hospital gown.

  “There’s something else in the box for you,” he said. She lifted up the velvet square and took a deep breath. An exquisite silver ring etched with tiny Celtic designs lay there.

  “I had it made especially for you,” he said, gently taking it out. He went to put it on her finger.

  They both looked down. Her right hand and arm was completely bandaged.

  He grinned. “It’ll have to go on your left hand, won’t it?” he asked.

  Maura grinned back. “I guess so,” she said.

  Dominic eased it onto her ring finger, then leaned his lips against her forehead. As he did so, the bell in the corridor chimed, signalling the end of the visiting hours. Outside, they could hear a siren blare as an ambulance came up the drive, stopping abruptly with a squeal of brakes.

  She could feel his laughter.

  “It’s not quite an isolated beach, with a setting sun and soaring violins, but will it do?” he asked.

  Maura nodded.

  He looked down at her. “You still haven’t really answered my four questions,” he said.

  She smiled up at him. As his eyes searched her face, the look in Maura’s eyes answered for her.

  She spelt it out. “Yes, yes, yes and yes.” She reached up and gently stroked the side of his face. She couldn’t believe all he had said or all she was feeling.

  “How on earth did you know?” she asked. “How did you know I felt all this about you?” Then she suddenly guessed.

  “Bernadette told you?” she asked.

  Dominic smiled down at her.

  “Bernadette told me,” he answered.

  Then he kissed her on the lips. Very, very gently.

  Epilogue

  The sound of a spoon being tapped repeatedly against a glass competed for attention with the conversations taking place in the marquee.

  Eventually losing patience, Councillor Gerald Ramsey stepped up on to the small stage and took hold of the microphone, sending an ear-splitting squeal into the crowd.

  “Hello, hello, can you all hear me?” he said, clearly enunciating his words.

  “Unfortunately,” a wit called out.

  “Yes, yes, very funny,” Gerald said, looking around and trying to spot the culprit.

  Standing on the small stage beside him, Maura and Bernadette tried unsuccessfully to fight back grins as Gerald appealed again for order.

  “Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and welcome to this very special occasion,” Gerald said, leaning in close to the microphone to better project his voice.

  There were at least eighty people seated in the marquee set up on the front lawn of Ardmahon House, and several dozen more stood outside in the sunshine. Thankfully, the forecast rain had not come, and they were all enjoying a blast of August Irish sunshine.

  As Gerald embarked on what promised to be a long introductory speech, Maura absentmindedly stroked her wrist, feeling the raised crescent-shaped scar that was the only reminder of her burn injuries.

  It was over two years since that time, since Dominic’s sudden arrival in South Australia had turned her life upside-down. She thought of their wedding day, in the tiny chapel in the hills north of Lorikeet Hill. The three months of travelling that followed, as they worked to set up the international food magazine. And the steady, unfolding relationship between them.

  Smiling to herself, Maura remembered a few of their more fiery moments. She couldn’t say it had been all smooth sailing – they’d taken the turbulent, more scenic route, she thought. Looking out into the crowd, Maura caught Dominic’s eyes on her. She winked at him surreptitiously and grinned as he winked back.

  Maura concentrated on Gerald’s speech again, as he drew attention to the newly painted sign that had been installed at the front gate just that morning:

  Ardmahon House Restaurant and Cooking School

  It was Bernadette who had suggested going into business together. The classes at her Cloneely Lodge cooking school had become so popular she needed to move to bigger premises. Ardmahon House had plenty of room. And Maura and Bernadette already knew they worked well together.

  Neither Maura nor Dominic had needed much persuading. While Maura had enjoyed working with Dominic to set up the magazine, her first love had always been cooking. It had been no hardship to hand the magazine responsibilities over to a bright young editor, a Donegal woman newly returned from London.

  Six months of hectic activity had followed, as they called in the builders once again. The old stables that backed on to Ardmahon House were completely renovated. They installed a large-scale teaching kitchen and a modern function room, with plenty of room and all the facilities they would need.

  A sudden noise at the back of the marquee stopped the Councillor mid-speech. The audience turned around, just in time to see Maura’s nephew Quinn duck under the heavily-laden table, chasing a bright red ball. Fran leapt forward, catching the huge bouquet of flowers Joel had sent, as Nick reached under the table and picked up a wriggling Quinn.

  “Sorry,” Fran whispered, looking embarrassed. Maura smiled. It didn’t matter at all. She was so pleased that Nick, Fran and Quinn had made the trip to Ireland, she didn’t care if Quinn brought down the entire marquee. At two years of age, he was mischievous enough to try just that.

  Maura would have loved to see Gemma here today too, but her friend had needed to stay in South Australia to manage the renovations taking place at Lorikeet Hill. Under Gemma’s lively management, the café had gone from strength to strength – helped along by the fact it had been highly commended in the Australian Restaurant Awards for two years running. Gemma had promised Maura she would see her again soon though – she and Keith had put Ireland at the top of their list of potential honeymoon destinations.

  Maura could see Cormac and Rita among a lively group over from Dublin for the day. There was no sign of Carla, even though she’d grudgingly accepted the invitation they had sent to her in New York. She still hadn’t come around to the idea of Maura and Dominic’s marriage. Maura thought it was just as well Carla’s treatment programme was taking place in America. She had seen Carla only three or four times in the past two years and had a feeling that they would never be more than acquaintances.

  The sound of light applause interrupted her thoughts. Maura looked on with pleasure as Gerald invited Bernadette to say a few words about their new partnership.

  Bernadette enthusiastically outlined their plans to make Ardmahon House one of Ireland’s finest restaurants and cooking schools. They were expanding their range of classes, she explained, and even had plans for a range of theme weekends, with guest speakers on a wide range of topics.

  Gerald proposed a toast, and as he did so Bernadette put her arm around Maura.

  “To us, partner,” she said proudly, while glasses clinked around them.

  As Maura moved through the crowd afterwards, Jim McBride came up beside her. Maura had been pleased he and Eileen had accepted her invitation.

  “It’s great to have you home for keeps like this,” he whispered, then added in an undertone. “Your mother would be proud of you.”

  “Thank you, Jim,” she said, touched by his words. He tipped his hat at her politely and moved away to talk to a neighbour.

  With a moment to herself, Maura looked around the crowded marquee, taking in the sight of the guests talking, laughing and enjoying the fine food and wine.

  Feeling a hand gently caress her back, she knew without looking it was Dominic. She turned around and smiled up at him.
>
  Jim was right, Maura thought.

  She really was home.

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to Mary and Steve and all the McInerneys, Nancy and Joe and the Drislanes, the Dolan family, Anita Ruane, Kate Strachan and Stephen McInerney of Inchiquin Wines, Maeve O’Meara, Marea Fox, Jane Melross, Karen O’Connor, Bart Meldau, Kristin Gill, Felicity O’Connor, Janet Grecian, Christopher Pearce, Michael French and Annie Kaczmarski.

  Thanks to everyone at Poolbeg in Ireland and Penguin in Australia.

  Thanks to my friend and agent Eveleen Coyle in Dublin.

  And special thanks to two people: my sister Maura McInerney, for not only letting me borrow her name but also for her eagle eye and constant encouragement, and my husband John for everything.

  Also by

  MONICA MCINERNEY

  Those Faraday Girls

  As a child, Maggie Faraday grew up in a lively, unconventional household in Tasmania, with her young mother, four very different aunts and eccentric grandfather. With her mother often away, all four aunts took turns looking after her – until, just a few weeks before Maggie’s sixth birthday, a shocking event changed everything.

  Twenty years on, Maggie is living alone in New York City when a surprise visit from her grandfather brings a revelation and a proposition to reunite the family. As the Faradays gather in Ireland, Maggie begins to realise that the women she thought she knew so intimately all have something to hide . . .

  Those Faraday Girls is a rich and complex story full of warmth, humour and unforgettable women. Spanning several countries and thirty years, it is a deeply moving novel about family secrets and lies – and how the memories that bind us together can also keep us apart.

  ‘A story that’s impossible to put down’

  Woman’s Day

  ‘McInerney is Australia’s answer to Maeve Binchy,

  a modern-day Jane Austen’

  Sun Herald

  ‘A delicious, heartfelt and utterly engrossing drama’

  Australian Women’s Weekly

  ‘It’s an almost sinful pleasure to delve into anything written by

  Monica McInerney, whose delightful prose brings her rich characters

  to sparkling life. This particular tale deals with how the Faraday family

  confronts its secrets and, oh, what secrets there are’

  Irish American Post, USA

  Family Baggage

  Tour guide Harriet Turner knows all about journeys. She’s arranged hundreds of them for the travel agency her family runs. But nothing has prepared her for the drama, the hilarity or the passion of the Willoughby tour . . .

  When her foster sister Lara vanishes suddenly, Harriet is left in charge of a party of tourists on a theme tour of Devon and Cornwall. The eccentric group are fans of Willoughby, an English TV detective show, and can’t wait to meet Patrick Shawcross, the handsome actor who played him fifteen years ago.

  For Harriet, the tour turns into a different kind of journey – a journey of self-discovery. She finds herself confronting questions about her family, her childhood, and her powerful feelings for Patrick Shawcross.

  And the most puzzling question of all: where is Lara?

  ‘A book to treasure that is clever, amusing and

  heart-warmingly touching’

  Woman’s Day

  ‘Her books are for handbags and airports, traffic jams, railway stations and bus stops. They make us forget the irritating details of the day . . .

  Warmly written, kindly and empathetic’

  Sydney Morning Herald

  ‘A warm and intricate novel about the inner workings

  of everyday families’

  Madison

  ‘The exploration of family ties that McInerney

  has made her trademark’

  Daily Telegraph

  The Alphabet Sisters

  Sisters are always there for each other – aren’t they?

  Anna, Bett and Carrie Quinlan were childhood singing stars – the Alphabet Sisters. As adults they haven’t spoken for years. Not since Bett’s fiancé left her for another sister . . .

  Now Lola, their larger-than-life grandmother, summons them home for a birthday extravaganza and a surprise announcement. But just as the rifts begin to close, the Alphabet Sisters face a test none of them ever imagined.

  An unforgettable story of three women who learn that being true to themselves means being true to each other.

  ‘Tender and well-observed . . . there is also plenty of McInerney’s

  trademark wit, but have the hankies ready for this,

  probably her best novel yet’

  Irish Independent

  ‘This book took my breath away’

  FreshFiction.com, USA

  ‘You’ll be laughing out loud one minute and crying the next’

  Cosmopolitan

  ‘A gentle and life-affirming story. We come away feeling better about the world and, maybe, just a little more tender towards those close to us’

  Sydney Morning Herald

  ‘McInerney is a dab hand at getting her characters exactly right.

  They are utterly believable, often lovable and familiar’

  West Australian

  ‘Vivid characterisations and sharply honed dialogue . . . McInerney

  brings humour and insight into issues of sibling rivalry,

  family secrecy and romantic betrayal’

  Boston Globe

  Upside Down Inside Out

  Ever been tempted to pretend you were someone exotic, someone adventurous . . . someone different?

  Set in Ireland, England and Australia, this is the funny and heartwarming story of two people whose lives are about to turn upside down and inside out.

  Eva is off to Australia on a break from her job in a Dublin delicatessen, hoping to forget a fizzled romance and find inspiration for a new career. Joseph is taking a holiday from his stressful London job.

  Each is on a search for some answers about life. Then something quite unexpected happens.

  They meet each other.

  ‘Sparkling . . . it’s all systems go for a wonderful romance . . . A long, glorious romp with a supporting cast of entertaining characters.

  The author leads us skilfully through this maze of near-misses and misunderstandings, and delivers a charming story told with large doses of love and humour’

  Australian Women’s Weekly

  ‘There is a huge “aaahh” factor in Monica McInerney’s second novel . . .’

  Irish Examiner

  ‘An effervescent blend of romance, humour, travel and adventure’

  Marie Claire

  Spin the Bottle

  Lainey Byrne is a woman in control, juggling a hectic job, her boyfriend Adam and a family with more than its fair share of dramas.

  Things go into a spin when she is wrenched from her life in Melbourne to run a B&B in Ireland for a year. Bed-and-breakfast quickly tumbles into bed-and-bedlam, especially when a reunion with childhood friend Rohan Hartigan sparks an unexpected dilemma.

  Meanwhile, back in Australia, her father’s taken to his bed, her mother’s up the walls, her three brothers are running amok – and as for Adam . . .

  It’s going to take more than a game of spin the bottle to sort this one out!

  ‘A cosy, light-hearted romp, highly recommended’

  Australian Women’s Weekly

  ‘As fresh, funny and engaging as its popular precursors, A Taste for It and Upside Down Inside Out . . . This is comfort reading – warm-buttered toast with Irish honey spread right to the crusts’

  Adelaide Advertiser

  ‘Her best yet . . . a funny and poignant story . . . a novel which fairly cracks along with a mix of humour, a touch of blarney and insight into the pressures and strains in contemporary relationships’

  Courier-Mail

  ‘Disarmingly funny . . . McInerney’s story and plot resonates with a Maeve Binchy kind of generosity of spirit . . . Compassio
nate, clever and sometimes poignant’

  The Age