Perplexed, he went back into the living-room.
“Louise, what are all these debits on the credit card that you made last Sunday week? And where did this €905 lodgment come from?”
“Oh, that,” she said blithely. “Melissa forgot her credit card when we were down in Kildare Village that day and I paid for her things. Then she paid me back last Friday and I lodged it to the account.” She beamed at him, almost believing the story herself.
“Oh, I see,” he said, not really seeing at all. He knew Melissa was not a big spender so it surprised him that she had spent so much in one afternoon. Still, he felt a great sense of relief that it was not Louise who had spent that €905.
She came to kiss him goodbye before swirling out the door in a cloud of Chanel Allure.
“Women – I’ll never understand them!” he remarked to the empty room.
He reheated his dinner and when he’d finished he set off for the wine course. He was really looking forward to it.
Louise was in an exuberant moodbecause AlanBrown, the guy she’d met in Kildare Village, had phoned her that day. He’d had to go out of town unexpectedly, he’d said, which was why he hadn’t called before now. He asked her to meet him some evening for a drink. He would be out of town on Wednesday and Thursday so they settled onthe following Monday, when Ronan would be at his wine course.
“I can’t wait to see you,” he told her. “You’ve been on my mind non-stop since I saw you again.”
She felt a little flutter in her stomach. His voice sounded so sexy on the phone. It was thrilling and, although she hadn’t told him so, he’d been on her mind a lot too. Now she felt exhilarated and dying to see him again. She rang Melissa with the good news and asked her to meet up for a few drinks. She felt like celebrating. She also rang Deirdre and Kate who agreed to join them. She could hardly contain her excitement.
“I told you he’d call,” she said smugly to Melissa when they met although secretly when he hadn’t called after a week she’d thought he’d forgotten her. Her friend just sighed enviously. Louise had all the luck!
18
The second week of the course began. Sam watched as his students took their place, smiling at the fact that they all made for the same seats that they had sat in the previous week. People always did this. It was interesting to observe that humans were such creatures of habit. It never ceased to amaze him.
Ellie was looking very pretty in a shortdenimdress and red shoes so high that Sam thought they must give her vertigo. Zita had on the same dungarees and waistcoat that she’d worn the week before. Ronan was wearing a well-cut blazer over a crisp white shirt and looked very elegant indeed. Sam suspected that it was Rachel who had raised the bar style-wise the previous week and this week was no different. She was looking very chic in a cream blazer over a navy shirt and trousers.
They were chatting together and it was obvious that they were all happy to be there. Even the four younger ones seemed animated and Sam hoped not to disappoint them tonight.
He didn’t! They all listened fascinated as he explained what happened to the grapes once they left the vineyard and entered the winery. He spoke with such passion that even Hayley seemed caught up in it and asked him a question about something she didn’t understand.
The tasting session went a little better than the week before and Sam was pleased to see that they were getting the hang of it. There was less spluttering and choking than there had been the first week. Ronan appeared to have a very good palate and Ellie was pretty good at discerning the flavours in the wine too.
All in all it was another successful evening and Sam, Ronan, Ellie, Rachel and Zita left in a happy group for a drink in the Castle Bar. The four young ones declined to join them but Rachel overheard them planning to go to The Yacht together.
“They probably don’t want to be seen with old fogies like us,” she exclaimed laughingly to the others as they walked to the pub.
Sam insisted on buying the first drink. “Then we can all put a few euro in the kitty for the next drink. That okay with everyone?”
They all agreed that that was a good idea. Ronan was relieved. A round would be quite expensive with five people there! Drink prices in Irish pubs were scandalous, he thought, especially now that he knew how much the drinks actually cost in the off-licence. Sam asked them what they wanted.
“Gin and Slimline Tonic for me, please,” Rachel said.
A pint of Guinness was what both Zita and Ronan wanted and Ellie asked for a glass of white wine.
“Anything but chardonnay,” Sam remarked, grinning mischievously at her.
She blushed, swatting him playfully. He roared with laughter as he went to the bar to order.
“What’s all this ‘no chardonnay’ about?” Rachel wanted to know.
“Well, I was at this very upmarket dinner with my fiancé – it was in his new boss’s house – and his wife, who was frightfully snooty, told me she didn’t do chardonnay when I asked for one.”
Rachel looked at her sympathetically.
“Well, I felt like an ass, I needn’t tell you, but then Sam – who is their wine merchant – told me that the white Chablis she was serving was actually made from the chardonnay grape. That made me feel better, as you can imagine!”
The others laughed with her and Zita suggested that she should have put the snooty bitch in her place.
“I wish I could have but it was David’s boss’s wife, so I couldn’t very well, could I?” She couldn’t bring herself to tell them that the lady in question was Sam’s mother.
“No, I suppose not,” Rachel agreed with her. “Still, I bet you felt one up on her.”
“I sure did but I suppose I owe her. It was because of her that I decided to do this wine course.”
“Well, we should be grateful to her so,” Ronan said gallantly.
“Yes, her loss is our gain,” Rachel smiled.
“I never imagined it would be so interesting,” Ellie remarked, wanting to change the subject as she spotted Sam coming back to the table.
He gave Rachel and Ellie their drinks and went back for the pints. He returned shortly afterwards and joined in the lively discussion they were having about what they’d learnt that evening.
Sam noticed that Rachel was drinking very fast and that the gin was having an effect already. He’d also noticed that she was the only one whonever spat the wine out at the tasting session but swallowed it every time. Methinks the lady likes her liquor, he thought as they all put €7 on the table for the next drinks.
They had a great time and Zita and Rachel were obviously getting on great as they nattered away to each other. This surprised Ellie as they were so different. She still couldn’t make Zita out. Instinctively, she didn’t trust her. There was something strange about her – but obviously Rachel didn’t think so.
By the third drink Rachel was quite merry and the wine was also having its effect on Ellie. They were both giggling and Sam and Ronan smiled indulgently as much as to say ‘women – they just can’t hold their drink’. Zita had no problem however and was as sober a judge after three pints.
Rachel wanted to buy a fourth round for everyone but Ronan and Sam both declined, saying that they had to work the following day.
“I’m fine, thanks,” Ellie giggled. “If I have another one, I’ll fall down.”
Rachel looked disappointed and it was obvious that she wanted another one.
“Okay, I’ll have a glass of Guinness so, not a pint though,” Zita told her and was rewarded with a grateful smile.
Rachel went to order. She was having a wonderful time. They were all such lovely people, she thought as she stood at the bar. They liked her for herself, not just because she was Carl Dunne’s wife. That was a welcome change!
As she was drinking her fourth G&T she had a brilliant idea.
“Listen, guys,” she said excitedly, “I’m having a party next Saturday night and I’d love you all to come. We’ve had such fun tonight. Please say yes.”
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“Well, I don’t know. I usually spend Saturdays with David,” Ellie replied dubiously.
“Oh, all your partners are invited too. It’s our annual Midsummer’sEveparty and there’ll be music and we’re having a spit-roasted pig. Please say you’ll come. I’d love to have you all there.”
She sounded so earnest that Ellie texted David to see if he would come. She hoped he would. Gosh, her friends would be madly jealous. The Dunnes’ parties were famous!
“I’ll come,” Zita replied.
“Me too,” Sam added. “You had me at spit-roasted pig.” The others laughed.
“Brilliant!” Rachel cried, clapping her hands. “What about you, Ronan?”
“Well, I’ll just check with Louise, my wife, but I don’t think we have anything on next Saturday.”
Ellie read David’s reply: Sure why not?
“Great! David and I can come too,” she confirmed happily.
“Splendid!” Rachel exclaimed, clapping her hands. She gave each of them her card and asked them to confirm it later with her – then she would give them directions to her house. “It will be so nice to meet all your other halves and I’m dying for you all to meet Carl,” she told them, smiling happily.
Not half as much as I’m dying to meet him, Zita thought to herself.
Amid a flurry of kisses and hugs they all said goodbye. Rachel had ordered a taxi while Ronan and Zita set off to take the DART home. Sam offered to walk Ellie home which was only five minutes away.
“She couldn’t possibly walk in those heels,” Rachel shrieked, pointing to the five-inch stilettos. “My taxi can drop her off.”
“It’s not my shoes I’m worried about,” Ellie admitted with a giggle. “It’s all the wine I’ve had.”
“See you all next Saturday,” Rachel calledhappily as they entered the taxi.
“Rachel’s something else, isn’t she?” Sam remarked to Ronan as they parted.
“She sure is,” Ronan grinned, “and she has a good heart.”
“It’s so great to have made such nice new friends,” Rachel confided to Ellie as they entered the taxi.
“You must have lots of friends,” Ellie remarked.
“Not at all,” Rachelreplied sadly. “I have two very good friends, Naomi and Charlotte. We go way back to our junior schooldays, but unfortunately Naomi is married in New York and Charlotte moved to Italy. I really miss them a lot.”
“What about all the people you meet through Carl?”
“You can’t find true friends in that circle. You never know who you can trust. You think they like you for yourself and then you find out that they want something from you or that they’re talking to the media.”
Rachel’s voice sounded sad and Ellie felt really sorry for her. Her life was obviously not as perfect as it looked from the outside.
They had arrived at Ellie’s home and as the taxi came to a standstill Ellie turned to Rachel. “Well, you can trust me, Rachel, and I’m honoured to be your friend.”
“Thank you, Ellie. I appreciate that.” They hugged goodnight. “See you next Saturday.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
On the drive to Howth Rachel thought of the way she’d been betrayed by some friends in the past. It hadn’t taken her long to realise that some women befriended her only so that they could get close to Carl. His affair with her best friend had shattered her trust in women and had made her wary ever since. For the hundredth time she wished that Naomi and Charlotte hadn’t moved away. She missed them so much.
Ellie had mentioned earlier that she had a sister although it appeared they didn’t get along all that well. Rachel had always envied the girls at school who’d had sisters. How wonderful to have someone with whom you could share everything! Someone you could trust. Lost in thought, she realised with a start that she was home. Paying the taxi driver, she went inside, putting these thoughts out of her head.
Zita took the DART into Pearse Station and walked the rest of the way home.
Marcus was waiting for her. “Well?” he enquired.
“Yeeesssss!” Zita laughed, pumping the air with her fist. “Mission accomplished!”
“Tell me, tell me!” he shrieked, following her into her apartment.
She opened a bottle of wine and, pouring two glasses, handed him one and sat down on the armchair, her legs dangling over the arm.
“We, my darling, have been invited to a party chez Dunne, next Saturday night.”
“You’re kidding me!” he cried. “I’m invited too?”
“Well, I can bring a partner and as you’re my partner in crime . . .” She rolled the words on her tongue, her catlike eyes glistening.
“Oh my God!” he bellowed, unable to believe his ears. “The gorgeous Carl Dunne – up close and personal – I don’t believe it!” He jumped up and did a little dance around the room. “You are something else, Ms Williams. How did you manage that?”
“I hav vays and means,” she replied, acting mysterious.
“Oh, my God, what will I wear?” he cried. “Do you think my purple velvet suit would be okay? It’s not too over the top, is it?”
“You? Over the top? Spare me! You’re never anything else,” she laughed.
“Now, seriously. Tell me all!” he demanded. “How did you get us invited tochez Dunne?”
Rolling a joint expertly, she inhaled deeply and then handed it to him. She told him all that had happened that evening, Marcus interrupting her every thirty seconds for more details. He could hardly believe it! They both got high and drunk as skunks as they fantasised about the following Saturday. It was going to be brill!
To Ronan’s relief, Louise’s good humour lasted throughout the week. She was even excited about going to the Dunnes’ party on Saturday. They rarely went anywhere together these days. Eating out in Dublin was so damned expensive and as for concerts and shows – the prices for them were ridiculously exorbitant. Even a trip to the cinema could cost upwards of €40. Throw in a few drinks before or after and you were talking of €80 – even €100 if you needed to take a taxi. Crazy times, Ronan sighed.
He hoped Louise would not be looking for a new rig-out for the party as their finances would just not stretch to that. So far she hadn’t mentioned anything and anyway she had three wardrobes full of clothes to choose from. It was not as if any of the people there would have seen them before.
He was really enjoying the work in Sam’s wine shop and was already settled in there and had got to know the ropes. The extra money he was earning was a godsend and meant he could pay a little more off their credit-card bill. There was light at the end of the tunnel.Fiona came down to the shop every time he was on duty. He had offered to go up to her at his break to save her climbing the stairs but she insisted on coming down, saying that she liked the opportunity to escape the confines of her apartment.
“It gets pretty boring looking at the four walls all day,” she confided to him. He didn’t doubt it soheasked her to come at his break-time so that they could chat without interruption and share tea and biscuits together in the small staff kitchen behind the shop.
He was amazed when she told him that she was actually twenty-sevenyearsold. She looked much younger. He was growing quite fond of her and wondered how she had found herself in this predicament. He didn’t know her well enough yet to ask her and she didn’t venture any information. Still, she was always good-humoured and laughing and he enjoyed their little chats.
19
Rachel was in a tizzy. Carl had disappeared to meet some of his cronies when there was so much yet to be done. He really was most inconsiderate. The house was a scene of chaos. The caterers were flying all over the place, pushing past her with trays of food. She dared not go in the kitchen as she would only be in their way.They had set theroasting pigup earlier and it had been rotating on its spit in the garden for hours. The aroma coming from it was delicious.The string quartet that would play for the first part of the evening had just arrived and were setting
up beside the fountain and the band who would play later were busy trying to get the amplification right. She counted at least five guys, besides the musicians, who were helping with this. It felt like an invasion had taken place. She just wished it was all done and then she could relax.
Carl’s friend, who had a drinks company, was delivering the bottles of spirits but had rung to say he was running a little late. She hoped he would be here before her guests arrived. Trust him – always the last minute! Luckily she had insisted to Carl that she order the champagne and wine from Sam, who had delivered it all the previous day unlike Carl’s merchant, so at least they had plenty of that. The champagne was chilling, ready to be served to their guests as they arrived. Sam had given her a generous discount, unlike that other creep who she suspected charged them more because of who they were.
This reminded Rachel that what she badly needed was a drink, and she went to get one.
Sipping a large gin and tonic, she surveyed the scene. Because the weather had turned out to be glorious and the forecast was that it would stay that way, they had considered dispensing with the large marquee altogether. However, knowing how often the forecasters got it wrong, they had decided to erect it, just in case. They would, however, leave the sides open and the canvas drawn back as drapes. There were heaters set amongst the tables for later in the night when it could get chilly and they could always close the sides if the unthinkable happened and it rained.
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