Page 18 of The Book of Irish Secrets (Magnolia Manor #5)

‘Gaelic football?’ Claire asked.

‘Of course. Good old GAA and all that. They’re very big around here.’

‘And Rose?’ Claire asked. ‘Was she in the same school?’

‘No. She and her sisters went to Coláiste íde. That’s a girls’ boarding school where they learn all subjects in Irish and become strong women.

’ He laughed. ‘As if those Fleury girls need it. They’re strong and feisty all on their own.

’ He turned to Claire. ‘You remind me of them, actually. You have that independent aura. I bet you don’t suffer fools gladly or take rubbish from anyone.

Are you sure you weren’t a Fleury woman in an earlier life? ’

‘Quite sure,’ Claire said, feeling a tiny frisson at his question. Did he know how close he was to the truth about her? ‘I did take lot of rubbish from someone for a long time,’ she continued, ‘so no, you’re wrong there. I was a bit of a doormat with my ex-husband.’

‘Well, that’s a different matter,’ Pierce said.

‘Marriage, I mean. I got it wrong, too, for a long time. And then it all blew up in my face. But at least I got a lovely daughter out of it, so something good came out of that misery. You’ll meet her in a few weeks.

She’s going through that awkward teenage phase where you think everyone is against you.

But she’s a great kid and she’ll be fine in the end.

I just have to be patient and suffer in silence. ’

‘I remember what that teenage anger was like,’ Claire said. ‘I was a total pain when I was that age. Everything was about me and it was all my mother’s fault. But my great-aunt Rachel was a great help. She listened to me and then said something that woke me up.’

‘What was that?’ Pierce asked, intrigued.

‘She said that the most self-destructive things in life are feeling sorry for yourself and being envious of others. Both of which I was very good at,’ Claire said with a laugh. ‘So then I tried my best to follow her advice. I think I behaved a bit better after that talking-to.’

‘Your great-aunt sounds like a wise woman.’

‘Oh, she was,’ Claire said wistfully, the loss of her beloved great-aunt hitting her like a stab in the chest. ‘I could talk to her about everything and she always listened. All through my life, really, until she died a year ago. She was a real granny substitute after my real grandmother died. I miss her terribly.’

‘I’m sure you do,’ Pierce said softly, touching her shoulder gently.

‘Our grannies and aunts and uncles are wonderful people to have in our lives when we grow up. I don’t know how I would have managed through my teens and early twenties without my grandfather.

And now I wish he could be here to guide me through the parenting of a young girl who is a little lost and lonely under that tough surface.

The shrugs and the eye rolls and the “whatever” are all an act under which they bleed.

’ He shook his head and laughed. ‘Goodness, I sound like something from a sobby movie. Don’t mind me, I’m just having a little moment of angst at the thought of being with Jo for a few weeks while her mother is away with her new partner. ’

‘That must be very difficult.’ Claire suddenly felt sorry for Pierce.

He was obviously sad about his wife being with someone else and his daughter having to suffer as a result.

It was hard enough to be a teenager these days without having to deal with one’s parents’ divorce and then having to accept a stepfather.

‘I know there is nothing I can do and it’s none of my business.

But let me know if there’s anything at all you might need help with. ’

Pierce looked down at her as they walked.

‘That’s very kind of you, Claire. And I will give you a shout if there’s anything you can do, like having coffee with her, or taking her with you to Magnolia Manor when you work there.

She likes that place and you’re a cheery person.

I think you’d be great with Jo. She likes meeting new people.

’ He paused. ‘There is something else you might help me with,’ he continued.

‘Like what?’ Claire asked.

‘Could you try to convince Karina to do that cookbook? She’s dragging her heels about it, saying she doesn’t think it will sell and it would be a lot of work to put it all together.

But I know she’s wrong. I think it will be a very popular book with a bit of publicity in the right places.

I mean, just look at all the followers she has on both Instagram and Facebook. ’

‘I agree,’ Claire said. ‘And I know she has all the recipes she’d need in a folder I just created for her on her computer. I think it’d be a huge success.’

‘Yes, it would. But she won’t listen to me,’ Pierce said with an exasperated sigh. ‘I’m only her kid brother, so what do I know?’

‘You know a lot from what I’ve seen,’ Claire remarked. ‘I’ll talk to her and tell her what I just said.’

‘Thank you,’ Pierce said, looking relieved. ‘She might listen to your voice of reason.’

‘I’ll do my best,’ Claire promised, happy she could do something to return his kindness.

They had arrived at the B&B and Claire took the key to the front door from her bag. ‘Well, goodnight. I had a lovely evening. Thanks for escorting me home.’

‘I enjoyed the chat.’ Pierce looked up at stars that glimmered against the ink-black sky and took a deep breath. ‘It’s a heavenly evening with a touch of spring again. Can you smell it?’

Claire nodded. ‘Yes there is a touch of wet earth and grass in the air and it’s getting milder. I hope it lasts.’

‘Me too. It’s St Patrick’s Day in about a month. Do you have any plans?’

‘No, I haven’t thought of that yet,’ Claire replied. ‘We have Sylvia’s birthday party soon, so I’m all caught up with the preparations. I think it will be my baptism of fire.’

‘I’d say it’ll put your organisation skills to the test,’ Pierce said. ‘Not to mention your patience. Sylvia wants everything to be just so. If it isn’t…’

‘She’ll throw a hissy fit?’ Claire suggested.

‘Of course not. Sylvia doesn’t do hissy fits. She will make you feel very small with a cutting comment, that’s all. And you have to be up front about everything. Sylvia doesn’t like being kept in the dark about anything.’

‘Even scarier,’ Claire said with a tiny shiver, as she thought of what she was hiding from Sylvia and everyone else.

‘Oh, you’ll be grand,’ Pierce said. He stood there for a while, looking at Claire through the gloom. Then he bent down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. ‘Goodnight, Claire. I’m so happy you came here.’ Then, not waiting for a reply, he walked away up the hill.

‘Me too,’ Claire whispered, putting her hand on her cheek.

The letter Finola had found arrived the following morning when Claire was having her breakfast in the cosy dining room at the B&B.

There was a lovely view down the hill through the tall window and Claire could see as far as the harbour where fishing boats and little dinghies went to and fro on the choppy water.

Mrs Madigan handed the envelope to Claire with a curious look. ‘This just arrived for you. Express mail, no less. Must be important.’

‘Yes, it is,’ Claire said, nearly choking on her piece of soda bread at the sight of the letter. ‘Something personal,’ she added as she put the envelope that contained the old letter Finola had found beside her teacup. ‘I’ll look at it in a minute.’

‘Of course,’ Mrs Madigan said. ‘So,’ she continued, holding the teapot aloft, ‘you’re leaving soon to take up residence at Magnolia Manor, I hear.’

‘I am,’ Claire said. ‘I thought I’d stay one more night here and then be off tomorrow as it’s Sunday. If that’s okay with you.’

‘I suppose,’ Mrs Madigan said, ‘our humble abode couldn’t compete with the manor. More tea?’

‘Yes please,’ Claire said. ‘I have been very comfortable here,’ she continued. ‘It’s a very nice B&B. But I’ll be happy to have my own place and do my own cooking and all that.’

‘Of course.’ Mrs Madigan filled Claire’s cup to the brim. ‘In any case, we’ll have a full house for St Patrick’s in a few weeks. It’ll be nice to have a rest before then. We don’t usually take in guests until then anyway. We made an exception for you.’

‘Yes, that’s what your husband said.’ Claire looked at the envelope as she gulped down her tea and finished her breakfast. Then she grabbed it and got up, nearly knocking over the chair.

Mrs Madigan laughed. ‘In a hurry to read that letter? Must be from someone very important to you.’

‘It is,’ Claire said. ‘Thanks for breakfast, Mrs Madigan. And you know what? I’ve just decided to move out today, so could you have my bill ready when I come downstairs?’

Mrs Madigan pursed her lips. ‘Of course. No problem.’

‘Great. Thanks,’ Claire said and raced out of the room and up the stairs clutching the envelope to her chest.

Once in her room, she slammed the door shut and sat on her bed tearing the envelope open.

It contained a note from Finola and another envelope that was yellow with age, the writing barely visible.

‘Mr Louis Fleury,’ Claire mumbled to herself, ‘Villa Magnolia, Killiney, County Dublin. Oh yes, I remember that house.’ It was a pink Victorian villa perched on a hill with wonderful views of the sea and the coastline all the way to Bray.

They had gone to look at it with Auntie Rachel when she was around twelve ‘My childhood home,’ Auntie Rachel had said, looking a little wistful. ‘It was a lovely house to grow up in.’

The memory of that day long ago flashed through Claire’s mind as she carefully pulled the letter out of the old envelope.

Then she read what it said at the top and her heart did a strange flip.

She had expected the letter to be from Cornelius, but it was from someone else.

Someone completely unexpected. Oh wow , Claire thought, feeling goosebumps everywhere.

This is a huge surprise. And when she started to read, she felt that this letter changed everything, taking her quest to solve the family mystery in a different direction…