Page 26 of The Widow’s Irish Secret (Magnolia Manor #4)

Hi Trish,

just to say I miss you and that I won’t be at the party after all.

I have to go away for a meeting with the firm I’m working with.

I have to do a presentation of all we have done so far and our future plans and also what we have found.

It has to be done in order to raise funds to finish everything and we need to justify spending more money on this very exciting project.

I’ll be in touch as soon as I’m back from Germany.

Love,

Cillian

So it was true, then. He was working for a German firm on something that he had to keep secret.

But what was it? Tricia sat there, forgetting everything around her as she tried to put the pieces together.

She was certain Cillian’s project was connected to the diving in the bay.

Then her little grandson’s words popped into her head.

He had said something about diving to find a pirate ship, which of course was nonsense.

But what if it had to do with some other kind of sunken ship as she had suspected?

After all, Cillian had seemed very shaken by that old drawing she had found in the cottage, the one that depicted a ship called the Carmen .

But no, it couldn’t be. Cillian was an archaeologist and had nothing to do with diving or old ships.

Finding the drawing now, and showing it to Cillian, was an amazing coincidence – if the two were connected at all.

Tricia shook her head trying to clear her mind.

It was all so confusing, and added to that, her feelings and emotions were suddenly in turmoil.

The fact that he had taken off just like that without telling her until he was gone was also a little disturbing.

She had felt they were getting so close and that a warm friendship was beginning.

He had said he was a restless soul with itchy feet but, blinded by her attraction to him, she hadn’t paid much attention to that.

Now she realised what he meant. He had gone off without as much as a goodbye, only letting her know when he’d arrived in Germany. Was this something he did all the time?

But despite her dismay, she was glad Cillian was not coming to the party.

It would be too difficult not to reveal the chemistry between them.

This way she could concentrate on Vi and Jack and give them all the attention they deserved.

She would deal with what was going on with Cillian when he came back.

Tricia pulled herself together as she heard the gravel crunch and saw Lily approaching her table. Better to park all this at the back of her mind and concentrate on the present.

Tricia smiled as Lily pulled out a chair and sat down. ‘You look a little tired, Lily-lou.’

‘I am,’ Lily replied. ‘Today was hectic. But the rush is over now and we’ll be closed tomorrow for the party. Do you have an outfit?’

‘Yes, Vi and I managed to find two great dresses in the vintage shop. Possibly the last ones left. But what about you?’

‘I rooted around in a trunk in the attic last week and found a red sleeveless number with sequins that I’ve had cleaned and mended.

More nineteen forties than twenties, but it’s very nice.

Rose is wearing palazzo pants and a white top, which could be from any era.

Granny had a dress made by a seamstress in Tralee.

It’s fabulous. She’ll be the belle of the ball and outshine everyone. I hope Vi won’t mind.’

‘She won’t,’ Tricia declared. ‘She’ll be happy for Sylvia to shine this time. And she deserves it after all her hard work.’

‘Yes she does.’ Lily looked at her mother. ‘So what else is going on? I saw you looking a little startled as you checked your phone right now. I hope there is nothing wrong at the cottage?’

‘No, not at all,’ Tricia replied. ‘In fact, I’ll be able to move in the day after tomorrow.

The electrician has finished so all is safe now and Ted has done all the new pipes in the bathroom and put in a new immersion tank.

The basic furniture is already there and then I have a load coming from Donegal in a few days with everything for the kitchen and my books and bits and pieces.

Of course the work will still be going on for a few weeks but it’s all coming together.

’ She smiled at Lily. ‘Actually, Ted said he thought there was enough room in the box room for a bunk bed, so the kids will be able to stay the night with me whenever you and Dom want to get away.’

‘Ted seems to be like a real gem,’ Lily remarked. ‘What a good idea to put in a bunk bed. That’ll be such fun for the kids. And great for us too. I think Rose and Noel need to get away more than we do, though. So Naomi and Sophie could have a girls’ sleepover with you when you’re ready.’

‘That sounds lovely.’ Tricia smiled. ‘You have no idea how wonderful it is for me to be here with all of you. And to feel needed and wanted. That’s all I could ever wish for.’

‘And someone nice to go out with from time to time?’ Lily asked with a cheeky smile. ‘I have a feeling that Ted the builder is the cause of that happy look in your eyes.’

‘Oh, not really,’ Tricia protested, laughing. ‘He’s been a true friend in need, but that’s all he is. I’m so happy with my new home and making all these plans, that’s all.’

‘Okay,’ Lily said. ‘I won’t ask any more questions about any gentlemen friends.

I’m just enjoying the new you. We all are.

’ She got up and took the tray with all the cups and plates that was still on the table.

‘I’ll take this in and then I’ll go home and see to the kids.

I promised them that we’ll go swimming before dinner.

Dom said he’d be home early and then we’ll be all set for the party tomorrow.

Great that it’s on a Thursday and then we can all relax afterwards. ’

‘Well, it was that or not at all as there are two weddings at the weekend,’ Tricia remarked. ‘The reception rooms are all booked out for the whole of July and August. Rose has done a good job with that part of the business.’

‘She has,’ Lily agreed. ‘I have to get going. See you tomorrow at the party, Mum,’ she said before she walked away with the tray.

Tricia looked at Lily’s retreating figure, thinking that both she and Rose were working a little too hard.

They needed some ‘me’ time now and then and Tricia promised herself she’d see that they got it.

She would have weekends with the children once the cottage was ready, which, with Ted’s help, would not take too long.

In a few weeks she could have them all for sleepovers and have fun picnics with them on the little beach.

Looking forward to all the fun times with her grandchildren, Tricia decided to go straight to the cottage to thank Ted for all he was doing to make all that happen and to take a look at that item he had found.

She would try not to think about Cillian until he came back.

With him gone, it would give her the time to investigate the drawings she’d found without having to hide anything from him.

When Tricia arrived at the cottage a little later, work was in full swing.

Ted’s pick-up truck was parked outside the door and she could hear hammering and banging from inside.

There was also a small van with the Dingle Electrical logo on the side.

Two young men were carrying sheets of insulation from the truck through the door so Tricia had to wait until they had gone through.

Then she entered the cottage and breathed in the smell of paint and plaster and new wood.

She stuck her head through the living room door and found Ted and his men preparing the walls for the insulation.

The wall around the window was already finished with new plaster, ready to paint.

Ted, standing in the middle of the room instructing the workers, turned around. ‘Hi there, Tricia. As you can see we’re hard at work here. You can soon take out your paint pots and get started.’ His brown eyes twinkled as he smiled at her. ‘I bet you can’t wait.’

‘You’re right.’ Tricia laughed. ‘My fingers are itching. I love painting and decorating. I did up our old farmhouse in Donegal all by myself,’ she said proudly. ‘And I did a great job, even though I say so myself.’

‘Of course you can say so yourself,’ Ted replied. ‘Be proud of what you achieve, is my motto. I’m a bloody good builder and I’m not afraid to say it.’

‘That’s terrific,’ Tricia said, charmed by his smile and that twinkle in his eyes. This nice man had been through as much sadness as she had but he seemed still so cheerful and happy in his skin. ‘I’m going to be less shy about my achievements from now on.’

‘Excellent,’ Ted said. ‘Hey, I was just about to take a little coffee break. Why don’t we sit down in the sunshine?

I have a big thermos with coffee and a packet of Hobnobs in the truck.

I’d be happy to share it with you. I want to give the lads a chance to have a rest, too.

They’ve worked so hard. We usually have a tea or coffee break around now, except they seem to prefer a beer sitting in the truck with their phones. ’

‘Good idea,’ Tricia said. ‘I just had coffee at Lily’s café, but I don’t mind another one. I need to see that old thing the electrician found, too. We can look at it together while we’re having coffee. I have to confess that I’m partial to a Hobnob.’

‘Then it’s my lucky day,’ Ted said. ‘I was going to pick up a packet of ginger snaps, but something told me the Hobnobs would be a better choice. Now I know why. Must be the universe trying to tell me something. I won’t be a tick. I’ll just get the lads to secure the insulating panels.’

‘We can sit in the back garden on the old garden chairs,’ Tricia suggested. ‘I’ll see you out there.’

Ted made a thumbs-up sign and went to speak to his workers while Tricia walked away into the kitchen.

On her way, she noticed the new switches and outlets that the electrician had put in.

It was wonderful to see that at least the rewiring was nearly finished, which made her feel that her dream would come true very soon.

Even though her idea to sell the house for a profit had been shattered by the cost of the renovations, it felt good to be moving into what she felt would be her forever home, a home she wouldn’t have to move out of until she was old.

She would be close to her daughters and their families which was a huge comfort to her.

She walked into the kitchen, her mind full of plans for the painting and decorating she was going to do in the house herself once the building work was finished.

She turned her attention to the kitchen table and the item that had been put there.

It was an old rusty metal tube with a lid at the top made of what looked like leather.

There was something about it that made her pick it up and try to open the lid.

But it was stuck. She noticed an inscription painted on the side in black that said: KOG 1889 .

Could that be Kieran O’Grady? Excited, she tried again to prise open the lid but broke a nail and had to give up.

‘Ouch,’ she said and went to the tap to run water over her sore finger as Ted walked in carrying a thermos and a packet of biscuits.

‘What’s up?’ he asked.

‘I broke a nail trying to open that old thing.’ Tricia dried her finger on her jeans and pulled off what remained of the tip of her nail. ‘Never mind. Maybe you have some kind of tool that could open it?’

Ted inspected the metal tube. ‘Yes, of course I do. I think this needs just a little pulling with…’ He nodded.

‘I know what to do. I’ll get my toolbox.

’ He came back moments later with a pair of pliers.

‘Let’s try this.’ He proceeded to tug at the lid with the pliers and after a bit of pulling, managed to open it.

‘Here we are,’ he said and handed Tricia the open tube.

‘Smells a bit mouldy, but I can see that there is something inside like wads of papers or something. You have smaller hands so maybe you could fish it out? But be careful and don’t cut yourself. ’

‘It’s worth a broken nail or two.’ Tricia carefully pushed her fingers into the tube and immediately felt the edge of something.

‘It’s thicker than paper.’ She managed to get a good grip and carefully pulled the item out of the tube.

‘It’s a canvas,’ she said, breathless with excitement.

Then she opened the roll and spread it out on the table.

‘Oh,’ was all she managed as she discovered what the item was.

Ted looked over her shoulder. ‘My goodness,’ he said. ‘How beautiful.’