Page 6 of The Widow’s Irish Secret (Magnolia Manor #4)

‘What are we doing here?’ Tricia asked as their walk ended outside the cottage.

‘You’ll see,’ Fred said, and opened the gate.

He took her hand and pulled her into the front garden that was still well tended.

‘The last tenant left six months ago and now there will be no more resident gardeners. Dad is going to hire a gardening firm from Dingle to look after the grounds from now on. So the cottage is up for rent.’

‘Oh?’ Tricia asked, mystified. ‘We were going to do it up when we were first married but then Lily arrived, so we forgot about it. But now here we are again. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’

‘Maybe I am,’ Fred said with a teasing grin.

Tricia smiled back at her handsome husband, taking in his tall frame, thick copper-coloured hair, sparkling green eyes and the beautiful smile that lit up his face.

Fred was always so cheerful, always ready to crack a joke or play a trick when you least expected it.

They had been married for over ten years and Violet was two years old, and had just started to talk in real sentences.

Tricia loved the old manor and was very fond of her parents-in-law, Liam and Sylvia, with whom they got on so well.

But they were never really on their own even though the house was very big.

They had dinner together in the formal dining room every evening as one big family.

Fred’s parents still stuck to old traditions and although Tricia loved the old house and the beautiful rooms, it felt strange, even after ten years, to live like this, with his parents so close.

She knew Fred felt the same, and now as she stood in the kitchen of the cottage, she had an inkling that he might be planning for them to have a space of their own.

‘I know what you want to do,’ Tricia said as she looked around at the old cupboards, the wood-burning range and the sink with its wooden draining board. ‘It wasn’t quite the right thing for us when we were just married but now it feels right. I love the idea.’

Fred turned from inspecting the range. ‘You do?’ he said, looking suddenly very happy.

‘But this house needs a lot of work to get it liveable. And it’s not as comfortable as Magnolia and never will be.

’ He took her hand. ‘I know it’s small, but the girls would love to play in the garden and we could put up swings and maybe put in a small swimming pool or something in the back garden.

We could have chickens and ducks and they could play farmers.

What do you think?’ There was such hope in his eyes as he looked at her with love and a yearning for them to do something together.

They had been so busy all these years, Fred with running the farm and the estate with his father and Tricia with her three daughters and her part-time job as an accountant.

Doing up the house would give them a chance to be together more.

Tricia nodded and went over to kiss him.

‘I think it’s a lovely idea. A place where we can be together on our own away from everyone.

We can do it up slowly and make it just the way we want.

It’ll be like a little hideaway. And the girls will love it too.

But…’ She paused. ‘What will your parents think? Will they let us buy the cottage to do what we want with?’

‘I’m sure they will,’ Fred said, looking nearly sure. ‘We’ll still be close by.’

‘We’ll ask them at dinner,’ Tricia suggested.

‘I mean, we’ll be doing them a favour doing up the house ourselves.

I can’t wait to get started. You know how I love getting my hands dirty.

The garden will be a great project, and then we’ll paint all the rooms colours that Sylvia would never choose, and I can make curtains and we’ll get furniture at the flea markets all over Kerry.

Oh, Fred, it will be so much fun. And our very own home at last.’

‘Terrific,’ Fred said and hugged her close. ‘I knew you’d be keen to do this. And you know what?’ he added after a long pause. ‘There might be something hidden here that could be very valuable.’

‘Like a treasure?’ Tricia had asked, laughing at his mysterious expression.

‘You never know,’ he had said and then kissed her, making her forget everything except their love for each other.

They had floated the idea to Liam and Sylvia over dinner and after some persuading, they had agreed to let Fred and Tricia buy the cottage as a project to do up as a place for them to be together.

But it had all come to nothing in the end after that fatal boating accident.

Tricia felt tears sting as she stood in the overgrown garden remembering that day.

But then she pulled herself together and felt that she now had the chance to realise their dream.

Fred would be happy she was doing it. It was the best way to cherish his memory.

And he would be there in some way as she made the little cottage come alive again.

With her mind full of plans about what she could do with the cottage, Tricia walked towards the manor house.

She could see people going in and out of the large entrance door and assumed they were the tenants of the senior apartments.

It was nice to see the manor being so busy after many years of the building being half empty, with Sylvia the only occupant.

It had been a sad and lonely house then but now it was full of people who had been given a chance to be independent in their old age while being near to amenities they might need.

Tricia went around the back to the courtyard and Sylvia’s private quarters and rang the bell outside the green door that used to be the back entrance.

Now it led to a bright hall, and then into the kitchen–diner, all redone and modernised without losing its old-style country charm.

Tricia had come here for Christmas since the house was restored, except for that year when Sean had been so ill.

She gave a start as the door was opened by Sylvia, who greeted her with a cheery, ‘Hello, Tricia, how lovely to see you again.’

Tricia walked inside and kissed Sylvia on the cheek. ‘Hello. Nice to see you, too, Sylvia. How are you?’

Sylvia, dressed in a white silk blouse and navy slacks, stepped back and smiled. ‘I’m very well, thank you. You look good. I can see you’ve had a good rest after all you’ve been through.’

‘Yes, I feel much better now,’ Tricia said.

‘You look amazing, too,’ she added, wondering how this woman managed to appear decades younger than her eighty-five years.

Sylvia’s face was lined but she glowed with good health, and her thick grey hair was cut in a short style that suited her strong features and brown eyes.

‘You’re very kind,’ Sylvia said. ‘Youth isn’t on my side any more, I have to admit.’

‘Ah sure, age is only a number, as they say.’ Tricia peeked into the kitchen. ‘Are the girls here yet?’

‘No, it’s just you and me for the moment.

Come in and we’ll have a drink and chat before they arrive.

’ Sylvia led the way to the alcove in the bright kitchen where the large round table was set for six people.

‘It’ll be a girls’ only dinner,’ she said.

‘You and me, the girls and Nora. I thought as you’ve just arrived it would be good for you to meet the whole family in one go. ’

‘Oh, that’s great.’ Tricia pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.

‘I’ve been in touch with Lily and Rose, of course.

I haven’t seen Nora since Christmas so it’ll be great to catch up with her.

We used to be close friends back in the day.

But…’ Tricia paused, trying to gather up enough courage to break the news to Sylvia.

‘There is something I have to tell you before everyone’s here. ’

‘What’s that?’ Sylvia sat down opposite Tricia. ‘Come on, let it out. You look as if you’re about to explode. I can take whatever bad news you’re about to share.’

‘It’s not bad news at all,’ Tricia protested. ‘It’s good news. For me, anyway. You see, I’m the one who bought the cottage. The gardener’s cottage, I mean.’

Sylvia looked at Tricia. ‘That’s what you call news?’ She shook her head and smiled. ‘I was sure you were the buyer. That’s why I accepted the offer so fast.’

Tricia stared at Sylvia. ‘How did you know? Did Vi say anything?’

‘No, not at all, she wouldn’t if you told her not to. Nobody told me. I just figured that out all by myself. And I think it’s perfect. For you and me and the girls. And…’ She paused and blinked away tears. ‘For Fred’s memory. He would love for you to do it up and live there.’

‘I know,’ Tricia whispered, surprised and happy that Sylvia understood.

It hadn’t always been like this when Fred was alive.

There had been tensions between them and Tricia had always felt Sylvia watching her, expecting her to do something wrong.

It could be a comment about the way Tricia brought up the children, or something to do with etiquette during a dinner party or even the way she dressed.

Tricia had always felt she didn’t quite come up to scratch in Sylvia’s eyes.

But now, after all the years that had passed, she seemed happy that Tricia was doing something in Fred’s memory, which was wonderful.

Tricia had expected some tough questions. She’d wondered if Sylvia would ask why she wanted to leave Dublin in such a hurry, and she hadn’t been looking forward to telling lies. Tricia sighed with relief as the anticipated interrogation didn’t happen.

Sylvia squeezed Tricia’s hand for a moment. Then she got up and went to the fridge and took out a bottle. ‘Let’s have a glass of bubbly to celebrate.’

‘Maybe we should wait for the others?’ Tricia suggested.

‘We’ll have a glass now and then another when the girls arrive.

’ Sylvia shot Tricia a mischievous smile while she expertly opened the bottle, sending the cork up to the ceiling.

Then she filled two champagne flutes and carried them to the table.

‘It’s prosecco, so not strong at all,’ she said as she handed Tricia one of the flutes.

‘Lovely.’ Tricia held her flute up and smiled at Sylvia. ‘Cheers!’

‘Here’s to your new life at Magnolia Manor,’ Sylvia said with a fond smile as they clinked glasses. ‘May it be as happy as possible.’

‘Thank you.’ Tricia felt a surge of affection for her former mother-in-law. Sylvia was a real trooper. If she had misgivings about Tricia living so close and competing for the affections of her granddaughters and their children, she didn’t show it.

‘I assume Violet already knows since she was with you in Dublin?’ Sylvia remarked.

‘Yes, and I’m staying with her at the gatehouse while I organise the cottage.’

‘Good idea. How do you feel being back?’ Sylvia asked. ‘How are you coping with all the memories?’

‘Very well, to my surprise,’ Tricia replied, touched that Sylvia would ask. ‘I think that because of all the time that has passed, I’m beginning to cherish the memories. Fred and I had such a happy time here even if it was cut short.’

Sylvia nodded. ‘That’s good. Better to face the past and feel grateful to have been happy than to be sad. We have to cherish the memories and feel blessed to have had those wonderful times.’

‘Exactly.’ Tricia paused. ‘I even went swimming off the pier just after I arrived. I really enjoyed it.’

Sylvia looked suddenly alarmed. ‘You were at the pier? Swimming?’

‘I was. Loved it.’ Tricia smiled. ‘No need to worry. It’s perfectly safe there.

No currents or anything and the raft is still there.

But…’ She stopped as she remembered what she had seen.

‘Oh, I meant to ask you. There was a rib on the shore beside the pier. With diving equipment. Does it belong to Henri?’

‘No. Henri isn’t here much,’ Sylvia said and got up from her seat. ‘He works remotely from France these days.’

‘So who owns that rib? Someone who’s diving in the bay?’ Tricia asked. ‘Why would anyone dive there? What would they be looking for?’

‘I don’t know anything about that,’ Sylvia said, her back turned to Tricia. ‘Could be anyone. Lots of people scuba dive around here. It’s becoming quite a popular hobby.’

‘Okay,’ Tricia said, deciding to drop the subject. But she had a strange feeling that it wasn’t just ‘anyone’ who was diving in the bay. Was Sylvia also harbouring secrets she wasn’t willing to share?