Chapter 11
11
Sitting in the orangery with a cup of coffee, Vi read through the script very quickly. It was a good place to sit on a winter’s day, with the mellow winter sun streaming in through the tall windows, illuminating everything outside in a golden hue. She stared at the walled garden with its neat flowerbeds and clipped hedges, thinking what a wonderful job Lily had done with the space. It truly had an old-world atmosphere and anyone walking around would feel themselves transported to the early 1800s when vegetables and fruit for the household were grown here. The orangery itself consisted of one big room with the stonework exposed. The restored tiled floor now had underfloor heating to make it more comfortable on cooler days. The café was closed but Sylvia was at the counter helping with accounts and inventory, so she had said to Vi she could sit here today if she wanted a change of scene. ‘I’ll put the heating on for you and leave you alone,’ Sylvia promised. Vi had been grateful to get out of the house on this cold, windy day despite the sunshine. Sitting in the garden was not an option today.
Vi turned back to the script, and tried to assess what she thought of it. The dialogue was good and the scene settings excellent and it gave her a good idea of the feel of the movie. But there were a few things missing, such as Kathleen’s fiery temper and the stormy relationship between her and Don that weren’t touched on in much detail. But Vi couldn’t make notes of how that could be changed as she didn’t have enough information. She made another attempt to speak to Fidelma Sheridan the following day, but there was no answer. She tried again just after six o’clock with the same result. The old lady might have gone away for some reason, or be spending time with her children and grandchildren. Vi decided to keep trying, just to get some more information about Kathleen O’Sullivan and what she had been like in private. Anything at all, some small detail would bring her closer to the woman she was about to portray. It probably wouldn’t be as bad as she imagined.
Vi thought about the conversation with Fidelma and her suggestions that Vi should study ballet. She decided to contact the school of dance in Dingle to see if she could have private lessons. A sweet woman’s voice answered the phone and when Vi explained who she was and why she was calling, there was huge excitement.
‘Oh wow, I read about that movie in The Irish Times ,’ she said. ‘My name is Claire Ryan, by the way. I’d be happy to give you a few lessons. Have you ever done classical ballet before?’
‘No,’ Vi replied. ‘Just a bit of Irish dancing. But I do yoga whenever I can, so I’m quite flexible.’
‘That sounds like a good start,’ Claire said. ‘We could begin with basic barre exercises to get you going and then a little floor work to get that softness that Kathleen had in her movements. I saw some of her movies on TV a long time ago and as a dancer I noticed how graceful she was. Oh gosh, I can’t believe I’ll be working with a real live film star!’
‘Well, I wouldn’t go that far,’ Vi said, laughing. ‘I’m just a jobbing actress.’
‘Now, yes,’ Claire said. ‘But gee, when that movie comes out you’ll be so famous. And you’ll be acting with Jack Montgomery as well. Your sisters must be so excited.’
‘I don’t know,’ Vi said drily. ‘So far there hasn’t been much excitement from them.’
‘But your niece Naomi comes to classes here.’ Claire sounded confused. ‘She said her auntie was going to be in a movie.’
‘I didn’t know Naomi did ballet,’ Vi said.
‘Oh yes, she does,’ Claire said. ‘She’s only five but she’s really good. Very sweet girl.’
‘I know,’ Vi said, not wanting to reveal the fact that she hadn’t seen Naomi since last Christmas. Just before that horrible row. ‘She’s a gorgeous kid.’
‘Loves her auntie, she said. I’m sure she’s excited that you’re here now. Will you be around long?’
‘Yes, I plan to stay until we start shooting. I have to do a lot of research and preparations,’ Vi explained.
‘Brilliant. Then you’ll have plenty of time to practise dance and movement,’ Claire said. ‘And to come and see Naomi in our Christmas show. She’s going to be one of the little fairies. So when would you like to start? I’m free most mornings. Afternoons are very busy.’
‘As soon as possible,’ Vi said.
‘Great. How about tomorrow morning?’ Claire suggested.
‘That would be perfect. I could come at ten o’clock,’ Vi said.
‘Grand. My studio is at the top of Goat Street. Number twenty-five. There’s a red car in front of it.’
‘I’ll find it. See you then,’ Vi said.
‘Looking forward to it. Bye for now.’
Vi said goodbye, happy to have made the appointment. Then, on an impulse she looked up Lily’s number in her contact list and called it. Better get it over with, and even if Lily refused to see her, the ball would be in her court.
It rang a few times and then a little voice said: ‘Lily Doyle’s phone, Naomi speaking. Mum is busy right now because Liam had pulled down all the dishes from the table and there’s an awful mess and Mum is really cross with him.’ She drew breath. ‘Who’s this on the phone?’ she asked.
‘It’s your auntie Violet,’ Vi said, smiling at the long diatribe from her little niece.
‘Wow,’ Naomi said. ‘My famous auntie?’ Then there was a noise as if she had dropped the phone and Vi could hear Naomi shout: ‘Mum, it’s Auntie Vi on the phone. Come quick before she goes away!’
Then Lily seemed to have picked up the phone. ‘Hello,’ she said. ‘Is that you, Vi? What do you want? I’m really busy. Can’t talk, the kids are acting up and I have to clear some broken china before there’s a nasty accident. I was putting all my cups and saucers on the table for my Christmas café event in a few weeks to see what I needed. My au pair has just left and I have nobody to help.’
‘I could come over,’ Vi offered, noticing the panic in her sister’s voice. This would be a great opportunity to earn some brownie points and make Lily feel more positive about Vi.
‘What?’ Lily asked. ‘You’d come over here? I got your message on my voicemail, so I knew you were here. I wasn’t really in the mood to call you back, to be honest. Well, you’re not exactly my favourite person after all the stuff you said. But oh, right now I’d be happy for any help I can get from anyone. Even from you. When can you come?’
‘Right now,’ Vi said, jumping at the chance. ‘I’ll borrow Granny’s car. I can be with you in ten minutes.’
‘Okay,’ Lily said and hung up.
Vi quickly called her grandmother and asked if she could borrow her car, explaining where she was going, to which Sylvia heaved a sigh of relief and said, ‘Finally. Maybe this will be the best moment to make peace. I’d go myself but the accountant is coming to do the figures for the past year. Has to be done before Christmas. Of course you can have the car.’
‘Okay, thanks. I’ll be up at the house in a few minutes.’ Vi hung up and grabbed her bag and her jacket.
It didn’t take her long to run up the path to the manor and as Sylvia was at the door with the car key, she could jump in and start the car at once.
‘This is a golden opportunity for you to make up,’ Sylvia said before she closed the door. ‘Eat as much humble pie as you can, it won’t hurt a bit.’
‘I will,’ Vi promised and took off, happy the car was an automatic and easy to drive.
The trip to Ventry didn’t take more than fifteen minutes and she parked the car just above the beautiful bay, where the blue-green water lapped the white sands of the beach. She fleetingly thought of the many outings and picnics to this lovely spot when she was a child, before she started down the narrow lane to Lily and Dominic’s house.
The green door flew open before Vi had a chance to knock and Lily, with a little boy balanced on her hip, pulled her sister inside and slammed the door shut behind her. She handed Vi the boy. ‘Here, take him for a moment, willya? I have to sweep up the broken china before Naomi cuts her feet to ribbons. That’s Liam, by the way.’
‘Of course it is,’ Vi said and smiled at the little boy, who looked at her with huge brown eyes. His dark hair was ruffled and the front of his T-shirt was covered in mashed banana. ‘Hi, Liam, we met last year and then you were just a baby. But now, look at you. Such a big boy.’
‘Big boy,’ Liam said and stuck his thumb in his mouth.
‘Auntie Vi!’ a voice shouted as Vi walked into the large bright living room. A little girl with brown hair and her father’s dark green eyes rushed forward and threw her arms around Vi’s legs.
‘Hi, Naomi,’ Vi said and crouched down, still holding little Liam. ‘You have grown so big since the last time I saw you.’
Naomi nodded. ‘Yes, cos I eat my dinner all up and go to sleep and practise my dancing. And I go to school now and learn my letters.’ She drew breath and looked at Vi. ‘Mum said you have a nerve to come back here. What’s a nerve and where do you have it?’
‘Oh eh… I’ll explain later,’ Vi said, shooting a look at Lily. Then she noticed the mess of broken crockery all over the polished floorboards. ‘Maybe we should help Mum to clear this up? Looks like a huge explosion happened here.’
Naomi giggled. ‘No, it was Liam. He pulled down the tablecloth but I don’t think it was on purpose. It was an accident. Mum had put all that stuff on the table because she needs cups and plates and things for the Christmas coffee party at the café.’
‘Stupid of me,’ Lily said behind them as she started to clean up the mess with a sweeping brush. ‘I should have known something would happen with a two-year-old toddling around, pulling at everything. I usually have help with the kids, but the au pair just left to go home to Germany for Christmas.’
‘Her name is Gretel,’ Naomi piped up. ‘But she has no brother called Hansel. I asked and she said no. And she has never been lost in the forest and met the witch. That’s just a story, you know.’
‘Yes, I thought it might not be true,’ Vi said as she sat down on the blue sofa that faced the picture window with spectacular views of the sea. She bounced Liam on her knee which made him chuckle. ‘Again,’ he shouted when she stopped, so she bounced him again and he laughed and laughed.
‘Could you bring him upstairs to the nursery and change his T-shirt?’ Lily asked.
‘Okay.’ Vi got up and holding Liam at arm’s length away from her beige cashmere sweater, she carried him across the floor to the hall and up the stairs. Naomi trailed behind them, chatting away, filling Vi in on her life’s ups and downs.
‘My teacher says I’m getting very good at reading,’ she said. ‘But my best friend Nuala is even better. I think her mum helps her a lot but my mum can’t because she’s too busy with Liam and the café and helping Daddy with his accounts and sometimes even going to Uncle Noel’s office to do some work there when Vicky is off sick. That’s Uncle Noel’s secretary.’
‘I know,’ Vi said as she entered a bright room with pictures of Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear and other nursery characters on the walls. There was a bed beside a chest of drawers against the far wall and the green carpet was strewn with toys. The curtains had a pattern of tiny flowers and leaves and little Bambi figures here and there. It was a charming child’s room and Vi stood for a moment looking around, then gazed out the window at the view of the mountains. ‘Lovely room,’ she said, putting Liam on the bed.
‘My room is even nicer,’ Naomi stated. ‘Liam’s room is a mess.’
‘Just a few toys,’ Vi said absentmindedly while she pulled out a drawer looking for a clean T-shirt. ‘We can tidy it up very quickly. I’ll just change Liam’s shirt and then we’ll go and look at your room.’
‘Okay,’ Naomi said.
Vi found a T-shirt with Mickey Mouse on the front and managed to change Liam into it, despite his wriggling and trying to get away. Once he had it on, she took him by the hand and they all walked into Naomi’s room that was very similar to Liam’s except for the Barbie bedspread and a blue carpet. ‘Very nice,’ Vi said, smiling at Naomi.
Naomi sat on the bed and pulled a large storybook from under the pillow. ‘Read us a story,’ she ordered. ‘I love the one about Rapunzel. Read us that one.’
‘Only if you ask nicely,’ Vi said, settling on the bed with a now sleepy-looking Liam on her lap.
‘ Puleese , darling Auntie Vi, read us a story,’ Naomi pleaded as she handed Vi the book. ‘Rapunzel is on page twenty-five,’ she said.
Vi couldn’t help laughing. She took the book and started reading while Liam leaned his head against her chest and Naomi listened intently, filling in when Vi paused for breath. When Vi had finished reading, she found that Liam had fallen asleep. ‘Will I wake him up?’ she asked Naomi.
‘No, put him in his bed and let him sleep for a while,’ Naomi instructed. ‘That way we’ll get some peace for a bit. That’s what Gretel says anyway. And don’t forget to close the gate at the top of the stairs when we go down.’
‘Okay.’ Vi laid Liam on the bed and covered him with a blanket. Then they tiptoed out of the room and went downstairs, not forgetting the gate.
‘Where’s Liam?’ Lily asked when they came into the now cleaned-up living room.
‘Asleep on Naomi’s bed,’ Vi replied.
‘Oh no,’ Lily moaned. ‘I should have told you not to let him go to sleep. Now it’ll be all hours before we get him down tonight.’
‘Sorry,’ Vi said. ‘I had no idea. He was so sleepy, I didn’t have the heart to wake him.’
‘I told Auntie Vi to do it,’ Naomi piped up. ‘I wanted some peace and quiet so we could read the story.’
‘I bet you did,’ Lily said drily. ‘Well, whatever. You can watch Dora while Vi and I have a cup of tea.’
‘Okay,’ Naomi said and sat down on a cushion in front of the flatscreen TV on the far wall. She picked up the remote and expertly turned the TV to her favourite channel.
‘Let’s have tea in the kitchen,’ Lily suggested. ‘Sit down at the breakfast bar and we’ll talk. I think we need to sort some things out.’
The breakfast bar divided the kitchen area from the living room and the window on the gable end provided a view of both the mountains and the sea. Vi sat down on a high stool and watched Lily turn on the kettle and take two mugs out of a cupboard. ‘No cups left, after Liam’s little shenanigans,’ Lily remarked.
‘What are you going to do about crockery for the café Christmas thing?’ Vi asked.
‘I’ll get some stuff from the ballroom. There’s china there for events such as weddings and other kinds of parties. I should have asked to use that instead of my own, but my stuff is much nicer. Silly of me. And the crockery in the café is okay, only it’s all white. It’ll be fine. But I’m a little sad about what was broken here, though.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Vi said sympathetically. ‘It must be tough to mind two children and have all these things to do as well.’
‘It’s my own fault,’ Lily said, putting tea bags into the mugs. ‘I take on too much, Dominic says. And I do. I must learn to say no. I should maybe take a year off and get someone else to run the café.’ She sighed, looking sad. ‘But that’s the one thing I love the most. Running the café and the garden centre. Getting my hands dirty with plants and flowers. Seeing people sitting in the orangery and in the garden having coffee and enjoying the beautiful scenery. I just love that so much. It’s a great break from the kids and the housework.’
‘Then you shouldn’t give it up,’ Vi said. ‘But maybe you could cut down on the other stuff? Naomi said you do Dom’s accounts and chip in at Noel’s office when his secretary is off sick. Would it not be better if you weren’t available to everyone all the time, like everyone’s big sister?’
Lily let out a laugh. ‘Yeah, I know what you mean. But how can I do that? They’re all so used to having me as a backup.’
‘You just have to put your foot down,’ Vi remarked.
‘Easy for you to say,’ Lily retorted, her eyes turning cold as she looked at Vi. ‘But right now, we need to talk about that enormous elephant in the room. What you said in that interview was horrible. How could you betray your own family like that?’
Shocked by the venom in Lily’s voice, Vi didn’t know how to reply. But then, feeling suddenly fed up with being the culprit for so long, she decided to attack rather than defend. She found she didn’t care any more what her sister thought of her. The truth had to come out and then, even if Lily didn’t see her side of the story, she’d walk away and never look back. Vi took a deep breath and tried yet again to explain what had happened.