Chapter 2 #2
‘Yes, I have. I sometimes take the Dart from Howth to Bray. It’s a wonderful way to see everything all around Dublin Bay.’
‘Ah sure, Dublin is a grand city,’ Ronan said, looking more cheerful. He pushed a document across the desk. ‘Could you sign here, please? And then perhaps give me your bank details and I’ll organise the transfer of the money. We’ll also give you the keys to the place and the deeds.’
Ciara sensed he was miffed at her comment about where he was from.
She had always been amused at the rivalry between the north and southsides of Dublin.
The southside was more upmarket, but then there were areas of the northside that were just as lovely.
She shouldn’t have said it but he had annoyed her, even though she found him very attractive.
Not her usual type but there was something about him that had sparked her interest. ‘I might just do what you suggested,’ she said as she signed the document.
‘Rent a car and go up there,’ she added. ‘Just to see what I’ve inherited.’
‘I would if I were you,’ Ronan agreed. ‘Pity you can’t talk to Mr Kiley.
He was the old solicitor Martha spoke to.
He would have known a lot more than me. All I know is that he said something about your grandmother, that Martha knew who she really was, or something like that.
Can’t remember exactly. I joined this firm shortly before they both died.
I saw her once, though, when she came in to talk to Mr Kiley.
Tall woman with piercing blue eyes, not unlike your own, actually. But that’s all I can remember.’
‘Oh,’ Ciara said, touched by the sympathy in his expression. ‘Well, that’s a pity. But maybe I can find out more if I go to this Cherrywood place.’
Ronan nodded, and seemed to be watching her quite intently. ‘I think so. Maybe you can bring someone with you when you go up there? Like your boyfriend or…’
Ciara smiled. ‘Yes, I can take Brian with me. He’s my best friend in the whole world.’
‘Must be a nice lad,’ Ronan said.
‘Oh, he is. I love him to bits.’ Feeling now increasingly hungry, Ciara gathered up her handbag and jacket. ‘I have to go and get something to eat. And then go back to work.’
‘You haven’t had lunch?’ Ronan asked, looking awkward. ‘And here I was, eating a huge sandwich in front of you.’ He stood up. ‘The least I can do is to go with you to Carluccio’s and buy you a sandwich. And if we can find a free table, I’ll have a coffee while you eat. How’s that?’
‘That’s very kind of you,’ Ciara said, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the thought of his company during lunch ‘But I can just as easily get something to eat on my way back to the office.’
‘I insist,’ Ronan said. He took a blazer from a hook on the wall and put it on. ‘Come on, we can talk some more while you eat.’
Realising that he was serious, Ciara followed him out and then into the Italian restaurant, where Ronan spoke to a waiter who showed them to a table by the window. ‘I ordered a BLT for you and coffee for us both,’ he said.
‘Thank you,’ Ciara said and sat down opposite Ronan. The sandwich appeared nearly instantly along with a glass of water and she took a huge bite, relishing the taste of bacon, lettuce and tomato laced with mayonnaise. ‘Heavenly,’ she said when she had finished her first mouthful.
‘It’s the best,’ Ronan agreed. ‘I feel so bad about eating mine in front of you like that.’
‘Oh you couldn’t have known that I hadn’t eaten,’ Ciara soothed. ‘Here’s the coffee,’ she added when a waitress appeared with two steaming cups.
‘Great.’ Ronan took a sip and then put down his cup. ‘So,’ he said, looking awkward. ‘Your inheritance must have been a big surprise.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Ciara said, feeling suddenly anxious about what he had proposed earlier. She had never owned a car and wasn’t a good driver and now he had suggested she’d take a leap into the unknown and go to this remote village in the Wicklow mountains to look at the property that was hers.
Ronan nodded. ‘I’m sure it’s going to be difficult to decide what to do with it.’
‘Probably,’ Ciara said. ‘You’re right that I’ll have to see it first, though. I’m not sure I’ll want to do anything with it at all for the moment. I’ll need to take some time off work, which will eat into my yearly holiday allowance.’
‘I see,’ Ronan said. ‘Do you enjoy working at the Department of Finance?’
Ciara shrugged. ‘Not really,’ she said between bites. ‘I did at first but now I feel kind of stuck. It’s such a man’s world there. All the guys I worked with have been promoted, but not me.’
Ronan nodded. ‘The glass ceiling, huh?’
‘Something like that,’ Ciara said when she had swallowed her next mouthful. ‘But I think I’m getting closer to a promotion.’
‘Is that why Rachel in accounts hates you?’
‘Not really.’ Ciara laughed and wiped her fingers on a paper napkin. ‘She’s just one of those sneery people who likes to look down her nose at people from Drogheda. What about you? Do you like your job?’ she asked to steer the subject away from her career that wasn’t going anywhere.
Ronan smiled. ‘Actually, I do. The detective work trying to find prospective heirs is quite fascinating. I love history and going through all those archives and records is very interesting. I read law at Trinity and wanted to become a barrister, but then I got a job at a solicitor’s office and started doing the genealogy thing. It didn’t take me long to get hooked.’
‘I can imagine,’ Ciara said.
‘Yes, it’s very—’ He was interrupted by his phone ringing.
He fished it out of the pocket of his blazer and answered.
‘Elaine? What’s up?’ Then he listened to a voice at the other end with a frown.
‘Okay. Look, I have a pile of work, but I’ll be with you at around four if you can wait that long?
’ There was silence while he listened to the reply from Elaine at the other end.
‘Great. See you then. Love you too.’ He hung up, looking glum.
Then he glanced at Ciara. ‘Sorry about that. Something personal and a little complicated.’
‘I see,’ she said, feeling that there was something tense going on with whoever had called him. Ciara finished her sandwich and then drank her coffee. When she had drained her cup, she got her handbag and jacket. ‘I have to go. Thank you so much for the lunch. It was truly delicious.’
‘My pleasure,’ he said, smiling. ‘I hope we meet again sometime soon.’
‘That would be nice,’ Ciara said. She got up from her seat.
‘Let me know how you get on,’ Ronan said standing up. ‘I might even go up there to take look at the place. I have a feeling…’ He stopped.
‘What kind of feeling?’ Ciara asked, intrigued by the look in his eyes.
He shook his head. ‘Oh, you’ll think I’m being weird.
It’s just that I have this idea that you have been given something precious.
Like the key to unlock some kind of mystery that might change your life.
I know it must seem scary to you, but in your shoes, I’d be so excited.
If you’re prepared to take a risk, it could be the change you’re looking for.
Something that will seem impossible at first but if you don’t take it, you won’t find out what you’re made of. ’
Ciara stared at him. ‘Could be,’ she said slowly and suddenly shivered. ‘Or it could reveal things I might not be able to handle.’