Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
The phone ringing woke Marian up the next morning.
It was Pierce. ‘Sorry for calling so early,’ he said. ‘But I need to talk to you about this novel. The one written by John Peters, I mean. Our new client.’
‘Yes?’
‘Have you read the description?’ Pierce asked.
‘I have,’ Marian said, knowing what Pierce was going to say.
‘Did it remind you of anything?’ Pierce said. ‘Like, any family around here?’
‘I know what you mean,’ Marian said. ‘It sounds very much like us – the Fleury family, I mean.’
‘Of course it does,’ Pierce said. ‘The family feud, the old gambling debt, it’s all there. And then the bit about the grandmother with a dubious past, or whatever it was. No idea what that is about but maybe we should warn Sylvia?’
‘I already did,’ Marian said. ‘She was a bit shaken up at first, but then she said not to worry.’
Pierce snorted a laugh. ‘Typical of Sylvia. She’s as tough as an old boot. Okay, so she knows there is something in that novel that might be about both the family and her own story. All we have to do is to find out what it is.’
‘We could ask him if we can read the book before publication,’ Marian suggested. ‘I mean we’re going to do the publicity, so that would be normal, wouldn’t it?’
‘I suppose it would, yes,’ Pierce said. ‘I usually look through every book I’ve been marketing, but this is my first work of fiction.
Yes, that’s what we should do. And I was thinking about the meeting with the author, actually.
I know it’s your day off, but could you be there with me?
You’re so good at marketing and getting on with people.
I’d feel better if you were there, too, like a partner or something.
It makes the firm look more professional than a one-man band.
And now that I’ve read the description, it’s even more important. ’
Marian tried not to panic at the thought of meeting John Peters today.
He would know that she was the one who suggested a later publication date for his novel.
And what if Sean told Pierce where he got the inspiration for his story?
She couldn’t begin to imagine how disgusted everyone in her new-found family would be when they learned what she had done.
‘I see what you mean,’ she said, knowing that she would have to be at that meeting in order to prevent what she feared happening. ‘I think you could handle it very well, but if you need me, I’ll come in. I hadn’t planned to do much today anyway.’
‘Great,’ Pierce said, sounding calmer. ‘He’ll be here at two o’clock. I will spend the morning trying to talk to my contacts in the media. If I manage to get some good publicity we have a strong case for a later publication.’
‘Okay,’ Marian said, trying to get her voice not to shake. ‘See you later, then.’
Pierce said goodbye and hung up, leaving Marian sitting up in bed, wringing her hands, wondering how on earth she was going to stop Sean revealing her part in his inspiration for the plot of the novel.
This, on top of Theo’s arrival, was too much to bear.
And now she would have to hide all this from Claire, her own sister, who had been so kind to her since her arrival in Kerry.
Marian wondered if she should tell Claire what had happened on the plane.
No, it was better to leave well enough alone for the moment and try her best not to rock the boat.
Oh what a mess, Marian thought, slowly getting out of bed. All because of that rambling to a perfect stranger late at night when I was so tired and a little tipsy. And what do I do about Theo? Why did he have to arrive right now in the middle of all this?
‘How did it go?’ Sylvia asked Marian when they bumped into each other downstairs just after lunch as Marian was leaving for the office. ‘Meeting your husband again, I mean.’
‘It was a bit awkward,’ Marian said. ‘He was tired and sad and I was angry and resentful. So, not the best way to start rebuilding our marriage. But he wants us to go on some kind of date on Saturday, so it might work better then.’
‘Bring him to Claire’s party on Sunday,’ Sylvia suggested. ‘Then he’ll meet everybody and he’ll see why you’re so happy here.’
‘I already invited him,’ Marian said. ‘He said yes, but I’m not sure he really wants to come. He’s quite shy, really. And everyone at once might be a bit much for him to cope with.’
‘Nonsense,’ Sylvia argued. ‘I’m sure he’ll be happy to meet them. And barbecues are so Australian, he’ll feel very much at home. Isn’t it better to throw him in at the deep end and see if he can swim?’
Marian had to laugh. ‘Yeah, barbies are very Australian. That should make him feel more at ease. He might even take over the cooking.’
‘I don’t think Pierce would mind that,’ Sylvia said. ‘Oh, go on, bring him,’ she urged, which to Marian sounded more like an order. ‘So we can all meet this Australian hunk, as Claire calls him.’
‘I know she does, just for fun,’ Marian said. ‘But okay, I’ll bring him. Might be a good way to break the ice.’
‘Of course it is.’ Sylvia smiled, then went through the door and waved. ‘Must rush. The library committee is waiting. See you at the party.’
Marian waved back. ‘Bye for now,’ she said as the door closed behind Sylvia.
Oh, she thought, is it wise to bring Theo to the party on Sunday?
It will be such a family affair and he will feel awkward.
But then she changed her mind and pushed away her fears.
Sylvia was right. Theo should be thrown in at the deep end.
It would shake him up, get him out of his gloom and make him understand why she was so happy here.
With that thought, Marian got into her car and drove to the office, the other, much bigger concern turning her stomach into a tight knot.
Pierce was preparing for the meeting with John Peters when Marian arrived at the office.
‘Great news,’ he said when she walked in.
‘I got a review and an interview with The Irish Times at the end of September and also a possible slot on both The Morning Show on RTé and The Late Late Show the following week. I also have an interview with Pat Kenny on Newstalk the week after that, and then some book signings in some bookshops in Dublin and a possible launch with Dubray in Grafton Street just before that.’
Marian stopped and stared at him. ‘Wow, you have worked hard. How on earth did you manage all that?’
‘I pulled a few strings,’ he said, beaming. ‘Old mates from college here and there and then I cashed in on a favour I was owed.’
‘Well done,’ Marian said and clapped him on the back. ‘This means John Peters can’t possibly refuse to change the date of his publication. And that will buy us time to…’
‘To what?’ Pierce asked, sitting down at the desk.
‘Try to make him rewrite the story so the family secrets won’t be exposed?
’ He shook his head. ‘I doubt he’ll agree to that.
Authors can be very difficult to steer in the right direction, especially if they self-publish.
Have you looked at his social media platform?
He has thousands of followers on Facebook and Instagram.
Then there’s TikTok and Bluesky and maybe even X, which I haven’t looked into yet. ’
‘But if he has all that, why does he need us?’ Marian asked.
‘He wants to get into the Irish market with printed books, and he can’t do that on his own,’ Pierce explained.
‘He needs someone with media contacts to create a buzz. TV and radio still work here as people in Ireland generally still watch TV and listen to the radio. He has managed to get popular around here and in Cork for some reason but now he needs to spread the word around the country.’
‘Oh, I see,’ Marian said. ‘So that’s what he’s after. And, of course, since the novel is based on a true story, as he says in his book description, it will be hugely popular all over the country.’
‘But that’s what we want to try to stop, or at least change,’ Pierce said. ‘The story, I mean. To make the connection with Magnolia Manor and the Fleurys less obvious.’
‘I know,’ Marian agreed. ‘The question is – how?’
‘We just have to play it by ear.’ Pierce gestured at the table in front of the little sofa where mugs and a plate with a cake had been laid out. ‘And ply him with coffee and Karina’s strawberry cake with whipped cream. That should do the trick, don’t you think?’ he joked.
‘Absolutely,’ Marian said with a wry smile.
She suddenly realised that Pierce had no idea that she knew John Peters.
She hadn’t wanted to explain her connection with the author in case she accidentally revealed what had happened on the plane.
I’d better tell him right now, she thought, or it will come as a huge shock.
‘But before he comes, I should tell you that I—’
They were interrupted by a knock on the door and then it opened and Sean peered in. ‘Hello,’ he said. ‘I was told to come here by a very nice lady wearing an apron.’
‘My sister,’ Pierce said. ‘She’s a professional cook.’ He held out his hand. ‘Hello and welcome. I’m Pierce and this is Marian, my assistant.’
‘Oh,’ Sean said, looking surprised. ‘Hi there, Marian. So this is where you work?’
‘You know each other?’ Pierce asked, looking taken aback. ‘Why didn’t you say so, Marian?’
‘I was about to,’ Marian stammered. ‘I forgot I hadn’t told you.’
‘How do you know each other, then?’ Pierce asked, looking put out.
Marian stared at Sean, willing him not to reveal the whole truth. ‘Well, we…’
‘We met when we were travelling together on a plane,’ Sean said.
‘From Australia to Dubai. But Marian only knows me by my real name and she hadn’t a clue that I’m an author and that I write under the pseudonym John Peters.
My real name is Sean Duvivier. My father was French and my mother Irish. From Tralee, as a matter of fact.’
‘Oh,’ Pierce said. ‘I see. Well, that’s quite a lot to take in, I have to say.’