Chapter 4
Tierney’s stomach flipped as the boat turned in a practiced arc to pull away from the quay. This moment had always sparked an unequaled sense of excitement, signaling the start of a visit to her family home. In more recent years, it had been tempered by other influences, including her uncles’ disapproval of her dad, and the situation she’d gotten into with her oldest friend. Now on top of all of that, for the first time, her beloved granny wouldn’t be there to welcome her home.
She’d barely made it to the boat in time, dropping breathlessly into a seat in the cabin. Immediately Mrs. O’Hara and Mrs. Dwyer, two of Granny’s peers, had descended on her. They told her about their trip to the mainland and all the scuttlebutt they had about people they expected Tierney to know, but she had no idea who they were talking about. She’d smiled and laughed loudly in a way that seemed to appease them. Eventually, she managed to escape to the upper deck.
She was disappointed to find she wasn’t alone on the deck in the wind and rain. A woman was seated by the railings facing the island, wrapped in a thick coat. She didn’t turn as Tierney approached, so she sat toward the back, facing the retreating mainland until they got closer to the harbor. Then her desperation for her first glimpse of the stunning, oval-shaped natural harbor outweighed her desire for solitude, and she ran to the railing. All the emotions flooded back. Her love of the island, all the wonderful memories she had, but most of all, the crushing loss of knowing her granny would never be here to greet her again.
Tears welled up, and she let out a sob. I’m sorry I didn’t make it back to see you off, Granny. She’d been in South America when she got the shocking news, and that, coupled with the Irish culture of holding funerals quickly after a death, had made it impossible for her to get here in time. But that didn’t stop the feeling she’d let Granny down. Her dad’s decision not to attend, even though he could have, had added to her anguish. But now she was back, and all the feelings were so intense she could barely move.
She gripped the rail and sobbed, ignoring the snot that threatened to drip down her hoodie.
A quiet cough made her turn. The woman held out a tissue. Bundled in a thick waterproof coat, she stood more than a head taller than Tierney and had lean, stern features that suggested she lived a very healthy lifestyle but didn’t have much fun. She was hot in an intimidating kind of way.
“In the interest of hygiene, please take this.” Her expression was almost blank, but there was a softness in her hazel eyes.
Tierney relaxed her death grip on the railing and took the tissue. She tried to make her nose-blowing as subtle as possible while the woman watched her. She needed to get her shit together. Maybe talking to this woman would take her mind off her granny. “Thanks. Sorry I ruined your view of the island.”
“That’s okay. I make this trip a lot.”
Tierney blinked. She’d made an assumption based on the woman’s accent that she was a visitor. She should know better. “You live here?”
The woman tucked a wisp of blond hair back inside her hood and wrapped her arms tight around herself. “I do. I’m Kasia, the Waterside Hotel manager. I’m assuming you’re Tierney, based on your accent and Peggy’s photos.”
Tierney stared. Kasia wasn’t what she was expecting. Last time she’d visited, her granny had mentioned the hotel manager she was about to take on. But somehow, Tierney had developed a mental picture of a dowdy older woman, not this haughty-looking, but very attractive, woman no more than a few years older than her.
“Uh, yeah, Tierney.” She shoved the damp tissue into her hoodie pocket and surreptitiously wiped her hand on her jeans before thrusting it out. “I’m glad to meet you. My dad sent me.” Why did I say that?
Kasia’s grip was firm, and her skin was cool, unsurprising in the weather conditions. “I just heard your dad inherited the hotel, so excuse me if it takes a while to get the accounts ready for you to look at.” She withdrew her hand quickly and shoved it deep in her pocket.
“You only just heard? That’s odd. The family here must’ve known for a couple weeks.”
Kasia opened her mouth, closed it again, and shook her head. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve just been informed by Aoife.“
“I’m sorry about that. There’s no rush.” Tierney didn’t want to hang around for long, but she had other things to do, like talk to Joey. And she had zero enthusiasm for looking at spreadsheets.
“You must be eager to get back to the island. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Did Tierney hear a slight vein of censure in the otherwise neutral tone? Or was it her own guilt? “It’s been too long, but it’ll be different now.”
Kasia must be all too aware of the difference since her granny had died. She’d been there, after all.
Tierney exhaled, half sigh, half sob. “I really need to get some sleep.” She pinched the bridge of her nose to get her emotions under control.
“As I wasn’t aware you were coming, I’ll need to go up the cottage and prepare it first.” Kasia’s tone was polite but not friendly. She pulled her cell phone from an inside pocket. “Add your number, and I’ll text as soon as it’s done.”
“Thank you.” Tierney quickly keyed in her number. Should she offer to help? It was something Granny had always arranged before her visits. She hadn’t needed to know the details.
“You’re welcome.” Kasia turned away and sat back down on her bench.
The ferry was inside the harbor now and maneuvering toward the quay. The white, glass-fronted bulk of Walsh’s Waterside Hotel stood as familiar as ever at the far end of the harbor, overlooking the water and the row of dilapidated old cottages in the grounds.
“Catch you later then?” For some reason, Tierney felt the need to say something.
Kasia nodded, but her eyes didn’t move from the view ahead of her. “I’ll text.”
Tierney hoped Kasia would defrost a little. Otherwise, her already tiresome chore would be even more unpleasant. She slung her bag onto her shoulder and moved back down the steps, wondering how to kill time before she could finally get some sleep. She needed a meal. Last time she’d visited, there had been a few eating options, but that had been at the start of a long, hot summer when the island bustled with its dispersed population returning home, as well as with tourists from near and far. Her only choice now might be to pick up some pasta from the converted shipping container that housed the island’s only permanent shop. She’d survive. She dragged her heavy backpack from where Jacky the crewman had stowed it in the luggage area and hoisted it onto her shoulders.
Above her, the door of the wheelhouse swung open, and she recognized the copper curls of her cousin, Aoife.
“Tierney! Jacky didn’t tell me you were on board.”
Jacky looked up from his job securing the ferry. “You didn’t ask,” he hollered back, giving Tierney a wink before going back to his task.
“Will you wait for me to finish up here?”
Tierney waved and nodded, and Aoife disappeared back inside. She dropped her backpack onto a bench and went to help Jacky secure the boat, a job she had loved in happier times.
Half an hour later, it had finally stopped raining, and the boat was cleaned and ready for the evening’s return journey. The sound of Aoife’s heavy boots on the deck drew Tierney from her task of coiling spare ropes.
Aoife smiled as she approached. “Do you remember that summer you worked on the ferry, and you wouldn’t go home?”
The memory brought a wave of nostalgia, and she smiled as she stood. “The summer I turned eighteen. Dad kept calling the hotel to ask when I was returning to prepare for college, and Granny just came up with a stream of reasons to keep me longer.” Her smile faded. “I wanted that summer to last forever.”
“Christy and I were fifteen, and Joey took us all out on their boat to watch the sunset. And we’d sit down on the east side beach and cook fish in a fire pit.” Aoife pulled her wool hat from her head, and her red curls spilled to her shoulders. “I’ve spent every summer of my life on this island, and that year is still my favorite.”
It was the last summer Tierney had felt completely free. Ever since, there’d been obligations to her dad and the business, even if she never fulfilled them with much success or enthusiasm. If wildlife photography paid a little more, she wouldn’t be so dependent on him. She just needed that one lucky shot, to be in the right place at the right time.
“I’ve missed yet another summer. Is it very quiet now?”
“It’s not too bad. Seán’s made the pub viable all year round, and they serve food every night if you want it.” She took in a long breath. “And poor Kasia’s trying to keep the hotel running, but she needs to know what the future holds. She’s kept it all going since Granny died, and everyone let her.”
Tierney shouldered her backpack again. “I know. It’s why I’m here. Is your dad around?”
Aoife shook her head. “He’s over in London with Uncle Des. They’ll both be back later in the week.”
Relief washed through her. She wouldn’t have to face her uncles. Perhaps she could get the information her dad wanted and be off the island before they got back. For now, she needed to get settled and find a meal.
“Will you come up to the house for dinner? Seán’s working, so it’ll just be me and the kids. You can meet Ruane.”
Tierney added not knowing her youngest cousin to her guilt list. “That would be great. Kasia’s preparing the cottage for me.”
Aoife screwed up her nose. “You should go and help her. It’s not her job, you know. And she’s taken so much on over the last few months, for no other reason than her loyalty to Granny and her love of the island. Don’t take the piss.”
“Oh.” Heat flooded Tierney’s cheeks. “I didn’t realize. Granny always had the cottage ready, and I never thought about how it got done before.”
“You’re gonna have to learn, aren’t you? Unless your dad is coming to oversee things.”
Tierney laughed, but it came out more like a gasp. “No, I don’t think that will happen. But I’m just here to take a look at things. Dad will make all the decisions.”
Aoife pulled her into a hug. “Go and get settled and be back for six. We can talk about your dad’s plans then.”
Tierney wasn’t sure he had a plan, but she squeezed her cousin then pulled away. “I’ll be there.”
The text arrived from Kasia while she was taking the short walk to the cottage, and she fired back a quick thank you. She knew everyone she passed, and they all stopped to welcome her home. She’d always been aware of the downsides to being part of a tiny island community. There were no secrets, or at least, there weren’t secrets for long. Everyone knew everyone else’s business. But it struck her now that there was something very reassuring about being in a place where everyone knew your name and who you were. But she wouldn’t be able to bear it long-term. She had no need to belong anywhere. She was a child of the world.
She walked through the gate to the cottage, taking in the view. Though her family referred to it as a cottage, it was really a large house. Pretty and well-maintained, it didn’t hold many memories. Most of those belonged to Granny’s hotel.
The house had been an investment by her dad when he first left the island. He’d spent plenty of money improving and developing it over the years, making it available to friends and business associates who wanted to visit the West of Ireland. It was a little soulless, but it served a purpose. She wouldn’t want to be in the Waterside, with all those memories of her granny.
She retrieved the key from under the stone where it was left when visitors were expected. Inside, it was well-equipped and spotlessly clean. Kasia was nowhere to be seen, but the bed had been made, and the windows had been left slightly open to let in some air. Tierney made a mental note to thank Kasia properly, and offer her payment.
She wasn’t sure how long she would need to be on Inishderry, so she listed the things she needed to get done. Catching up with Joey had to be the main one. Perhaps if they weren’t too busy with work, the two of them could take a trip to one of the nearby islands. It was getting a little cold for outdoor adventures, but Joey had always been game for anything Tierney could dream up. She was looking forward to reconnecting with her old friend. Once she’d apologized.
She would need to spend some time at the hotel, checking in with Kasia. Her dad would ask all kinds of boring questions about turnover and staffing, and if she didn’t have the answers, it would be yet another way to disappoint him.
She threw her bag in the bedroom and pulled on her only remaining clean T-shirt. The cottage had no washer since her granny had always taken care of her laundry. She’d need to ask Kasia if she could use the hotel machine.
She set out for her cousin’s house, hoping an evening of fun with the kids would take her mind off her responsibilities. Tomorrow would be soon enough to face the work her dad had sent her to do.