Chapter 3 #3
‘Don’t be long, I’m ready to put in the Yorkshire puddings and you know you love them,’ Jenny called after him.
‘You’re honoured, Roxie. He never bothers to shower for Don and me.
’ She smiled. ‘For your information, the cloakroom is through here.’ She threw open the door to the hall and then to a small room with a shower, toilet and handbasin.
There were fresh towels on the radiator.
In the hall itself, was a good-sized alcove for coats and boots.
They were all seated round the kitchen table when Ciaran reappeared dressed in brown whipcord trousers and a pale blue shirt, which seemed to make his eyes bluer than ever. He had evidently made an effort to smooth down his damp hair, but already it was curling round the edges where it had dried.
‘My word, something smells good, and I’m famished!’ he declared with an appreciative grin.
‘Come on and tuck in while the soup is hot,’ Jenny said.
While Roxie cleared the soup plates, Jenny placed the roast lamb and carving set in front of Ciaran, along with the pile of hot plates. He rolled his eyes and muttered. ‘Don’t blame me if you all end up with little bits as though the dog chewed it.’
‘Your father always said it was the boss’s job to carve, so it’s time you started,’ Amy said. ‘Who does it at your house, Roxanne?’
‘My— my father usually did it. I discovered it helps a lot if someone carves the roast and lets the cook get on with all the other dishes needing to be served, but I can carve if necessary.’ She helped Jenny carry the dishes of mashed potatoes, carrots, roast potatoes, cauliflower, gravy and white sauce.
Last came the Yorkshire puddings newly out of the oven and beautifully risen.
‘My word, Jenny, you have been busy. This is a real treat for me these days,’ Amy said.
‘I hope you enjoy it, Aunt Amy. Ciaran, have you no mint sauce?’ Jenny asked.
‘Of course I have. I always have mint sauce with my lamb chops. I keep it in the fridge.’
‘This lamb is delicious and so tender,’ Amy said with relish. ‘Is this one of your own lambs from the freezer, Ciaran?’
‘Of course. You should know, Mum, because I put the other one in your freezer, all nicely jointed, along with some beef and pork roasts. The butcher did them specially for you.’
‘Yes, I’d forgotten. Maybe we can use some of them now Roxanne is here. I do like my food.’ She brightened as she looked at her young companion. ‘Maybe we shall have proper Sunday dinners again now. You might decide to join us sometimes, Ciaran?’
He glanced at Roxie. ‘Maybe.’
After a delicious pudding of lemon meringue pie, Roxie helped Jenny to load the dishes into the dishwasher and tidy the kitchen while Amy moved into the room for a comfortable seat, followed by the two men.
‘I’m not sure whether I should tell you this,’ Jenny said hesitantly, speaking in a low voice.
‘But I think if you stay, Aunt Amy will probably mention it sometime and I want you to know that Ciaran was one of the sunniest-natured people you could have found when we were younger.
Even now, he is not usually as irritable and short-tempered as he was yesterday.
‘When Uncle James had a slight heart attack, Aunt Amy started making plans to build the bungalow so they could retire.
She intended to leave Ciaran and Amanda — his girlfriend — here in the house, although they had made no plans to marry at that time.
Eighteen months later, when the bungalow was finished, Aunt Amy kept urging Ciaran to pop the question.
Eventually he agreed they would probably get engaged when Amanda came back from a skiing trip with some friends.
Ciaran had meant to go too, but his father had had another heart attack, more serious this time, so he withdrew.
‘While they were away, the girls fell in with a group of young men. Later, they told Donald one of them was a bit wild. He seemed determined to gain Amanda’s attention.
He knew she was a good skier so he challenged her to go skiing one afternoon, later than usual.
There had been warnings there could be avalanches, but she went with him.
It is believed they went off the main slopes.
Whatever happened, we’ll never know. They were both killed. ’
‘Oh, Jenny, how awful, and what a waste of a young life.’
‘It was a waste. I wouldn’t say Amanda had much interest in farming, or that she was the ideal wife for Ciaran, but she was a clever girl and she had a good job teaching French.
She loved all kinds of sports. That was about six years ago now.
Ciaran never mentions Amanda. He has had various girlfriends since, but they never last more than a few weeks.
I think Aunt Amy would like to see him happily married while she is still around.
He will be thirty next year.’ She smiled.
‘Come on, we had better take this coffee through.’
‘I’ll carry the tray of cups.’
The news was coming on as they entered the room.
‘Oh look,’ Jenny said, ‘they must be showing news of the accident which delayed Roxie yesterday.’ Roxie drew in her breath.
Surely they wouldn’t show the details . . . ? She set down the tray of cups hurriedly.