Chapter 3
THREE
Marian woke up to a beautiful summer’s day with the sun streaming in through the half-open curtains.
She got out of bed and opened them wide, enjoying the view of the garden with shrubs and trees in full bloom.
The velvety lawns were a deep green and she could see a mix of subtropical plants and palm trees which made the gardens look lush and greener still.
It was early June, the beginning of winter in Australia but nearly full summer here in the southwest of Ireland.
Marian sighed happily and leaned her elbows on the windowsill, taking in all the beautiful sights and feeling the soft breeze from the sea against her face.
She looked further away and saw the ocean glittering seductively in the distance.
A noise at the door made her turn around to discover Claire with a tray.
‘Good morning,’ Claire chanted. ‘Isn’t it a fabulous day? Did you sleep well?’
‘I slept like a log,’ Marian said. ‘And yes, it’s a gorgeous day. What time is it?’
‘Eight o’clock,’ Claire replied. ‘I heard you get up so I made breakfast. Tea and toast and some homemade granola with strawberries from Lily’s kitchen garden.’
‘Wow,’ Marian said, her stomach rumbling at the sight of the breakfast. ‘But can’t we eat together at that cute little table just off the kitchen?’
‘Of course.’ Claire turned around and went back out. ‘I thought we’d go for a swim before we go to mass.’
‘Do we have time?’ Marian asked.
‘Yes,’ Claire said as she put the tray on the round table. ‘Mass is at eleven o’clock.’
‘Oodles of time, then,’ Marian said and sat down at the table with a contented sigh. ‘Oh, this is so fantastic. Irish summer weather. Not too hot or too cold. And swimming in the Atlantic. Heavenly.’
‘You don’t miss the tropics?’ Claire asked as she joined Marian at the table.
‘Not a bit,’ Marian said. ‘I always had to hide from the sun. I was always like a wet rag with that humid heat. But Theo loves it, so…’ She paused and sipped her tea to hide her distress. ‘I just put up with it. I was too lonely to be positive about anything, I suppose.’
‘You were homesick?’ Claire asked gently.
‘All the time,’ Marian said. ‘I tried my best to get used to everything but it was so hard. The heat, the sun, the huge insects, the snakes… And then the threat of sharks in the sea. I always felt I had to be on the lookout for things that would either make me sick or actually kill me.’
‘I know what you mean,’ Claire said. ‘I remember all that from my visits to you. But I thought you’d get used to it after seven years.’
‘I don’t know,’ Marian said with a sigh. She dug into the granola. ‘I don’t think I ever did.’
‘Maybe it was Conor and Rebecca settling down elsewhere? Knowing they’d never live near you?’ Claire asked.
‘Yes, that could be it. Sometimes I…’ She paused, wondering if she could say out loud something she had been feeling in her heart for months now. ‘Sometimes I feel like I lost my whole family as soon as I moved there.’
‘I had no idea you were so sad and lonely.’ Claire looked saddened, putting her hand out to hold Marian’s. ‘Did you tell Theo how unhappy you were?’
‘No,’ Marian said. ‘He was so happy to be back home, and I didn’t want to upset him.
I didn’t want to look like a wimp who couldn’t cope.
He was trying to make the business get off the ground and had a lot of stress associated with that.
I think he forgot about me during that time.
It was only when things improved that he looked up and noticed me. But then it was too late.’
‘In what way?’ Claire asked. ‘Had something happened?’
‘Yes. I found something that made me realise that he doesn’t care about me as much as I thought. A letter from a woman he seems to have corresponded with for a long time.’
‘A letter?’ Claire asked. ‘How old fashioned. Don’t most people communicate by text or email these days?’
‘It was an old letter, written years ago. He must have kept it and read it many times.’ Marian paused and picked up a strawberry.
‘But I don’t want to talk about it now. There are pieces I need to put together to get the whole picture.
In any case, I want to enjoy this day when I will be meeting your fiancé and our cousins and get to know the house and the area.
And then there’s your wedding in two weeks.
I want to help you with the preparations and do everything I can to make it a wonderful day.
’ Marian drew breath and smiled at Claire.
‘I just want to be happy for a little while.’
Claire looked at Marian with sympathy. ‘Of course you do. I’m sorry to be asking all those questions. I want to make your first day here fun.’
‘It already is,’ Marian said as she finished the last of her toasted soda bread. ‘Let’s go down for a swim. I can’t wait to see that little beach.’
‘There’s a jetty and a raft to swim out to,’ Claire said. ‘And I’m sure we’ll meet Tricia and Cillian there. That’s the girls’ mother and her partner,’ she added as she put the cups and plates into the dishwasher.
‘I know,’ Marian said. ‘You told me all about them. Tricia seems like an interesting person, who’s been through a lot.’
‘She has,’ Claire agreed. ‘She was widowed twice and now she’s with a very nice man. I think you’ll like her. She’s in her early sixties and very youthful and fun.’
‘My generation, then,’ Marian said.
‘Yeah, but you’re only fifty-five,’ Claire said. ‘So she must be about five years older or more.’
‘Oh, whatever,’ Marian said. ‘Who cares about age these days? I don’t.’
‘Nor me,’ Claire said. ‘Anyway, let’s get ready for the beach. Did you bring your togs?’
‘I have a whole wardrobe full of them in Australia,’ Marian said. ‘I brought two of them as I know swimming here must be so great.’
‘It is,’ Claire said. ‘Especially now in early summer.’
Marian finished her breakfast and got up. ‘I’ll go and dig out the togs and take the towel you gave me, if that’s okay.’
‘Of course,’ Claire said. ‘I’ll get ready too and we’ll walk down to the jetty. I prefer it to the beach because I don’t really like getting sand everywhere.’
When they were ready, they walked together down the gravel path through the garden that was just as lovely as it had looked from the bedroom window.
Marian peered up at the leafy canopy of oaks and beech trees that had to be several hundred years old as they made their way to the shore.
‘This garden is amazing,’ she said. ‘Like some enchanted place in a story.’
‘I love it,’ Claire said. ‘Summer or winter. I love to imagine the trees looking down at us and rustling their leaves to wish us a nice day.’
‘What a lovely thought,’ Marian said and put her arm through Claire’s. ‘I’m so happy to be here with you at last.’
‘Me too,’ Claire said and squeezed Marian’s arm.
They arrived at the wooden jetty that stretched out into the bay.
Marian could see a raft further out which she assumed was the one Claire had described.
Someone was sitting in a deck chair on the shore, reading a book.
She turned around and smiled as they approached.
‘Hi, Claire,’ she said. ‘So your sister arrived?’
‘Hi, Tricia,’ Claire said. ‘Yes, this is Marian, who came yesterday.’
The woman got up and smiled at them both, holding out her hand. ‘Welcome, Marian, I’ve heard so much about you.’
Marian shook the woman’s hand and smiled back at her. Dressed in denim shorts and a white T-shirt, she had short blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes and a wide smile. ‘Hi, Tricia. I’ve heard loads about you too.’
‘Then we know each other already,’ Tricia said.
She looked years younger than her age and seemed genuinely pleased to meet Marian.
‘But of course you’re third cousins with my daughters, so you’re family.
’ She peered at Marian for a moment. ‘You’re quite similar to Claire but not as Fleury-like as she is. ’
‘Marian doesn’t have the freckles,’ Claire said. ‘Isn’t she lucky?’
‘I wouldn’t say that,’ Tricia protested. ‘I think freckles are gorgeous.’
‘You’re very kind,’ Claire said. ‘Where’s Cillian?’
‘In the cottage, working,’ Tricia said. ‘I’m a happy pensioner these days, so I can enjoy the fine weather whenever I like. But you should get your swim as the tide is in. The water is lovely.’
‘We’ll dive in so,’ Claire said. ‘We won’t stay long as we’re going to mass later.’
‘So am I, come to think of it,’ Tricia said, and started to gather up her book, towel and swimsuit. ‘I got lost in this novel and forgot about the time. A really good read, I have to say.’
‘Which book is it?’ Claire asked.
‘It’s called A Baker’s Dozen, by this new author I’ve just discovered.’ Tricia showed the book to Claire and Marian. ‘It’s a thriller and it’s set in France. Riveting, actually.’
Claire looked at the cover that had a design of a very French-looking house with a broken window. ‘Looks interesting,’ she said. ‘I’ve never heard of John Peters.’
‘He’s getting to be quite famous and some of his books have been very high in the charts,’ Tricia said.
‘Oh?’ Claire turned the book around to look at the back of it. ‘I don’t have to time to read much. Here’s his photo.’ She showed the book to Marian. ‘Do you know this author?’
‘John Peters? No,’ Marian said and glanced at the photo on the back of the book.
Then she blinked and stared at it in shock.
She had seen that face in real life recently.
But where? She kept looking at the face of a man with greying dark hair, brown eyes and a wide smile.
Then it hit her. Of course. It was that man…
The man who had been sitting beside her on the flight to Dubai.
The man who had listened so intently to her as she told him the story of the Fleury family. And every single confidential detail.