Red Letter Day (8 page)

Fergus's thoughts were interrupted as a large truck pulled up outside. He went to the front door and nodded to the young lad who jumped down on to the pavement.

'Delivery for 12A, Ms Moore?'

'Oh, right, you'll find her in the shop next door.'

'Cheers.' The delivery man went into Close Second and moments later reappeared accompanied by a slim dark-haired girl.

Fergus stepped back into the doorway, his heart hammering in his chest. It had been nearly six years since he'd last seen her but it was definitely her.

Celine watched delightedly as the two deliveiymen dragged the dreaded brown suite downstairs. 'Thanks, bye,' she called and then whirled round to pull the plastic from the new suite. She gave a small yelp as she realised it was leather. She flopped down on the sofa and groaned in ecstasy as she sank into the luxuriant cushions. She hopped up again and began to rearrange the furniture, turning the sofa so that it faced the large window and the panoramic views of rooftops with the Dublin Mountains in the background. Nice one, Richard, she thought as she examined the soft, black leather. This had certainly not been cheap but it was a good buy for a flat as it would be hard-wearing and easy to keep clean. As she gathered up the plastic that it had been wrapped in, she noticed another box just inside the door. On inspection, she discovered it was a small microwave. 'Oh, great.' She wasn't the best cook in the world and the oven was old and temperamental. This would make life a lot easier.

There was no doubt she'd landed on her feet with both her employer and her landlord. She'd really enjoyed her morning in the shop and had been very impressed with Rose's stock and monthly turnover. Sadie was the only possible fly in the ointment. Like so many women she'd come across in Killmont, the woman was a gossip and a nosey parker.

'She's harmless,' Rose had said when the older woman had gone for lunch. 'I just switch off and let her talk.'

Celine doubted that but at least they wouldn't have to work together that often. Sadie worked Mondays — which would be Celine's day off — and part-time whenever Celine needed a break. She was there on Saturdays too but from what Rose said, Saturdays were so busy there wouldn't be much time for socialising. Regardless of Rose's assurances, though, Celine was determined to keep Sadie at arm's length.

She closed her eyes, inhaled the wonderful smell of new leather and went back downstairs to the shop.

'Well?' Rose looked at her expectantly.

'My new suite has arrived,' Celine told her. 'Black leather.'

Rose's eyes widened. 'My, Richard's really pushing the boat out.'

'And he bought me a microwave too.'

'Excellent. Have you got your list ready for him? He sometimes drops in around lunchtime.'

Celine took a piece of paper out of her bag under the counter. 'I'm not too sure what to put on it.'

'Give it here.' Rose put her glasses on and looked at the tiny list Celine had put together. 'For goodness sake, love, you need a lot more than this!'

'Well yes, but I thought I should buy them.'

Rose rolled her eyes. 'If you plan to take them with you when you move on, fair enough, but otherwise, Richard should pay for them. He will be more than grateful if you kit the place out properly, believe me.' She looked back at the list. 'You know, I think it would be better if we took care of this ourselves.'

'We?'

Rose looked up and smiled. 'Yes, why not? It's supposed to be my day off and you can't trust a man to go out and buy household goods.'

'He did okay with the suite,' Celine murmured.

'That was luck. Come on, let's go. There are some great shops in the centre outside the village and an Atlantic Homecare further out the road. Between them, we should be able to get everything you need. Sadie?' she called into the backroom. 'Are you finished your lunch yet? Celine and I are going out.'

The little woman came into the shop and eyed them curiously. 'Oh, yes, anywhere nice?'

'Just a bit of shopping.' Rose grabbed her coat and keys and steered Celine towards the door. 'If Richard's looking for us, tell him I'll call him later.'

Within a couple of hours, Celine had been through three shops and was now weighed down with bags. For a woman with a dodgy hip, Rose could shop. 'That's plenty,' she said as she saw Rose pause to look speculatively at another shop in the distance.

'Just one more.' Rose led the way down to the opposite end of the shopping centre.

Despite her tiredness, Celine's eyes lit up when she saw the cane and wicker shop that her boss had paused outside.

'They have wonderful linen baskets here.'

Celine needed no further encouragement. Leaving Rose sitting in a comfortable rocking chair surrounded by bags, she wandered around the shop. An hour later, they left having purchased said linen basket, a coffee table, a bedside table and a breadbasket. These would be delivered the following day.

'I can't possibly ask Richard to buy all of this stuff.'

'He can afford it.'

'That's not the point. He only wanted to kit the place out with necessities, not luxuries.'

Rose was in pain now and though she'd only known Celine a couple of days she knew there was no point in arguing with the girl. 'Fine. Let's go home.'

Celine shot her a worried look. 'Are you okay?'

'I'll be fine once I get my shoes off and have a coffee.'

When they pulled up outside the shop, Rose put her head into Dominic's to ask her son to help Celine take her purchases upstairs.

'Sorry, Rose, he's gone. But if you keep an eye on the shop for a minute, I'll help Celine.'

Rose leaned heavily against the counter. 'Thanks, Dominic, I'd appreciate that.'

Fergus sat in the window of the café and watched Celine Moore and Dominic unload his mother's car. Dominic said something and Celine laughed. Fergus had never heard her laugh. In fact he'd never seen her smile. Over the years, the image that had stayed with him was of a young, pale-faced girl, dressed all in black, with tears coursing silently down her cheeks. He'd never even heard her speak.

Marina put on her lipstick, pressed her lips with some tissue paper and then added a layer of gloss. 'Josh, are you ready yet?' She pulled on a calf-length suede skirt and black top. After she'd slid on her knee-high black leather boots, she went to her jewellery box and selected some strings of coloured beads to wrap around her long throat and a heavy bronze slave bangle for her wrist. 'Josh?' she called again and began to pick her way through the trail of toys that led to his bedroom. Her son was sitting playing with his train set and there was an ominous dark stain on the Tommy Hilfiger jeans that she'd dressed him in less than an hour ago. 'Have you had a little accident, honey?' She crouched down beside him and fondled his blond head.

Josh didn't bother to reply.

'Come along, darling. Mummy will get you some clean clothes. And remember, when you want to do a tinkle, you must do it in the toilet.'

'Don't want to!'

'Joshie, be a good boy.'

'No!'

'But we have to hurry. We're going to visit Granny.'

'Don't want to. Granny doesn't like me.'

Marina hugged his wriggling body to her chest. 'Oh, silly, of course she does! Granny loves you.'

'Does not.'

Marina sighed. 'Come on, darling. Let's get you out of those wet jeans and if you're a good boy you can have a chocolate biscuit.'

'Two biscuits,' Josh demanded with a belligerent look in his eye.

'Two it is.' Marina beamed at him and led him to the bathroom.

It was thirty minutes before Marina piled Josh into the car and drove the short distance to her mother's house.

Kay led the little boy into the living-room as Marina went back to the car to fetch the bags. Josh would only be here a few hours but Marina always brought enough gear to last the week. There were the medicines — just in case. A complete change of clothes — that Kay usually had to dip into. And enough toys to keep triplets happy.

'Now Mum, no television,' Marina told her mother before she left, 'and make sure Joshie has a little nap.'

Kay nodded as she always did, and manoeuvred her daughter towards the door. 'He'll be fine, Marina, don't worry.'

When Kay came back into the room, Josh had all her ornaments on the floor and had knocked over a plant. 'Okay, Josh.' She smiled through gritted teeth. 'Why don't I fetch the chocolate biscuits and we can watch Barney.'

Immediately Josh clambered up onto the sofa and beamed at her. 'Yippee.'

Marina's back ached as she held the pose for that 'one more take'.

'That's a wrap, thanks, Marina, you were great.'

Marina kissed the photographer on both cheeks. 'My pleasure, Gerry.' Not bothering to remove the heavy makeup, she went out to the car and headed in the direction of Hopefield. She was an hour late but Celine had said that her boss was relaxed about what time she took her lunch break. And after a much-needed cup of coffee, Marina was looking forward to a rummage through those wonderful clothes.

When Marina walked into the shop she stopped in her tracks and stared at her friend. For the first time in years, Celine was wearing a skirt. The skirt of a very beautiful, well-tailored, toffee-coloured suit, with a thin black vest underneath. And she was wearing makeup. Not much, granted, just some subtle colour around the eyes and a touch of lipstick. But as Marina watched, she realised there was something else. Celine was holding a dress up against a customer, a frown of deep concentration on her face and a light in her eyes that Marina hadn't seen in a very long time.

'Hello there. Can I help you?'

Marina turned to smile at the owner. 'Hi. I'm a friend of Celine. I just came in to wish her luck.'

Rose smiled. 'Well, as you can see, she doesn't need it. I'm Rose Lynch.'

'Marina Flynn.'

'The model?'

Marina beamed at her. 'That's right, and one of your regular customers.'

Rose chuckled. 'I know that, but not everyone likes me to comment on it.'

'Oh, the snobs? Well, ask Celine, I brag about the amount of stuff in my wardrobe that's second hand. Especially evening wear.'

Rose was all business immediately. 'A beautiful cerise cocktail dress came in yesterday — Dior — it would look lovely with your colouring. Would you like to try it on?'

Marina shot a look at Celine. 'It looks like I'm going to have to wait anyway. Why not?'

Celine finally spotted Marina as Rose led her to the changing room. 'Oh, Marina—'

'Don't worry about me, darling, I'm in good hands.'

'Isn't this the most beautiful dress?' Marina and Celine were sitting in Café Napoli and Marina was taking another peek into her shopping bag.

Celine pulled a face. 'I hope you're not going to buy something every time you come to see me or you'll be penniless.'

Marina smiled. 'Ah, but Rose and I have a deal.'

'You do?'

'Yeah. If I only wear it once and bring it back laundered and pressed she'll give me sixty per cent of what I paid for it.'

'Is that good?'

'It's great. In the shop across town they only give me forty-five.'

Celine laughed. 'Where's Josh?'

'With Mum, but I can't stay long.' She checked her watch. 'He has a swimming class at four. Now tell me everything. Are you happy with your new job?'

'Yes, I think it's going to work out very well.' Celine told Marina all about Rose and Dominic and some of the other residents of Hopefield. 'It's a little bit cosier than I would like but I suppose that's the problem with small neighbourhoods.'

'Have you told Rose about Kevin?'

Celine looked nervously around to see if Tracy was within earshot. 'Of course not! She doesn't need to know about him.'

Marina shrugged. 'It's not such a big deal.'

Celine grimaced. 'Tell that to the person who was sending me hate mail.'

Marina stared at her over her coffee mug. 'Celine, why didn't you tell me?'

Celine shrugged. 'It's in the past. Now I'm going to concentrate on making a go of this job and no one in Hopefield is going to know anything about me.'

Marina smirked. 'I wish you luck. This is Dublin, remember. Now, are there any nice men around?'

Celine laughed. 'Well, the guy who owns the filling station down at the roundabout, his mother's trying to fix him up but I haven't seen him yet.'

Marina nodded speculatively. 'There's money in oil.'

'Then there's Dominic Nugent, he owns the newsagent's next door.'

'Oh?'

'Not your type,' Celine assured her. 'Baggy cords and cardigans.'

Marina wrinkled her nose.

'And then there's my landlord. Now he just might be your type.'

Marina brightened. 'Describe him.'

'Well he doesn't dress very well but he's good-looking and loaded.'

'A low-key millionaire, sounds good. What does he do?'

Celine grinned. 'He's a property developer, name of Richard Lawrence. Maybe you've heard of him.'

Marina nearly choked on her coffee. 'The gorgeous Richard Lawrence is your landlord?

'Yep, and a very generous one too.'

Marina looked reluctantly at her watch. 'I wish I could stay and hear all about him but I'm going to be terribly late.'

'Come up and see my flat first.'

'Sorry, that will have to wait till the next time.'

'Oh, okay then.' Celine stood up and went over to the counter to pay. As she stood waiting for her change, she realised that all the paintings were gone. 'Oh!'

'Something wrong?' Tracy asked.

The paintings, they're gone. Surely you haven't sold them all?'

Tracy laughed. 'No such luck. No, the artist decided he didn't want to sell them after all.'

'What a pity.'

'Celine?'

'Okay, Marina, I'm coming. Thanks, Tracy, bye.'

'Nice lunch?' Rose asked as Celine came back into the shop.

'Yes, thanks.'

'I'll leave you to it for a little while.' Rose suppressed a yawn. 'I could do with putting my feet up.'

'Go ahead, I'll be fine.'