Scandal (20 page)

   “I have to tell you something about myself before I can let our relationship go any further.”

   He sensed this was the secret she’d kept hidden away for a long time.  And she was about to share it with
him
.  

   “I’m listening,” he said, taking her hand in his.

   “From a very young age, I was neglected and abused by my parents.  They were both drunk most of the time.  I didn’t invite friends around to the flat where I lived because I was ashamed of my parents and of where I lived.  Most days we didn’t have any food in the cupboards.  A friend at school would give me some of her food at lunch time.  When my father went to prison for killing someone during an armed robbery, I only felt pleasure.  I was happy he was gone.  Knowing the violence and abuse would stop was such a relief.  I hoped my mum and I could have a normal relationship, now that dad was out of the way, but, that wasn’t to be the case.  She drank even more; she even turned to prostitution.  It killed her in the end. 

   “I met a new friend called Simone, and on my eighteenth birthday, I went to her house for a drink.  Simone knew about my life and how I’d wanted to get away from it all; knew how much I needed to leave the flat and fend for myself.  She said I could move in with her.  The relief at her words and kindness was over whelming.  All I had to do was tell my mum.  I’d done everything I possibly could to help her, trying to get her to find a job.  It was pointless though; she didn’t want to know.  I couldn’t let her drag me down with her anymore, which is why I decided to take a room at Simone’s house.

   “When I arrived home the night it was my eighteenth birthday, I’d been ready to tell my mother I was moving out. I found her dead in a pool of blood.  She’d been murdered by one of the men she’d had sex with.  I hadn’t money to pay for a funeral so the church paid for it.”

   “And that’s why you started attending church?” he asked.  At last the penny had dropped.

   “I eventually moved in with my friend Simone, spent eighteen months having counselling. When I began to feel a little better, I found a job working for a temping agency.  The café where I’d been working hadn’t been able to keep my job open or pay me whilst I was away sick; they would have done, they said, but just couldn’t afford to.  The owners, Reece and Sam remained good friends of mine. 

   “Shortly after getting a job with the agency, I met Finn.  He was the first man who’d ever shown me any interest, so there was no way I could tell him about my past.”

   “And did you eventually tell him?”

   “No I didn’t.  The longer things went on, the more impossible it seemed.  And then he asked me to marry him.  Sam and Reece were really good to me.  They knew about my own parents so I asked them if they would pretend to be my mum and dad.  They didn’t adopt me officially but the role they played in my life was as important as a parent’s role.”

   “Did Finn never have any suspicions about them?”

   “None at all.  They were truly like the real thing.  Reece even gave me away at the wedding.” 

   Father Michael laughed before he became serious again.

   “Is that what you’ve carried with you for so long?”

   “Yes.”

   “It doesn’t matter in the slightest to me,” he said.  “I know you for who you are and I think you are a truly amazing person.”

   “Thank you.”

   “I would like to add that when I joined the church, it was for all the right reasons.  I believed it was my vocation, my time in life to serve God and I never set out to be with you Ashleigh.”

   “Me neither.  I just enjoyed what we shared as friends and I think that if all this hadn’t have gone on with Finn, it would have remained that way.”

   “I agree,” he said.  “In a way, Finn has pushed us together hasn’t he?”

   “I suppose he has.”

   “Will you let me walk you home?”

   “Of course.  Thank you.”

   They didn’t notice the darkness creeping in around them, or the chilly wind winding through the trees as they walked.  Their companionship melted away every complication there was. 

   At the door, he turned to face her.

   “So?  Will you come to Ireland with me?”

   “I’d love to.  I’ve never been any further than Leeds,” she admitted openly, enjoying the smile which now warmed her face. 

   “You’ll need a passport.  Once you’ve got one, I’ll book some ferry tickets for us.”

   “I’m so excited Father Michael.”

   “There’s one other thing,” he said, widening his smile.

   “What?” she asked cautiously, thinking he was going to reveal something drastic.

   “You can call me Michael from now on.  Michael O’Leary.” 

   She put the key in the door ready to go inside, turning round before she left. 

   “Can I ring you?” she asked.

   “Of course, but I think we should keep a low profile until we go to Ireland.  If anyone from the church sees us together, they’ll think we
were
having an affair.”

   “I agree.  Goodnight Michael.”

   “Goodnight Ashleigh.”

   As he walked home with hands in pockets, his head felt clear.  Ashleigh was such a good woman and it felt different this time than it had been with Felicity, his fiancée, and even Jane.  He’d loved them both, there was no doubt about that, but what he felt for Ashleigh just didn’t compare.  In the morning he’d ring his mum, certain she’d be happy her son was finally coming home.

Chapter Twenty Four

Fethard-on-Sea in Ireland, was everything Ashleigh had imagined it to be and more.  She was welcomed with open arms at Michael’s parents’ farm which came with a huge amount of land.  His mother and father were both in their late sixties, and Ashleigh could tell the farm meant the world to them.  His mum Coreen had prepared a spare room for Ashleigh, adding some homey touches for her to make her feel welcome.

   It had taken four months to organise a passport, giving Ashleigh time to adjust to the fact she was leaving.  The goodbye’s on the morning they’d left for Ireland had been sad.  Simone had hugged Ashleigh like a sister and they’d shared a quiet moment together reminiscing about their friendship.  Ashleigh had bought her a friendship bracelet as proof of how much she valued her as a friend.  They promised to keep in touch and it was a promise with strong meaning.  Simone had even expressed a desire to come to Ireland to see them, since it was a part of the world she admired.

   Reece and Sam were also sad she was going but were spurred on by the fact she’d met Michael, certain he’d treat her well.  They both liked him and his words of thanks to them for caring for Ashleigh, touched them deeply.

   With only two suitcases to load into the taxi, they’d sat in the back and waved their goodbyes four months ago.  Michael’s mum hadn’t been ashamed he’d turned away from the church.  Deep down, Coreen was pleased, hopeful that one day she’d be given a grandchild.

   Ashleigh laughed to herself whenever she saw the tiny footprints in the snow which had been made by the hens on the farm.  On a morning, she hunted for their eggs, amazed by how many they laid.  The air was cold but it felt fresher and cleaner than in Leeds.  Without high-rise flats and congested streets, it was the perfect location for a quiet life.  A long narrow path led alongside their farmhouse, leading to a small beach.  The strong wind blowing in-land made it feel exceptionally cold; it was, after all, February.  But Michael had promised to take Ashleigh down to the sea once spring arrived.  If they picked the right day, he’d told her, they’d see birds coming back from migration, coming to nest on the moorland surrounding the beach and the farm.

   Evenings with Michael and his parents were always simple yet fun.  After supper, which usually consisted of homemade broth and homemade bread, they’d sit around the kitchen table playing snap.  The radio would play Irish folk music quietly in the background.  Domino’s was a favourite of Michael’s dad.  He’d been a champion domino player twenty years ago.  There was plenty of love to go round at Shamrock Farm, something Ashleigh had never been a part of before.  She felt like she’d come home.  Michael was always so attentive to her needs, always such a gentleman.  Life without him was now unimaginable.

June came, the promise of a warm summer only weeks away.  New chicks were growing stronger and their sheepdog Petra had just had her first litter of five puppies.  In one week’s time, Ashleigh would be allowed to hold them but for now, all she could do was watch the small forms wobbling on weak legs.

   One morning after breakfast, which had consisted of boiled eggs from the hens and freshly made bread, Michael took Ashleigh by the hand.  He thought it high time he showed her some of the surrounding area.  With a small picnic basket, they set off without a care in the world.  Coreen had given him a day off from the farm and he intended to spend as much time with Ashleigh as possible.  They walked through the small village, passing quaint shops, neat little cottages and friendly neighbours.  A small church sat just to the left of the only road which ran through the village.  There was one pub, a post office and a school.  In total, there were just thirty houses. 

   As they approached a cottage with a sold sign in the garden, Michael led Ashleigh over to it.

   “Wouldn’t you just love to live somewhere like this?” he asked dreamily. 

   It was the type of house every woman would like to call their own.  And, the setting was so perfect.

   “Yes,” she replied with a sigh. 

   She loved the farm very much and all it stood for, but a house like this would be a dream come true.

   “Would you like to have a look inside?” he asked.

   “We can’t do that, it’s nosey.”

   “Oh but I think we can,” he persisted.

   “Have you gone mad?”  By now she was laughing.

   “No I haven’t.  Come on, I’ve borrowed a key.” 

   “Aren’t we trespassing?” she asked, as she reluctantly followed him.

   “I’ve got permission I promise.”

   Michael let them into the cottage.  A small hallway took them into a large kitchen which overlooked a huge garden.  It was a rose garden.  The new buds weren’t quite mature enough, but come the summer, when a little warmer weather cared to fall on their petals, they would fill the garden with their magnificent colour.

   “I love roses,” Ashleigh admitted as she viewed them through the window.  “They smell so sweet.” 

   The kitchen wasn’t modern but it had a huge oven and cooker which looked as old as the cottage itself.  Upstairs, there were three bedrooms, all decorated tastefully with a modern theme.  The windows held lace curtains, fastened at the sides with lace ties.  From the biggest back bedroom the sea was visible.  Ashleigh could see people on the beach, making the most of the sunshine despite its lack of warmth.

   Lost in her own thoughts for a moment, Ashleigh didn’t notice Michael behind her.  As if by magic, he appeared with a bouquet of flowers.

   “For you Ashleigh,”

   “Thank you, they’re beautiful.”  Bending down to sniff at the pink carnations, she smiled openly.  “Carnations are one of my favourite flowers, along with roses.”

   “Good.  Shall we move on?”

   “Are we going home already?  Back to the farm?”

   “No,” he said smiling.  “Actually Ashleigh, we are home.”

   She was confused.  “What do you mean?”

   “Did you notice the sold sign in the front?”

   “Yes I did, why?”

   “It’s been sold to us.” 

   Her eyes widened.  “You’re kidding!  But how?  When did you arrange it all?”

   “I put an offer in before we moved here.  It’s somewhere I’ve admired since I was a teenager.  Then when I knew I was coming back, I looked at houses for sale and saw this one.”

   “Oh Michael I can’t believe it.  It’s so beautiful.”

   “Do you really like it?”

   “Oh I love it so much.”  She went to him, embracing him warmly.  Looking around the bedroom, she felt like she was dreaming.  They had their very own home.  It was like a fairytale.  “What about your mum and dad?  Won’t they be upset?  You’ve only just got back.”

   “They already know.  In fact, they helped to make sure my offer was accepted.  And, there’s still work to do on the farm, for both of us that is, so we’ll still see them.”

   “I’d love that, I really would.  Your parents have been so good to me.  I wish I’d met them sooner.” 

   He kissed the top of her head and said, “I’ll put the kettle on if you want to put your flowers into water.  There’s a vase under the sink.”

   “Okay I will.”

   With a sheet of newspaper on the table, Ashleigh began to trim the excess foliage on the stems.  The kettle was starting to rumble as the water boiled.  Michael had even bought a few cups to allow them to have a drink. 

   Humming to herself as she pruned, Ashleigh could not believe how her life had turned around this past six months.  She’d forgotten about Finn, and the pain he’d caused her wasn’t raw anymore.  Having Michael in her life felt so right.  It was as though she’d always known him. 

   As she worked her way through each stem, something twinkling caught her eye.  At first she thought it was a piece of silver foil.  Moving her head nearer to it, she discovered it was a ring.  It had been threaded onto the stem of one of the carnations.  The solitaire winked at her again as she steadied it with her hand, preparing to take a closer look.  Michael had noticed she’d stopped singing, so he watched her discreetly as she made the discovery.  He was by her side feeling nervous, hoping he wasn’t about to spoil anything between them.

   “Michael look,” she began slowly.

   “Do you like it?”

   “It’s beautiful, but what’s it doing here?  Do you think these flowers were meant for someone else perhaps?”

   Taking the dainty ring from her, he took her left hand, placing it on her fourth finger.  Her lips quivered as she realised what he was doing.

   “Will you marry me Ashleigh?”  She didn’t answer straight away, she couldn’t.  Choked by her tears, she firstly hugged him tightly.  He didn’t realise she was crying happy tears.  Thinking she was about to let him down gently, Michael took her by the shoulders, searching her tear smeared face.  “I’m so sorry.  I shouldn’t have rushed you.  Please forgive me.”

   She began to laugh, wiping frantically at her falling tears.  “I will marry you, of course I will.”

   “But I thought you were upset,” he said.

   “I’ve never been happier.  Today has been the happiest day of my life and I have you to thank for that.” 

   She gave him a kiss which meant so much.  He’d been her saviour and she would be eternally grateful, never again looking back on her horrible past.