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this next room I hold my wine courses, ” he said, opening the door for her.
    “ Do you hold many every year? ” she enquired as she looked around the airy bright room. There were large French windows looking onto the back garden .
    “ Well, I lecture for the Wine Board and prepare students for the Certificate exams. On top of that I bring my employees here on a regular basis to update their knowledge and for wine tastings. ”
    “ Employees? How many do you have? ”
    “ Fifty, last count. ”
    “ My goodness! Fifty !” she exclaimed, amazed . “ What do they all do? ”
    “ Well, I have ten wine shops and an import business and I ’ m about to start an online business as well. ”
    Ellie was gobsmacked. No wonder he could afford this house! She guessed he was still in his twenties. She turned to him, her blue eyes widening.
    “ Goodness gracious, what a success you ’ ve made of your life – and you ’ re still only what . . . twenty-nine . . . thirty? ”
    “ Do I look that old? ” He pretended to be offended. “ A ctually, I ’ m twenty-eight, ” he laughed , seeing her stricke n look.
    “ Gosh, you must have been a genius at school. ”
    “ No way! I dropped out before my Leaving and went to France to work in a vineyard. My parents were horrified. They wanted me to go to university but I hated school and I knew I wanted to be in the wine business so off I went. I spent five years there and made lots of contacts before coming home to open my first wine-shop. ”
    Ellie was impressed . “ I hated school too and was useless at studying. ”
    “ Yes, but you like what you do now, don ’ t you? ” He cocked his head to the side and looked at her with interest. “ I remember you told me some funny stories about the beauty salon the first night I met you. ” He was grinnin g as he recalled it.
    “ I like the clients and the two girls I work with but the job itself is pretty boring. What I really would have liked was to have become a vet. But with my Leaving results that was out of the question. I ’ m not that smart. ”
    “ Being smart has nothing to do with passing exams, ” he said gently. “ It ’ s important to love what you do. I do. I love working with wine . Hey , I see your glass is empty. Let ’ s go back upstairs. ”
    She followed him up to the living-room again, admiring the lovely paintings lining the walls. This really was an exquisite house. She sighed, thinking of the poky little houses she and David had been looking at on the Internet and could barely afford.
    Over another glass of wine they chatted on , until Ellie realised that it was getting on for ten o ’ clock.
    “ Oh goodness, look at the time ! I ’ m sorry, I do go on sometimes. I ’ d better go, ” she said , standing up.
    “ I ’ ve really enjoyed talking to you. You livened up my e vening. I look forward to seeing you next Monday night. ”
    “ Oh God, I ’ m sorry, I almost forgot to pay you and that ’ s the reason I called around, ” she said, embarrassed, as she reached into her bag for her purse. She handed him the €300 for the course.
    “ Thanks . Hold on a jiffy, I have to go downstairs to get you a receipt. ”
    He turned to go but Ellie stopped him. “ Don ’ t worry about it. You can give it to me next Monday. ”
    “ Fine, I look forward to seeing you then, ” he smiled as he shook her hand. He showed her out and Ellie walked home, swinging her bag, thinking that with Sam as the lecturer the course was going to be very interesting. She was really glad that she ’ d decided to do it.

    9
    Ronan was tired of the stand-off with Louise. The strain of living in a house with someone who hadn ’ t spoken to him in a week, along with the uncertainty at work and his dire financial situation , was all taking its toll on him. He was feeling completely stressed out. At least Louise seemed to be making an effort. She hadn ’ t been out of the house since Sunday, or so she said, so at least she