Emily ordered the dog and hunkered to fondle his ears, a gesture that caused Hobbs to pant devotedly and press his head against her knees. Before Lorraine could stop her, she lifted the latch on the back door and walked into the farmhouse. Noeleen, reading a newspaper at the kitchen table, greeted her so casually it was obvious she was used to Emily’s unannounced entry. She noticed Lorraine hovering in the open doorway and gestured. “Come in, come on in yourself. I’m just about to wet the tea.”
Emily joined the brothers in the room adjoining the kitchen where they were watching a soccer match on television.
“You’re settling into the old house all right then?” Noeleen pulled out a chair from the table and invited Lorraine to sit down.
“More or less.”
“It must seem strange after the city. It did to me when I first came here.”
“I remember that time. Celia called you a townie.”
“Sure you must have been only a tot then.” Noeleen moved around the kitchen with quick, light steps, setting mugs and plates on the table.
“It doesn’t seem all that long ago. You were originally from Tralee, if I remember rightly.”
“Born and bred. But I went to London when I was fifteen and lived there until my mother became ill. I came home to nurse her. She didn’t live long afterwards, God rest her, and I met Frank at a dance in the town about a year later. The quietness really got to me in the beginning but I’d Frank to warm my bed which helped settle me down.” She stopped, suddenly flustered, and busied herself pouring tea. “Not that a warm bed is everything. Many’s the woman managed on her own and made a far better fist of rearing her kids than if she had a man hanging out of her apron strings. Emily’s coming on grand, despite everything. She told me about the art classes you’re going to start in September. We’ve had some grand night classes altogether here. Computers, pottery and salsa dancing. I loved the salsa. But no painting until now. When do we start enrolling? I can guarantee you at least four other women who’d be delighted to get out of their houses at night.”
“Noeleen, I don’t know what Emily’s been saying but she seems to have given the wrong impression to people. I didn’t agree to do the classes. I’m too busy –”
“The furthest I’ve ever got to painting is dipping a brush into a bucket of whitewash.” Noeleen swept her excuses aside. “I’d like to tackle something like portraits. I’ve no interest whatsoever in landscapes. God knows I spend enough time looking at the scenery around here.”
“But I haven’t agreed to do the classes.”
Noeleen sighed, tilted her head to one side and surveyed Lorraine. “I’m sorry to hear that. You think you’ve all the time in the world to do the things you want but then you suddenly realise the clock’s running ahead of you. Suppose I’ll never get to paint a portrait of Frank now.”
Despite her exasperation, Lorraine smiled. “Noeleen, are you trying to manipulate me?”
“Why would I want to do a thing like that?”
“That’s what I’m asking you?”
“You need to mix with people again, Lorraine. You’re here nearly six months now and you’ve hardly moved outside the house except to walk the beach. Emily worries about you.”
“Does she talk about what happened between myself and her father?”
“She doesn’t have to. I see it in her face. But yes, she did tell me. I wasn’t trying to pry.”
“I know. And I appreciate your concern.”
“You’ll do the classes then?”
“I’ll think about it,” Lorraine promised.
“Keep yourself busy,” Noeleen advised. “I usually find it’s as good a reason as any for rising in the morning.”
Voices came from the dining-room, where a heated discussion had broken out. Emily laughed at a remark made by one of the brothers who had loudly expressed his opinion on the mental state of the referee.
“It’s great having a girl around the
Emily joined the brothers in the room adjoining the kitchen where they were watching a soccer match on television.
“You’re settling into the old house all right then?” Noeleen pulled out a chair from the table and invited Lorraine to sit down.
“More or less.”
“It must seem strange after the city. It did to me when I first came here.”
“I remember that time. Celia called you a townie.”
“Sure you must have been only a tot then.” Noeleen moved around the kitchen with quick, light steps, setting mugs and plates on the table.
“It doesn’t seem all that long ago. You were originally from Tralee, if I remember rightly.”
“Born and bred. But I went to London when I was fifteen and lived there until my mother became ill. I came home to nurse her. She didn’t live long afterwards, God rest her, and I met Frank at a dance in the town about a year later. The quietness really got to me in the beginning but I’d Frank to warm my bed which helped settle me down.” She stopped, suddenly flustered, and busied herself pouring tea. “Not that a warm bed is everything. Many’s the woman managed on her own and made a far better fist of rearing her kids than if she had a man hanging out of her apron strings. Emily’s coming on grand, despite everything. She told me about the art classes you’re going to start in September. We’ve had some grand night classes altogether here. Computers, pottery and salsa dancing. I loved the salsa. But no painting until now. When do we start enrolling? I can guarantee you at least four other women who’d be delighted to get out of their houses at night.”
“Noeleen, I don’t know what Emily’s been saying but she seems to have given the wrong impression to people. I didn’t agree to do the classes. I’m too busy –”
“The furthest I’ve ever got to painting is dipping a brush into a bucket of whitewash.” Noeleen swept her excuses aside. “I’d like to tackle something like portraits. I’ve no interest whatsoever in landscapes. God knows I spend enough time looking at the scenery around here.”
“But I haven’t agreed to do the classes.”
Noeleen sighed, tilted her head to one side and surveyed Lorraine. “I’m sorry to hear that. You think you’ve all the time in the world to do the things you want but then you suddenly realise the clock’s running ahead of you. Suppose I’ll never get to paint a portrait of Frank now.”
Despite her exasperation, Lorraine smiled. “Noeleen, are you trying to manipulate me?”
“Why would I want to do a thing like that?”
“That’s what I’m asking you?”
“You need to mix with people again, Lorraine. You’re here nearly six months now and you’ve hardly moved outside the house except to walk the beach. Emily worries about you.”
“Does she talk about what happened between myself and her father?”
“She doesn’t have to. I see it in her face. But yes, she did tell me. I wasn’t trying to pry.”
“I know. And I appreciate your concern.”
“You’ll do the classes then?”
“I’ll think about it,” Lorraine promised.
“Keep yourself busy,” Noeleen advised. “I usually find it’s as good a reason as any for rising in the morning.”
Voices came from the dining-room, where a heated discussion had broken out. Emily laughed at a remark made by one of the brothers who had loudly expressed his opinion on the mental state of the referee.
“It’s great having a girl around the
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