Page 41 of The Secret Bookshop in Ireland

‘But it’ll take a while to get it going,’ Maureen said, looking doubtful. ‘Either way, we won’t open until August or so, if we can get our act together and work hard.’

‘I’d like to set a deadline for the end of July,’ Ciara said. ‘That’ll give us two months to get the shop stocked and the place painted and freshened up. And you know what,’ she added as an idea had just hit her. ‘We can have a place in the back garden with benches and chairs under the big oak for people to sit and read in the summer months.’

‘I’m not sure about that,’ Maureen protested. ‘I can’t have the back garden ready so soon.’

‘Not you,’ Ciara argued. ‘We’ll get a gardening firm to do some landscaping.’

‘That will cost a lot of money,’ Maureen remarked, frowning.

‘Yes but I have the money from Martha. Plus, wouldn’t that be a business expense that we can claim against our taxes?’ Ciara suggested.

‘That’s a possibility,’ Maureen said after a moment’s reflection. ‘But what about Brian? He loves that place.’

‘He can be our mascot,’ Ciara said. ‘He can lie in the grass looking magnificent. He’s so friendly and everyone will love him.’

‘Some people might. Others might find him a little scary,’ Maureen remarked, spreading marmalade on her toast.

‘I’m sure he’ll soon be very popular.’ Ciara knocked the top off her boiled egg. ‘In any case, we have to decide on a budget and find out what all the work will cost.’ After she’d finished her egg, she started writing on the pad. ‘Painting and decorating, more books, landscaping, a new sign, and a new cash machine…’ she mumbled as she wrote. ‘I’ll go online when I’m in Enniskerry, or maybe later in Wicklow town when I’m there with Oisín tonight and find some local firms I can contact for quotes.’

‘Won’t he find that a bit rude?’ Maureen asked. ‘He’s invited you to dinner after all.’

‘He said he wanted to find out about my plans for the bookshop,’ Ciara explained. ‘So I think he’ll find it interesting. But I’ll try not to be too obsessive about it.’

‘You might ask him about the vicarage,’ Maureen suggested. ‘That house looked deserted when we walked past it that evening, if you remember. But then we get an invitation to tea there.’

Ciara nodded. ‘Yes, that’s right. But there must be someone living there despite what we thought. I’ll ask him if he knows anything about it.’

‘Oisín knows a lot about many things,’ Maureen said. ‘But I have a feeling he’ll only tell you what he wants you to know.’

‘Maybe I can get it out of him by not actually asking?’ Ciara suggested.

‘That’s the best way,’ Maureen said. ‘Pretend you’re not really interested and then he’ll be trying to impress you.’

Ciara laughed. ‘You’re very devious, Ma. I’ll play it by ear,’ she said and got up. ‘Lots to do before tonight, though. So let’s get started and sort out books and stuff and make more lists.’

‘Good idea,’ Maureen said and started to clear the table. ‘We have some social events to look forward to as well. First that lunch with Ronan and his girlfriend at Powerscourt tomorrow, then the tea party in a few weeks.’

‘I’m exhausted just thinking about it,’ Ciara said. ‘Never thought we’d be partying like this in a remote village in the Wicklow Mountains.’

Maureen smiled. ‘Neither did I. But I have a feeling that tomorrow will bring us nearer to the truth about all the mystery if Ronan has found out more.’

‘I certainly hope so,’ Ciara said. But it was the evening with Oisín that gave her butterflies in her stomach. Not because of his good looks and obvious charm, but because of what he might know. But how could she get him to reveal all he knew about Martha, the bookshop and maybe also the history of the Fitzgerald family? She had a feeling it would take some persuading and more than a little cunning.

TWENTY-ONE

Ciara was ready just before seven, dressed in the outfit her mother had suggested: Liz’s T-shirt, black linen trousers and the denim jacket. She had washed her hair and blow-dried it until it gleamed and then applied mascara and lipstick but nothing else. She didn’t want to look as if she had tried too hard. That might give Oisín ideas.

Ciara and Maureen had worked hard in the shop all day, sorting the books on the shelves, which they had decided to paint a sage green. The floor had been cleaned and polished until the oak planks gleamed and they had also washed the windows and brushed the dust and cobwebs off the entrance door. And now it all looked quite inviting. They needed chairs for the reading corner where Ciara had decided to host the book club she hoped would be created some day in the future. All this work had been very satisfying and Ciara saw for the first time how cute and cosy the shop would be once it was finished. It made her want to stay.If only, she thought, but then pushed the idea away, knowing it would be crazy.

Just after lunch, Ciara had driven down to Enniskerry for a coffee and to call her boss to ask her for a leave of absence. It was Saturday and the office would be closed, but Ciara hadJean’s mobile number and she called that, hoping Jean wouldn’t be annoyed at being called at the weekend. She had never been particularly friendly, keeping a cool tone with the staff at all times. But she had replied and accepted Ciara’s apology about calling her on a Saturday with fairly good humour.

But when Ciara had explained what she was calling about, Jean’s tone changed.

‘You want more leave on top of the two weeks you’re already taking?’ Jean O’Reilly asked in a scathing tone.

‘Well, yes,’ Ciara replied, beginning to regret her phone call. ‘I’m trying to sort out an inheritance I received recently, you see. From someone I’m related to,’ she ended, knowing how lame it sounded. ‘So I need a little more time to get it all in order.’

‘I’m afraid I can’t give you more time off at the moment,’ Jean O’Reilly said. ‘I need all my staff right now as it’s just after the new budget. You have about three weeks left of your annual holiday and you can take them in August. I expect to see you in the office next week.’