Page 57 of Boomerville at Ballymegille

Melissa opened her eyes and looked at her reflection. Her head shook in disbelief. She’d never seen nor contacted Patrick’s father in all of her son’s twenty-six years. Her only memory was of his eyes. The eyes that had captivated her as she sang and danced by his side.

Magical eyes. Eyes that she’d suddenly and shockingly recognised, that belonged to a man who’d entertained everyone with his songs and tales the night before.

Eyes that belonged to Finbar Murphy.

23

‘You look fabulous!’ Hattie exclaimed. She stood by the reception desk in the hallway and watched Jo as she came down the stairs. ‘Where the devil did you get that dress?’

Jo stepped onto the polished parquet flooring and, taking hold of her skirt, did a twirl. The dropped shoulders of the cap-sleeved gown were flattering and scarlet suited her auburn hair and creamy skin.

‘I found it in a vintage shop in Cork; you don’t think it’s too tight?’

Hattie walked around Jo and studied the nipped in waist which flowed to a full skirt just below the knee. ‘Nope, it’s perfect.’

‘I’m not sure if I can walk in these shoes.’ Jo looked down at her matching suede stilettos.

‘Well, you should try because they look great.’

‘I thought we should make an effort, with this being the first full day.’

In truth, when Jo had opened her wardrobe that morning she’d thought about Pete. The dress was as good as giving him a one finger salute. Anguish was turning to anger and, determined to stop moping around and pull herself together, she had grabbed the dress and put it on.

As she touched the silky fabric, Jo realised that the dress made her feel good again; she actually felt quite sexy.

‘Is that a smile on your face?’ Hattie raised her eyebrows and gave Jo a wink. ‘Time you got back in the saddle, a red-hot affair would do you good.’

‘And who would I have an affair with?’

‘You should get in touch with Long Tom, that was the best medicine you ever took, a two-week tumble with Mr Rock and Roll and you’d soon got over your grief and had the rest of your life planned out.’

‘That’s never going to happen because, one, he lives in Los Angeles.’ Jo held up her hand and counted her fingers. ‘And two, he’s probably married again and three, he’d never look at an old crone like me when he has La La Land lovelies at his fingertips.’

‘I’m just saying,’ Hattie shrugged, ‘he looked at you once.’

‘Well, it’s never going to happen again.’ Jo sighed and wondered what she would do if Long Tom were to walk through the door. She’d put him out of her mind when she’d chosen Pete and look where that had got her.

Deciding to change the subject, Jo stared at Hattie’s outfit and smiled. ‘My goodness, I wouldn’t have known you.’

Hattie wore a severe black dress. Well-cut and tailored, it had a round collar and neat cuffs.

‘Aye, well don’t let appearances fool you.’ Hattie tugged on the zip at the neck of the dress and pulled it down to her chest. Red lace peeped out over a mound of cleavage. ‘Where are my shoes?’ She shuffled barefoot to the desk and reached under to retrieve a pair of animal print kitten heels.

‘A transformation.’ Jo smiled.

‘I want to keep the punters happy.’ Hattie reached into her bra and pulled out a lipstick. In moments her lips puckered pearly pink. ‘None of that trout pout for me,’ she said.

‘You do look remarkably good for your age.’ Jo studied Hattie’s skin and ran her fingers over her friends smooth forehead. ‘Hardly a line.’

Hattie turned away. She’d no intention of letting Jo in on the fact that she’d been taking regular trips to a Botox clinic since Hugo’s death, and the results, in Hattie’s opinion, had taken years off. She wouldn’t mind a bit of lipo-suction on her tummy too. Hattie sucked her stomach in and wondered if the miracle pants that squeezed her backside and crushed the flesh around her ribs, would be bearable all day. It would be a miracle if she still had them on by teatime.

‘The taster classes kick off in an hour.’ Jo sat at the desk and studied the day’s schedule.

‘Aye, I’m about to do a check and make sure the instructors are ready and prepared.’

Four classes were to run that morning, each lasting for two to three hours. They would be repeated after lunch.

As the weather was fine, Lucinda would be hosting students by the lake. Easels and paints were being set up and placed in position to catch the best of the morning light. James had arranged chairs in one of the lounges and would take the class for Public Speaking, while Declan and the twins were ready to welcome gardeners to the vegetable patch with forks, trowels and long handled dibbers, to learn all about the business of “The Birds and the Bees in the Garden”.

---