Page 125 of The Love Letter
Joanna was just about to order a cheese bap, when a figure she recognised came through the door.
He saw her, then waved at her in delight. ‘Lucy! Hi there.’
Kurt came to sit next to her at the bar, the water on his jacket making a puddle on the floor below him. ‘I’ll have a Guinness, please, and another for the lady,’ he said to the barman.
‘I . . . I’ve already got one, thanks,’ she said, attempting to hide her disbelief at the coincidence.
He seemed to catch her tone. ‘Hey, it’s not really so weird. You are in one of the most famous pubs in Dublin. The Bailey is on every tourist’s “must go” list – James Joyce himself used to drink here.’
‘Really? I didn’t notice the name. I ran in here to get out of the wet.’
‘So, how did your research go?’
‘Nowhere.’ She reached for her Guinness.
‘Yeah, well, I’ve had a morning pretty like that. It’s so darned wet out there you need a set of windscreen wipers to see anything. I’ve decided to give up, spend the evening drinking and the night in the lap of luxury. I booked myself a room at the Shelbourne, supposedly the best hotel in town.’
‘Right. I’ll have a cheese bap, please,’ Joanna indicated to the barman.
‘Say, why don’t you come have dinner with me tonight at the hotel? My treat, to cheer you up.’
‘Thanks for the offer, but—’
Kurt held up his hands. ‘Ma’am, I swear, no funny business. Just strikes me you’re alone, I’m alone, and maybe we’d enjoy the night better if we kept each other company.’
‘No thanks.’ Joanna stood up, seriously rattled now. Kurt’s face appeared earnest enough, but Joanna was still shaken by his sudden appearance.
‘Okay.’ Kurt looked very put out. ‘So when do you head back to West Cork?’
‘I . . . er . . . don’t know yet.’
‘Well, maybe I’ll see you when I’m back that way.’
‘Maybe you will. Bye now, Kurt.’
‘Sign there,’ Margaret indicated to the young man standing in front of her reception desk.
‘Thanks.’ He looked up at her. ‘By any chance, has a young Englishwoman called Joanna Haslam crossed your path in the last few days?’
‘And who’d be wanting to know?’
‘I’m her boyfriend,’ he said with a warm smile.
‘Well, yes, there has been a girl by that name staying here. She’s gone up country today, though. Back tonight or tomorrow,’ she said.
‘Great. I don’t want her to know I’m here. It’s her . . . birthday tomorrow and I thought I’d surprise her.’ He put a finger to his lips. ‘Mum’s the word, eh?’
‘Sure, Mum’s the word, so.’
Margaret handed the man his key and watched as he went upstairs.Oh, to be young again, she thought fondly, before going to the cellar to change the barrel.
Capture
Eliminating an opponent’s piece from the board
30
The following morning, Simon sat in the chair in front of the leather-topped desk.
