The sounds of the city stilled as night fell. The party crowd was cocooned in the heady atmosphere of the old Georgian square where Oscar Wilde had once strolled and many a government minister had walked off the stress and tensions of official duties. Ellie was delighted to see that Mo Brady had arrived. The Lady Mayor was wearing a softly draped taupe jacket and trousers set off with a peacock-blue scarf, her hair highlighted as she stepped up to the microphone to huge applause.
‘Isn’t she a tonic!’ remarked the elderly man in the navy blazer beside her, as Mo congratulated all the committee on their efforts and outlined a new scheme for donors whereby contributions could be offset against tax liabilities when the rebuilding of the old hospital wing got under way. She then called on James Sherry, the well-known auctioneer, to come up and start the charity auction. There was a holiday to South Africa, a weekend for six in Rome, golf games, skiing lessons, weekends away, luxury spa days . . . Ellie cringed when she realized that instead of being in a raffle her hat was among the many items that were to go under the hammer. John Rocha glass, two paintings, a case of vintage wine, a Mary Gregory coat, a Paul Costelloe jacket, golf in Mount Juliet, a weekend in London – it was an impressive list.
Mo kept up a running commentary as the bidding began, encouraging people to give generously to such a good cause.
‘Now something very special, from someone very special,’ she enthused. ‘A delicious hat from my favourite milliner, Ellie Matthews, who is standing over there.’
Ellie resisted the temptation to flee and tried to smile. Inside she was mortified and desperately regretting her decision to come along and disgrace herself.
‘What am I bid for this beautiful creation by one of the country’s new up-and-coming designers, ladies and gentlemen?’ boomed the auctioneer.
Ellie wished that the grass would open up and swallow her as a sudden silence descended on the band area. This was excruciating, one hundred times worse than any torture or humiliation she could have dreamed of.
‘Come on, ladies and gentlemen,’ he continued. ‘Think of the beautiful young ladies in our company who would do anything to wear such a fine hat to their next outing, a wedding or christening perhaps.’
Utter silence.
‘Two hundred euro.’
Ellie almost collapsed with relief at the masculine voice coming from somewhere behind her.
‘Three hundred.’ This from a middle-aged man who was standing with a glass of wine in his hand over near the minister.
‘Four hundred,’ the first voice insisted again.
‘Five hundred euro,’ interrupted a plump woman sitting down near the front of the bandstand.
‘Six hundred,’ continued the first voice.
Ellie couldn’t believe it. Three people wanted to buy her hat. Relief washed over her and the shaking in her knees steadied.
‘Seven hundred,’ countered the other bidder.
‘Eight hundred,’ laughed the woman, not wanting to be outdone.
‘Nine hundred euro,’ said the first voice.
‘Nine hundred and fifty,’ called the older man, determinedly.
‘One thousand euro.’
‘All done? Then going . . . going . . . gone,’ declared the auctioneer. ‘Sold to Mr Harrington.’
The crowd spontaneously burst out clapping as the bidding ended and the hat was finally sold.
‘We thank him for his generous contribution to the hospital’s fund.’
Ellie couldn’t believe it. Had she heard right? She turned round, mortified.
‘Miss Matthews! Ellie!’
She recognized the voice. Neil Harrington was standing right beside her.
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘It was very kind of you to bid, and to pay that much . . .’
‘It’s for a good cause.’ He laughed, putting his hand on her shoulder as they stood back out of the way of the auction.
He looked different in an open-necked shirt and a light jacket. Younger, more relaxed. She blushed, remembering the last time they’d met when she’d almost thrown the bucket of water over him.
‘The suit dry-cleaned perfectly,’ he told her, as if reading her mind.
‘I’m sorry, Neil. I took my bad temper out on you.’
‘Anyway,’ he teased, ‘windows aside, the hat business is going well?’
She wondered was he trying to pump information out of her or simply being polite? She just couldn’t tell.
‘Yes.’ She smiled. ‘It’s hard work but I love it.’
‘Well, it suits you. You look even more charming than usual,’ he said, eyeing her up and down.
‘Neil!’ she warned.
‘What I mean is, on a balmy night like this with music and wine, well, it couldn’t be better.’
She laughed despite herself.
‘Let me get you a drink,’ he offered. ‘More champagne?’
‘No, thanks.’
He looked crestfallen.
‘But a glass of white wine would be lovely, please.’
‘The tent is over this way,’ he said, taking her elbow as they fell into step together.
As she sipped her wine and stopped to watch the quartet perform, Ellie expressed her surprise.
‘I wasn’t expecting to meet you here.’
‘I was invited,’ he assured her.
‘And you being a jazz aficionado!’
‘I grew up with it. My father played clarinet and a little sax. On a night like this it comes into its own.’
Ellie had to agree with him, as they sat down to listen to the music and the songs of Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Dizzy Gillespie filled the air. His expression was intense, she saw as she secretly watched him.
When the band took a break they joined the queue for food under the striped awning, the barbecue smoke filling the air. The steaks, sausages and burgers all smelled delicious.
Ellie helped herself to sizzling pieces of tender chicken sprinkled with herbs, a baked potato and a delicious green salad as Neil held her wine glass. They joined a throng of his friends squashed on a long trestle table.
‘Hey, Neil, go get me some more food!’
‘Les, you already had a huge steak and a burger,’ he chided.
Ellie squeezed in beside him as he tucked into a steak and all the trimmings.
‘This is great,’ she said, realizing that she was enjoying herself far more than she had planned and was finding Neil and his friends better company than she’d expected.
Neil was the perfect gentleman, keeping her wine glass topped up and insisting on fetching her a big bowl of strawberries and cream for dessert. It was getting darker, the moon overhead, as the Chinese lanterns swinging from the trees lit up the pathways.
‘Neil, where have you been?’ interrupted a peeved voice. ‘I’ve searched the place for you.’
‘I’ve been here with the guys, Gayle. Where were you?’
‘Some of the photographers wanted to get a few shots for the mags and weekend papers. What could I do?’
Ellie felt uncomfortable, unsure what to do as the blond girl fixed her eyes on her and where she was sitting. The girl looked put out but there was certainly no space on the bench beside Ellie and most of Neil’s friends seemed suddenly to have become very interested in the food on their plates. An awkward few minutes crawled by until Les stood up.
‘Here, princess, you can take my spot. I’m going up to get some more strawberries.’
His seat was at the far end of the table and no one offered to move down to accommodate her.
Neil made a perfunctory introduction.
‘Gayle, this is Ellie, she’s a business acquaintance of mine.’ Ellie nodded towards the girl, who seemed slightly mollified by his description of her.
‘Here, let me move down and then you two can sit together,’ she offered, for she had no intention of playing pig in the middle between two lovebirds.
‘Thanks,’ smiled the blonde as she took her place beside Neil.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ellie watched as Gayle flirted with him. Who would have thought it? Neil Harrington was such a ladies’ man. Fortunately Ryan and Barbara were good company and Ellie relaxed and enjoyed the banter between the friends. Barbara, a buyer for Brown Thomas, gleefully discussed the latest design trends for autumn from Paris and Milan, which would hit the store over the next few weeks.
‘Most of the stuff is to die for but some is just pure awful but we know it will sell.’
She watched as Gayle and Neil got up to dance.
‘She sure can move,’ sighed Barbara. ‘Drives them all crazy!’
‘Come on, ladies, your turn to dance in the moonlight!’ offered Ryan, jumping to his feet. Barbara excused herself and Ellie found herself almost lifted off the ground as he pulled her up. Ryan might be large but he was nimble and could sure pound to the beat as the music got faster and faster and he swung her round and round. Ellie laughed aloud as he got crazier and crazier. She was out of breath as Ryan went in search of water and the tempo slowed.
She had just sat down when Neil asked her to dance. Things were a little less frantic as people slipped up to the bar and off to sit in the moonlight, and Ellie to her surprise found herself agreeing to dance with him. There was no sign or mention of Gayle and she relaxed as he slipped his arm round her waist.
‘Enjoying yourself?’
‘Oh yes. It’s been a perfect night.’
‘I’m glad.’
‘Your friends are very nice,’ she found herself saying.
‘You seem surprised that I have friends,’ he mocked.
‘A little,’ she admitted. ‘I thought that work was all you thought about.’
‘I’m sorry if you were insulted by the way I introduced you to Gayle . . .’
‘No, not at all! Anyway it’s true. We are business acquaintances.’
‘It’s just that it makes things less complicated for someone like her.’
The dance area began to fill up again and he drew her closer into his arms, her cheek against his shoulder. He smelled good, a mixture of expensive aftershave, male sweat and the fresh air. Surprised, Ellie found it hard to resist the temptation to touch his skin with her lips or fingertips as they moved together. The night air was so warm and heavy it made her almost drowsy as the blues music filled the park.
‘You look lovely,’ he said, slowly moving a tendril of hair that was tumbling across her face. ‘Beautiful.’
She didn’t know what to say, what to make of him. Twenty minutes ago he had been dancing with his sexy girlfriend and now he was trying to sweet-talk her. She should never have had two glasses of champagne and got so wrapped up in that woman’s romantic love story. They were only business acquaintances and that was a good thing for them both to remember.
‘I think I had better get going,’ she said suddenly, breaking the spell and pulling apart from him. ‘I have work tomorrow.’
‘Saturday?’
‘My shop opens on Saturdays.’
‘We’re thinking of going to Leeson Street in a while. You are welcome to join us.’
‘I’m sorry, Neil, but I have to go.’
‘Stay,’ he pleaded, gripping her wrist and pulling her closer to him.
‘I can’t.’
‘Then let me walk you home?’ he offered, reaching for her hand, his fingers clasping hers.
Ellie felt torn, all mixed up. What was she doing? Tempting and all as his offer was, she’d met him with a girlfriend, Rachel, and now there was this Gayle. And she already had a boyfriend. It was just too complicated. Ellie shook her head vehemently.
‘No, thanks, Neil,’ she said, disentangling herself. ‘I like walking and I live only a few minutes away – I’ll be fine. You stay and enjoy yourself.’
She bade a hasty goodnight to his friends, noticing as she made her way towards the park entrance that Gayle had detached herself from one of the government ministers and was back wrapped in Neil’s arms, dancing cheek to cheek with him, sporting the hat he’d bought in the auction. Neil must have given it to her.
Expensive tastes, she thought, lightly tossing her wrap round her shoulder as she left the confines of Merrion Square, trying her best to put Neil Harrington out of her mind as she made her way back home.