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JANINE MOVED IN WITH Megan the day before the photo shoot. It was strange being in Mick’s room. Even though he kept few belongings in the bedroom, it still had his lingering presence: his bathrobe on a hook on the door that smelled of his aftershave when Janine pressed her nose to it; a hairbrush on the chest of drawers; a change of underwear in one of the drawers; shirts and jeans hanging in the wardrobe; a framed photo of Mick and Nelia on top of Mount Brandon, both smiling into the camera with identical smiles; loose change in a china bowl; a London Oyster card for the Tube and a detective story on the bedside table with a postcard of Tokyo as a bookmark. All these things, although trivial, made her feel she was closer to him. She knew that he had embarked on some kind of relationship with Rita and that he would never come back to her, which made staying here, in his space, both painful and sweet.
“You okay?” Megan asked as she peered in. “I’ll get you some towels. I made the bed and gave you two pillows. But if you want more, let me know.”
Janine put down the book. “Thank you. But I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. You have enough to do.”
Megan went in and sat on the bed while Janine unpacked. “Yes. Lots to do. But I love it. It’s so great to have this little bit of a business.” She looked at Janine’s underwear and nightgown piled on the bed. “You have such beautiful things. She touched the black lace on the nightgown. “This is exquisite. And the underwear.”
Janine picked up the items and put them in a drawer. “I like wearing pretty things. I would find it very hard to do without them.”
Megan sighed as she looked at Janine. “You’re so beautiful. French women have such allure. You exude sex and sensuality. Your clothes, the way you move and your very subtle perfume.” She blushed. “Gosh, that sounds weird.”
Janine sat on the bed beside Megan. “Not at all. I know what you mean. But I think it’s in every woman. You have to find your own allure. And it can’t be manufactured.”
“Very true. But I don’t have time for allure-finding right now.”
Janine laughed. “You don’t need it. You have it already. A wholesome beauty of your own. And the way Paudie looks at you and manages to touch you whenever you’re in the same room together tells me he’s very hot for you.”
Megan’s eyes took on a dreamy look. “Yes. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” She hesitated, her cheeks turning pink. “I might as well tell you. I’ve just found out I’m pregnant.”
“Really? Oh that’s wonderful news.” Janine gave Megan a brief hug. “So happy for you. How do you feel?”
“Not too bad. A little queasy in the mornings. Sore boobs. Needing to pee every ten minutes. All of which is perfectly normal, Beata tells me. Paudie is ecstatic.”
“And Nelia?”
“She was very good about it, I have to say. She said that was good because now she doesn’t have to go into farming and can go to London and have a proper career.”
Janine laughed. “That’s typical of Nelia.”
“Oh yes. But we get on better these days. She can be very moody and difficult at times. Just like Mick. They’re both quite complicated. Although, right now, Mick seems in a romantic mood. Rita tells me he is constantly sending her little text messages that are very hot in nature. So maybe he does have a romantic, gentle streak after all.”
“I suppose.” Janine got off the bed.
There was a clatter outside, followed by barking.
Megan rose and went to the door. “I’ll get you those towels. And I hear Nelia arriving, so we can have tea in the kitchen.”
“Lovely. I’ll go and put on the kettle.”
Janine walked down the corridor to the kitchen, where she found Nelia making a sandwich. She didn’t look up when Janine entered.
Janine smiled. “Hello, Nelia. How are things with you?”
Nelia glanced up. “Fine.”
“Haven’t seen you since that day in Dingle. I’ve missed you.”
Nelia didn’t reply but kept piling cheese on a slice of bread.
Janine walked closer and put her hand on Nelia’s arm. “What’s the matter? Are you cross with me?”
Nelia glowered at Janine. “Leave me alone.” She pulled away, took her sandwich and left, banging the door shut behind her.
-o-
“Teenagers,” Megan said with a long sigh. “Or pre-teens anyway. Same story. One minute they’re so sweet and giggly, the next you get a glare and a ‘stop looking at me that way’. Doors are slammed. Tears. Shouts. Accusations.”
Janine stirred her tea. “I’ve never had that from Nelia before. In fact, she has often come to me with tales of woe, and we’ve talked about it. Never anything like this.”
Megan shrugged. “I don’t know what could have caused it. Maybe you should ask her?”
“No. I’ll just wait and see if she’ll snap out of it,” Janine said, feeling she knew what was bothering Nelia. “I’ll just leave her alone for now.”
“Good idea.”
Janine glanced out the window. “What’s that shadow? Looks like a man.”
Megan peered out. “It’s a sheep. You’re very jumpy, Janine. What’s wrong?”
Janine finished her tea. “Nothing. It’s just that I’ve had this feeling lately that someone is watching me. Can’t really put a finger on it.”
“I think you’re imagining things. I haven’t noticed anyone hanging around or asking questions. This is such a remote place, someone like that would be noticed straightaway.”
Janine smiled wanly. “I suppose you’re right. But if I was discovered by the press, I’d have to leave.”
“I hope it won’t come to that. I like having you in my house.”
“And I love the house,” Janine said. “It’s such a comforting space.”
“I know. And I felt that, when I first came here. I think it’s because people who lived there before us were happy. I believe such vibes can stay in the fabric of a house.”
“Absolutely.”
“I just remembered,” Megan said. “Not to cut across you, but we’re all going to Mulligans for dinner on Friday. By ‘all’, I mean Paudie and me, Beata and Boris, Rita, the girls and Mick. They’re opening the restaurant for the spring season. We’d love you to join us. The girls are going to glam themselves up and so are the women. There is a band and there’ll be dancing. Could be fun. You could bring a date. Maybe that nice Brian Moriarty? I thought you said he was a good friend?”
Janine hesitated. “I don’t know. I’m a little shy of crowds.”
“Ah, come on,” Megan pleaded. There’ll only be the locals and they all know you by now. I think you need to do a little socialising.”
“I’ll think about it,” Janine said, knowing she wouldn’t go.
Megan got up from the table. “Now I have to make a few phone calls. And then go down to the house and set up the guestroom and bathroom. The crew is arriving from Killarney around nine, and the models have to be ready by ten, when the light’s at its best.”
Janine picked up the cups. “I’ll tidy up here.”
“Great. Thank you.” Megan turned around at the door. “You might want to make yourself invisible tomorrow. One of the photographers is from Paris.”
-o-
Megan’s words echoed through Janine’s mind as she woke up the next morning. Feeling she shouldn’t venture even within a mile of her house, she decided to go for a walk in the opposite direction—up the mountainside. Dressed in jeans, sweater and rainproof jacket, she made herself a picnic in the kitchen and put it into a rucksack Megan had lent her.
Paudie came in as she was about to leave. “Hi there. Lovely day. Are you going up the mountain?”
Janine closed the rucksack. “Yes. I want to avoid the fuss down at the house.”
“Good thinking. He looked her over. “That doesn’t look like your usual style. Never thought you were the hillwalking type.”
She laughed. “No. This kind of look wouldn’t go down well in Paris. I’m a real fleur des trottoirs as they say over there—a city girl. But the scenery here is so fantastic, only a fool wouldn’t want to go outside on such a day. And I’ll stick to the lower paths and easier slopes. My shoes couldn’t cope with anymore.”
He looked at her white Adidas sneakers with gold stripes at the sides. “No those wouldn’t take much. Must say they’re very cute though.”
She twisted her foot and peered at them with a laugh. “Yes. That’s the main idea. But they are quite comfortable.”
“I’m sure they are.” He rummaged in a drawer. “I had a small pair of binoculars here somewhere. They’ll fit in your rucksack. Megan takes them on her walks. Yes. Here they are.” He handed her a small pouch.
“Thanks.” Janine stuffed them into her rucksack.
“Don’t forget your phone.” Paudie pointed at a mobile on the dresser.
“That’s not mine. I have a Samsung. That’s an iPhone.”
He took a closer look. “Yes. This is—” he shook his head. “Weird.”
“What?”
He pointed at the phone. “That’s Mick’s phone. I know it. It has a scratch on the side. And he’s in Singapore. Can’t believe he forgot it.”
They both jumped as the iPhone pinged. “A message,” Janine said unnecessarily.
Paudie picked it up. “Shouldn’t do this but it could be important. Haven’t got my reading glasses. Could you have a look?”
Janine peered at the screen. The message was from Rita. It said: You sweet devil. That message you sent this morning made me blush. I’ll deal with you when you get back. “It’s not important but it’s strange.” Janine stared uncomprehendingly at Paudie. “How can he send messages if he’s in Singapore and the phone is here?”
-o-
Janine mulled over the mystery as she walked up the mountain road. The explanation came to her after a few minutes. Nelia. She must have seen the phone and sent some loving message to Rita, pretending to be Mick. The little brat. This must be part of her plan to get Rita and Mick to fall in love. And it seemed to be working, at least at Rita’s end. The woman seemed completely smitten. But Mick? How did he feel? Janine suddenly knew there was only one way to find out.
