33

Dorothy enjoyed the film festival far more than she had anticipated, and was sad at having to return home. It had been wonderful to catch up with Amanda and hear the gossip from Shankill. Her former neighbour even had news of the couple who were currently renting Dorothy’s old house. They were well liked in the area, never indulged in wild antics or crazy parties, and had recently announced they were pregnant. Amanda was of the opinion Dottie should offer to sell the young couple her former home at an affordable price.

Dorothy was loath to admit she had all but forgotten she even owned a house in Shankill. She promised to mention the tenants to Rosa in case they got in touch. She enquired after Horace, and heard he was much the same as ever. Sharon Dooley had left Bluebell View for pastures new, although Horace went on as normal and never as much as uttered her name. Even though he occasionally mentioned visiting Vienna, he never seemed to get around to actually booking a holiday. Dorothy was relieved to hear he was behaving relatively normally, and said as much.

‘I wouldn’t exactly describe it as normal,’ Amanda grinned. ‘He’s definitely much quieter since you left, but he’s not behaving inappropriately, and I don’t think we can ask for more than that. Forget about the Hairy Bear for five minutes and tell me about your new veneers.’

Dorothy happily shelved the subject of Horace for the time being, and the two women spent a contented hour exchanging teeth stories. Amanda was fascinated by the chronicle of the veneers, but felt the cost was exorbitant. She claimed not to have felt a thing when she had been for her own laser whitening, and mooted the possibility Dottie might be a wimp. The wimp in question retorted that a woman who had no fear of having a peacock tattooed on her lower back, clearly had a higher than average pain threshold, and could not be regarded as industry standard.

Dorothy had especially enjoyed her few days with Viv. She was glad they had taken the trouble to view The Unicorn, because her pal had thoroughly enjoyed the outing. Since Viv had separated from Garry and opened the sweet shop, she had become something of a recluse. It wasn’t that she had thrown off her old friends or anything weird like that. It was more as if she was desperately trying to transform herself into a different person. She had donned the persona of the lone parent who runs a small business, devotes herself to her only child, and rarely goes out.

When Dorothy tentatively mentioned this uncharacteristic behaviour, Viv’s brown eyes filled with tears. She apologised for not having spent more time with her friends since her return to Dublin. She admitted she was only just beginning to get her head around everything that had happened during the past year.

‘I need more time, Dottie,’ she said earnestly. ‘This time last year, I was under huge financial pressure, and could see no end in sight. I was in a rocky marriage and could visualise no way of turning it around. Looking back now, I realise I was quite depressed, even though I refused to acknowledge it at the time. Then all of a sudden you handed me a cheque for two million smackers, and my whole world changed overnight. Since then, I feel as if I’ve been on some sort of treadmill that’s moving too fast, and I can’t reach the off switch.’

‘Lord a mercy, you poor old thing,’ Dorothy whispered.

The other woman sniffed and wiped away a tear. ‘I know,’ she managed a wry smile. ‘Things get better every week. Eric is working out great, and Yvonne loves her new school. My mam is able to visit us more easily, and we go over to her for Sunday dinner twice a month. I have the apartment fixed up with some of my old bits and pieces, which really helps. I still miss my old house in Gorey. Do you think that’s strange?’

‘Of course I don’t,’ Dorothy told her stoutly. ‘You lived there for more than a decade. That was where Yvonne took her first steps. You and Garry were happy there until the recession reared its ugly head and bit you in the ass. It’s natural to miss things about your old life, Viv. The question is, can you carve out a new one and be happy in that?’

Viv tucked her blonde hair back behind her ear and fished out a compact and some cosmetics from her bag. She proceeded to fix her face and apply fresh lipstick. ‘I am determined to shake this off and be happy again,’ she said resolutely. ‘I just need to allow myself more time to adapt, that’s all.’

Dorothy was still thinking about Viv when she and Helen were delivered back to Falcon. Helen said she was sorry to be home and was already feeling lonely for the Kerry accent. She said she was looking forward to seeing Patrick’s face when he heard her using the newly acquired slang. Dorothy was still chuckling to herself over this when she put her key in the door and was greeted by Glenda, who was relieved to have her safely home.

Rosa was also pleased to have her boss back in Dublin as they had a meeting scheduled the next morning with Saul at the Howth site. The majority of Rosa’s business with Saul and Ryanna was conducted over the phone or by video chat. This would be her first official visit to the new house since she had taken up employment with Dorothy, and she was looking forward to it.

Glenda was convinced her boss had been half starved in Tralee. Despite Dorothy’s protestations that the hotel food had been excellent and she was fine, the housekeeper insisted on cooking a substantial breakfast the next morning. Dorothy found she was quite hungry after all the running around.

To Glenda’s satisfaction, she ate more than she usually would before setting off to collect Rosa and drive her out to Howth. Saul was pleased to see the American woman in the flesh for a change, and triumphantly greeted the ladies with the news the boss would be able to take possession by December twentieth at the latest.

‘That soon?’ Dorothy hoped he would not notice the quiver in her voice.

Saul chortled. ‘Boss, we’ve had over one hundred men working on this site. At the peak of the summer, we had one hundred and ninety lads here. I’ve worked on office blocks with less manpower. You’ve spared no expense. Besides, those dehumidifier trucks we rented from the English firm really did the trick with the drying out.’

‘Oh, they come in truck size, do they?’ Dorothy asked faintly, fervently hoping he was not about to launch into a full description of the process.

‘Yep. The company specialises in cleaning up premises after flooding. It cuts down on the drying time by about ninety percent. It’s highly effective, but only when you can afford it. I’d like to see your average couple shell out for the hire of those babies for sixteen days.’

Saul sniggered to himself, while Dorothy and Rosa exchanged a telling glance. At the end of the day, the male brain was a simple thing and best left to its own little entertainments, was their unspoken agreement.

‘You know, Saul,’ Dorothy watched the architect earnestly. ‘If it would suit you better, I don’t mind waiting until January. I don’t want the last phase rushed just because I’m impatient.’

‘It’ll be grand, Boss, don’t worry about it,’ he waved a long hand dismissively. ‘Ryanna will be back after the Christmas break with a team of decorators. They’ll tackle the studio, the apartment, and any other areas she missed the first time around. She’s looking forward to it. We have a landscaping firm already lined up. The lads will be here in their droves at the first hint of spring.’

Despite her misgivings about having to physically move into a mansion, alone, in fewer than six weeks, Dorothy resigned herself to the fact she could no longer put off the evil moment. Seeing that Saul was watching her expectantly, she quickly assured him he had done a fantastic job. Just then, an excited Ryanna dashed from the pavilion to report she had received a call from the company making the waterbed. They had confirmed delivery for the third week in December. The snooker table was also due to arrive around the same time, as was the Pegasus for the pavilion.

‘What’s a Pegasus? Is it a piece of artwork?’ Rosa asked, secretly impressed her boss had ordered a waterbed, and hoping Ryanna would offer to show her the brochure, or at least a photograph. Felicity was going to go nuts when she heard about it. She had been harping on about getting one for years. Rosa privately resolved to make arrangements with Ryanna for her and her friends to have a private tour before the official move.

Dorothy smiled brightly at her assistant, saying, ‘Not exactly. It’s one of the rarest pianos ever made by Schimmel. It’s taken Ryanna months to find it, but eventually she tracked one down in the land of your birth.’

Ryanna bounced happily in her wellies, causing her bosom to jiggle in a way that made Rosa envious. ‘It used to belong to that rock legend who was married to none other than Krystal Maze,’ she told the American woman. ‘His last wife cleaned him out in the divorce, meaning we got it for a good deal. Of course, it will have to be shipped from over the pond, which won’t be cheap, but it’s great to get our greedy little mitts on it. It’s a shame we had to settle for a black one. I liked the look of the Ferrari red one myself, but I hear some Sheik has it installed in his harem. He must be a real music lover.’ She grinned lewdly, and her husband sniggered in a most immature manner.

Rosa was astounded by this, and did not bother to hide it. ‘Is that the piano that looks a bit like an automobile, and has the seat built into it? Like the one Prince owns?’ she demanded.

There were broad grins at her aghast expression, and Ryanna giggled. ‘It curves ergonomically, hence it’s very much in keeping with the rest of the house,’ the designer told her with twinkling eyes. ‘At first, we were worried the boss might not be able to reach the pedals with her little legs, but it turns out the seat is fully adjustable.’

An indignant Dorothy poked Ryanna in the arm. Saul and his wife leaned against each other as they snorted in amusement.

Rosa shook her head in disbelief. ‘You’re totally mad, Boss, you really are. You and your crazy ideas. So you’re putting it in the pavilion all on its own, and it’s going to be your music room?’

‘That is correct, my dear,’ Dorothy waved airily. ‘Except of course for when I entertain. Then I may have to allow the hoi polloi to invade my personal space. I don’t suppose that will happen very often. The house is plenty big enough for normal entertaining.’

‘Rosa, would you like to see the leisure complex?’ Ryanna enquired, keen to show off the house that had been the family focus for so long. Rosa was only too pleased to check it out, and eagerly agreed to the scheme. Leaving Saul to get on with the resolution of his snag list, the three women made their way across the forecourt.

The leisure complex and pavilion formed the southern and northern wings. They were not at right angles to the central residence, because at the palace everything curved. Instead, the main body of the house looked as if it was holding its arms open for a hug. At least, that was how Dorothy thought of it.

During the early phase of the project, she expected and indeed hoped the house would be built at the easternmost point of the site. This would result in the rear terraces being situated literally metres away from the sea.

A rather bemused Saul was quick to point out the impracticalities of this. In addition to the potentially dangerous drop to the rocks below, he also cited the strong possibility of coastal erosion as his primary reason for being cautious. Dorothy was quick to see the sense in these arguments and did not attempt to have the plans amended.

As a result of their discussions, the main house was located in the middle of the plot of land, a safe distance from the sea. This had the added bonus of providing ample outdoor entertaining space by way of the vast spread of grounds between the house and cliff edge.

As Saul promised during their initial meeting, the leisure centre and pavilion were set back further west so they did not impede the views in any way. All Dorothy would see from her bedroom, kitchen, and drawing room, would be massive expanses of grass, gardens, a sporadic tree or two, and the Irish Sea.

At first glance, the leisure complex looked very much like any other single-story dwelling. In keeping with the rest of the property, it was painted white. The side facing the inner courtyard had six sets of floor-to-ceiling double doors, which lent the building a rather stately air. As the three women crossed the courtyard, Rosa privately wondered if it would be stately on the inside as well, or if it would look more like the local sports centre.

‘In the early days, we were tempted to construct this building almost entirely of glass,’ Ryanna told Rosa as they walked. ‘We would have had to build the pavilion to match, and the boss felt it would be going overboard. That’s why we decided on the big doors. It’s more private, and it’s also more in keeping with the rest of the house. I like the way it has a hint of the traditional from the outside, yet it’s so contemporary inside.’

To Rosa’s surprise, instead of Ryanna opening the first door, the designer walked past all the obvious entrances until she reached the double set of doors at the end.

‘We recommend you always use this entrance when you enter from the courtyard side of the building,’ she told Rosa. ‘It’s the safest and most convenient access to the changing rooms and lift.’

‘There’s an elevator?’ Rosa murmured, although the other two did not hear her. As they crossed the threshold, she found herself in a large tiled space with a multitude of tables, chairs and sun loungers dotted around. There was a coffee bar in the corner with a professional looking machine on its own bench. A giant pillar stood in the middle of the room, and behind it Rosa saw discreet signs for the men and women’s changing rooms.

‘We’re still on the ground floor,’ Ryanna was saying. ‘As you can see, we have a lovely coffee area here so you can relax after your swim. You should have seen the twins’ faces when they saw this space. I think it’s one of their favourites, which is saying something. I honestly thought Josh and Deco were going to cry with happiness when they saw the media room. There was a great buzz the day they all came to visit, although we had trouble persuading the girls to wear hard hats. I don’t mind telling you I’m dreading the next ten years with my brood. What is it with girls keeping their hair poker straight and in identical styles? In my day, we didn’t all try to look like a clone army.’

Rosa glanced at her boss and saw she was listening intently to the designer’s comments about the girls. She jumped in, worried a long discussion would follow about modern youth.

‘Ryanna, I don’t understand the layout,’ she interjected hastily. ‘If the changing rooms are back behind that pillar, then where’s the sauna? And the steam room for that matter?’

Ryanna thrust aside all thoughts of the clone army and stamped her blue-wellied foot hard on the porcelain tiles. ‘Below us,’ she replied, ‘literally in the bowels of the earth. Come and see the view from the gallery.’

Rosa rotated slowly and saw there was indeed an elevator behind her, not far from the entrance they had used. Instead of leading them to the lift, Ryanna guided them across to the far side of the relaxation area where a set of oak doors awaited them. Using both hands, the designer pushed the doors open and held them so Rosa and Dorothy could pass through.

Rosa found herself standing on a gallery that ran the entire perimeter of the pool house. It was broken only by the circular staircases located in each corner, and at midway points along its length.

It was now becoming clear to Rosa why Ryanna had used the door to the relaxation area in order to gain access to the building. If she had used any of the other entrances, they would have stepped directly onto a balcony. Then they would have had to make their way along the gallery until they reached the oak doors.

Alternatively, they would have had to gingerly pick their way down the nearest staircase in order to reach the pool. You would have to be very fit and part-goat to try it. Rosa shuddered at the idea of negotiating the circular staircases in her heels.

‘I see what you mean about the doors at the end of the building being the safest,’ she grinned in relief at Ryanna. ‘What sort of nutcase would come in here any other way?’

‘It’s a shame you weren’t around when Josh and Deco got the tour,’ Ryanna replied bitterly. ‘They insisted on racing down the staircases to see which one reached the pool first. Then they pulled off everything except their jocks and jumped in. The girls didn’t even try to stop them. They sort of acted as if such behaviour was inevitable.’

On this final note of condemnation, Ryanna pointed down at the pool. ‘We managed to make it forty feet wide and almost seventy feet long,’ she said proudly. ‘That was after we moved the gym to the basement, and the garage to its own separate area. It was sort of behind you as you drove in, so you might not have noticed it.’