Page 11 of The Secret Bookshop in Ireland

‘How exciting,’ Ciara said with a snort.

‘Oh, all right, maybe we’ll skip that. It’s spring, so we can just enjoy the bright evenings if you don’t want to play board games,’ Maureen said. ‘Or see what we find in that old bookshop. You always loved reading.’

‘That’s true,’ Ciara said. ‘I had a quick look in there but all I could see was a load of books piled here and there on the shelves and on the floor. Very dusty and covered in cobwebs too.’

‘You might find the clues to that woman,’ Maureen said. ‘Martha Fitzgerald.’

‘What do you know about her, Ma?’ Ciara asked. ‘I have a feeling that you were shocked to hear her name.’

Maureen looked away for a moment before she faced Ciara. ‘I don’t know who she was. Only that your father was afraid of her.’

‘What do you mean?’ Ciara asked. ‘Why would he be afraid of her?’

‘I don’t know,’ Maureen replied. ‘It was something he said once, just before he died. “Don’t let Martha Fitzgerald into our house,” he muttered as if to himself. “She is dangerous.” And when I asked who she was, he said, “Never you mind.”’ Maureen drew breath and shook her head. ‘He was not himself after that. And then he slipped away into a coma and… Well, you were there. No need to go back to that sad time.’

‘No, let’s not,’ Ciara said and put her hand on her mother’s for a moment, as the image of her father’s last days went through her mind. It had been awful to watch him suffer and then, when he’d drawn his last breath, she hadn’t been there, having left her mother to cope on her own, which, when she thought about it now, had been a blessed relief, even if she felt guilty. ‘He wouldn’t want us to be sad.’

‘He wouldn’t,’ Maureen agreed, blinking away tears. ‘It was a terrible time but at least we had a chance to say goodbye.’

‘I wasn’t there,’ Ciara said, feeling yet again that dart of guilt.

‘I know,’ Maureen said. ‘But I didn’t mind. I felt it was right to be with him on my own.’

‘Thank you, Ma,’ Ciara said quietly.

‘We shouldn’t dwell on sad times,’ Maureen said, patting Ciara’s hand. ‘We have to try to move on. And now, here we are, going to that village to take possession of your inheritance from a woman we didn’t know. Exciting and mysterious at the same time. But I know that she was somehow part of your father’s life, even if that wasn’t a good memory for him. How do you feel about that?’

Ciara thought for a moment, examining her feelings. ‘Strange,’ she said. ‘But I feel it’s somehow my destiny. I’m glad you’re coming with me,’ she added, feeling it was true. What her mother had just told her had sent shivers up her spine. Nowshe felt she needed the support of someone who would help her through whatever she would discover about the past – good or bad. ‘There’s no going back,’ she said. ‘Wicklow seems to be where I should go, even for a short time. If Martha Fitzgerald had something to do with my father’s past, I need to find out.’

Maureen patted Ciara’s hand. ‘That’s my girl. I’m glad we’re doing this together.’

‘Me too,’ Ciara said. ‘I’ll let you know when we’re leaving and then I’ll pick you up.’

‘I can’t wait,’ Maureen said looking suddenly years younger than her age.

The following Saturday morning, they were off, the little van loaded with bedclothes, suitcases, lamps, kitchen equipment and all sorts of necessities – and a large dog. Ciara had protested at the amount of stuff her mother wanted to bring, but Maureen had insisted they couldn’t live without any of the things, even for two weeks. Brian was happy in the back seat and went to sleep as soon as they had driven up the slip road to the motorway.

Ciara had managed to get the two weeks off she had asked for. Taking a fortnight was enough for now, even if she would need more time to organise the sale of the place. She would decide what to do later, once she had got a feel for the village and the property. She needed to spend a little time there before she could make plans. Quitting her job and moving to Wicklow seemed too drastic. She couldn’t imagine giving up her career in the civil service, even if she had felt it was going nowhere lately. And her flat had been her haven since she left home and she found it hard to even think about giving it up for an uncertain future. Selling that house she had suddenly inherited seemed the best option, even if she already felt a sense of loss about the adventures they might have had there.

‘I hope the stuff you ordered from IKEA will arrive this afternoon as promised,’ Maureen said, pulling Ciara out of her musings. ‘If not, we might have to find a B&B in the area until we get the bed and the mattresses.’

‘Fingers crossed,’ Ciara said as they came off the motorway and were driving down the Enniskerry road. ‘I also ordered a dog bed from Woodie’s for Brian. I hope that will come as well. He doesn’t like sleeping on the floor.’

‘You’ve spoiled him,’ Maureen said. ‘In my day, dogs slept in the shed or in the barn, not in the house. But he’s a good boy, though,’ she added. ‘I’ll give him that.’

Brian lifted his head and let out a little whine, wagging his tail.

‘He seems to know we’re talking about him,’ Maureen remarked.

‘He’s more intelligent than you give him credit for,’ Ciara said.

‘I suppose,’ Maureen said, not looking too convinced.

The road took them through Enniskerry and then up the steep road towards the mountains. Maureen stopped chatting as they drove through the wild landscape lined with hedgerows and grassy banks. ‘Not much protection here,’ she muttered as she looked down the vertiginous mountainside. ‘But I have to say this is quite breathtaking. And look,’ she squealed, pointing at the sky. ‘A buzzard. How powerful he looks.’

‘Where?’ Ciara stopped the car and stuck her head out the window, spotting a majestic bird outlined against the blue sky, its wingspan lit up by the morning sun. It sat still in the air as if suspended, twisting its head this way and that. ‘It’s looking for prey,’ Ciara said. ‘How beautiful it is.’

‘This area is known for its birds of prey,’ Maureen remarked. ‘I’m looking forward to more birdwatching when we get to thisvillage. Where on earth is it anyway? It’s seems very remote. Or are we lost?’ she added, looking worried.