Saving Christmas in the Little Irish Village (The Little Irish Village #5)

Chapter 17

17

The sky was a crisp blue, and the grass was sleeping under a shimmering white eiderdown behind the hedgerow on the other side of the lane. It was a gorgeous winter’s morning, and Hannah shook off her fug, inhaling the sharp air and informing Princess Leia, ‘Jack Frost’s been.’ The little dog yipped in her excitement to be out, and once she’d cocked a leg, they set off round the corner to the hub of the little village – Main Street.

Princess Leia trotted alongside Hannah, sniffing at this and that before coming to an obedient halt beside the Christmas tree in the square. Hannah took a lung-filling breath of the energising fresh air. It felt good to be doing something proactive because everywhere she looked, there were reminders that she was up against it. There were red bows attached to the lamp posts, for one, and her eyes flitted to the nearby green post box – even that had tinsel swirling around it. Christmas meant business would grind to a halt in favour of family and friends. She just had to make sure the Greenhouse project ground to a halt, too.

Hannah wondered where she should start as she gazed up the sleepy street. Given that it was Sunday, the shops, with the exception of the Bus Stop, wouldn’t open until midday. So she decided to cross the road and loiter outside the corner shop, which had a steady stream of villagers in need of bread or milk.

Twenty minutes later, Hannah had sold more of her Feed the World with Bees wares than she had in the hours spent flogging them on the freezing city streets of Cork. It was down to Princess Leia. She was her secret canine weapon. She’d also got a good few signatures for her petition. Who knew dogs, especially Thumbelina-sized dogs wearing stripes, were great conversation starters. People were more inclined to listen to what you had to say and open their wallets after a lovely chat about chihuahuas. She’d have to suggest Dylan consider getting a doggy mascot for future Feed the World with Bees fundraisers. Once he was a free man, of course!

‘Why don’t we try our luck at Mermaids next? Freya will be in the workshop even if the gallery isn’t open. We could start at the top of the street and work our way down,’ Hannah suggested.

Princess Leia yipped.

Secret weapon aside, Hannah was enjoying the chihuahua’s company. It was nice to have someone to chat with, and passing under the Christmas bunting at the top of Main Street, there was a spring in her step. This was partly due to the signatures and sales but mostly due to the yellow orb in the sky overhead. Her good mood faltered as her phone rang, and after fetching it from her dungaree pocket, she flopped down on the nearby bench seat, telling the little dog, ‘It’s my mam.’

‘What was that all about earlier, young lady?’ Nora Kelly got straight to the point of her call.

Hannah played dumb. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘You were rude to Tom. It’s not on. You know full well paying guests are part of our bread and butter at the Shamrock.’

Oh, she did. How many times had she and her sisters been told to tiptoe about the place when they were kids if they’d guests staying in Room 5? Too many to count. ‘I wasn’t rude, Mam. I just wasn’t particularly conversational. Unlike yourself.’ Hannah couldn’t resist adding, ‘And while we’re on the subject, will you be signing the adoption papers any day soon?’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘You’re behaving like Tom’s your favourite child, that’s what.’

‘Don’t be so childish. Tom’s a great fella, and if you’d get off your high horse, you’d see that for yourself.’

Hannah recalled her mam’s cringeworthy attempts at pairing her and golden boy off earlier. ‘As it happens, I’ve a bone to pick with you, too.’

‘Oh yes?’

‘Yes. Quit it with the matchmaking.’

‘I was doing no such thing.’

Yeah, right , Hannah thought, rolling her eyes. But was there any point arguing her case where Mr Annoying Apple Polisher was concerned? He’d well and truly won Mam over.

Unable to help herself, she fired back, ‘Mam, you know how I feel about the Greenhouse. So you can’t expect me to be all palsy-walsy with him.’ She ignored the little voice in her head saying that was exactly what she’d intended to do.

‘Fair play to you. You wear your heart on your sleeve. You always have. But I can expect good manners when you’re home under my roof.’

Hannah chewed on her bottom lip. Jaysus, she felt like she was ten years old, getting a smack on the back of the hand.

She’d had enough of the conversation, and Princess Leia was tugging at the lead, wanting to be on the move again. ‘Listen, Mam, I can’t actually talk. I’m?—’

Nora cut her off. ‘And your nan’s acting peculiarly, too.’

That piqued her interest, especially after what Nan had confided in her last night. ‘In what way?’

‘She told me she was off round to Reenie Brown’s house. You know Reenie’s not long back from visiting her son in Canada?’ Nora didn’t wait for a reply. ‘She was after baking an apple cake and had invited Kitty around. Your nan said she was looking forward to a slice of cake and hearing all about how Reenie’s son and his family were getting on.’

‘There’s nothing strange about that. I’d sit through Reenie’s holiday snaps for a slice of apple cake, too.’

‘Let me finish, Hannah. She’d been gone half an hour or so when who rings?’

‘Who?’ Hannah felt like she was waiting for a knock-knock joke’s punchline as her mam inhaled sharply.

‘Only Reenie Brown. She wondered if Kitty fancied calling round for lunch so she could fill her in on her holiday. What’s she playing at, all secret squirrel like?’

It was strange, Hannah agreed. Why would Nan fib? She wracked her brains, and the only possible reason she could come up with was that Nan was meeting someone she wasn’t ready to share with her family. Someone of the opposite sex. However, the only problem with that theory was Emerald Bay wasn’t exactly teeming with eligible bachelors. So who could she possibly have her eye on? And, more to the point, why hadn’t she mentioned this Romeo when she’d opened up last night.

Hannah put her thoughts into words. ‘You don’t think Nan’s got some fancy man on the go, do you?’

‘I don’t know why else she’d be telling fibs. Now, shall I ring your sisters, or will you? Maybe they’ve an idea as to what’s going on?’

As much as she’d have loved to find out whether Imogen or Shannon had the low-down on what Nan was up to, Hannah didn’t want to sit on the bench, freezing her arse off any longer. ‘You can, Mam, I’ve got to go. I’m at risk of getting the piles if I sit on this bench any longer.’

‘Oh, you don’t want that. It can be terribly painful. I’ve awful memories of the burst haemorrhoid all that pushing you out left me with.’

‘Too much information, Mam.’ Hannah ended the call grimacing.

It was only as she reached Mermaids that Hannah recalled Shannon saying Freya was away with Oisin for the weekend. Indeed, the closed sign was displayed in the window. She hesitated. Why was there a light on down the back of the studio?

Hannah peered in the window, cupping her hands on either side of her face to see better. There was Freya, bent over her workbench. She may have had a rush order she had to fill and returned early. Her Celtic jewellery designs were sought after, and it wasn’t just Emerald Bay where she sold them.

She rapped on the window, making Freya jump. Squinting into the shadowy interior, Hannah hoped Oisin wasn’t in there, too. He was one of those men who somehow turned every conversation around to himself. She wanted to talk about the Greenhouse and how it would affect Freya and see if she’d stock some of her Feed the World with Bees cards.

‘It’s me, Hannah,’ she called out. ‘If you’re busy, tell me to go away.’ Stepping back from the window, Hannah rubbed at the patch where her breath had left mist on the glass with her elbow.

Freya didn’t reply but got up and made her way toward the door. Hannah heard the key turning in the lock, and her sister’s bestie pulled it open.

It was Hannah’s turn to be surprised because Freya looked like a bedraggled Mermaid who’d been crying.

Hannah’s free hand automatically shot out to touch her on the forearm. ‘Hey, are you OK?’ It was a daft question, given her puffy eyes and wet lashes.

‘Not really,’ Freya sniffed, wiping her nose with a tissue.

So Hannah did what any God-fearing Irish woman did in times of emotional upset. She barrelled on into the gallery and put the kettle on.