The Life Daisy Devlin Designed

CHAPTER 56

Fionn was playing Matt’s proposal video on his phone when Daisy arrived in the following day. He jumped when she came in, stabbing frantically at the screen as he tried to stop it.

“ Shit, crap, sorry! ”

Daisy sighed. “It’s fine. No feelings were hurt in the making of that video!”

“Right.” Fionn looked a bit doubtful. “Can I just say that the guy’s a total tosser and you’re way too cool for him?”

“ Ha , hard agree. Thanks, Fionn.” Her mobile buzzed, and she quickly checked the caller ID before answering. “Hi, Kenny, did you get my message?” She walked over to the window.

“I did, yeah.” Kenny cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Daisy, I really am. I spoke to Niamh and she confessed to taking those pictures of Kayley, and talking to the papers. She took that stuff that went missing, too. She was going to give it all back, you know – she doesn’t want Kayley’s bloody jewellery, but the woman treated her so badly.” He paused. “She had a bit of a crush on that bastard! And he was messing with her head, Daisy – even I could see it!”

No wonder Kenny hadn’t liked Matt – he’d probably guessed that Niamh would get hurt.

“What about the other stuff, Kenny? The electrics? The peanut butter that Kayley found in the guest wing? Was that Niamh?”

“I don’t know.” Kenny sounded gruff. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who Niamh was, but none of the lads knew either. She didn’t want everyone thinking she was only there because of me. In her defence, she’s still grieving for her mam.”

His voice cracked, and Daisy felt a pang of pity for both of them.

“Don’t worry about it, Kenny, honestly. People can do strange things when they’re grieving.” Or hurt.

Kenny cleared his throat, louder this time. “I’ll make sure whatever she took gets back to Kayley. I can just hide them around the house, and Kayley can blame the feckin’ poltergeist.”

“I’ll leave it with you, Kenny. Look, I’m going to courier Kayley’s moonstone pendent to you. I don’t care what you have to do. Just make sure that she finds it at Granary House!”

“Gotcha. And obviously I’ll hire back Alec for the next job.” He paused. “I’ll understand if you don’t want Niamh working for you, though.”

Daisy thought quickly. “I’ll give her one more chance, Kenny. Have a chat with her and sort it out. I don’t want her not to work. Um , do you mind me asking you something, though?”

“Go on, yeah.”

“Did Niamh know about Alec?”

“Yeah, she did.” Kenny sighed. “I thought I was protecting her. Look, she’s not proud of what she did, Daisy, she’s really sorry.”

She’d half suspected that Niamh had found some way of blaming Alec. Kenny had unknowingly given Niamh a scapegoat, and she’d used it! There was a beeping noise on her phone.

“Kenny, I have to go, but tell Niamh she’s on a warning. If she ever pulls a stunt like that again, I won’t let her work on any of my projects.”

“I hear you, Daisy. She won’t.”

Kenny hung up, and Daisy swiped to answer the next call.

“Daisy Devlin, hello?”

“Hello?”

She almost dropped the phone. “Kayley?” She’d found out, she thought. Matt had obviously told her! He’d had time since the other night to think about everything Niamh had said, and he’d joined the dots. Oh God, now Kayley could sue the company into the ground and there’d be nothing she could do!

“... figured I never gotta chance to thank you properly,” Kayley was saying.

Daisy snapped to attention. She was thanking her? Maybe she wasn’t about to sue her.

“You still there?” Kayley sounded a bit impatient.

“Sorry, still here,” Daisy said. “You were thanking me?”

“For rescuing me.” Kayley spoke firmly. “I figured I had to thank Matty for the live-stream. You did a great job on that, by the way. I mean, it was a bit shaky but that wasn’t your fault, with the storm and all.”

“Right, no, you’re welcome.”

“Anyways,” Kayley continued, “I wanna repay you.”

“Repay me?” Daisy echoed.

Kayley sighed. “I’m not crass enough to offer you money, obviously.”

“Obviously. And, um , I’d never accept money, Kayley,” Daisy said smoothly.

“That’s what I thought.” Kayley sounded like she was getting into her stride. “But, as you know, I’ve a huge social-media following, and I’d be more than happy to endorse your little company!”

Daisy was flummoxed for a moment. “Oh, right.”

“Unless you don’t want my help!” Kayley huffed.

“No, it’s not that, not at all.” Daisy’s mind raced. “ Um , how’s your shoulder, by the way?”

Kayley sighed. “Healing. I’m in a sling but as long as I don’t go making any big, sudden movements, the doctor says it’ll be good as new.”

Daisy took a deep breath. “In that case, there is something else you could do.”