‘Bref, are you having a go at Ruth?’
Breffni took a knife from the block and smiled over. ‘Hey, just a joke, keep your hair on.’ She began halving the tomatoes, throwing the halves into the bowl. ‘But you must
admit, she’s not exactly in Andrew’s league, looks-wise.’ When Laura didn’t respond, Breffni said, ‘Come on, Laur, I’m only stating a fact. She could be vaguely
pretty, I suppose, if she made a bit of an effort.’ She picked a watercress leaf from the bowl and munched it. ‘Bet she can’t believe her luck in hooking Andrew.’
Laura looked sternly at her as she ran hot water over the dish. ‘Stop, Bref – Ruth is lovely. She’s probably much too good for Andrew, actually. Stop being bitchy.’
Breffni grinned, still munching, not at all put out. ‘OK, OK, sorry. I’m sure she’s grand. I’m sure herself and Andrew will live happily ever after, and have lots of
little children to keep Dragon Granny happy.’
Laura had to smile – the thought of Cecily dandling a child on her knee was just too ridiculous. She dried the serving dish and went to check on the starters. ‘Anyway, I’ve
never seen why you thought Andrew was so good-looking.’
‘Of course you haven’t – you’re his sister. You’re not supposed to think he’s good-looking.’ She took another sip of wine and watched as Laura lifted
out the tray of tartlets. ‘Mmm – have they spinach in them?’
‘Yeah – Donal made them; I just put them together.’ Laura lifted the tartlets onto the warm dish with a spatula. ‘Andrew told me that Ruth loved the spinach pies they got
in Greece, so hopefully these are something similar.’ She picked up a bundle of small plates with her free hand. ‘Grab some serviettes and follow me in – and bring my
drink.’
In the sitting room, Ruth sat alone on the couch, looking into the fire. The three men were standing in the far corner, chatting. Laura felt a stab of annoyance towards her brother. He
could
have kept her company till we got back.
And Donal should have known better too. She signalled for Donal to bring the wine over, then sat beside Ruth and put down her dish of
starters. ‘Try these; they’re a speciality of Donal’s.’ She handed Ruth a small plate and lifted a tartlet onto it.
‘You wanted wine, Madam?’ Donal was at her side. She nodded, doling tartlets out onto plates. ‘You can leave the bottle, and bring these over.’ When he’d gone with
his three plates, Laura looked back at Ruth and smiled. ‘That’ll keep them quiet for a while.’ She thought Ruth still looked quite ill at ease – a little wine would relax
her. She picked up the bottle and added some to Ruth’s glass.
Breffni came in, holding glasses and serviettes. ‘Yes please, more yummy wine.’ She sat opposite Laura and Ruth and helped herself to a tartlet as Laura topped up her glass. Her
scent wafted over as she moved. ‘So, Ruth, how do you like living in Limerick so far?’ She bit into her tartlet and watched Ruth as she munched.
Ruth blushed slightly. ‘Great; it’s so easy to get around, after Dublin.’ She lifted the plate that Laura had given her, reached for the tartlet.
Breffni swallowed, took another bite. ‘By that, you mean it’s so much smaller than Dublin?’ Her expression was politely innocent, waiting for Ruth’s response.
Ruth’s smile faltered; her hand paused halfway to her mouth. ‘Well, yes it is, of course, but I didn’t mean that –’
‘Relax – I’m just kidding. I know what you meant.’ Breffni lifted her glass towards Ruth. ‘Here’s to wedded bliss; even if you have to live with mother-in-law
for the moment.’ She winked at Laura, who was looking at her sternly. ‘Great starters, Laur, by the way.’ She popped the rest of her tartlet into her mouth, still holding her
glass out.
Ruth dropped her untouched tartlet and lifted her glass, smiling faintly. She clinked it against Breffni’s and took a quick gulp as Laura
Breffni took a knife from the block and smiled over. ‘Hey, just a joke, keep your hair on.’ She began halving the tomatoes, throwing the halves into the bowl. ‘But you must
admit, she’s not exactly in Andrew’s league, looks-wise.’ When Laura didn’t respond, Breffni said, ‘Come on, Laur, I’m only stating a fact. She could be vaguely
pretty, I suppose, if she made a bit of an effort.’ She picked a watercress leaf from the bowl and munched it. ‘Bet she can’t believe her luck in hooking Andrew.’
Laura looked sternly at her as she ran hot water over the dish. ‘Stop, Bref – Ruth is lovely. She’s probably much too good for Andrew, actually. Stop being bitchy.’
Breffni grinned, still munching, not at all put out. ‘OK, OK, sorry. I’m sure she’s grand. I’m sure herself and Andrew will live happily ever after, and have lots of
little children to keep Dragon Granny happy.’
Laura had to smile – the thought of Cecily dandling a child on her knee was just too ridiculous. She dried the serving dish and went to check on the starters. ‘Anyway, I’ve
never seen why you thought Andrew was so good-looking.’
‘Of course you haven’t – you’re his sister. You’re not supposed to think he’s good-looking.’ She took another sip of wine and watched as Laura lifted
out the tray of tartlets. ‘Mmm – have they spinach in them?’
‘Yeah – Donal made them; I just put them together.’ Laura lifted the tartlets onto the warm dish with a spatula. ‘Andrew told me that Ruth loved the spinach pies they got
in Greece, so hopefully these are something similar.’ She picked up a bundle of small plates with her free hand. ‘Grab some serviettes and follow me in – and bring my
drink.’
In the sitting room, Ruth sat alone on the couch, looking into the fire. The three men were standing in the far corner, chatting. Laura felt a stab of annoyance towards her brother. He
could
have kept her company till we got back.
And Donal should have known better too. She signalled for Donal to bring the wine over, then sat beside Ruth and put down her dish of
starters. ‘Try these; they’re a speciality of Donal’s.’ She handed Ruth a small plate and lifted a tartlet onto it.
‘You wanted wine, Madam?’ Donal was at her side. She nodded, doling tartlets out onto plates. ‘You can leave the bottle, and bring these over.’ When he’d gone with
his three plates, Laura looked back at Ruth and smiled. ‘That’ll keep them quiet for a while.’ She thought Ruth still looked quite ill at ease – a little wine would relax
her. She picked up the bottle and added some to Ruth’s glass.
Breffni came in, holding glasses and serviettes. ‘Yes please, more yummy wine.’ She sat opposite Laura and Ruth and helped herself to a tartlet as Laura topped up her glass. Her
scent wafted over as she moved. ‘So, Ruth, how do you like living in Limerick so far?’ She bit into her tartlet and watched Ruth as she munched.
Ruth blushed slightly. ‘Great; it’s so easy to get around, after Dublin.’ She lifted the plate that Laura had given her, reached for the tartlet.
Breffni swallowed, took another bite. ‘By that, you mean it’s so much smaller than Dublin?’ Her expression was politely innocent, waiting for Ruth’s response.
Ruth’s smile faltered; her hand paused halfway to her mouth. ‘Well, yes it is, of course, but I didn’t mean that –’
‘Relax – I’m just kidding. I know what you meant.’ Breffni lifted her glass towards Ruth. ‘Here’s to wedded bliss; even if you have to live with mother-in-law
for the moment.’ She winked at Laura, who was looking at her sternly. ‘Great starters, Laur, by the way.’ She popped the rest of her tartlet into her mouth, still holding her
glass out.
Ruth dropped her untouched tartlet and lifted her glass, smiling faintly. She clinked it against Breffni’s and took a quick gulp as Laura
Similar Books
