Oria was leaving she saw Rosemary and her face lit up. 'Well now, it's a small world. I was only talking about you yesterday,' she said.
Rosemary's face was cold and disapproving but she forced her public smile. Orla must know she had been spotted in the private booth of Quentin's. 'All full of praise I hope?' she said lightly.
'Well yes, praise and puzzlement. Why such a beautiful woman like you isn't married. That was one of the strands.'
'What an extraordinary thing to talk about.' Rosemary was very cold.
Orla didn't seem to notice the tone. 'No, you're quite well known now even people who don't know you know of you. They were all interested.'
'What very empty lives they must all live,' Rosemary said.
'You know the way people go on, they didn't mean any harm.'
'Oh, I'm certain that's true, why should they?' Her voice was so disdainful that anyone but Orla would have been put off.
'Well, why is it, Rosemary?'
'Probably like you I haven't found the right person yet.' Rosemary hoped her voice wasn't as glacial as it felt from inside.
'Ah yeah but I'm just a fun girl, you're a serious woman.'
'We're both in our twenties, Orla. Hardly over the hill yet.'
'No, but this man said, and honestly he was out for your good, he wasn't putting you down or anything, he said that you'd want to be looking round soon, the millionaires will be looking for younger models, next year's models, if you don't get in there quick.' Orla laughed happily. She meant no insult. In fact, talking to someone as beautiful as Rosemary you could only assume that saying such a thing was a joke and not to be taken seriously.
But Rosemary's face remained cold. That was exactly what Danny Lynch had said to her jokingly only a few days ago at Sunday lunch in Tara Road. Rosemary hadn't minded then but she minded now. She minded very much that he was saying such things about her to Orla King over lunch the previous day.
Orla was heading off for work without a care in the world. 'Cheers, Colm, see you Tuesday night,' she called.
'I gather that you and the lovely Ms King are going out socially,' Rosemary said to Colm.
'Yes, well that's right, sort ofGCa' He was vague.
Rosemary realised that it must be at an AA meeting. People would tell you of their own involvement but they never told you who else went to the meetings. She was glad in a way that he had not fallen immediately for the tight sweaters and the skirt stretched across the small round bottom. 'Anyway, it's a very small forest, Dublin , isn't it? We all find out about everyone else sooner or later.' She was only making conversation but she saw a wary look come across his face.
'What do you mean?' he asked.
'I only meant if we were in London or New York we'd never know half the queue in the bank, that's all.'
'Sure. By the way, I'm leaving here at the end of the month.'
Tara Road (1999)
'Are you, Colm? Where are they sending you?'
'I'm brave as a lion. I'm leaving the bank altogether,' he said.
'Now that is brave. Are there farewell drinks or anything?' She could have bitten off her tongue.
'No, but I'll tell you what there will be. I'm going to open a restaurant in Tara Road. And as soon as I get started I'll send you an invitation to the launch.'
'IGCOll tell you what I'll do, I'll print the invites for you as a present,' she said.
'It's a done deal,' he said, and they shook hands warmly. He had a lovely smile. What a pity he was such a loser, Rosemary thought. He would have been a very restful man to have teamed up with. But a restaurant in Tara Road? He must be out of his mind. There was no catchment area there, no passing trade. As an enterprise it was doomed before it began.
Danny and Barney McCarthy were going to look at property very near Danny's old home.
'Will we all go together and take Annie to see her grandparents?' Ria suggested.
'No, love. It's not a good idea this time. I'm going to be flat out looking at places, and making notes, meeting local fellows who are all
Rosemary's face was cold and disapproving but she forced her public smile. Orla must know she had been spotted in the private booth of Quentin's. 'All full of praise I hope?' she said lightly.
'Well yes, praise and puzzlement. Why such a beautiful woman like you isn't married. That was one of the strands.'
'What an extraordinary thing to talk about.' Rosemary was very cold.
Orla didn't seem to notice the tone. 'No, you're quite well known now even people who don't know you know of you. They were all interested.'
'What very empty lives they must all live,' Rosemary said.
'You know the way people go on, they didn't mean any harm.'
'Oh, I'm certain that's true, why should they?' Her voice was so disdainful that anyone but Orla would have been put off.
'Well, why is it, Rosemary?'
'Probably like you I haven't found the right person yet.' Rosemary hoped her voice wasn't as glacial as it felt from inside.
'Ah yeah but I'm just a fun girl, you're a serious woman.'
'We're both in our twenties, Orla. Hardly over the hill yet.'
'No, but this man said, and honestly he was out for your good, he wasn't putting you down or anything, he said that you'd want to be looking round soon, the millionaires will be looking for younger models, next year's models, if you don't get in there quick.' Orla laughed happily. She meant no insult. In fact, talking to someone as beautiful as Rosemary you could only assume that saying such a thing was a joke and not to be taken seriously.
But Rosemary's face remained cold. That was exactly what Danny Lynch had said to her jokingly only a few days ago at Sunday lunch in Tara Road. Rosemary hadn't minded then but she minded now. She minded very much that he was saying such things about her to Orla King over lunch the previous day.
Orla was heading off for work without a care in the world. 'Cheers, Colm, see you Tuesday night,' she called.
'I gather that you and the lovely Ms King are going out socially,' Rosemary said to Colm.
'Yes, well that's right, sort ofGCa' He was vague.
Rosemary realised that it must be at an AA meeting. People would tell you of their own involvement but they never told you who else went to the meetings. She was glad in a way that he had not fallen immediately for the tight sweaters and the skirt stretched across the small round bottom. 'Anyway, it's a very small forest, Dublin , isn't it? We all find out about everyone else sooner or later.' She was only making conversation but she saw a wary look come across his face.
'What do you mean?' he asked.
'I only meant if we were in London or New York we'd never know half the queue in the bank, that's all.'
'Sure. By the way, I'm leaving here at the end of the month.'
Tara Road (1999)
'Are you, Colm? Where are they sending you?'
'I'm brave as a lion. I'm leaving the bank altogether,' he said.
'Now that is brave. Are there farewell drinks or anything?' She could have bitten off her tongue.
'No, but I'll tell you what there will be. I'm going to open a restaurant in Tara Road. And as soon as I get started I'll send you an invitation to the launch.'
'IGCOll tell you what I'll do, I'll print the invites for you as a present,' she said.
'It's a done deal,' he said, and they shook hands warmly. He had a lovely smile. What a pity he was such a loser, Rosemary thought. He would have been a very restful man to have teamed up with. But a restaurant in Tara Road? He must be out of his mind. There was no catchment area there, no passing trade. As an enterprise it was doomed before it began.
Danny and Barney McCarthy were going to look at property very near Danny's old home.
'Will we all go together and take Annie to see her grandparents?' Ria suggested.
'No, love. It's not a good idea this time. I'm going to be flat out looking at places, and making notes, meeting local fellows who are all
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