She can’t be any less craic than Ines or Victor, Robbie had whispered just before they opened the door. That, indeed, was true, but Ruth was giving them a run for their money. She’d hardly said a word all night and had sniffed at Mary’s Mexican platters, asking if there was any ‘Irish’ food. ‘A boiled egg?’ Tom Stedman had suggested with a grin, earning him a dig in the ribs from Susie.

‘The food is wonderful, Mary. So exotic,’ Susie said. ‘And the place settings. And what an unusual piece,’ she added, pointing at a star-shaped candleholder in the middle of the table. ‘I saw something similar in my catalogue. Is it from the Kays catalogue?’

‘No, it was my mother’s. She was into symbols and talismans and that kind of thing. One of many quirky belongings passed on to me when she died.’

‘So it’s from California!’ Susie was more impressed now. ‘Like your painting up there?’ She pointed at the photograph of Santa Cruz Wharf that hung on the dining room wall. Mary glanced up.

‘That one’s actually a photo, but yes.’

‘It’s wonderful. Like the food, so different. So much more exciting than Dublin. You’re a lucky man,’ she said, turning to Mary’s husband. ‘All this fabulous foreign cooking.’

‘Don’t I know it,’ Robbie said with a wink. ‘Poor old Dublin can’t live up to the glamour of California, though Mary does a good job of hiding her feelings.’ He put his arm around Mary’s shoulder and squeezed. Her smile tightened.

Ruth snorted.

Susie looked over at her, flashing a strained smile. ‘Ruth, have you had any luck fixing that broken window?’

‘Eventually.’ The response was curt, snappy – as though it was Susie’s fault her window was broken. Della lifted her napkin to her face to hide an eye-roll.

‘Does anyone know if Ines managed to get a flight to Spain?’ Susie asked, changing the subject again.

‘She’s hoping to fly out tomorrow,’ Della said. ‘Victor and Cora are staying here.’

‘Who’ll mind Cora?’ Susie asked.

‘Cynthia, as far as I know.’

‘Oh great, there goes my childcare,’ Susie said.

Mary and Della exchanged tiny smiles. Susie had a way of making everything about herself.

She seemed to realize what she’d said. ‘Of course, they need Cynthia far more than I do, I understand that. But with the younger kids off school now and Mark and the girls away, dear God, the summer seems long.’

Mary nodded in agreement, though with Lily not yet at school, it really made no difference.

Ruth spoke up then. ‘What’s the point, Susie, in having six children, if you don’t actually want to raise them yourself?’

Susie’s mouth dropped open. Mary squirmed. What on earth had possessed Robbie to invite Ruth?

‘It’s so we’ll be guaranteed a good nursing home,’ Tom quipped, dispelling the tension. Everyone laughed far more loudly than necessary.

‘We’re screwed so,’ Robbie said, ‘with just the one child. We didn’t think that through, did we, Mary! Then again, we wouldn’t want to ruin your figure.’ He gave her a squeeze and got up then to open a bottle of expensive whiskey he’d been saving for just this occasion, and as the others oohed and aahed over it and held their glasses to be filled, Ruth shook her head and pushed back her chair.