The following day, when she was gathering her things for the journey back to Somerby, Laura phoned Monica. Monica had heard all about Dermot, of course. After they’d shared exclamations for a while Laura said, ‘Mon, would you come with me to Ireland again? I’ve got to go and sort him out. Everyone says. I really don’t want to go alone.’

‘Oh Laura! I can’t! I’ve got a mini-tour coming up. Seamus is coming with me.’ She lowered her voice. ‘It’s going really well between us.’

‘Oh.’

‘Mm. I haven’t actually heard his band yet but I’m sure they’re great.’ Then she remembered why Laura had rung. ‘And really, Laura, this is something you should do on your own.’

‘But, Monica!’

‘I know, I know, we had such fun before. But it’s not going to be fun, is it? Although of course I would have come to support you if I could have.’

‘I know. And I also knew it was a long shot. I’m sure it will be very character-forming for me to go on my own.’

‘Oh, love, you do sound down about it. Why don’t you ask Fenella to go with you?’

‘I can’t. She’s up to her eyes. In fact, even more up to her eyes now.’

‘So it’s good for the festival, all this publicity?’

‘Yes,’ said Laura dolefully. ‘It’s good for the festival.’

She was going to fly to Ireland this time. Eleanora had arranged a cab to pick her up from the airport and drive her all the way to Ballyfitzpatrick. She was also paying for everything. After all, Eleanora had a vested interest, Laura reminded herself.

Personally, because she didn’t know what she was going to find at the end of it, Laura would have preferred for the journey to be slower. The flight seemed to whistle by and she was sure the travelling was, in this case, going to be far better than arriving.

She asked the taxi driver to take her to the bed and breakfast where she and Monica had stayed before. She’d booked in there because she knew the people. When Dermot threw her out on to the street she could go to them for comfort.

She had intended to keep her mission secret. Officially she was having a couple of days’ break in a pretty part of the world she’d previously visited in winter. She was planning to walk, to relax and enjoy herself.

How long she’d be able to keep this secret, she didn’t know. Before she’d even finished registering at the b. and b. she was being asked pertinent questions. ‘You were one of the girls who came to see Dermot at the festival, weren’t you?’

‘That’s right. With my friend Monica. We had such a lovely time I wanted to see the place in summer.’