‘Last week. It was only for two days, although they were quite intensive. I feel I’ve learnt a useful skill. I stayed with Eleanora and I’m surprised I’ve got any liver left, frankly, the amount we drank. I’d totter in through the door, she’d give me a huge whisky, then I’d fall asleep until suppertime. Then we’d have wine.’

Monica laughed. ‘Well, I’m definitely coming with you to check it all out. Seamus is on tour – he’s so much more confident these days since that reading. Anyway, if you’re going to live in some godforsaken island, bloody miles away, I want to make sure it’s not just some hole in the hedge.’

‘Mon, this is Ireland we’re talking about! You love Ireland!’

Monica’s anxiety subsided. ‘I know I do, but I’m going to miss you.’

‘And I’m going to miss you! And everyone! It is all quite scary for someone like me.’

Now Laura was revealing her nerves Monica felt she could afford to be reassuring. ‘Oh, you’ll be fine!’

‘I know I will when I get there it’s just the going part.’ She paused, sounding a little plaintive. ‘You can come and stay as often as you like.’

‘And I will! And we’ll drive over there together. But we must have a farewell party before you go.’ She paused. ‘Have you heard from Dermot?’

Somehow she didn’t want to tell Monica about the unanswered calls.

‘Of course I haven’t. Why would I? I don’t even want to hear from him!’

‘Sweetie, this is me, Monica, you’re talking to. You don’t have to pretend.’

‘I’m not pretending anything! I don’t want to speak to him. I will admit to you that I’m in love with him, but he’s not in love with me, he never was. Everything we did was just a wonderful, passing, temporary thing. Speaking to him would only make it worse. I’ve just got to get over it, and I’ll do that better if I don’t have any contact with him.’

She’d had a hard time convincing Eleanora that she wasn’t to divulge her address or land line or her new mobile number – she’d changed it just in case – or anything to Dermot, especially as he’d already been trying to reach Laura through her. But she had eventually managed it by confiding in her. Eleanora had obviously led an exciting romantic life and the scene in the shop with Bridget was somewhat familiar to her. After that she said, ‘Fine. I absolutely understand and I won’t say a word.’

And Fen was on board too, although she just thought it was because Laura didn’t want to get roped into any more slave labour as far as Dermot was concerned.