‘Mon! You can’t ask him. You cannot go up to Dermot Flynn and say, “Did you have sex with my friend?” You’ve got to promise me you won’t. It’s too embarrassing.’ She thought for moment and then flourished, ‘It’s Girlfriend Law.’

‘I invented Girlfriend Law,’ said Monica firmly, ‘but I admit it is the sort of thing that would be on it. Tell you what, I will ask him, but he won’t know I’m asking him, so it’ll be all right.’

‘I may not be at my intellectual best – my head is aching so much I think my brain has atrophied – but how on earth are you going to do that?’

‘I’ll think of something.’ Monica flashed her irrepressible grin, but Laura wasn’t convinced.

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

The second event, although in the afternoon, was just as crowded. If this was an indication of how many people he would attract to the Somerby festival, Laura could see why everyone was so keen to have him. Maybe, she said to herself, it’s just because he’s local. But although lots of the voices around her were Irish, there was a substantial smattering of English and American accents too.

This time Laura hid at the back. Her hangover was mercifully a distant echo but whatever had – or hadn’t – happened the night before, seeing Dermot again was going to be acutely embarrassing. Although, if it transpired that they had made love (even in her imagination, Laura didn’t think this was really the right expression) she would hold him to his promise. But how terribly sad – tragic, really – that she’d been so drunk she couldn’t be sure if it had happened or not! Supposing she had given her virginity to the man she wanted to have it more than anyone and not been aware of it? She knew what she felt for him wasn’t love in any real sense, but it was the sort of adulation young women usually reserved for singers or film stars. Being unconscious through the process was unforgivable.

Monica had agreed that she would go nearer the front so she could grab him and ask her question before everyone went to the pub. Laura needed to know as soon as possible, and while she and Monica agreed that several pints or shots down the line it would be easier to ask, the answer might not be coherent, or lead to other things. Both women agreed that for their livers’ sakes, they shouldn’t spend longer in the pub than they had to.

The ‘what on earth are you going to say?’ conversation had gone on some time.

‘How about “Have you ever had sex with a virgin and if so, when was it?”’ suggested Monica.