‘I couldn’t be surer.’ His expression was kind. ‘Look, much as I love living in a small town, not everyone needs to hear everyone’s business. My wife’s on her way. She runs the pharmacy down the road. We’ve a room out the back here. It’s a bit more private. Come there with me. I’ll join you as soon as I can, when Dervla arrives.’

She was embarrassed now. ‘If it’s bad, if it’s too awkward, I can leave.’

‘No. You’re not going anywhere. I want to hear everything. Your mother was a great friend to me. You have a fair old lot of questions yourself, I can see. Dervla might do better than me at answering some of them. She remembers that time better than me in some ways. Come with me.’

She followed. He lifted a latched shelf and they stepped behind the wooden counter of the bar.

‘Your mother worked behind here,’ he said. ‘She was terrible at pulling pints of Guinness, mind you.’

‘Terrible?’ Eliza remembered her mother saying she was an expert Guinness pourer.

‘Shocking,’ Emmet said with a laugh. ‘She was always too impatient. Wouldn’t let it settle. Now, take a seat in here and I’ll be back as soon as I can.’

Her phone was pinging. She didn’t need to look to know it would be Olivia. Maxie. Perhaps even Rose, up in the middle of the night, anxious to hear what was happening.

She was in what looked like a private lounge room for friends or special guests. The walls were covered in framed photos and newspaper articles. Family photos, sports photos, photos of the local community. Emmet with the three men who had to be his brothers. An older couple – Emmet’s parents, she assumed – standing in front of the pub, holding up a trophy, the wall behind them painted in what must be the Meath colours, green and gold. Australia’s colours too.

She was reading one of the articles when Emmet returned. A smiling blonde woman was with him.

‘The local paper wouldn’t have a thing to write about it if wasn’t for us. Eliza, this is my wife, Dervla. Dervla, this is Eliza. Jeannie’s daughter.’

‘God, I can see it in her. You’re right. She’s the image.’ Eliza was shocked again to be hugged by a stranger. ‘I’m so sorry. Emmet told me the sad news about Jeannie. I can’t believe it. I’d never met anyone so fearless. So ready for adventure.’

‘And trouble,’ Emmet added.

‘And yes, trouble,’ Dervla said, smiling. ‘You’re what age, love?’

‘Thirty.’