Mary Kate let out a sigh of relief. If the worst the village thought was that she had married and lost, it wasn’t so bad. Being a widow was infinitely preferable to being a harlot.

‘It’s, er, Cat I’m here to ask about.’ He kept his eyes fixed on his mug as his face flushed scarlet. The rest of his little speech tumbled out in a hurry. ‘Do you think she’d be interested in a simple man like me, Mary Kate? And what would she make of my mammy? She’s a one to handle and, God knows, I’ve been living the life of a priest thanks to her. Or is she used to much more sophistication over in Liverpool? I teach kids, kick a ball, fish and have the odd pint in Paddy’s, but I’m true and fair and honest and I would be a good father to her children, a father they haven’t got.’

Mary Kate placed her arm on his. ‘Steady on, Declan, you don’t even know her.’

He looked up at her, finally, and there was a new intensity in his gaze. ‘I don’t need to,’ he said. ‘I knew the second I laid eyes on her, and I think she knows too. There was like… oh, I don’t know…a feeling, I suppose. I just know, Mary Kate. Is that possible?’

Mary Kate gave him a sad smile as the memories of the day she’d met Nicholas came flooding back. She remembered feeling exactly that, as she’d lain on the ground after she’d been mugged in Liverpool and opened her eyes to see Nicholas leaning over her. She knew precisely what Declan was talking about.

‘Yes, that is possible. It happened to me with Nicholas.’

Declan wrung his cap in his hands and immediately seemed encouraged. He moved to the edge of his seat. ‘But will you help me, Mary Kate? Could you see if she would be interested?’

Mary Kate sat back in her chair and surveyed him. He could have been hers. Simple, he was; deep, some said. Bookish and kind. Cat could do a lot worse. ‘Tell you what,’ she said, ‘why don’t you just ask her for a dance at the long hall and take it from there. I’m sure she’ll be delighted. And then if that fails, I’ll have a word – if I’m still around.’

‘What does that mean? You’re not going anywhere now you’re home, are you?’

Mary Kate sighed. ‘Declan, Tarabeg is not for me. It was a mistake coming back. I can’t live here.’

‘Oh my – do Michael and Rosie know?’

‘No, I’ll tell them soon enough, maybe after the dance. I’ve only just decided, while I was talking to Captain Bob a bit earlier. I’m going to go back with Mrs O’Keefe and Cat. Coming home was a mistake. I wanted to step back in time, but no one can do that, it’s not possible. Too much is changing, and I cannot stand Joe Malone and his hotel. I hate it. He has stolen Tarabeg from me.’