*

Nola and Seamus had not had so many people in the farmhouse for as long as they could remember. Nola had been in a flap, fetching provisions and drink from the old house as Joe drove his car up and down the hill, more times than he would like to count, with Pete riding along for company. He turned a blind eye to the only thing so far that day that had gladdened his heart, Pete giving Peggy a kiss in the back of the car, whilst Tig and Keeva gabbled away in the front, oblivious. He had raised his eyes to the rearview mirror at just the wrong moment and turned his attention straight to Keeva next to him.

‘Are you as tired as the rest of us?’ he asked her. ‘You made enough sandwiches to feed every man in Galway.’

‘Go’way, would you,’ she said. ‘How can we complain about being tired after all you have done? They say you carried McGuffey and then dragged Jay out of the cave straight after him, is that right?’

Joe almost laughed out loud. ‘It is, but it wasn’t difficult. I thought McGuffey was dead, and Jay, well, he was just dead drunk. To be honest with you, Keeva, I felt cheated. They were no challenge whatsoever.’

Keeva moved her hand to her side and slipped her fingers into Tig’s. They had left the children with Paddy and Josie, who had opened the bar on a night that was busier than usual as everyone dissected the events of the day. There would be people travelling from other villages in cars and vans to gather the news to take back home.

‘I’ve never known a week like it,’ she said. ‘We have Mary Kate back, the visitors from Liverpool, you yourself buying the manor. I feel like Lady Muck meself, just being sat next to you, and as well as being lord of the manor, you’re only a hero into the bargain now too, isn’t he, Tig?’

‘That’s a fact, so it is,’ Tig replied. ‘And don’t forget that solicitor friend of Joe’s, Keeva, and the doctor and Matron turning up. And the guard – when was the last time he was in Tarabeg? He’s grown a limp and a beard since I last saw him.’

Keeva shuddered. ‘And McGuffey and Jay,’ she added. ‘I thought we’d seen the back of McGuffey years ago.’

Minutes later, they walked into the light and warmth of the farmhouse to find Cat frying potatoes at the range and being helped by a beaming Declan, who carried the bowls to the table. Mrs O’Keefe was draining vegetables at the sink and Seamus was removing the biggest leg of pork anyone had ever seen out of the oven. At the table sat Mr Keene, Matron, Bee, Captain Bob and Bridget.

‘What was it that was wrong with his leg?’ Bridget asked Dr Gaskell. ‘I’ve never smelt anything like it before in me life. I have no potion for such a thing.’ Between them they had tended to McGuffey before the guard loaded him into the back of his van.