‘Ah,’ Jack nodded. ‘Okay. MK told me the proof was something to do with that emerald ring you’re wearing at the moment. They just wanted to take a look at it.’
‘Yes. Well, since they arrived, I’ve had strangers turning up at every hotel I’ve visited, asking to see me. Then when I was in London, do you remember I called you about the man who wanted to interview me about The Vinery for his newspaper?’
‘I do, yes. Hold on, you told me you were in New York!’ Jack narrowed his eyes.
‘I’m sorry, Jack, I knew you’d worry and ask questions if you thought I’d derailed so much from my original trip itinerary. Anyway, this man definitely wasn’t who he said he was. The woman he was with saw the ring and asked about it. He even followed me the next day when I left the hotel. That’s when I decided to leave for Ireland and why I sounded odd on the phone when we spoke yesterday.’
‘Okay,’ Jack nodded. ‘And do you know why these people are following you? I mean, what do they want? Is it just the ring? It’s only small,’ Jack said as he stared at it. ‘It doesn’t look that valuable... oh Mum, you didn’t steal it, did you?’ He gave me a wry smile.
‘Of course I didn’t steal it! I promise I’ll tell you the whole story at some point – it’s time, I suppose.’ I sighed, then checked my watch. ‘I’m going to have to leave in a bit. I’ve only popped back to the hotel for an hour while my friend has a nap, you see.’
‘Your friend?’
‘He’s my godfather, Ambrose, actually. I paid him a call earlier. I haven’t seen him for thirty-seven years.’
‘Your godfather?’ Jack frowned. ‘Why have you never mentioned him to any of us before?’
‘Let’s just say I wanted to leave the past behind me. For everyone’s sake. It was him that gave me this ring on my twenty-first birthday.’
‘So he’s involved in all this, is he?... Whateverthisis?’
‘No, he wasn’t.’ I gave my son a sad smile. ‘Have you heard from Mary-Kate, by the way?’
‘No, not for the past few days.’
‘This may sound ridiculous, but I’m worried about her there at The Vinery all by herself. You haven’t had any visitors recently in Provence, have you? People asking about me?’
‘No, although I did meet a very nice woman who came to stay at thegîteFrançois and Ginette own and...’ Jack frowned suddenly. ‘Wow,’ he muttered.
‘What?’ I asked him as my heart rate began to rise again.
‘Nothing, I’m sure it was nothing. I mean, we just got on really well. I was so happy to have someone who spoke English to talk to over dinner. She said she had adopted sisters and, actually, I suppose she did ask quite a lot of questions about you and MK’s adoption.’
‘Oh no, Jack.’ I put my fingers to my brow. ‘They found you as well.’
‘Mum, who are “they”?’ he urged me. ‘This woman – Ally – was great, and it was pure coincidence that we were put next to each other at the dinner table. Actually, it was me who offered to drive her into the village the next day, because I really liked her. She didn’t mention anything about a missing sister, or the Seven Sisters, or a ring...’
‘Okay. Well, it might be coincidence, but until we know for sure, I’m going to ask Mary-Kate to leave The Vinery and fly over here.’
‘Mum, what the hell?! Are you telling me that our lives are in danger?’
‘They might be, yes, and until I’m certain they’re not, we need to be together.’
I looked at my beloved son’s expression, which contained a mixture of shock and doubt. I knew I had to tell him something before he carted me off to the local psychiatric hospital.
‘The thing is, Jack, a long time ago, someone who was in a group of very dangerous people threatened to hunt me down and kill me.’ I swallowed. ‘It may sound ridiculous and overdramatic, but that was the way things were here back then. He’d always called me the missing sister and hated this ring, and by extension my godfather, because he’d given it to me. This goes back a very long way, Jack, and until I can find out if he’s alive or dead, I’m not going to be able to relax, okay? That’s why I’m here in Ireland. I have to put this to bed for good.’
‘Okay.’ Jack nodded. ‘So you think that he and his... people are after you again?’
‘Until it’s been proved that they’re not, I do believe it’s possible, yes. You didn’t know him, Jack, what he believed in, the cause he thought he was fighting for. He was’ – I gulped – ‘consumed by it. And had been for the whole of his life.’
‘All right, at least you’re making a bit more sense now. Is this why you’ve never really talked about your past here in Ireland then? And why you ended up in New Zealand – as far away as you could possibly get?’
‘It is. Now, I need to go and see Ambrose. He’ll be wondering where I’ve got to.’
‘Can I come with you, Mum? After what you’ve just told me, I think I should, just in case.’
‘I... okay. Maybe it’s about time you learnt about your heritage.’ I signalled for the waitress.
