‘So I hear, all the girls are terrified she’s being catfished .?.?.’ Dan’s voice trails off as, without another second’s hesitation, I run to the fireplace and grab my boots. Feeling like Cinderella, I take the staircase two at a time in my stockinged feet, hopping skilfully over the last step.
All I can think about as I unlock my bedroom door is the fact that Dan owns this castle. I have to tell him what I know.
I grab my green wool coat that is still damp after the walk home in the snow and wriggle my feet into my running shoes. Quickly, I pull my comb through my hair and dab on a bit of blusher. Then I shut the door with a click and rush back down the grand staircase. As I pass reception, Mary is there.
‘Maggie, lovey,’ Mary greets me. A young man and woman are standing in front of her with a baby in a pram.
‘Hi, Mary.’ I wave as I jog past.
I hear Mary apologising to the couple and the woman say, ‘But it’s the only place I’ve ever wanted to be married in,’ and the man say, ‘But that’s way over our budget.’
At the castle door, Dan is waiting for me, now dressed in his wax jacket and black flat cap, his head low, hands thrust deep into his pockets. I feel so protective of him all of a sudden. He’s taken on a castle that he can’t keep going. It must be absolutely heartbreaking for him, especially to have to sell it to someone like Frederick, even if Amanda assured me he is keeping it exactly as it is, staff included. He’s deep in conversation with Terry but the chat finishes abruptly as I step in beside the two of them.
‘After you,’ Terry says to me and holds the heavy castle door back.
‘Thank you, Terry.’ I pull on my leather gloves, my fingers already tingling at the thoughts of sitting close beside Dan in his jeep. But I feel a little sick at the thoughts of telling him about my first-hand knowledge of the sale.
‘I’ll take that to the village for Joe to fix too,’ Terry calls after us and Dan seems to raise a thumb in understanding as my running shoes crunch over the gravel. Ducking to avoid the snowy sleet, I haul myself up into Dan’s battered jeep.
‘She’s seen better days.’ Dan hops in. He moves papers off the dashboard. ‘Not much better myself.’
‘Ah, I think you’re holding up alright.’ Stop, I chastise myself. Stop flirting with him. Although I have to admit, it feels fantastic to flirt so unashamedly. I watch the wipers slosh thick white snow from side to side as I buckle up.
‘A compliment? From the sassy American? Well I never,’ Dan tells me as he checks his rear-view mirror and we both laugh.
‘It’s so funny that your impression of me is sassy. I’m literally the quietest person ever, Dan, I—’
‘You don’t say?’ He butts in, looks genuinely shocked as hisdark eyes zip from the road to me and back again and his feet change the pedals. ‘Because I’m the exact same. I’m so non-confrontational. Ask anyone in the village. Drives Terry round the twist. He’s always stepping in to fight my battles. But I’ve had the week from hell. Ah, make that a year of hell, Maggie. I don’t admit that to many.’
‘I know .?.?. I .?.?.’ Here goes. I clench my fists.
‘Hey, it’s too beautiful an evening to do anything but count our blessings, right? It’s Christmas, look out your window. Look at all this beauty around us.’
‘I do have something I want to talk to you about, regarding my work but .?.?. it can wait.’ I sit back and do as he says. Thick snow falls, covering the castle grounds for as far as I can see. It’s peaceful, so calm. It’s a million miles away from the festive madness of Manhattan. I can’t have this conversation while he’s driving. I’ll tell him later as soon as we pull back into Castlemoon. I’ll be one hundred percent honest with him then.
‘So, do you have siblings?’ I want to know everything I can about Dan before I have to leave, to add to my memory. To add to my perfect memories of this perfect place.
‘One older brother, he’s married now but he took off years ago, didn’t want to stay here. But sometimes you just have to do the right thing in life, don’t you? Or maybe fate has it all mapped out?’ He does that cheeky wink at me then he turns the jeep past the pub and honks and waves at Gráinne and a blond guy crossing the road. ‘How’rya Gráinne!’ he calls out the window. ‘Uh-oh, Clare is not going to like that!’ he says through gritted teeth as I’m also waving madly.
‘Why? Who’s that?’ I ask.
‘Jack Traynor.’
‘Jack? Clare’s ex?’ I gasp, recalling the conversation we had in the library.
‘How did you know that?’ Dan’s wide eyes dart to me
‘It’s a very chatty village. Women talk,’ I add, that feeling of wanting to belong here becoming stronger by the day.
‘Clare and Gráinne fell out over Jack Traynor years ago. He was dating Gráinne first. He’s not a bad lad, just a bit of a player. He’s an incredible showjumper, a lot say he’ll ride for Ireland one day.’
‘I think Clare wants him back,’ I say. Once again, I feel like I know them all.
‘Ah sure, let fate play her card,’ he says almost whimsically.
‘So, you really do believe in fate, don’t you?’ I’m staring hard at his side profile, taking in the perfect dimensions of his face.
‘I do.’ He turns to look at me and quickly I move my head back, staring straight ahead. ‘It’s been a real thing in the folklore of my life as you now know, having talked to my folks. I can’t dispute those facts. Had my mother not got a job at Castlemoon, and walked into the Sweet Orange Room with my father’s post that very night he sat with his head in his hands, at the end of his tether, I wouldn’t be here never mind the castle.’
