‘You have to get back in there.’ I push him away. ‘Otherwise Dan will win and then he’ll buy this place.’
‘I’m not going back in there. I would give up all of this if it meant knowing that you were beside me for the rest of my life. I don’t care about any of this if it means I can’thave you.’ He nods towards the crowds milling around the barn.
‘But Nancy?’ I hug myself.
‘It’s over.’ He emphasises each word. ‘Nancy didn’t want me. She just wanted the oysters and she was using whatever methods she could to get them. And I didn’t really want her. I just didn’t want to risk falling in love again.’ He takes hold of my elbows. ‘But it’s too late for that.’
I fall back into his chest. There is a slow hand clap and appearing behind Sean in the doorway are Nancy and her journalist. They’re both smiling.
‘Touching,’ she says, and I want to wipe the smile off her face.
She gestures to her journalist friend.
‘Get back on the stand, Sean. There’s still a chance,’ I say.
‘His round is finished. Dan won,’ Nancy tells me.
‘Get out, Nancy. You’ve got what you wanted. Have the oysters. I have something more important than you’ll ever know,’ Sean says calmly. ‘Get out of my house.’
She gives me a considered look then turns to leave.
‘Tell them to put you in the next round,’ I say through gritted teeth. ‘Tell them … You can’t give all this up for me,’ I’m begging him.
Sean looks at me and shakes his head.
‘Why? Why not?’ I’m frustrated.
‘Because blood in the oysters is an automatic disqualification.’ He holds up the hand he has been cupping. There is a cut right through his palm and it’s dripping on the floor.
I run outside to where Nancy is swapping notes with her journalist friend.
‘So that’s it. I get the oysters and the story …’ Nancy smiles, swishing her hand as Grace sniffs around her. ‘Don’t unpack. Dan’ll be buying the farm from Jimmy. It’ll be business as usual in no time. The only thing missing will be you and your boyfriend.’
‘Oh no it won’t,’ I say, and before I can think about what I’m doing, I march back towards the barn, knocking Jimmy Power and his lad sideways as I push my way into the crowded room and march up to the stand.
Chapter Forty-eight
I take a deep breath and do something I should have done a long time ago. I step up on to the stand behind the white-covered tables and the crowd quietens in expectation.
‘My name is Fiona Clutterbuck,’ I say, like an alcoholic at the end of one road and the start of another. ‘I was jilted on my wedding day. I stole the camper van we were due to go on honeymoon in and ended up here.’ There’s a sharp intake of breath. The loudest from Margaret.
‘What are you doing?’ she hisses.
‘And do you know what?’ I look at Margaret. ‘It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because here is where I learnt to be myself and not someone I’m not. And if I had my time again, I wouldn’t change a thing,’ I say, and see Rosie sniffing into a tissue. ‘Someone once told me that when you get old, it’s the memories that matter, so make sure they’re good ones.’ I smile at Grandad, who’s clapping, his eyes watering like mad.
‘I was once scared of being found. But what I realised was that I hadn’t found myself until now. So Patsy, I’ll be the final contestant in this round.’
Margaret rushes around getting a knife. ‘Are you sure you know what you’re doing?’ She is laying out a board and oysters. Her tiara has slipped to the left.
‘Never more so.’ I clear my throat.
‘Well, that prize money could really set you up.’ She straightens.
‘This isn’t about the money, this is about standing up for what’s right.’
I think the fact that I’m up against Seamus and a couple of others who have spent too much time at the bar helps me make it through to the final. More luck and too much Guinness on their part, I think. But now it’s for real. It’s the final.
‘Excellent, excellent.’ Dan is beside me, whispering in my ear. ‘So, make this look good, open a few oysters and then I’ll win and your job is still safe with me, baby!’ He grins and holds his hand up to high five me. I tap it gently and swallow hard. Yes, I could just do what he says. Leave this mess behind. Open a few oysters then get back on that plane to Boston and start all over again.
