The Rose Garden (32 page)

She sat stunned for a few moments.

‘How soon can you start, Kim?’ continued Mark. ‘We would need you on board as soon as possible.’

‘I need to think about it.’

‘Think about it?’ queried Mark, staring at her. ‘Think about what?’

‘It’s just that I wasn’t expecting this,’ she said slowly, trying to gather her thoughts. ‘Thank you so much for your job offer. I’ll read the contract, sign things …’

She smiled at the two of them as they finished the meeting, trying to mask the growing sense of turmoil she felt. Erik disappeared off to another meeting and Mark walked her to the elevator.

‘Is everything okay, Kim?’ he quizzed. ‘There isn’t a problem, is there?’

‘No!’ she lied. ‘No problem!’

Back in her car she felt shaky. She had got a job – a really good job. She should be over the moon. What the hell was wrong with her!

She drove to Evie’s.

Evie was in her pyjamas painting. Kim made herself a big mug of coffee.

‘Are you okay?’

‘Not really!’

‘You’re all dressed up.’

‘I had an interview and they’ve just offered me the job!’

‘That’s good news!’ Evie, excited, put down her paintbrush to hug her. ‘Where’s the job?’

‘A finance company in the docks. I’d be doing what I did before.’

‘But I thought you didn’t like it,’ Evie mused, sitting on the couch beside her.

‘I didn’t.’

‘What are you going to do?’ asked Evie, suddenly serious.

‘That’s it. I just don’t know. Financially, I really need the job. I need money but I’m not sure it’s what I want any more.’

‘Is this to do with Luke?’

‘Yes, in some ways, but even before I met him I’d changed. I want to do something different, rather than move money around and monitor funds for some unknown faceless conglomerates and clients in God knows where!’

‘Then don’t do it!’ urged Evie. ‘You’ll find something else!’

‘Like what?’

‘Well, you did an amazing job on my website.’

‘That’s because you’re my friend.’

‘Okay, it was a freebie, but you can charge other people.’

‘I do!’ Kim laughed.

‘I know that Valerie wants to totally update the crappy one the gallery has. I’ll get her to contact you.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Listen, I can’t tell you what to do,’ Evie admitted. ‘My career is hardly rock-solid and financially sound. But being an artist is all I’ve ever wanted and since I started giving more time to it, my work is getting better. I can see it myself. I enjoy my job teaching art, but when I worked full-time I was too exhausted to come home and paint, so now working part-time suits me much better. I’ve got some income that I can rely on and the rest is up to me. But my long-term goal is to work full-time as an artist with a proper studio where I can paint all day.’

‘That will happen,’ said Kim, ‘I know it will.’

‘Dad always worried about me giving up a secure, full-time, pensionable teaching job,’ Evie sighed. ‘He begged me to stay on, to see my painting as a hobby.’

‘And now he’s telling everyone about his daughter “the artist”,’ Kim teased.

‘I know it’s all crazy, but I’m happy.’

‘I’m happy too,’ she admitted. ‘I thought I’d miss the money and the clothes and the social life and having someone like Gareth in my life, but now I don’t give a rat’s ass about things like that. Everything is less complicated and simpler in Kilfinn with Luke.’

‘Maybe you have your answer,’ nodded Evie. ‘What will you do?’

‘Talk to Luke, talk to Liz … I don’t know!’ she worried. ‘You know me. I absolutely hate making decisions.’

‘But it’s
your
decision,’ Evie reminded her. ‘
Your
life.’

Liz met her for soup and a sandwich in the coffee shop across from the offices where she worked.

‘I can’t make your decision for you, Kim,’ she said seriously. ‘It’s like there are two paths and you have to choose which one to take.’

‘But I don’t know,’ she fretted.

‘I think you do know,’ her sister said softly as they paid the bill and Kim walked her back to her department. ‘What are you doing now? Are you staying tonight?’

‘No, thanks. I’ll head back down to Kilfinn. I need to talk to Luke.’

‘You’re getting wise!’ Liz said, hugging her. ‘Very wise.’

DRIVING BACK DOWN THE COUNTRY TO KILFINN, KIM’S MIND WAS
churning over and over as she thought about the new job offer. Working in a growing company with someone like Mark would be interesting. In one way, accepting Allemana’s job offer and moving back to town, having a good salary, taking up where she had left off with all her old friends was really appealing. But then she thought about her old job. She was a good worker and diligent, but had felt bored and trapped in a day-to-day routine and never felt she was accomplishing much. The last few months, however, had been totally different …

Okay, financially they had been a disaster, but in terms of enjoying what she was doing, they had absolutely been a total turnaround. She loved staying in Mossbawn and helping Molly. Designing websites and getting them up and running and managing them was a challenge, something she really enjoyed, and she would love to try to develop more and set up a proper business, as every client and every day was different. Then there was Luke.

When she thought of Luke, she couldn’t help but smile. He made her feel happy, made her feel special in a way that Gareth never had. She couldn’t imagine her life without him, but she knew that he would not move back to the city. He had turned away from his job in finance in London to come back to Kilfinn and to build the kind of life he wanted. And in her heart she knew that wasn’t going to change.

As she passed hedgerows and fields and farms, she felt herself automatically beginning to unwind, relax and slow down. Luke had texted her and called her a few times earlier, but his phone was on silent when she tried to return the call, which meant he was in class.

Arriving in the village, she parked her car across from the school. One class was singing, their voices floating from the open window, others were kicking a football in the school yard. Fifteen minutes later the bell rang and she watched as the kids began to stream out, some climbing on to the school buses, some being collected by their parents, and others laughing and chatting as they walked home. A few minutes later she saw him coming across the yard with another teacher, talking and saying hello to kids and mothers as he came through the school gate. She stood up and he saw her, his eyes immediately lighting up. She could feel her heart jump as he came nearer.

‘Hey, Kim, I wasn’t expecting you,’ he said, hugging her. ‘How did your interview go?’

‘Fine,’ she smiled. ‘Do you want to go for a walk?’

‘That sounds ominous!’ he teased.

Luke put his bag of books and copybooks in the car and the two of them decided to take a walk down by the river where it was peaceful and quiet.

‘Well, how did it go in Dublin? You’re moving back – is that it?’ he asked, grabbing her hand and looking into her face.

She swallowed hard. She loved him, couldn’t bear to be apart from him. Luke Ryan was the best thing that had happened to her in such a long time. She couldn’t – she wouldn’t – jeopardize it!

‘The interview was awful. Mark was trying to pull me apart and as for that German man, the questions he asked were totally out of order. Anyway, whatever I said about salary and holidays, it didn’t go down well. They were obviously very polite, but it was clear that they had no interest in continuing on,’ she lied.

‘Maybe you’ve got it wrong,’ he consoled her.

‘No. Mark talked to me afterwards on the way to the elevator.
He told me that they had already interviewed a more suitable candidate. He’s such a shit!’

‘I’m sorry, Kim, really sorry. I know that you had your hopes up about this job,’ he said, pulling her into his arms. It felt so good there …

‘So, there’s no new job!’ she said trying to sound disappointed. ‘So unfortunately you’re still stuck with me here in Kilfinn.’

‘Kim, that stupid company has no idea what they are missing!’ he said vehemently. ‘But their loss is our gain. I’ll take you to dinner tonight to cheer you up. What about going over to the Mill House in Glengarry for an early-bird special?’

‘Sounds lovely,’ she smiled, trying to hide her relief.

Looking into his eyes, Kim knew that she had definitely made the right decision. She would contact Joanne, talk to Mark, tell them that she was sorry but unfortunately she was turning down their job offer.

KIM STARED NERVOUSLY AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN. SHE HAD
worked so hard at this that she couldn’t bear for it to go wrong. She had tested out various templates for the site before finding the right one and had also decided with Molly on the right font to use. For the background she had tried so many options and then one day, looking at the old, soft, flower-patterned wallpaper in her bedroom, it had come to her that that might work, combined with an illustration of the house that she had discovered hanging in her uncle’s study. Molly really liked it and now everything was uploaded and it looked exactly as she had intended.

‘There will always be hitches and gremlins!’ Piotr had advised her as she showed him everything in detail and he checked it during a trial run.

She had uploaded photos of Mossbawn House and the garden through the seasons, the history of the old Georgian house with the family tree and portraits, as well as old photographs of Charles Moore and his wife, Constance. There were details from his sketchbooks and original designs for the garden, and pictures of his tools and even of pages from his garden diary. There were photos of the borders and lawn, the maze and the walled kitchen garden, and one section was devoted to the rose garden. Then, in a separate section, she had put up events at Mossbawn, with a few photos of Libby’s wedding and the orangery lit up at night, tables set, flower arrangements, Daisy with a pink bow tied to
her collar, champagne and wedding cake. It all looked cool and inviting.

She knew that Molly was worried about it and what people’s reactions would be, but Kim was so pleased that Mossbawn and its history would now finally have the web presence it deserved. She would add more pages in time. There was also a Facebook page about Mossbawn House, which she promised Molly that she would manage closely.

A few minutes later, at midday, it went live.

Kim web-texted everyone to tell them and prayed that Mossbawn would interest people the same way the old house and gardens had always fascinated her.

When Molly Hennessy looked at the screen, she couldn’t believe it. Most old houses were just a dusty mention in a parish history, or had a small brochure or leaflet printed about them. Yet here was Mossbawn House – their house – preserved for ever, standing proudly surrounded by the garden, the lawn, the avenue of rhododendrons. She felt overcome.

‘Kim, I can never thank you enough for what you’ve done!’ Molly felt so emotional. ‘It’s amazing, truly amazing. If David were here he would love it. He was such a techie compared to me! Mossbawn will live for ever. We have to celebrate!’ she insisted. ‘I have a bottle of champagne in the fridge that I have been saving for a special occasion – for something good!’

‘Molly – it’s just a website!’

Molly fixed her with a look she knew well. ‘Really?’

‘It does look really good, doesn’t it!’ Kim laughed. ‘I can’t believe how well some of my photos turned out, and we were so lucky to be able to find so much about Charles and his family.’

‘Champagne!’ Molly grabbed the bottle and opened it, filling their two glasses to overflowing. ‘You putting Mossbawn up on the web like this certainly calls for a celebration!’

Kim could see she was getting lots of texts and emails and messages for the site already. Emma and Grace were as delighted as Molly at the results, and even her dad was chuffed!

‘
Kim I’m very proud of you! Dad
’

‘
Hey Kim, great place! If I ever find a guy to marry will have my wedding there! Lisa
’

‘
Love it, Love you, Luke
’

‘
Well done Kim! Gareth
’

She laughed. She must have sent the message to everyone, even Gareth!

MOLLY DID A LAST QUICK CHECK AROUND THE HOUSE. THERE
were flowers everywhere, and in the orangery Gina had put up a few tables set with crisp white linen, flowers and glasses, as Mary and Sean Kennedy, a couple who were planning to celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a big family dinner, were coming to see the house along with a son and a daughter.

Saturday was busy, as later in the afternoon two couples who had only just got engaged were also coming to see the place, as well as an older couple who wanted to hold a small post-civil-wedding meal. The website was certainly attracting lots of people and Mossbawn House had got very positive reviews on two of the big wedding sites.

She had lit lots of tea lights and candles everywhere, and the fire was warm and aglow, with soft classical music playing in the background. She had just taken a plate of biscuits from the oven when she heard the first people arrive and she ran to the front door to let them in.

‘Come in out of the rain,’ she said, leading them inside. She hoped that it would clear up so that at least they would get a chance to see the garden properly. ‘You are very welcome to Mossbawn House.’

As she walked them around, she discovered that the older couple wanted to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in style.

‘We were poor as church mice when we got married and had
sixteen to a meal in the Metropole Hotel, worried how we were going to even pay for it!’ confided Mary, a sprightly seventy-two-year-old.

‘We went to Killarney for our honeymoon and it rained every day,’ added Sean, laughing. ‘Not that we noticed it that much!’

‘Life has been good to us, so now we want to celebrate the anniversary properly, with all the children and our grandchildren and family and friends around us. But do it properly!’