The Kinsella Sisters Read Free

then Adair Bolger said, ‘Go after her, darling.’
    ‘But, Daddy—’
    ‘Go on. I’ll join you in an hour.’
    ‘But—’
    ‘Please
, sweet-cheeks. This reception means a lot to Mummy. It’ll be her first big social event in Coolnamara.’
    Isabella gazed after her mother, who was stumbling along the shore, looking wretched and unloved. Then she looked back at Finn, who had resumed his scrutiny of the rock pool.
    ‘Oh, all right,’ she said. She quickly finished fastening her sandals, then jumped off the slipway. ‘Mummy, Mummy!’ she called. ‘Hang on! I’m coming!’
    Felicity paused, drooped, then made a helpless gesture with her hands. ‘But your clothes…’
    ‘She can change in the hotel,’ replied Adair, quickly. ‘Run, Isabella.’
    Isabella ran. Halfway up the beach, she turned, and waved at Finn. ‘Next time I see her, she could be ready for racing!’ she called, before continuing on after her mother. ‘Mummy – wait up! Finn’s going to allow me to ride Pinkie when she’s old enough. Maybe I could get jodhpurs and proper riding boots? And a hard hat.’
    ‘Don’t be stupid, Isabella. You’re talking about riding a donkey, not a thoroughbred pony’
    ‘But it could be fun! Remember that film where…’
    Isabella’s voice grew reedier and reedier, and then mother and daughter disappeared along the path that led to Coral Cottage.
    ‘I think you said your name was Río?’ enquired lames, turning to Río with a polite smile. ‘Río… um …?’
    Río knew the architect was fishing for her surname, but she was damned if she’d volunteer it. ‘It’s short for Ríonach,’ she told him.
    ‘That’s an unusual name.’
    ‘It’s Irish; it means “queenly”.’
    ‘How fascinating. Well, nice to meet you, Río,’ said James.
    ‘Likewise,’ said Adair. Now that Río saw him up close, he didn’t look like a male model at all, she realised. There was something about him that was a bit rough around the edges, despite the country gent casuals. ‘Do you live locally?’ he asked her politely.
    ‘Yes,’ said Río. ‘I’ve lived in Lissamore all my life.’
    ‘In the village? Or – um…?’
    ‘In the village. But here is my favourite place. It’s so unspoiled. Did you know that it’s a designated area of outstanding natural beauty?’
    Adair and James exchanged neutral looks. ‘Is that so?’ said Adair.
    ‘You mean you weren’t aware of that when you made the decision to bulldoze Coral Cottage and build your Legoland mansion?’ Río gave him a disingenuous smile. ‘That’s a shame. You might want to take things a bit more slowly, Mr Bolger. People in the country don’t like it when things happen too fast.’
    ‘I’d hardly describe the planning procedure as “fast”,’ said James, with a supercilious smirk. ‘Each application is subject to rigorous examination by the relevant department and—’
    ‘Don’t patronise me, and don’t push your luck,’ returned Río. ‘You might just about squeeze permission to stable a donkey here. But I’ve never heard of planning permission being granted for a yoga pavilion in Lissamore. And as for mooring a pleasure craft…’ Raising her chin, she gave them a challenging look. ‘Let’s just say you could find yourselves with a fight on your hands.
Slán
, lads.’
    With a toss of her head, Río strode away from them, back in the direction she’d come. The climb up the cliff path was a stiff one, and by the time she got to the top she was breathless with exertion and anger. Looking down, she saw that the beach was deserted now but for Finn, poised above his rock pool. Fishing in her backpack for her phone, she dragged a couple of deepbreaths into her lungs before jabbing the keypad. What she was about to do was going to take some nerve. She was going to phone her sister.
    Río had read some aphorism somewhere, about sisters being bonded by childhood memories and grown-up dreams. She and her sister, Dervla, shared