The Stone House Read Free Page A

Kate. Thanks for letting me know,’ she said slowly as the phone went dead on the other end.
    Back in the small galley kitchen she scraped the burnteggs into the sink, pouring herself a cup of coffee as she curled up on the padded window-seat. There had been no pleasantries, no niceties between them. How could she go back home? Return to the place she had left so long ago! Nothing had changed, so why should she even consider going back and dragging up the hurt and pain of the past and a time she still tried so hard to forget?

Chapter Two
    THE RUSH-HOUR DART was crowded and Kate was fortunate to find a seat. The commuter train seemed to take an age as it crossed the river and pushed out along Dublin’s coastline passing Ringsend and Sandymount and Booterstown, Kate almost jumping out at her usual Monkstown stop. Molly had already been collected and the minute she entered their apartment she was greeted with a flying hug.
    â€˜Mummy! Mummy, you’re home. Look what I made today.’
    Her daughter disappeared into the kitchen and emerged with an enormous painted pink and yellow butterfly that looked like it still might be wet.
    â€˜It’s beautiful, pet. You’re a great little artist,’ she said, scooping her up and burying her face in the curly dark hair. Molly giggled as Kate pretended to bite her.
    â€˜I have to get changed, darling, and drive down the country to see Granny.’
    â€˜Can I come too?’
    â€˜Not tonight, pet. Granny’s sick. She’s in hospital.’
    â€˜I want to see her,’ pleaded Molly, putting on her begging face.
    â€˜No, I’m sorry, Molly. Little girls aren’t let in the hospital. You have to stay home with Daddy. OK?’
    She could see the look of consideration pass over the child’s face as her lip wobbled and she decided whether to cry or not.
    Derry looked up from working on his laptop, papers spread out around the table. ‘Just trying to catch up. I’ve a big meeting tomorrow. Listen, I’m sorry about your mum.’
    She felt guilty for dragging him away from clients and his own work at the design yard, but was relieved to know that Molly was so well taken care of as Derry doted on their small daughter. Emotion washed over her as he wrapped her in one of those big bear hugs that still unsettled her. She clung to him for a second, almost wishing that they were something more to each other than Molly’s parents and that she could stay exactly where she was for the rest of the night instead of driving down to Waterford.
    â€˜You get changed and I’ll make you a cup of tea and something to eat before you leave,’ he offered.
    â€˜Thanks.’ Tears welled in her eyes and she rubbed at them so Molly wouldn’t get upset too.
    In the bedroom Kate kicked off her shoes and hung up her black suit, pulling on a pair of beige corduroys, a long-sleeved T-shirt, a wool zip-up jacket in a creamy white and a pair of comfortable decks for driving. She grabbed a change of clothes, her pyjamas, some toiletries and her toothbrush, shoving them all into the green overnight bag. Molly was engrossed in the TVwhen she came back in the room and she slipped into the kitchen.
    â€˜Don’t worry about anything, Kate, honest. Molly and I’ll be fine,’ reassured Derry. ‘You just stay with your mother. She’s the one who needs you. I’ll be able to collect Molly tomorrow if need be, and I can reschedule the next day if I have to. The O’Reillys might be a bit annoyed, but they can wait! I’ll have their brief finished next week.’
    She drank the hot sweet mug of tea, and ate the thin golden pancake with a shake of sugar and squeeze of lemon quickly; Molly came in to sit beside her. She watched Derry wipe Molly’s sticky hands, his sandy hair bent down over hers, infinitely patient. Not minding that his beige chinos had a layer of sugar on them. Minnie and her friends were always