Foreign Affairs (53 page)

‘Aunt Josie?’ For a moment Jennifer was thrown. ‘Oh, you mean Mother Andrew.’ She laughed. It was strange to think of her headmistress as ‘Aunt Josie.’
‘Well, I took honours Spanish in my exam. It’s my favourite subject,’ Jennifer explained.

‘I haven’t a clue about Spanish, so you’d have to do all the talking. Do you think you’d be able for it? The villa has its own housekeeper, but I don’t think her
English is great.’ Mrs Curtis looked at Jennifer with big limpid blue eyes. She gave Jennifer the impression of being a dumb blonde type. She was in her mid-thirties, Jennifer judged, and
exceedingly glamorous and sophisticated.

They were in her sitting-room, in a huge house overlooking the sea in Sandycove. Two children, a boy of six and a girl of three, were squabbling on the seat of the bay window.

‘Gavin! Emma! Please! Stop it now, Mummy’s getting very annoyed.’ Gillian gave an exasperated sigh and threw her eyes up to heaven. ‘They usually aren’t this
naughty.’

‘I want to colour Winnie the Pooh, Mummy, an’ he’s taking my crayons,’ whined the little girl, a dainty replica of her mother.

‘Shut your gob, they’re
my
crayons,’ the little boy retorted crossly.

‘
Gavin
!’ Mrs Curtis was horrified. ‘Darling, how can you be so naughty in front of Miss Myles? She won’t want to come and work for us.’

‘Don’t want her to come an’ work for us. I want Liz to come back an’ mind us,’ he said sulkily.

‘Darling.’ Mrs Curtis gave another of her dramatic sighs. ‘Liz left us to go and work for Angie Baldwin.’ She turned to Jennifer. ‘I thought Angie was a good friend
of mine, and what did the bitch do only pinch my au pair. I was devastated.
Devastated
. I’d expect your complete loyalty,’ she declared.

‘Of course, Mrs Curtis,’ Jennifer murmured.

‘Oh my gawd, don’t call me Mrs, it makes me feel so
old
. You must call me Gillian.’ The other woman gave a little shriek and a giggle.

‘Gillian,’ Jennifer amended.

‘Mummy, he’s doing it again,’ Emma bawled. Gillian looked helplessly at Jennifer.

‘What would you do with them? It was outrageous of Angie filching Liz like that.’

Jennifer took a deep breath. It was obvious action was required. Gillian didn’t seem to have much control over her children.

‘Can I have a look at your crayons?’ Jennifer stood up and walked over to the window seat, where the children were pushing and shoving each other. She sat on the seat between them
and picked up the huge box of crayons.

‘There’s millions of crayons here,’ she said lightly. ‘Why don’t we divide them up exactly so that you both have the same?’

Gavin eyed her warily. ‘Don’t want to,’ he muttered.

‘Oh come on, you’re a big boy and big boys always share with their little sisters,’ she wheedled. ‘Can you swim?’ she asked, diverting his attention as she began to
divide up the crayons.

‘No,’ he said sulkily.

‘Your mammy. Your mummy,’ she corrected herself, ‘tells me there’s a swimming-pool in the villa. If you’re a good boy and I come to work for Mummy, I’ll teach
you to swim,’ she promised.

‘Will you teach me to snorkel?’ he asked excitedly.

‘If you’re good.’ Jennifer smiled.

‘Here, she can have ’em all. I’m going to play with my train set,’ Gavin announced. ‘As soon as we get there, will you teach me?’ he demanded.

‘It depends on how good you’ve been. Mummy will tell me, but I’m sure a big boy like you is going to be very good.’

‘I like you. What’s your name?’ He came and stood in front of her, his brown eyes studying her intently.

‘My name’s Jennifer, Gavin. How do you do?’ She held out her hand.

He looked at his mother, who was sitting looking at the three of them in amazement. ‘Shake hands, darling,’ she murmured. He placed a small hand in Jennifer’s and gave a little
shake.

‘I’m going to play with my train set now,’ he said and marched out the door.

‘Will you teach me to swim too?’ Emma demanded petulantly.

‘If you’re a good girl,’ Jennifer said firmly. It was clear to see that both children were extremely spoilt and in need of some firm but kind discipline. If she took on this
job she certainly wasn’t going to stand for any nonsense from them, she decided.

‘Jennifer, sweetheart, could you start immediately?’ Gillian gushed.

‘You lucky sucker, I can’t believe it. God, I’d give my eye-teeth for a job like that,’ Paula exclaimed when she heard about Jennifer’s new
job.

‘The only trouble is, I won’t be able to stay with you for a week,’ Jennifer apologized.

‘Ah Jen,’ Paula shrieked down the line. ‘You’ve got to come down. It’s the only thing that’s keeping me going. This place is as dead as a dodo. I arranged to
have this week’s two days off added on to next week’s so I’d have four days to entertain you. You can’t let me down.’

‘Sorry, Paula, I’ve got to arrange to get my passport and some currency and clothes and the rest of my bits and pieces. I’ll come for the weekend,’ Jennifer said firmly.
She knew Paula of old. Her friend would wheedle and badger until she got her own way. It just wasn’t possible unfortunately.

‘I’ll be on the six p.m. train, Friday night. See you then.’ Jennifer’s tone was crisp.

‘Oh! OK then,’ Paula said and hung up with bad grace.

‘You have all the luck,’ Brenda declared when she heard Jennifer’s news. ‘Two months doing nothing in Spain. You know you get away with murder! If
I’d been asked to be an au pair when I left school there’s no way Ma and Da would have allowed me to go,’ she said enviously.

‘I won’t be doing
nothing
, Brenda,’ Jennifer said in exasperation. ‘I’ll be looking after two spoilt little brats. And I’m sure if you’d been
given the chance Mam and Dad wouldn’t have stood in your way,’ Jennifer declared huffily.

‘Are you kidding?’ Brenda snorted. ‘Dad would have had a fit if he’d known I was going to the Dandelion. Never mind Spain.’

‘Oh you’re always the same, Brenda. You’re such a begrudger. Couldn’t you be pleased something nice has happened to me? Just for once?’ Jennifer snapped. Her bubble
of excitement was beginning to dissolve. Paula and Brenda had been less than enthusiastic for her. Maybe she was making a mistake. Maybe going to Spain as an au pair was not a good idea. The kids,
on first acquaintance, were certainly not endearing. Gillian, although she was pleasant in a scatterbrained sort of a way, seemed to run a household that bordered on the chaotic. Maybe she should
ring her up and say she’d changed her mind.

‘You’ll do no such thing, Jennifer Myles. You get your ass out to Spain if I have to kick it every step of the way!’ Beth exclaimed when Jennifer confided her
doubts that evening, as they sat waiting for a free tennis-court in Johnstown Park. Jennifer laughed.

‘Thanks, Beth. You’re a pal.’

‘You should know Brenda by now, you’re mad to let her get under your skin. And as for Paula . . .’ Beth shook her head. ‘I’d say she’s disappointed
you’re not going down for the week. She might be thinking that if it wasn’t for slyboots McNally taking that photo of her and Barry, it might have been she who was asked.’ Beth
bounced the ball up and down on her racket. ‘That could be the way she’s thinking. I don’t know. She’s a great friend and all. But you know Paula, she likes to be number
one.’

‘Yeah, I know that.’ Jennifer sighed. ‘That was an awful thing Eilis did. Imagine being that jealous of someone? Imagine being so vindictive? Still, Paula could have pretended
to be pleased for me. I would have, if it was the other way around.’

‘I’m sure she’ll be delighted for you when you go down there Friday night,’ Beth said reassuringly. ‘Come on, there’s our court. Let’s pretend the ball
is fish-face McNally and whack the daylights out of it.’

‘I can’t believe I won’t see you for two whole months.’ Paula sighed. ‘I really envy you, Jenny. I’m delighted for you. Honest. But I envy
you too. And that’s the truth.’ They were undressing for bed in Paula’s bedroom in St Margaret’s Bay. Jennifer was sleeping in Rebecca’s bed. Rebecca was spending the
night with a friend.

‘Maybe you could come out for a week and stay in a bed and breakfast place or something,’ Jennifer suggested.

Paula’s eyes lit up. ‘I never thought of that. Maybe Helen could get me a cheap flight over. It would give me something to look forward to. This place is driving me mad.’

‘I think you’ve a lovely home and your parents are dotes.’ Jennifer unhooked her bra and slipped her nightdress over her head. She was dying to get into the quilt-covered bed.
She’d slept in it a few times before. It was the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in. It had an old-fashioned bolster topped by big soft duck-down pillows and getting into it was like
snuggling into a cocoon. It was lashing rain. The train had broken down and been delayed for over an hour and a half. It had been freezing cold, despite the fact that it was supposed to be summer.
Paula insisted they go for a drink when Jennifer finally reached St Margaret’s Bay. They’d got drenched on the short walk home from the pub and all Jennifer wanted to do was to sleep.
But Paula wanted to have her moan.

‘No, I don’t mean Mum and Dad are driving me mad. Of course not,’ Paula said hastily. ‘Or even home. I just mean the thought of spending the summer holidays working in
the hotel is a bit of a drag. I know I’m in reception now and, believe me, it’s a thousand times better than doing the rooms. I just feel terribly restless. I’d love to get away
from everyone and everything for a while, like you.’

‘I’ll probably be mad homesick,’ Jennifer retorted as she slipped in between the fresh crisp sheets and sank into bliss. She could hear the sea pounding the pier, the rain
battered the small square windowpanes. It might be midsummer but it sounded like the middle of winter. This bedroom was made for weather like this, she thought approvingly as she gazed around at
the old-fashioned pink floral wallpaper and the faded dusky-pink pelmeted curtains. The ceiling sloped down in the shape of the roof. Two small lamps cast a warm glow in the snug little room. She
yawned, hoping against hope that Paula wasn’t in the humour for a great long chat.

Paula echoed her yawn. ‘I’m whacked,’ she moaned. ‘Thank God I don’t have to get up in the morning. You’d better make the most of your lie-in. It might be the
last one you’ll get for a while. Those kids will probably be up at daybreak.’

‘Mmmm,’ Jennifer murmured. She was feeling much better in herself. Paula had been genuinely pleased to see her and, despite her declarations of envy, Jennifer knew she wished her
well. It was a pity she couldn’t come as well. That would have been the icing on the cake.

‘Mind yourself, lass. Don’t come back telling us you’ve a bun in the oven from some Spanish Casanova.’ Grandpa Myles bestowed a final benediction on
Jennifer just before she left for the airport. She didn’t know whether to feel amused, exasperated or indignant at his remark. ‘Goodbye, Grandpa, and mind yourself.’ She bent and
kissed his lined cheek.

‘I’ll miss you, lass, you’re the only one who has any time for me,’ he muttered and she was shocked to see a suspiciously bright glitter in his eyes.

‘I’ll write to you,’ she promised. ‘Every week.’ He’d got old-looking. There were times when she could murder him but there were times when she couldn’t
help but be fond of him. She leaned down and hugged him tightly.
God bless and protect him, keep him in Your tender loving care, free from all harm and danger. Amen.
She blessed him
silently with the old familiar prayer of her childhood.

‘See ya,’ she whispered and tried to swallow the apple-sized lump that had lodged in her throat. Mother of God, you’d think you were going to Australia for years. She chastised
herself for her silliness as she hugged her younger brothers and followed her parents out to the car.

Kit kept up a stream of chat as they drove along the back road to the airport. They passed St Pappin’s School and Church, now dwarfed by the high-rise towers of Ballymun. The farms of long
ago swallowed up by flats and houses. The narrow winding country road now a wide dual carriageway.

Excitement entwined with loneliness as the control tower and terminal buildings of the airport came into sight. Jennifer smoothed out the telegram she had received from Ronan that morning and
smiled at the message.

Have a ball!
it said. Jennifer took a deep breath and sat up straight. That was precisely what she was going to do. ‘Majorca here I come,’ she announced, smiling at her
mother.

Chapter Forty-Eight

‘This is a nightmare.’ Gillian lit up a cigarette and inhaled deeply.

‘Mummy, I want to wee,’ Emma whinged. Gillian looked helplessly at Jennifer.

‘Could you?’ she asked. ‘And then could you see if you can get some trolleys?’ They’d been waiting for their luggage for the past twenty minutes. Palma Airport was
chaotic.

‘Come on, Emma,’ Jennifer said.

‘Don’t want you, want Mummy,’ Emma pouted.

Come on, you little brat, Jennifer thought to herself. ‘Mummy has to wait until the cases come out. Come on, let’s go or we’ll miss it. It’s great fun when they all go
around the black belt there. It’s like a merry-go-round.’

That did the trick. The little girl took her hand and Jennifer battled her way through hordes of people standing around the various luggage carousels. She did her best to avoid the lucky ones
who had luggage trolleys, which in some hands were lethal weapons as she found to her cost twice as her shins became victims of the mêlée.

‘I like Liz better than you,’ her young charge informed her as she presented Jennifer with a bare bum for her to wipe. Tough, Jennifer felt like saying as she did the necessary, I
don’t like you at all! But she restrained herself, admirably. She knew she was going to have to make the best of it, after what she’d had to put up with on the flight. ‘We have to
get to know each other,’ she smiled as she pulled up the little girl’s panties and straightened her dress. ‘Now let’s go and see if the luggage is arriving.’

By the time they’d pushed their way down to their carousel, the luggage had indeed started to move and Gavin was sitting in the middle of the belt, much to his mother’s
consternation.