giving her knee a squeeze. ‘When she comes home, will everything be back to normal and the problem sorted out?’
‘Yes.’ Dympna exhaled a low breath. ‘That’s what she said.’
Seamus turned to her, finally meeting her gaze. ‘Look, from what you’ve told me about Roz, she’s taken some hard knocks and come out the other side.’ He checked for Dympna’s understanding. ‘She’s strong. And I’m not saying she always makes the right decisions . . .’ His words floated away as he paused, deep in thought. ‘But things have a habit of working out in the end. Just be there for her when she comes back. And keep your promise. Don’t let on I know anything. Friendships like yours are hard to come by.’
‘Thanks,’ Dympna said, as Seamus leaned forward and picked up the TV remote control from the coffee table.
Their conversation was over. He had imparted his advice and he didn’t want to know any more. He threw an arm over her shoulder and she relaxed into his embrace. But the air was thick between them, filled with a sense of words left unsaid. Dympna told herself Seamus did not want to come between her and Roz by giving bad advice. That was why he had changed the subject so quickly; nothing else. But still, unease lingered. She could not escape the niggling feeling that there was more to his response than that.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ROZ
George did not just buy me designer sunglasses; he insisted on purchasing a pair of shoes too.
‘You can pay me back from the money they’re paying you,’ he said confidently, referring to the couple whose identity I had yet to learn.
‘But what if they don’t like me? What happens then?’
I slipped my feet into the new kitten heels. George failed to hide his disdain as he deposited my grotty old sandals in a bin.
‘The lady of the house takes no prisoners,’ he said, giving me a knowing look. ‘If you don’t click, then you’ll be flying back to Ireland before your pretty little feet touch the ground.’
Weaving through shoppers, I trotted after him as he signalled to a shiny black sedan across the road. ‘But she said she’d help me interview new couples if it doesn’t work out with them.’ My voice jiggled as I tottered behind him.
As George turned, he saw my crestfallen expression and gave my arm a squeeze. ‘Darling, you’re living in cloud cuckoo land if you think she’s got time to interview couples with you.’ He guided me to the kerb. ‘Let’s focus on the best-case scenario. You’re going to knock her socks off, as long as you abide by her rules.’ I noticed he referred strongly to the woman of the house and guessed that she was the main decision-maker. He pointed to the Mercedes he had signalled earlier, which was now pulling up next to the kerb. ‘Hop in.’
I peered through the tinted windows, Dympna’s previous warnings to be cautious echoing in my head.
‘It’s OK, we’re not the Mafia.’ George held the door open as I paused. ‘Remember I told you about the lawyer’s office? They’ve drawn up an NDA for you to sign. Non-disclosure agreement,’ he explained in response to my blank expression. ‘It’s just a precaution, so you won’t kiss and tell. Now, hurry up.’ He nodded towards the car. ‘He can’t park here all day.’
‘Aren’t you coming too?’ My knees felt suddenly weak.
George rolled his eyes. ‘For Pete’s sake, are all Irish people this suspicious? How about I get in first?’
I slid in beside him, inhaling the scent of soft leather – that lovely new-car smell.
‘I’m not going to tell anyone.’ I clicked my seat belt into place. ‘And it works both ways. I don’t want anyone to know about . . .’ I eyed the back of the driver’s head. ‘My predicament, either.’ The car pulled away, and I gripped the armrest as if I were on a rollercoaster ride. In a way, I was. This was the adventure of my life.
George pressed a button on the side of the door and a glass barrier rose from behind the driver, keeping our conversation private.
‘They’re just protecting their family,’ he said. ‘But remember: if you break the confidentiality agreement, they’ll make an example of you, just like they did with the last member of staff.’
‘What? Do you mean someone else had a baby for them?’
‘Keep up, dippy. I said member of staff. You’re not a member of staff, are you?’ George met my gaze and I saw amusement