Behind Every Cloud (57 page)

“
Oh, honey, I
’
m sorry. Do you want me to come down there?
”

“
No, Dad, we
’
ll be home the day after tomorrow. There
’
s no point. I
’
ll be fine.
”

“
Are you sure? I
’
ll collect you from the airport.
”

“
No, Dad, I
’
d prefer if you didn
’
t. Carl can book two limos to meet us. I
’
ll call when I get home.
”

“
Okay, if that
’
s what you want, honey.
“
Are you sure you
’
re alright, Rach?
”

“
I
’
m fine, Dad.
I
’
ll discuss what I want to do when I see you. One thing
’
s for sure. My marriage is over.
”

Unbeknownst to her, a couple of Carl
’
s friends had contacted him to tell him of the blog article. He logged on to the website and knew instantly that he was the subject of the blog. This could destroy
all the good that he
’
d achieved with Rachel over the past month. This could wreck not only his marriage but also his fledgling career. Who was doing this to him? Who knew about him and Zita? Could it even be Zita herself?

He texted her, the first time since he
’
d told her it was over
: ‘
Do you know anything about this blog? C.
’

The reply came through straight away
:
Fuck off! Z.

He wondered if it was she who was writing the blog. If it was, he swore he
’
d throttle her.

Rachel went to bed early that night
,
pleading a headache. She was not about to let him know that she knew. There was no point in discussing it anyway. He would just deny it. She didn
’
t want to spoil the last day of the holiday for the children. Time enough to let him know their marriage was over when they got back home.

The following day, their last in Cannes, both Rachel and Carl logged on to Trouble in Paradise
separately. Sure enough there were some more salacious titbits
: ‘
Which NEP
(newly elected politician) showers his mistress with Krug Champagne and the best Burgundy and Bordeaux wines?
’

“
Damn her,
”
Carl said aloud, reading this. He was pretty sure now that it was Zita. She was clever, very clever.
He had to stop her. He
’
d contact her the minute he got home and stop this craziness once and for all.

Rachel blanched when she read this latest blog. The reference to fine wine made her uneasy. Somehow she felt that whoever was writing this was trying to get to her.
She couldn
’
t wait to get home to discuss this whole thing with her father. He would know what to do. She could always trust him.

They spent a last tense night on the Côte d
’
Azur, both lost in their own thoughts and anxious to get back to Dublin
to sort things out
.

62

Carl and his family arrived at Dublin airport on Sunday afternoon to find a photographer snapping them as they came out of the terminal building to the waiting limos. Carl wondered how he
’
d known that they were due in. Rachel tried to shield the children from the snapper as Carl ushered them into the first car. Carl wondered if he was being paranoid. Maybe this guy just happened to be there for some celebrity or other and happened to spot him and his family. He hoped this was the case. He detested the paparazzi. They
were like vultures! Bloodhounds seeking blood! He hoped to God that they wouldn
’
t get wind of this latest mess he
’
d got himself into. He knew he would have to work hard and fast to end this blog and curtail the damage. He
’
d have to hope and pray that Rachel didn
’
t get to hear of it.

When they arrived home, Carl went immediately into his bathroom to open up the blog in private, dreading what he might read next.
‘
So who is this attractive NEP who has been cheating on his wife? Watch this space and all will be revealed.
’
Christ! She wouldn
’
t, would she? He felt sick.

He rang Zita immediately but got her voicemail. He left a message.
“
Please call me asap. We need to talk.
”

She texted him back: We have nothing to talk about.

We bloody well do!
was his reply.

You ain
’
t seen nothing yet! she answered him, sending him into a spin.

Rachel rang her father.
“
We
’
re home, Dad.
”

“
I
’
m on my way,
”
he said.
“
Keep that husband of yours out of my sight or I won
’
t be responsible for my actions.
”

“
He
’
s not here, Dad. He left immediately we got home. Probably to visit his mistress,
”
she added bitterly.

“
Don
’
t worry, Princess. I
’
ll be with you soon.
”

Her father arrived and was surprised when she told him that she hadn
’
t let Carl know that she
’
d seen the blog.

“
I
’
m waiting for him to make the first move. If I accuse him he
’
ll only deny the whole thing. Let
’
s wait and see if they name him and then I can act.
”

“
That
’
s a wise move.
”

“
You know, Dad, when this happened I just wanted to get blotto. I wanted to drink myself senseless, but I didn
’
t. I kept my cool and resisted the urge and I
’
m really proud of myself for that.
”

“
That
’
s my girl! I
’
m proud of you too, Princess. You
’
ll get through this and come out stronger. Just you wait and see.
”

She smiled at him feebly as she hugged him. He stayed for dinner and, as always, she felt that she could survive this with him on her side.

Zita was nowhere to be found. Carl banged on her door and kept his finger pressed on her bell but got no response. He rang Marcus
’
s bell too but got no response from him either. They could very well have been in there together, laughing their heads off at him. He had no way of knowing. There were no other tenants in the building, only offices which were closed up for the weekend.

He tried her cell phone every five minutes but she had i
t turned off. He visited all the places that he knew she frequented but there was no sign of her anywhere. Eventually, defeated, he returned home. Rachel was sleepi
ng and he slipped into the guest bedroom so as
not to disturb her.

63

Fiona had been thrilled to hear about Ronan being offered the manager
’
s position in Naas when he phoned her with the news
.

“
Gosh, that
’
s great. It will be good for Oisín to have you close by.
”
She didn
’
t add
‘
and me too
’.

“
Are you absolutely certain that you won
’
t want to go back to Dublin?
”
he asked.

“
Don
’
t worry, Ronan, my decision is made. This is the best place to bring up Oisín and I have all the support of my family and friends here.
”
She paused.
“
I
’
m delighted that you
’
re going to be nearer too
.
And my mother will be pleased!
”

On his last visit, at Doris
’
s insistence they had gone for a drive up to the King
’
s River
,
leaving Oisín with her. By this time, Ronan
had realised that Doris was hoping he and Fiona would get together but he had no such intention. In any case, the hurt from his marriage break-up was too raw.

Ellie and Marie-Noelle had booked their holiday to Bordeaux for the last week in September. Her mother had insisted on asking Sandrine to join them but thankfully she said she couldn
’
t come due to work pressure. Sam would be in the city at the same time and would take Ellie to meet some of the producers of the Haut-Medoc.

When David heard the dates they
’
d planned he was quite upset.

“
You can
’
t go then
,
Ellie
.
I
’
ve got the Chartered Accountants’ annual dinner
dance on the twenty-seventh. I need you there with me.
”

“
I
’
m sorry
,
David, but I just can
’
t change it now. We
’
ve already booked and paid for it. You never told me about the dinner
dance
.”

“
I can
’
t go unaccompanied,
”
he informed her.
“
I
’
d be the odd
man
out.
”
There was nothing David hated more than being odd
man
out.

“
Why don
’
t you ask Sandrine? She can
’
t come to Bordeaux with us. I
’
m sure she
’
d love to go.
”

“
That
’
s an idea. I
’
ll give her a call.
”

Sandrine rang Ellie that evening.
“
What
’
s this I hear that you can
’
t go to the Chartered Accountants’ Ball?
”

It was elevated to a ball now, Ellie noted!
“
You know I can
’
t, Sandrine. Mum and I have already booked our trip.
”

“
Well, I think you
’
re being extremely selfish, Ellie. You always only think of yourself. Poor David is quite
distraught. It is quite the most important event of the year.
”

“
To you and David, maybe, seeing as how you
’
re both accountants but going on holiday with Mum to Bordeaux is much more important to me.
”

“
Selfish,
”
Ellie heard her sister grumble.

“
Anyway, hasn
’
t David asked you to go with him?
”

“
Well, yes.
”

“
What
’
s your problem so?
”

“
I just think you
’
re being awfully selfish, leaving poor David on his own.
”

Ellie snorted.
“
You
’
ll both have a great time.
”

“
Huh, no thanks to you,
”
was the reply
.

Ellie could tell from her sister
’
s voice that she was delighted with the outcome.