I also invited Geoff Barrington, the solicitor, out of politeness, who thankfully declined, and Tina, who said that it was best if we kept our relationship on a professional footing.
I rented a marquee-style tent and a bouncy castle for the children. I also hired a security guard. A female one. I spoke to her on the phone and I looked her up on the internet. She was tall and strong-looking, lots of tattoos. When I told Sue and Martha, they were taken aback, but I reminded them that my mother was snatched from a garden on a sunny day. Also, at the back of my mind, although I tried hard not to think about it, Conor Geary was still out there somewhere. He knew where I lived. I didn’t want to risk him or anyone like him abducting children from my garden.
Not content with designing my new home, Nadine arrived the day before the party with festoons of bunting and lights, which she hung from tree to tree. She helped me empty the cupboards of all the stuff I didn’t want to bring with me to the cottage. We had marked everything that was up for grabs with yellow Post-it Notes. Guests could take what they wanted. Nadine suggested that we taste some of the wine to make sure it was okay. She was such good company, talking about the cottage. I would be able to move in in mid-October. ‘There will still be a few finishing touches to be done,’ she said, ‘but it will be home.’
Although I didn’t expect to, I slept well the night before the party. I woke with a dry mouth and a slight headache. I don’t think we should have tested the red, white and the rosé. I struggled out of bed.
Sue arrived early to help, bearing several containers of bean salads, flavoured rice and empanadas. Two men came in a truck and took half an hour to inflate the giant castle on the site Nadine had designated. They were friendly and wished us a good time. They would return to collect it on Monday.
As the truck disappeared up the side lane to the road, Sue looked at me and looked at the castle. She kicked off her shoes, yelling ‘Come on!’ as she sprinted towards it and leapt into the interior, rebounding almost to the top. It did look like fun. I kicked off my trainers and ran towards it, and soon we were both jumping up and down, holding hands, bumping into the soft walls and each other, screeching with laughter.
Ten minutes later, we were lying on our backs, wheezing. ‘Oh my God,’ she said, ‘you have this until Monday? Can my boys come back tomorrow? Please?’
‘I guess all the kids should get the use out of it while they can.’
She beamed at me.
I showed her inside the marquee where the plates, napkins, cutlery and glasses were neatly stacked, ready for use.
‘This is going to be awesome!’
‘I hope so.’
Sue went home to collect Kenneth and the children to be back in time for two o’clock.
I chose a smart short silk dress that tied in a bow at the back. It had a heart-shaped neckline. When I had tried it on in Zara, Sue had said I’d need some fake tan for my legs. I didn’t have any fake tan and my legs were the colour of legs, so I felt satisfied. The dress was comfortable. My body was comfortable. Yoga had made me more flexible. I could stretch and bend now without any groans or creaks.
Today I liked what I saw in the mirror. The short skirt swished and flared at the hem. I brushed my hair out and let it hang to see what it was like. It changed my face too much. I didn’t like the feeling of it on my shoulders and twisted and rolled it into my regular bun. I liked my face. I liked the faint crinkly lines that came from the corners of my eyes when I smiled at myself. I was beautiful.
At 1.45 p.m., to calm myself while waiting, I played the piano. I remembered the Adele songs that Sue had played and sang to myself, softly at first and then louder to try and match her powerful voice. There was a knock on the front door. I went to meet Lina, the security guard. I gave her the guest list and asked her to make sure that nobody else got past her.
‘You’re that girl, Mary Norton, right? At first it didn’t make sense, but then I googled you.’
‘Yes, but please call me Sally. I don’t wish to discuss the past.’
‘Okay, right, so where would you like me?’
I showed her the spot where I wanted her stationed, to direct cars to the end of the lane, though most people would be coming on foot from the village as it was such a nice day.
‘Watch out particularly for elderly men, please.’
‘They never caught him. I read about it. But you don’t think he’s in Ireland, do you?’
‘I honestly don’t know. If anything strange happens, I want you to blow hard on this whistle.’ I gave her a whistle alarm that Aunt Christine had given me all those months ago after Toby had arrived in the post. I slept with it beside my bed. It couldn’t be heard more than a hundred yards from the house, but it might scare an intruder.
First to arrive were Rodriguo and Fernanda.
‘Wow,’ said Fernanda, ‘you look great!’ Rodriguo nodded in agreement.
‘Thank you! I feel beautiful today. Fernanda, you look –’ I stopped myself.
Rodriguo grinned. ‘You’re lucky that Fernanda is pregnant,’ he said, and they laughed. I congratulated them and accepted a large tray of fluffy cheese bread rolls.
I brought them through the house, pointing at all the items they might like to take home with them.
Next was Valerie, who came around the side of the house with a giant bag of confectionary specially baked in the cafe that morning. ‘I didn’t even know there was a house down here, and I’ve lived in this village my whole life.’
‘Well, it won’t be here much longer.’
‘So I hear! How exciting. You look smoking hot, by the way. Great dress! Do you mind if I grab a beer, then? It’s a thirsty walk from the village.’
‘That’s why it’s there. There are glasses in the tent if you need one?’
I popped open the bottle for her and she swigged straight from the neck. Dad didn’t approve of people who didn’t drink from glasses, but I knew now that he was old-fashioned. I tried to imagine what he would think of me now, in a short dress, hosting a party.
Ger McCarthy arrived with a sack of apples and potatoes. ‘You can give them away as going-home presents,’ he said.
People arrived one on top of the other then, and soon the garden was humming with chatter. The children ran towards the bouncy castle. Maybe later, I would change into my jeans and have another go.
Mark and Anubha arrived separately. I watched them but they didn’t seem to gravitate towards each other, or indeed show any interest in each other at all. Abebi hugged me and sat on my knee while she placed a paper crown that she had made on my head. Everyone said I looked lovely and Stella made me do a twirl in the dress and everyone clapped. There was way more food than we could possibly eat and I knew I’d be asking people to take some home.
Martha had a small speaker gadget which she attached to her phone and soon the air was filled with music, not all of it to my taste, but some people started dancing. People pestered Fernanda and Rodriguo to dance the samba, but they admitted that, despite being Brazilian, they didn’t know how to do it. Stella and Kieran stepped up and offered to show them. Sue and Kenneth and their children joined in, swinging each other around, shouting and giggling. Their noise didn’t bother me today.