effort to convince him that she was right for the job. ‘But your Aunt Florrie’s coming to stay, you told me—I mean, Nicky did,’ she added.
‘ Nicky seems to have put himself to quite a deal of trouble in this matter,’ he said dryly. ‘It’s clear he inveigled you over with the story that Aunt Florrie would be here.’
‘But it’s true, isn’t it?’ she persisted, ‘that your aunt is coming to stay? Couldn’t she act as a sort of—of chaperon?’ she concluded desperately.
‘She does stay here from time to time,’ he admitted, ‘but when she next intends to descend upon me, I simply don’t know. No, the whole idea is out of the question!’ He spoke with an air of finality that made her heart sink. ‘I don’t want any young females disrupting my life, especially one who imagines she has some sort of claim on me.’
‘Oh, but I don’t,’ Kate rushed in. ‘ You can simply think of me as a substitute for Mrs. Murphy.’
He frowned thoughtfully down at his mud-stained boots. This girl was dangerous, he told himself. Obviously without caution or plain common se ns e, she could prove a serious nuisance, yet it was imperative that the men’s meals be prepared and the house kept in some sort of order. He did not particularly look forward to the tire s ome search for someone to undertake Mrs. Murphy’s duties. Definitely the sensible thing to do would be to bundle the girl and her cat into the car and deposit them at the station as quickly as possible.
‘I’m quite a good housekeeper too,’ Kate put in thoughtfully, and stole a glance at the harsh features. At least he was considering her proposition, she thought hopefully. Now was the time to press home her advantage. ‘Bedsocks and I won’t give you the smallest trouble. You won’t even know we’re in the house.’
She waited hopefully and for the first time saw a slow smile cross his craggy features.
‘Well, you’re certainly doing a good job of putting yourself over,’ he remarked grudgingly, ‘but remember, if you do stay on, it’s not to be a moment after Mrs. Murphy recovers. This is only a temporary job, so get that into your head, right from the start.’
Elated, she nodded. She was not prepared to look any further than the present. She would face her problems again, she told herself, when Mrs. Murphy’s return appeared imminent.
‘All right, that’s settled then.’ He got to his feet, his mind already on the work he had abandoned to deal with this ludicrous episode. ‘The men will be in for their tea shortly. No doubt you’ll be able to cope. They have a simple meal of soda-bread, tea and boiled eggs, but remember to make the tea very strong or you won’t be popular around these parts.’
Rapidly she unbuttoned her coat and again donned the minute apron.
For a moment he stood and regarded her critically. ‘Physically you’re a poor substitute for Mrs. Murphy. She weighs about fourteen stone and is built in proportion.’
Kate, however, was much too anxious to hold on to her newfound position to take this as a compliment. Instead, she said hurriedly, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be able to manage all right, and I’ll be sure to make the tea nice and strong.’
He nodded. ‘In that case I’ ll leave you to find your way about the house. It’s not really very big or complicated and Mrs. Murphy always keeps one of the rooms ready for an unexpected guest—as you most certainly were! It’s the first door at the top of the stairs.’
‘Thank you, Owen—I mean, Mr. Lawlor,’ she amended hastily. ‘You see, after several of your letters, I began to think of you as Owen. They were so warm and friendly. But of course it wasn’t really you who was writing, but your cousin Nicky—’ She trailed off on the verge of being hopelessly involved.
He nodded. ‘Exactly! And as there is no resemblance whatsoever between Nicky Fitzpatrick and myself I suggest that on the whole it might be as well if you regard me as Mr.
‘ Nicky seems to have put himself to quite a deal of trouble in this matter,’ he said dryly. ‘It’s clear he inveigled you over with the story that Aunt Florrie would be here.’
‘But it’s true, isn’t it?’ she persisted, ‘that your aunt is coming to stay? Couldn’t she act as a sort of—of chaperon?’ she concluded desperately.
‘She does stay here from time to time,’ he admitted, ‘but when she next intends to descend upon me, I simply don’t know. No, the whole idea is out of the question!’ He spoke with an air of finality that made her heart sink. ‘I don’t want any young females disrupting my life, especially one who imagines she has some sort of claim on me.’
‘Oh, but I don’t,’ Kate rushed in. ‘ You can simply think of me as a substitute for Mrs. Murphy.’
He frowned thoughtfully down at his mud-stained boots. This girl was dangerous, he told himself. Obviously without caution or plain common se ns e, she could prove a serious nuisance, yet it was imperative that the men’s meals be prepared and the house kept in some sort of order. He did not particularly look forward to the tire s ome search for someone to undertake Mrs. Murphy’s duties. Definitely the sensible thing to do would be to bundle the girl and her cat into the car and deposit them at the station as quickly as possible.
‘I’m quite a good housekeeper too,’ Kate put in thoughtfully, and stole a glance at the harsh features. At least he was considering her proposition, she thought hopefully. Now was the time to press home her advantage. ‘Bedsocks and I won’t give you the smallest trouble. You won’t even know we’re in the house.’
She waited hopefully and for the first time saw a slow smile cross his craggy features.
‘Well, you’re certainly doing a good job of putting yourself over,’ he remarked grudgingly, ‘but remember, if you do stay on, it’s not to be a moment after Mrs. Murphy recovers. This is only a temporary job, so get that into your head, right from the start.’
Elated, she nodded. She was not prepared to look any further than the present. She would face her problems again, she told herself, when Mrs. Murphy’s return appeared imminent.
‘All right, that’s settled then.’ He got to his feet, his mind already on the work he had abandoned to deal with this ludicrous episode. ‘The men will be in for their tea shortly. No doubt you’ll be able to cope. They have a simple meal of soda-bread, tea and boiled eggs, but remember to make the tea very strong or you won’t be popular around these parts.’
Rapidly she unbuttoned her coat and again donned the minute apron.
For a moment he stood and regarded her critically. ‘Physically you’re a poor substitute for Mrs. Murphy. She weighs about fourteen stone and is built in proportion.’
Kate, however, was much too anxious to hold on to her newfound position to take this as a compliment. Instead, she said hurriedly, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be able to manage all right, and I’ll be sure to make the tea nice and strong.’
He nodded. ‘In that case I’ ll leave you to find your way about the house. It’s not really very big or complicated and Mrs. Murphy always keeps one of the rooms ready for an unexpected guest—as you most certainly were! It’s the first door at the top of the stairs.’
‘Thank you, Owen—I mean, Mr. Lawlor,’ she amended hastily. ‘You see, after several of your letters, I began to think of you as Owen. They were so warm and friendly. But of course it wasn’t really you who was writing, but your cousin Nicky—’ She trailed off on the verge of being hopelessly involved.
He nodded. ‘Exactly! And as there is no resemblance whatsoever between Nicky Fitzpatrick and myself I suggest that on the whole it might be as well if you regard me as Mr.
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