Lynsey Stevens - His Cousin's Wife

Shea’s mouth was dry now. She could feel Alex’s eyes on her and a shiver raced along the length of her spine.

‘I’ve been fairly involved with my job and I guess the years simply slipped away from me.’

Norah set down a glass of milk in front of her grandson. ‘And how long will you be staying, Alex?’

It was a question Shea knew Norah had been burning to ask since Alex had reappeared. It had, after all, been one of the first querying thoughts to seep into her own numbed mind.

Alex’s gaze met Shea’s, held it. “How long am I staying? As I told Shea earlier, pretty well indefinitely at this stage,’ he said levelly before shifting his attention back to Norah. ‘I bought Joe’s house from him some time ago and I’m doing it up. When it’s finished I’ll decide whether or not to continue living there or to sell it’

‘Niall said there was some activity at the big white house,’ Norah commented and Niall turned to Alex in surprise.

‘The big white house? You own the big white house? Mum didn’t tell me that. Wow! What a mansion. Can I come and see inside it some time?’ he asked eagerly.

‘Niall—’ Shea began to chastise him but Alex cut in.

‘Sure you can. The interior’s something of a mausoleum. But I’m attempting to bring some normality to the decor.’

‘What’s a mausoleum?’ Niall frowned and Alex gave a laugh.

‘In this case, sort of dark and dingy. Looks like it should have cobwebs all over the furniture and bats flapping around the ceilings.’

‘Unreal! Pete and I would love to see it,’ Niall said with feeling, and then added, ‘Pete’s my best mate. I’d have to bring him, too. If I didn’t he’d be as mad as a hornet.’

‘Sure, Pete can come, too. Any time,’ Alex told him easily.

‘When? Tomorrow after school?’ Niall pressed, and Shea moved the cookies from his reach. He’d used the cover of adult conversation to eat two already.

‘We’ll see, Niall,’ she warned him with a glance. ‘Alex will be busy with his renovations.’

When Niall would have protested, Norah interrupted. ‘Fancy you and Shea running into each other at the Progress Association meeting. And Shea almost didn’t go tonight.’

How Shea wished now that she had stayed home. It would have given her more time to prepare—But she still would have speculated about the big white house, would have wondered anxiously if Alex might have returned.

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