Maeve Binchy - Evening Class

'And then?'

'Well, then we waited. I mean he waited, and the taxi driver and I waited. And a woman came out. I couldn't see her, it was so dark.

And she got straight into the van as if she knew it was going to be there, and they took off so quickly that we lost them.'

Fiona felt vastly relieved. But Mrs. Healy was practical. 'We won't lose them next Wednesday,' she said determinedly.

Fiona had been very unsuccessful in trying to head off this second excursion. 'Would you look at the cost of it? You could get a lovely new check skirt for what you pay the taxi-driver.'

'It's my housekeeping money, Fiona. I'll spend what I save on what gives me pleasure.'

'But suppose he sees you, suppose you're discovered.'

'I'm not the one that's doing anything wrong, I'm just going out for a drive in a taxi.'

'But what if you do see her? What difference will it make?'

'I'll know what she's like, the woman he thinks he loves.' And her voice sounded so sure that Dan Healy only thought he loved another that Fiona's blood ran chill.

'Doesn't your mother work in Quentin's?' Fiona asked Brigid.

'Yeah, she does. Why?'

'Would she know people who work there at night, like waitresses, young ones?'

'I suppose she would, she's been there long enough. Why?'

'If I were to give you a name would you be able to ask her about them, like without saying why you were asking?'

'I might, why?'

'You never stop asking why.'

'I don't do anything without asking why,' Brigid said.

'Okay, forget it then,' said Fiona with spirit.

'No, I didn't say I wouldn't.'

'Forget it. Forget it.'

'All right, I'll check it out with her. Is it your Barry? Is that what it is? Do you think he has someone else who works in Quentin's?' Brigid was all interest now.

'Not exactly.'

'Well, I could ask her of course.'

'No, you ask too many questions. Let's leave it, you'd give everything away.'

'Oh, come on Fiona, we've all been friends for ever. You cover for us, we cover for you. I'll find out, just give me the name and I'll ask dead casual like to my mum.'

'Maybe.3

'What is her name anyway?' Brigid asked.

'I don't know yet, but I will soon,' said Fiona, and itwas obvious to Brigid and anyone else who might have been listening that she was telling the truth.

'How could we find out her name?' Fiona asked Mrs. Healy.

'I don't know. I think we just have to confront them.'

'No, I mean knowing her name would give us an advantage. There might be no need to confront her.'

'I don't see how that could be.' Nessa Healy was confused. They sat in silence thinking about it.

'Suppose,' said Fiona. 'Suppose you were to say that someone from Quentin's rang and asked him to ring back, but whoever it was, she didn't leave a name, said he'd know who it was. Then we could listen who he asks for.'

'Fiona, you're wasted in that hospital,' Barry's mother said. 'You should have been a private eye.'

They did it that very evening, when Dan had been welcomed and given a little bit of peanut brittle to taste. Then, as if she had just remembered it, his wife told him about the message from Quentin's.

He went to the hall to phone and Fiona kept the sounds of the electric mixer at high blast, while Barry's mother crept to listen at the door.

They were both amongst the ingredients when Dan Healy came back into the kitchen. 'Are you sure she said Quentin's?'

'That's what she said.'

'It's just that I rang them now and they say that no one there was looking for me.'

His wife shrugged. It implied that this was business for you. He seemed troubled and he left soon to go upstairs.

'Did you hear him ask for anyone?' said Fiona.

Mrs. Healy nodded, her eyes bright and feverish. 'Yes, we have the name. He spoke to her.'

'And who was it? What was her name?' Fiona could hardly breathe with the excitement and the danger of it all.

'Well, whoever it was answered the phone and he said, "Jesus, Nell, why did you ring me at home?" That's what he said. Her name is Nell.'

'WHAT?'

'Nell. Little bitch, selfish, thoughtless little cow. Well, she needn't think he loves her, he sounded furious with her.'

'Yes,' said Fiona.

'So now we know her name, that gives us power,' said Nessa Healy.

Fiona said nothing.

Nell was the name of Brigid and Crania's mother. It was Nell Dunne who worked at the reception desk in Quentin's and answered the phone when it rang.

Barry's father was involved with her friends' mother. Not a silly little good-time girl as they had thought, a woman as old as Nessa Healy. A woman with a husband and grown-up daughters of her own. Fiona wondered were the complications of this ever going to end.

'Fiona? It's Brigid.'

'Oh yes, listen, I'm not meant to get phone calls at work.'

'If you'd done your Leaving Cert and got a proper job you'd have been able to have people phone you,' Brigid complained.

'Yeah, well, I didn't. What is it, Brigid? There's a crowd of people here waiting to be served.' There was nobody as it happened, but she felt ill at ease talking to her friend now that she knew such a terrible secret about their family.

'This bird, the one that you think Barry fancies, the one working in Quentin's… you were going to tell me her name and I was going to get the low-down on her from my mam.'

'No!' Fiona's voice was almost a screech.

'Hey, you were the one who asked me.'

'I've changed my mind.'

'Well, if he is having a bit on the side you should know. People should know, it's their right.'

'Is it, Brigid? Is it?' Fiona knew she sounded very intense.

'Of course it is. If he says he loves you and if he tells her he loves her, then for God's sake…'

'But it's not exactly like that, you see.'

'He doesn't say he loves you?'

'Yes he does. But well, what the hell!'

'Fiona?'

'Yes?'

'You are becoming quite seriously mad. I think you should know this.'

'Sure, Brigid,' said Fiona, grateful for once that she had always been considered a person in a permanent tizz.

'Would you mind more if she were young or old?' Fiona asked Barry's mother.

'Nell? She has to be young, why else would he have strayed?'

'There's no understanding men, everyone says that. She could be as old as a tree, you know.'

Nessa Healy was very serene. 'If he had a dalliance it was because some young one threw herself at him. Men go for flattery. But he loves me. That was always clear. When I was unavoidably in hospital that time I told you about, he came in when I was asleep and left me flowers. Whatever else there is to hold on to, there's that.'

Barry came in full of excitement. The party on Thursday had been so well subscribed, you would never believe it. It was going to be fantastic. Magnifico . Mr. Dunne had said that he would be able to announce that with a success like this on their hands a whole new programme in adult education might start next year.

'Mr. Dunne?' Fiona said in a hollow voice.

'He was the one who set it up, he's a great pal of Signora's. You told me you knew his daughters.'

'Yes, I do.' Fiona spoke in a hollow voice.

'So he's delighted about the whole thing. It makes him look good too.'

'And he'll be there?'

'Hey, Fiona are you asleep or something? Didn't you tell me we couldn't sell tickets to his daughters because they're going with him?'

'Did I say that?' She must have, but it was long ago, before she knew all that she knew now.

'And do you think his wife is coming?' she asked.

'Oh, I'd say so. Any of us who have a wife or a husband, a mother or a father, not to mention a loving girlfriend… well, we're making sure they're coming.'

'And your father is coming?' Fiona said.