Free Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy Page A

was riding a bike? His mother thought he was a heart consultant. Neither of these things mattered very much. What mattered was what Fiona thought he was. And the other thing that mattered was that she wouldn't meet anyone at the charity gathering on Friday anyone who would take her fancy.
    Judy Murphy's little Jack Russell terriers were no trouble. They got on very well with Dimples, who ignored them loftily and pretended he wasn't with them at all. Declan talked to the dogs as he brought them to the park. Told them about Fiona and how beautiful she was. How sharp and funny. She had traveled too, lived in Greece once, even. She shared a flat with Barbara, but she went to her parents’ house a lot as well. She
seemed to
like him, Declan told the dogs, but you never knew with women. The problem was if you spoke too soon you might make an eejit of yourself, and if you spoke too late she might have met someone at this terrible charity do. Declan told them that it was much easier being a dog if they only realized it. The Jack Russells agreed with him in supportive barks. Dimples looked disdainful. Then Declan heard a shout.
    “Glory be to God, there you are talking to that pack of hounds and there's not a word out of you at home.” It was his father. Paddy Carroll was on his way to the pub for his evening pint. “Come on and join me, and bring that troop of huskies with you. We can sit outside on the footpath.”
    “I don't want to be going in on top of you and your friends, Dad.”
    “Sure, aren't I proud of my son, the Dog Walker.” His father laughed. “And maybe you could tell me about this girl you fancy”
    “What girl?”
    “Decco, I know that fifty-seven seems very, very old to you, but I haven't forgotten what it was like. I was all over the place like you are now when I first laid eyes on your mother.” Declan hoped his father wasn't going to tell him anything embarrassing or intimate. Hecouldn't take it just now. But Paddy Carroll seemed to be taking a pleasant trip down memory lane. “It was 1980 and the real hit song was ‘Your Eyes Are the Eyes of a Woman in Love,’ and I saw your mother. She had a red velvet skirt and a white blouse. And when we had been dancing for the whole night and I knew this was right, this was the real thing, I said, Are they?’ and she said, Are they what?’ and I said ‘Your eyes, Molly. Are they the eyes of a woman in love?’”
    “And what did Mam say?” Declan was engrossed in spite of himself.
    “She said that they might be, that only time would tell, but hadn't we plenty of time. Do you know, Declan, I couldn't sleep for a week, and how I didn't cut off my full set of fingers at work I don't know.”
    “How soon did she know about whether she was in love or not?” Declan could hardly believe he was having this conversation.
    “Eight weeks,” his father said.
    “And did you play hard to get or anything?”
    “No. I'd be no good at that sort of thing. I have too open a face. And if you want my advice, for what it's worth, Decco, neither would you. I think honesty is our long suit. Decency, you know, reliability in a world of sharks.”
    “I'm sure you're right, Dad.” Declan had never sounded so unconvinced.
    “Declan, to celebrate finishing your first week here and surviving it, will you have a drink with Hilary and me tonight?”
    Declan was pleased, but he had kept hoping that in some way he could have wangled himself a ticket to this charity do. He had even found a dress hire place that stayed open late so that he could grab a tuxedo if it were called for. He knew it was foolish, but he had the most awful foreboding that Fiona was going to meet the love of her life at this golf club. And he had loved her since Tuesday. Yes, it was love like his father had felt for Mam. Something that had developed in a short time because you knew it was right.
    “That's very kind of you, Clara. Can I just call my dad and ask him if he'll walk the dogs for me