A Merry Little Irish Christmas by Caroline Grace-Cassidy

Author:Caroline Grace-Cassidy [Grace-Cassidy, Caroline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnier Books UK
Published: 2025-11-26T00:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

‘How sick is Esther?’ is the first thing I ask as I slide into the soft booth opposite Kate and Jimmy in the busy circular shaped café while Betsy fusses around us. The skylight above is scattered with fresh snowfall giving the most wonderous light from the afternoon’s December sun and the Christmas garland flashes on and off.

‘She’s a fighter that one. She’s had cancer before so she’ll kick it this time too, despite her age,’ Kate tells me with a purse of her lips as Gráinne puts a plate of freshly baked mince pies down in front of us.

‘Compliments of the house,’ she says as I do a double take and Kate immediately recognises it.

‘Yes, we all double job in this village, don’t we, G?’

‘And we wouldn’t have it any other way, would we, K?’ The two girls high five and giggle.

‘So, you know I write about love. I’m really interested to hear your love story?’ I set my Dictaphone in the centre of the table beside the small reused jam jar that holds fresh snowdrops.

‘Well, I grew up in Heartwell village planning to marry the lord of the castle . . .’ Kate crosses her legs dramatically in her platform boots.

‘. . . but he was nearly twenty years older than her so she had to settle for me!’ Jimmy laughs and peels the silver paper off a warm mince pie.

‘We met in the Gaeltacht, Irish summer college, and we’ve been together since we were fifteen. Even though he’s not from Heartwell, he’s my lobster.’ Kate makes a heart shape with her hands.

‘More like her prawn!’ Jimmy laughs loudly, pulls a funny face. Kate laughs heartily.

‘But you really wanted to get married at the castle?’ I probe gently.

‘Oh, don’t even go there.’ Jimmy takes a massive bite from his pie, rolls his eyes.

‘I do. So badly, but like I said, we can’t afford it.’ Kate drops her chin in her hand.

‘It’s breaking her heart, so it’s breaking mine!’ Jimmy mumbles through the pastry. ‘She won’t be happy at the Moritz because she believes in this everlasting marriage shite.’ Jimmy wipes his mouth, drapes a long arm around Kate’s shoulders.

‘Watch your language! Because it’s true! You can’t be from Heartwell all your life and not marry at Castlemoon.’ Kate shrugs his arm off. ‘He just doesn’t get it! He’s from down the road in Little Green Valley. He’s a blow in.’ But she laughs again.

‘Kate . . .’ Jimmy sits back. ‘We don’t have to go through with this wedding. It’s so small, no one’s travelling from beyond the local villages. Your aunt would probably be glad! We have ten thousand euros saved for the wedding day, we can keep adding to that. All I care about is being with you.’ Jimmy shakes his head.

‘I’m sorry, that was so ungrateful of me. I-I love you Jimmy Murphy, I can’t wait to marry you and start our family, I will never mention Castlemoon again. Excuse me.’

Kate gets up to go to the bathroom.

‘I feel like such a failure,’ Jimmy abruptly tells me, leaning his long body across the table.

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