A Taste for Love by Marita Conlon-McKenna

Author:Marita Conlon-McKenna
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781409030157
Publisher: Transworld

Chapter Twenty-five

‘What about a walk and lunch on Saturday?’ suggested Sally, as the three friends left the Monkstown parish fundraising coffee morning. ‘Hugh’s off playing golf most of the day.’

‘Well, I’ve nothing on,’ admitted Nina. ‘What about going to Powerscourt?’

‘I haven’t been there since the autumn,’ Alice said.

Alice certainly liked having something to do on a Saturday, and the old Powerscourt house and estate in Eniskerry, with its magnificent Versailles-type gardens, waterfall and pet cemetery, had some great walks. During the summer months it could be very overcrowded with tourists and overseas visitors, but this time of year it would be a bit quieter.

Sally collected them at ten o’clock, and they went for a brisk two-hour walk around the grounds. They laughed as they watched a crowd of young scouts trying to set up their picnic near the waterfall. In the Japanese garden the early spring blossom had begun to appear and, like snow, clung to the branches of the trees, and along the rest of the woodland paths the ground was covered with dainty snowdrops, their pretty heads bowed. Sally, who had taken up digital photography, tried to capture them on camera.

‘I’m starving!’ said Nina, as they headed back to the old house, part of which had been restored and converted into a busy café and gift shop, with a great garden centre housed separately outside.

They managed to get a nice table near the window with wonderful views, and all opted for the lamb hotpot, which looked great with its pastry topping.

‘Good, warming, hearty fare,’ declared Alice, as Sally entertained them with the antics of her beloved little granddaughter Ava.

‘You’re such a granny!’ Alice joked.

‘I love being a granny!’ Sally admitted. ‘Though Hugh keeps saying he wants the baby to call him Hugh when she’s older, not Granddad! Did you ever?’

‘I cannot believe Hugh being vain like that!’ teased Nina. ‘David would love to be Granddad except that our two somehow got the words mixed up, and call him “Gandy”!’

‘Gandy?’ shrieked Nina and Alice in unison.

‘I know! Poor David, as no matter what he says they will not budge from it, and no doubt he’ll be Gandy for ever!’

Alice told them about her cookery school.

‘I just can’t believe it’s going so well, and that I’m enjoying teaching so much.’

‘Lucy says she really looks forward to Tuesday nights,’ confided Nina. ‘She says you are so interested in what you are doing that you are passing that enthusiasm down to them.’

‘That’s nice to hear.’ Alice smiled. ‘Lucy’s great, really bright, and a natural at cooking!’

‘She’s testing all your recipes on us and her new boyfriend Finn.’

‘Well done,’ said Sally. ‘We’re proud of you, Alice.’

‘I know, a few months ago I was so nervous about it. But now, I can’t believe it, I’ve so many people wanting to join that I’m starting a new group after Easter on a Thursday night.’

They had all picked out a cake for dessert and Alice offered to go up and get the coffees.

She was walking down

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