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on board, Conor set off for the hotel, pointing out interesting landmarks to the group as they passed, and giving them their itinerary for the rest of the day. ‘After you’ve checked in, I’ll be leaving you to get over your jet lag, get your body clock onto Irish time. You can eat in the hotel this evening, but there are also plenty of nice pubs and restaurants in Ennis, a short distance away by taxi. We’ll be leaving tomorrow at 9.30am. In the meantime, you might like to make a note of my room number. It’s 409, so give me a call if you need anything.’
    ‘Well, Conor, I’m sure we’ll all be just fine, but it’s so nice to know we are in your capable hands,’ Corlene said breathlessly.
    She virtually ignores all the women and fawns over the men, thought Conor, as they pulled in the gates of the hotel. Like Patrick, she was not unique. There was a perception that tours were full of wealthy old men and women so gold- diggers of both genders were not uncommon.
    As he and Patrick unloaded the last of the suitcases, Conor leaned over and said quietly, ‘Thanks for all the help today Patrick, but you relax in the morning and enjoy your breakfast. I’ll get the porter lads here to help me load up. Sure they’ll be glad of the few extra bob.’
    The look on Patrick’s face clearly indicated that he really would have preferred to lend a hand with loading the coach. On the other hand, it would be mean to begrudge the young lads the chance of making a bit of money.

Chapter 3
    That evening, as Conor was coming back from the hotel pool, he saw Anastasia making her way down the corridor, looking distracted and more than a little pale and wan. He was practically beside her before she noticed him.
    ‘Oh so sorry Conor, I did not see. You are not working now?’
    ‘No, the group are on their own tonight, so I was a very good boy and did all my paperwork for the afternoon. I hate it, but it has to be done. I’m just back from a swim. How are you doing? You look very pale. Are you alright?’
    ‘Yes. Just bit tired. I finish now only. Mr Manner make me stay behind to clean windows. I tell him it crazy to make cleaning of windows in raining weather, but he say he is the boss and he decide. Is easier I think to do it,’ she sighed wearily, examining her chapped hands.
    ‘Ah, you poor thing. That seems a bit pointless right enough,’ said Conor, thinking quietly that this must have been Carlos’s way of punishing her for making the phone call in the dining room that morning.
    ‘Will I run you home, or have you got a lift?’
    ‘No, is OK. I have bicycle.’
    ‘It’s lashing rain, and there’s no way you can cycle to your place now. Come on. I’ll run you home. It’ll only take a few minutes. Have you heard anything more from your brother?’
    Anastasia gave another sigh. ‘I spoke this evening with him and he said she was OK, but always people in her family always they have problem with the heart. I am still worried, I think my brother do not tell me all of the full story because he knows there is nothing I can do from Ireland. I think maybe my mother tell him to not say to me, so I will not worry. It is hard I think for mothers, they want the best thing for their children but also they want them to be close.’
    Conor looked at the lines of worry etched on her face. ‘I know sure, my own mother had to manage without a man to support her, and she with me and my brother to rear and, even though it was tough, she always thanked God that we didn’t have to emigrate. So many boys and girls left Ireland over the years hoping to have a better future abroad. It’s a wonder we Irish don’t remember that particular fact when we’re dealing with all the new people arriving into this country now. People have short memories I think.’
    ‘So your brother and you just stayed here for all of your life? Does he drive buses too?’
    Conor was taken aback by the question. He almost never referred to Gerry; in fact, very