Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy [130]
Noel held Frankie tight and she, with her interest in sharing the sippy cup now complete, returned her father’s hug. Noel wondered why he dreamed that she would be taken away. She was his daughter. His flesh and blood.
Marco came to see Muttie. He was dressed in a collar and tie as if he were going somewhere very formal. Lizzie said that of course he must go in to see Muttie, but to go very gently. Hooves had died during the night, and even though they had tried to keep it from Muttie he had known there was something wrong. Eventually, they had had to tell him.
“Hooves was a great dog—we won’t demean him by crying over him,” he said.
“Right,” Lizzie agreed. “I’ll tell the others.”
When Marco was ushered in he came and stood beside the bed.
“I am so sorry about your dog, Mr. Scarlet.”
“I never thought he’d go before me, Marco. But it’s all for the best—he’d have been very lonely without me.”
“Mr. Scarlet, I know you’re not well and it’s probably the wrong time to ask you this, but there is a question I would love to ask you.”
“And what would that be, Marco?” Muttie smiled at the boy. The good suit, the anxious face, the sweaty palms. It was written all over him what question he was going to ask.
“I would like to ask you to give me the honor of your granddaughter’s hand in marriage,” Marco said stiffly.
“You want to marry Maud? She’s very young, Marco—she hasn’t grown up properly and seen the world or anything.”
“But I would show her the world, Mr. Scarlet. I would look after her so well, see that she wanted for nothing.”
“I know you would, lad, and have you asked her yourself?”
“Not yet—it’s important I ask the father or grandfather first.”
“I’m not her grandfather—you know that.”
“She thinks of you as her grandfather, she loves you as if you were.”
Muttie blew his nose. “Well, that’s good, because that’s the way Lizzie and I feel about her and Simon. But how can Maud marry you if she’s going to New Jersey with Simon?”
“She’s not going now, they’ve put that off,” Marco said.
“That’s only because I have been sick. They’ll go … you know … afterwards.”
“You will be here for a long time, Mr. Scarlet.”
“No, son, I won’t, but I’m sure you and Maud have it all worked out between you.”
“I couldn’t tell her I wanted to marry her until I asked you first.…” The boy’s handsome face was beseeching him to give his blessing.
“And would she work with you in your father’s restaurant?”
“Yes, for the moment, if she liked to do that, then we would both like to open a restaurant of our own. It may be many years ahead but my father says he will give me some money. You must have no fears about her—she will be treasured by our family.”
Muttie looked at him. “If Maud says she would like to marry you, then I would be delighted.”
“Thank you, dear Mr. Scarlet,” said Marco, hardly daring to believe his good luck.
Lisa came to see Muttie also.
“I don’t know you well, Mr. Scarlet, but you’re a great character. I heard you’d been ill and I was wondering if there was anything I could do for you?”
Muttie looked around to make sure there was no one in the room with them.
“If I gave you fifty euro, could you put it on the nose of Not the Villain for me?”
“Oh, Mr. Scarlet, really …”
“It’s my money, Lisa. Can’t you do that for me? You did say you wanted to help me.”
“Sure. I’ll do it. What odds do you expect?”
“Ten to one. Don’t take less.”
“But then you’d win five hundred,” she said, stunned.
“And you will get an enabler’s fee,” Muttie said, laughing heartily as Lizzie bustled in to clear the teacups and arrange a little rest time before the next visitor.
· · ·
Lisa didn’t know where there were any local betting shops, but Dingo Duggan was able to come up with the name of a nearby place.
“I’ll drive you there,” he said helpfully.
Dingo rather fancied