Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy [88]
When it happened it was curiously flat.
Miss Gorman, who had been hired by Frank ten years previously because she was not flighty, came in to see him. The years had resulted in Miss Gorman becoming even less flighty, if this was possible. She had a disapproval rating about almost everything. A man with an Australian accent had been on the phone wishing to talk to Mr. Ennis on a personal matter. He had been condemned because of his accent, his persistence and his defining anything to Miss Gorman as being personal. It was surprising, then, that Frank seemed to take it all so seriously.
“Where was he calling from?” he asked crisply.
“Somewhere in Dublin. He didn’t really know where he was, Mr. Ennis.” Miss Gorman’s sniff was unmerciful.
“When he calls again, make sure that you put him right through.”
“Well, I am sorry if I did the wrong thing, Mr. Ennis. It’s just that you never ever talk to anyone you don’t know.”
“Miss Gorman, you didn’t do the wrong thing. You are incapable of doing the wrong thing.”
“I hope that I have been able to make this clear over the years.” She was mollified and withdrew to await the call.
“I’m putting you through, Mr. Ennis,” she said eventually.
“Thank you, Miss Gorman.” He waited until she was off the line, then in a shaky voice he asked, “Des? Is that you?”
“So you did get my letter?” Very Australian but not very warm, not excited like his letter had been.
“Yes, I tried to call you but first it was the answering machine and then it was Eva. I talked to her and she told me that you had set out. I’ve been waiting for your call.”
“I nearly didn’t ring.…”
“Why was that? Was it nerves?” Frank asked.
“No, I thought why bother. You don’t want to be involved with me. You’ve made that clear.”
“That’s so wrong,” Frank cried out, stung by the unfairness of this. “I do indeed want to be involved with you. Why else would I have called you in Australia and talked to Eva?” He could almost hear the shrug of shoulders at the other end of the phone. “Why would I do that?”
Frank felt hollow. Somehow Clara had been right. He had paused when he should have gone enthusiastically forward. But that wasn’t his nature. His nature was to examine everything minutely, and when he was sure, and not a moment before, then he would pronounce.
“You probably thought I was coming to claim my inheritance,” Des said.
“It never crossed my mind. You said you wanted to get in touch. That’s what I thought it was. I was as astonished as you. You know I only just heard of your existence, and I’m delighted!”
“Delighted?” Des sounded unconvinced.
“Yes, sure, I was delighted,” Frank was stammering now. “Des, what is all this? You got in touch with me, I called you back. Will you come and have lunch with me today?”
“Where do you suggest?” Des asked.
Frank breathed out in relief. Then he realized he had to think quickly. Where to take the boy? “Depends what you’d like.… Quentins is very good and this new place, Anton’s, is talked about a lot.”
“Are these jacket-and-tie jobs?”
Frank realized that it had been years since he had gone anywhere that a jacket and tie was not necessary. There would be a lot of adapting ahead.
“Sort of traditional but not stuffy.”
“I’ll take that as a yes. Which place?”
“Anton’s. I’ve never been there. Will we say one o’clock?”
“Why don’t we say one o’clock?” Des sounded faintly mocking as if he were sending Frank up.
“I’ll tell you how to get there …,” Frank began.
“I’ll find it,” Des said and hung up.
Frank buzzed through to Miss Gorman. Could she kindly find him the number for Anton’s restaurant? No, he would make the reservation himself. Yes, he was quite sure. Perhaps she would cancel all appointments for the afternoon. She called back with the number and then added that she had spoken to Dr. Casey from the heart clinic, who said that there was no way the four p.m. meeting could be canceled. Too many people were setting too much store on the outcome. To have the meeting without Frank Ennis would be Hamlet without the prince. He would have to be back