Part 14 (1/2)

He was out and gone, hurrying through the crowd, and Daniel switched on the ignition and drove away.

In 1981, with a first-cla.s.s honors degree under his belt, it seemed natural to proceed to an MBA, and when he checked a list of suitable universities Queen's at Belfast jumped out at him. He was, after all, a half Ulsterman, though not born there. But there were roots, and perhaps it was time he sought them out. with a first-cla.s.s honors degree under his belt, it seemed natural to proceed to an MBA, and when he checked a list of suitable universities Queen's at Belfast jumped out at him. He was, after all, a half Ulsterman, though not born there. But there were roots, and perhaps it was time he sought them out.

His mother, recently appointed a matron, was slightly dubious. ”Some terrible things happen over there,” she said. ”G.o.d knows, it's the country of my birth, but I'm happy to be out of it, and that's the truth.”

”Well, let me see for myself,” Daniel told her. ”I'll get in touch with your nephew and see what he thinks.”

It was three months since his father's funeral, and he had never tried to call the number on the card his cousin had given him. As Liam had said, it was an answering service, but it took his message, and Liam called back an hour later.

”It's grand to hear from you, and congratulations on your first-cla.s.s honors.”

”How did you know that?”

”Your mother talking to mine. They're at it all the time since your dad pa.s.sed away. So what are you going to do? She was saying if it hadn't been for your dad, you'd have tried for Sandhurst and the army.”

”Yes, I enjoyed my time with the OTC at school, but that's all in the past. I'm thinking of coming to Queen's and doing an MBA. What do you think?”

There was a long pause, then Liam said, ”Jesus, Daniel, with your academic success you could take your pick of universities where life would be a lot less stressful. I'm not knocking Queen's, it's a d.a.m.n good university, but Belfast is still a war zone, and you're English.”

”No, I'm not, I'm half Irish,” Daniel said.

”You're English every time you open your gob,” Liam said. ”And that won't go down well with a lot of people.”

”So you're telling me not to come over?”

”Now, why would I do that? The Coogans have never taken kindly to being ordered what to do, and you're half a Coogan. Let me know when it's definite, but let me give you a piece of advice: make sure you have a pa.s.sport with you when you come.”

”But Ulster is part of the United Kingdom. Surely you don't need a pa.s.sport when you enter the country?”

”Security is the name of the game here. The police and army have got complete power to stop, search, and question you anytime they choose. It's useful to have your pa.s.sport with you as an ident.i.ty card. Take care-and let me know what you decide.”

”I'm going to come, Liam, that's a given.”

”Stubborn young b.a.s.t.a.r.d, aren't you? On your own head, be it. Just stay stum when you come, and don't tell people what you are.”

He started his course at Queen's later than usual, at the beginning of November, winter on the horizon. It seemed to rain a lot, although he didn't let that put him off, venturing downtown with a raincoat and umbrella, obviously sticking to the city center at first. In spite of the bad weather, he found himself enjoying what many people called the most dangerous city in the world. That was a matter of opinion, of course, but it was true that the Europa close to the railway station was the most bombed hotel in the world. He ventured in for a drink one time, and marveled at the extraordinary feats of bravery that had taken place there on the part of bomb-disposal experts. at Queen's later than usual, at the beginning of November, winter on the horizon. It seemed to rain a lot, although he didn't let that put him off, venturing downtown with a raincoat and umbrella, obviously sticking to the city center at first. In spite of the bad weather, he found himself enjoying what many people called the most dangerous city in the world. That was a matter of opinion, of course, but it was true that the Europa close to the railway station was the most bombed hotel in the world. He ventured in for a drink one time, and marveled at the extraordinary feats of bravery that had taken place there on the part of bomb-disposal experts.

His room in a hall of residence was a short walk from the university. A great deal of his work was personal research, but there were occasional seminars and lectures, so he did get the chance to sit in with people. There were students from all over the world and from all over England, but, for the majority of them, the accent of Ulster was unmistakable. You couldn't tell who was Catholic and who Protestant, and yet the war being waged in the streets outside was as much about the religious divide as anything else. Sitting in the common room of the students' union, or drinking in the bar and observing his fellows, there didn't seem to be any difference, but there was, and occasionally it surfaced.

After a general seminar one day, he stayed on to discuss something with his professor. Visiting the bar afterwards, he was hailed by two third-year students named Graham and Green who'd also taken part in the seminar. They were local students from Derry, which was all he knew about them except that they didn't appeal, particularly Green, with his greasy, unkempt hair and shabby jeans. His liking for the drink was also clear. A nasty piece of work, Daniel had decided, and he tried to avoid him.

”Come on, man,” Green said. ”You need a drink. What a b.l.o.o.d.y bore Wilkinson's seminar was. He gets worse all the time. Get us some beers, why don't you?”

Daniel joined them with reluctance, returning with three bottles from the bar, determined to be off of there in ten minutes. Green was already edging into drunkenness. ”How's it going, my English friend? Someone said you were from Yorks.h.i.+re.”

Remembering Liam's advice, Daniel hadn't advertised his Ulster roots. ”That's right.”

”Are the girls any good where you come from?”

Daniel shrugged. ”The same as they are anywhere, no different.” ”Nice girls, are they, decent? Not like those cows over there?” He indicated two girls sitting in the corner, chatting over coffee. They were perhaps eighteen, in denim skirts and jumpers.

”I don't understand,” Daniel said carefully.

”They're Fenian s.l.u.ts,” Green said. ”They'd s.h.a.g anybody.”

Graham nodded seriously. ”You'd need a condom there, they've probably got the pox.”

”Because they're Catholics?” Daniel asked.

”It's a known thing,” Green said. ”So watch it.”

”But how do you know I'm not a Catholic?”

Graham said, ”Well, you've got a Yorks.h.i.+re accent.” He roared with laughter, then paused. ”Here, you're not, are you?”

”What the h.e.l.l has it got to do with you what I am?” Daniel turned and went out, angry and thoroughly depressed.

He walked back to the residence hall and discovered a message for him pinned to the bulletin board. It was from Liam, asking him to get in touch, so he did, and waited, and Liam came back to him half an hour later.

”How's everything?”

Daniel took a deep breath and swallowed his anger. There was no way he could tell Liam what had happened. ”Fine, Liam, it's working out very well.”

”That's good. Listen, I've a surprise for you. My wee sister, Rosaleen, is in town this weekend, staying with friends. She's a teaching a.s.sistant in an infant school. She's coming home Monday, but she's free Sunday night, Daniel, and a charmer. She'd love to meet you.”

”And I'd love to meet her. Let's make it at my residence hall since we've never met, that's the easiest. I'll give you my verdict.”

And she was a charmer, young and pretty, with black hair, reminding him totally of the dark Rosaleen of Irish legend. They called his room to tell him he had a visitor, but, as he was going downstairs, he knew it must be her the first time he saw her. She carried an umbrella, for it was raining outside, and wore a dark blue overcoat over a dress and ankle boots, a bag hanging by a strap from her left shoulder. young and pretty, with black hair, reminding him totally of the dark Rosaleen of Irish legend. They called his room to tell him he had a visitor, but, as he was going downstairs, he knew it must be her the first time he saw her. She carried an umbrella, for it was raining outside, and wore a dark blue overcoat over a dress and ankle boots, a bag hanging by a strap from her left shoulder.

She smiled as he took her hand and reached up to kiss his cheek. ”It's so grand to meet you, Daniel.”

The only fly in the ointment were Green and Graham, who appeared from the common room at that moment. They looked astounded. ”What's this, Holley, where have you been hiding it?”

Obviously the worse for drink again, and he took her hand. ”Come on, Rosaleen, we'll go down the road and have a bite to eat.”

As they wandered out, behind them Green said, ”Rosaleen, did you hear that? She's a f.u.c.king Fenian.”