Chapter 9 Summary

Dan Lynch insists that Dennis and his daughter come upstairs for a nightcap. In his apartment, Dan is once again philosophical about Maeve and Billy. He talks about Eva and Maeve, about the first time he saw Billy with Maeve. No one believed Billy would ever marry after Eva died; however, Maeve clearly won his loyalty, if not his heart. Dan talks about Maeve's father, about how he constantly reminded Maeve that there had been another in Billy's life before her. Also it was Maeve's father who was Billy's first drinking buddy. Billy would drink with the man for hours, who would talk about his dead wife and dead child, and Billy would help him to bed when he was too drunk to do it alone, much like Dennis did for Billy in later years.

Maeve would always help Dennis carry Billy upstairs...