Across a Summer Sea (37 page)
‘She won’t mind. I can see this won’t keep until morning.’
Mary didn’t argue. It was better this way. She got the mugs and put on the kettle.
Maggie returned with both Nellie and Queenie.
‘What’s all this about you leaving?’ Nellie demanded.
‘Sit down.’
‘When did you meet him? Where?’ Queenie asked.
‘I saw him yesterday afternoon and followed him to Rodney Street. I didn’t think he’d seen me but he had. He followed me to work, waited for me. I . . . I wouldn’t bring him here, so I met him in town today at a gentlemen’s club. I borrowed some clothes from Hetty. He . . . he still wants me . . . and the children. He wants us all to go back.’
‘Oh, luv! I’m so ’appy fer yer! ’E knows that Frank’s dead an’ that yer can get married now?’ Queenie cried, her face wreathed in smiles.
‘Yes, he knows about Frank but . . .’
Nellie looked concerned. ‘But what?’
‘He can’t marry me.’
‘Why not?’ Maggie demanded.
Mary twisted her hands together. ‘I don’t know.’
Queenie looked pointedly at Nellie. ‘Is ’e already married?’
‘No. At least I don’t think so.’
‘Mary, what kind of an answer is that? Was there ever a sign of a wife or even another woman?’
‘No, Nellie, there wasn’t. Surely Julia Moran would have said
something
? Surely Julia would have said it was all for the best when I was coming back here, that we could never be together because he couldn’t marry me, he already had a wife? He begged me to trust him. He said he
couldn’t
tell me.’
something
? Surely Julia would have said it was all for the best when I was coming back here, that we could never be together because he couldn’t marry me, he already had a wife? He begged me to trust him. He said he
couldn’t
tell me.’
Queenie shook her head. It all sounded very strange to her. ‘I don’t like the sound of that, Mary. What other reason could there be?’
‘I . . . I think he might be ill.’
‘Why?’ Nellie asked quietly. She could understand Mary’s desire to believe him.
‘Because he went to see a doctor in Rodney Street.’
‘And if ’e is? Is it fair ter ask yer ter go back there an’ probably look after ’im? Yer’ve already nursed one man.’ Queenie was indignant.
‘Oh, Queenie! I would
want
to. It wouldn’t be a chore!’
want
to. It wouldn’t be a chore!’
‘I can’t see why ’is bein’ ill should be such a big secret.’
‘Oh, I don’t know! I
do
know that I love him and that I have to trust him and that I can’t turn him down out of hand because . . . because of the children and their future. Particularly Lizzie. Oh, you don’t know how much she loves him. How good he is with her. I couldn’t take her away from him again.’
do
know that I love him and that I have to trust him and that I can’t turn him down out of hand because . . . because of the children and their future. Particularly Lizzie. Oh, you don’t know how much she loves him. How good he is with her. I couldn’t take her away from him again.’
‘Mary, is that enough? It’s a huge leap of faith he’s asking of you.’ Nellie was serious.
‘It will have to be, Nellie. I’ve told him I won’t go and live with him and he’s promised to find us a house somewhere. ’
‘Yer’re still leavin’ yerself open ter temptation, Mary,’ Queenie warned. ‘An’ people will talk.’
Seeing the tears in Mary’s eyes, Nellie tutted. ‘Queenie, you’re not being helpful!’
‘I’m just pointin’ things out. She’s a respectable woman, a good Catholic woman, an’ if yer ask me ’e’s bein’ very dog in the manger. She could meet someone else who
could
marry ’er.’
could
marry ’er.’
‘I don’t want to meet anyone else! I will only ever love
him
! I thought my life was over and now . . . now I have to trust him. I
want
to trust him. I love him! And how can I deny the children a better future?’
him
! I thought my life was over and now . . . now I have to trust him. I
want
to trust him. I love him! And how can I deny the children a better future?’
‘Mary, we understand, luv. We’re just concerned for you,’ Nellie soothed. While she could understand the girl, she still had her reservations. ‘You’ll be to all intents and purposes just his housekeeper?’
Mary nodded, relieved to have Nellie’s support at least.
‘Then we’ll make sure that people around here understand that. We want no gossip that will upset the kids. Do you hear that, Queenie?’
‘What are yer ’avin’ a go at me fer? I think it’s all a bit . . . odd, but, well, if she’s ’appy and the kids are ’appy, all I can do is pray that whatever is stopping ’im will get itself sorted out an’ soon.’
‘Aye, maybe he’ll come to his senses and tell you what’s wrong and you can work it out between you. You deserve to be happy, Mary. God knows you’ve suffered so much these last years and I don’t mean just Frank’s accident. It started long before that,’ Maggie said firmly. Like Nellie she sympathised with Mary’s desire to go but like Nellie she was a little worried that Mary might not be able to help herself where Richard O’Neill and the future were concerned.
‘I
have
to go. You
do
understand?’ Mary begged.
have
to go. You
do
understand?’ Mary begged.
Silently, all three women nodded.
It was three weeks before the letter arrived with their tickets. He’d written to her before that, twice a week, telling her that he had found a cottage a little further down the canal line in the townland of Kilbride and it was speedily being renovated and refurnished. It wasn’t very big, just a large kitchen cum sitting room and two bedrooms but if she wanted it a separate sitting room could be built on, as could the luxury of a small bathroom. His present housekeeper had been dispatched in high dudgeon on her part but to great delight and relief on the part of everyone else. He’d sent money for her to buy clothes and anything else she and the children needed and begged her not to skimp. She’d had a lifetime of that. And in each letter he told her how much he loved her and missed her and he couldn’t wait until she was once again back where she belonged. In his arms, his heart and his home.
They had been busy weeks for her. She had rigged them all out with underwear and nightclothes, dresses, jackets, stockings and shoes, hair ribbons for Katie and Lizzie and shirts, trousers, socks and boots, a Norfolk suit for best and two fine caps for Tommy. She’d bought good food and had put on a supper for the neighbours who had supported her through so much of her harsh and recently joyless life.
All the children were in a constant state of excitement and for once in her life Katie was the envy of Millie Price.
‘All those new clothes
and
fields to play in, rivers to fish in!’ Millie had exclaimed resentfully when Katie had proudly shown her her new wardrobe.
and
fields to play in, rivers to fish in!’ Millie had exclaimed resentfully when Katie had proudly shown her her new wardrobe.
‘
I
don’t fish,’ Katie had replied.
I
don’t fish,’ Katie had replied.
‘But you can if you want to,’ had been Millie’s retort. ‘Mam says it must be heaven to look out of your window or door at fields instead of dirty cobbled streets and houses black with soot.’
Mary had overheard her and smiled. It was, she thought. Oh, it was indeed and she’d never envisaged a day when Hetty Price would be jealous of herself.
At long last the day had come. Mary watched their bags being loaded into the hackney carriage, then looked around her for the last time. The neighbours were all going to see them off and they’d already gone by tram. Maggie would stay here, the rent paid by herself, with enough money for her to live on. It would come out of the salary Richard had insisted on paying her.
‘You are still doing a job, Mary. I won’t have you as an unpaid skivvy,’ he’d written.
‘I’d willingly slave for you without a penny,’ she’d replied and had gone on to ask him if he minded that some of the money would go to keeping Maggie who had no one else in the world and who had taken them into her home.
‘Your generosity and compassion continue to amaze me, my love. Do whatever you think fit with the money. It’s yours,’ had been the answer.
There were very few good memories here, except the births of her three children and the early days of her marriage to Frank. No, she wasn’t sorry to be leaving this house. It was depressing. This belonged to the old Mary. The worn-out, downtrodden, humiliated and poverty-stricken girl. She patted her new tapestry carpet bag. All his letters were in there and she would keep them for ever.
She turned and caught sight of herself in the new hallstand she’d bought Maggie from Uncle’s. Maggie had admired it so much that in a fit of extravagance she’d purchased it as a farewell gift. She looked so much better now. There was colour in her cheeks again. Her hair was shiny. She raised a white-cotton-gloved hand to the new hat. It was pale blue and white and matched the light linen dress and jacket, which had broad insets of blue ribbon around the hem of the skirt and the edge of the short jacket. It looked fine enough for a wedding dress. It was much more fashionable and expensive than the dress she
had
worn to her wedding thirteen years ago. Suddenly she wished it
was
a wedding dress. That she was wearing it to go to her husband. Richard O’Neill. ‘Stop it! Stop it! You have more than you ever dreamed of!’ she told herself firmly. It was time to leave.
had
worn to her wedding thirteen years ago. Suddenly she wished it
was
a wedding dress. That she was wearing it to go to her husband. Richard O’Neill. ‘Stop it! Stop it! You have more than you ever dreamed of!’ she told herself firmly. It was time to leave.
The trip in the hackney seemed to Tommy a fitting start to a new life. Even Georgie Price had been impressed. But he hadn’t boasted or gloated about it and everything that awaited him in Ireland. That would have been childish, he’d told himself, and he wasn’t a child any more. He was growing up and was very thankful not to have to continue selling newspapers and firewood in all weathers. He would work hard, learn everything and be Mr O’Neill’s right-hand man when he was old enough.
It was a beautiful summer evening. The rays of the setting sun tinged the turgid waters of the Mersey red-gold and bathed the new buildings on the waterfront in a mellow light. The breeze that gently lifted the sails of the few old-fashioned sailing ships anchored in the river was tangy with salt.
The neighbours were all waiting for them. Alfie helped unload Mary’s bags and he and Fred carried them along the Landing Stage towards the
Leinster
. The women all clustered around her.
Leinster
. The women all clustered around her.
‘It’s a much better evening than the one when you went away last time, Mary,’ Hetty Price said with a smile.
Mary smiled back. ‘And this time we have cabins.’ No expense had been spared. The journey would be very comfortable this time.
Nellie took her hands. ‘It
is
the right thing to do, Mary. You
will
be happy and I’ll pray that you can sort it all out.’
is
the right thing to do, Mary. You
will
be happy and I’ll pray that you can sort it all out.’
‘Oh, I’ll miss you all! I don’t know how I would have got through everything without you!’
‘Will yer ever come back, do yer think, Mary?’ Queenie asked.
‘Why would she ever want to come back
here
?’ Hetty asked, mystified. Mary McGann’s life had changed beyond all recognition. You only had to look at the way she was dressed now to see that, and she was going to live in a castle in the country. Was Queenie mad?
here
?’ Hetty asked, mystified. Mary McGann’s life had changed beyond all recognition. You only had to look at the way she was dressed now to see that, and she was going to live in a castle in the country. Was Queenie mad?
‘Maybe for a visit sometime. I was born here. It will always be my city,’ Mary replied. ‘But I will write, I promise, and Nellie can tell you all the news of how we’re getting on.’
‘Well, I wish you luck, Mary. No one deserves it more,’ Fred said gruffly. He had been told an edited version of Mary’s decision and circumstances by his wife.
They all jumped and then laughed as the three long blasts of the Cunard liner
Lusitania
’s steam whistle shattered the evening air.
Lusitania
’s steam whistle shattered the evening air.
‘Last call fer the crew still knockin’ back the ale in the
Stylehouse!
Lucky beggars!’ Alfie laughed. It was common practice among the captains of departing merchant ships to summon the stragglers amongst their crews from the pubs on the waterfront in this manner.
Stylehouse!
Lucky beggars!’ Alfie laughed. It was common practice among the captains of departing merchant ships to summon the stragglers amongst their crews from the pubs on the waterfront in this manner.
‘And you’d better get on board yourselves,’ Nellie pressed.
‘You’ve been like a daughter to me, Mary, and I’ll miss you,’ Maggie said as she hugged Mary.
‘Oh, Maggie! I’m just so thankful that I know you’re going to be secure and comfortable.’
‘God bless you, girl!’ The old woman’s eyes were full of tears. She would never have to face her worst nightmare now: the fear of ending up in the Workhouse.
The others hugged Mary in turn and then the children, something Tommy suffered in stoic silence.
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