At twelve, he was once more outside the church, watching the parishioners all come out of Mass, and when neither girl was there he was puzzled and worried. He regretted he hadn’t spoken to her parents earlier and he decided to go to the house and see for himself.

  He scanned the farm as he approached and was glad that the fields were empty. He guessed the father was at dinner. He wondered if Dermot had made the dash to England, where their sister Rosie was. ‘It’s a long jaunt for such a young boy,’ he’d said to Chrissie. ‘It’s likely just talk and he’ll bottle out on the day itself.’

  ‘Not Dermot,’ Chrissie had said, ‘And especially not if it concerns Rosie. He usually carries out a thing if he’s decided upon it, and he loves Rosie more than anyone.’

  ‘More even than the mother who dotes on him?’

  ‘Oh yes. Especially more than her.’

  Dennis thought of this now as the farmhouse drew near. If the boy had done as he said, what had transpired after it? Chrissie, he imagined, would have a tale and a half to tell him, if she was well enough that was.

  He wondered if they were all eating dinner together. If so he’d have to wait to catch sight of one of them coming out of doors for something. But then he reminded himself that if they were too ill to go to Mass they could still be in bed. It suddenly occurred to him that the girls could have been hungover, for neither girl was used to strong drink and he imagined much would have been flowing at the wedding, and he decided to take a look through the bedroom window.

  What he saw nearly stopped the blood in his veins. Chrissie, her back to the window, was kneeling up in the bed applying something from a white dish to her sister, who lay on her stomach on the bed beside her. Chrissie was bare and he saw the blood-encrusted weals around her back and knew what had kept her away from Mass. He also knew that she was probably applying goose grease to her sister and she’d already had the same treatment, for her back was glistening with it.

  His anger was like a white-hot rage coursing through him and without a thought for the girls’ nakedness he tapped lightly on the window.

  Chrissie’s head flew around and he saw a couple of weals on the breasts her long brown hair almost covered. Then, when he looked into her face, with her discoloured eye, grazed cheek and split lip, he was almost speechless. Chrissie went across to the window, stopping only to take a shawl from the bedstead to cover herself.

  ‘Who did this to you?’ he demanded in an icy hiss as Chrissie opened the window. ‘Your father?’

  God, he’d drag the man from the house and trounce him, Dennis thought. He’d bounce him off the cobblestones and not give a tinker’s cuss about the man’s age at all. But he was staggered when Chrissie said, ‘No, my father laid no hand on us. It was my mother.’

  Dennis’s mouth dropped open in shock. ‘Has she done this before?’

  ‘Aye,’ Chrissie said. ‘But never this bad. It was about Dermot this time. She didn’t believe we knew nothing about his running away. She’s clean mad where that lad’s concerned.’

  ‘She’ll not touch a hair of your head ever again,’ Dennis promised. ‘How well can you walk?’

  ‘At this moment I feel I could walk to the end of the earth to get away from that woman,’ Chrissie said. ‘Don’t you?’

  Geraldine was too surprised at the turn of events to speak, but she nodded her head vigorously enough.

  ‘That’s all right,’ Dennis said soothingly. ‘I intended taking the two of you, anyway, but walking might be too difficult. I’m away for the pony and trap. You two pack up all you can and I’ll be back for you.’

  ‘She’ll never agree.’

  ‘I’m not going to ask permission.’

  ‘She’ll not let you.’

  ‘She’ll have no choice.’

  ‘And where will you take us?’

  ‘To my sister’s, and you will bide there while the banns are read for our wedding, and then we’ll live above the grocery shop and your sister can live with us if she’d like to.’

  ‘Banns read?’ Chrissie repeated, and attempting jocularity she said, ‘Do I take it you are proposing marriage, Mr Maloney?’

  ‘Aye, that’s right, Miss McMullen.’

  ‘Well,’ Chrissie said. ‘I won’t say it’s the most romantic proposal I’ve ever received, not that I’m an expert on these sort of things you understand, but it is accepted nevertheless.’

  ‘I’m away.’ Dennis kissed Chrissie’s lips lightly and then said, ‘I’ll be back directly.’

  Geraldine was inclined to be disbelieving of Dennis’s claims. ‘Mammy will stop him,’ she said.

  ‘He says not.’

  ‘Not for you,’ Geraldine cried. ‘You are over twenty-one, but I’m only nineteen. She’ll never let me go, you’ll see.’

  And that was the argument Minnie tried to use. She had no idea Chrissie had been seeing anyone and Chrissie often wondered afterwards why no-one had told the McMullens. Although they’d been careful, some person surely had seen them clasping hands as they strode across the hills. Maybe people had felt sorry for her, sorry for all the girls. But for whatever reason, no-one had mentioned a word to Minnie, and so it was a complete surprise when a pony and trap galloped down the lane at breathtaking speed and then hauled to a stop before their cottage door.

  Seamus had gone to the door and opened it to see the commotion, and he was nearly knocked on his back by the man who burst past him after almost throwing himself out of the trap. They knew him of course, the whole family knew the Maloneys. Didn’t they leave money in their shop every week? But neither Seamus nor Minnie had seen Dennis like this. ‘What’s the meaning of this?’ Seamus demanded angrily. ‘Nearly knocked over on my own threshold. What’s got into you at all, Dennis?’

  Dennis was a tall, broad-shouldered young man and now the fury, still coursing through him, made him seem to swell to look even more menacing. His face was brick-red and shiny with sweat and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he faced Seamus and said, ‘Knocked over, you say? Think yourself lucky you’re not spread-eagled on the cobblestones this minute with your face bashed in with my own fists.’

  ‘What talk is this?’ Minnie demanded.

  ‘No talk!’ Dennis snapped. ‘The time for talking was past when you lifted your hand to two young girls, to punch them and slap them and strike at them with a strap till their backs were covered with weals.’

  Minnie was shaken and for a moment or two was silent, wondering how Dennis knew this. But then she flew at him. ‘If I have reason to chastise my daughters, may I ask what concern it is of yours?’ she asked icily.

  ‘Chastise, is it?’ Dennis asked sarcastically. ‘Is that the name they have on it these days? Ah then, it’s sorry I am. I was under the impression it was a brutal beating you gave them.’

  ‘You don’t know the reason,’ Minnie spluttered. ‘They lied to me. It was not to be borne. I…’

  ‘That’s true indeed,’ Dennis said, nodding his head as if in a conciliatory way, though he longed to send Minnie’s teeth down her throat. ‘You can’t have two daughters living in the house lying to you.’

  ‘I’m glad you see that,’ Minnie said, but cautiously for there was something in the air she didn’t understand and surely the man had given in too easily.

  Seamus didn’t understand either, but he considered everything had now gone far enough and he wanted to get this threatening young man out of his house and quick. ‘So,’ he said, opening the door wide. ‘If that little matter has been cleared up.’

  The change was rapid. Gone was any resemblance to the man they knew. The kick he aimed at the cottage door tore it out of Seamus’s grasp and shut it with a resounding crash. ‘Now,’ Dennis said. ‘I want you to listen well to what I am going to say to you. I have been courting Chrissie for about six months and we are to be married.’

  He watched in satisfaction as the blood drained from Minnie’s face and Seamus’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. ‘She can’t,’ Minnie said. ‘She’s not asked.’

  ‘She has no need to ask,’ Dennis said. ‘She is over twenty-one. She has little respect for you, and no wonder from what I’ve heard over the years and seen earlier today with my own eyes. There’s only one important child in this house, and that is the boy that’s apparently gone walkabout.’

  ‘You don’t know the whole of it. He’ll have gone to Rosie. He was always running to Rosie.’

  ‘And why should that worry you?’ Dennis said. ‘Isn’t Rosie his sister? What harm will he come to if he is there? Good God, woman, look around you at the state the country is in. Many a mother would be glad their son went to a family member rather than for them to run away to join the IRA as so many are doing. We’ve heard the mothers crying about it in the shop a time or two.’

  ‘That wouldn’t involve Dermot. He is but a child,’ Minnie said dismissively.

  ‘He’s not,’ Dennis said. ‘A few years ago he’d be working by now and he’s right to care about his sisters. He was wrong not to ask you, but you’d never have agreed for him to go if you’d known. But whatever Dermot did or didn’t do, it cannot reflect on either Chrissie or Geraldine and your treatment of them was inhuman. It’s only the fact that you are a woman that is saving you from me giving you a taste of your own medicine.’

  ‘Don’t you dare threaten my wife,’ Seamus said, stepping in front of Minnie.

  ‘Who’ll stop me – you?’ Dennis said contemptuously and he gave Seamus a push that sent him reeling into the dresser.

  ‘Now,’ he said, turning again to Minnie. ‘I am taking Chrissie away from here.’

  ‘You are not!’

  ‘Oh yes I am,’ Dennis said. ‘As I said, Chrissie is twenty-one and can do as she pleases and will be delighted to leave this place. She has agreed to become my wife and will lodge with my sister in Blessington until the wedding might be arranged. Everything is in order and Geraldine too will be coming with us.’

  ‘Oh no she’s not. She is just nineteen,’ Minnie said. ‘I can stop you. You try that and I’ll have the authorities on you.’

  ‘Oh, would you indeed?’ Dennis said. ‘Let’s have them here now, shall we? The Guards will do to start with. We’ll bring them out and let them see the mess you made of the girls’ backs. You might find yourself at the centre of a cruelty charge.’

  ‘Don’t be stupid,’ Minnie cried. ‘I am their mother and can do with them as I see fit.’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Dennis said. ‘Others might take a very different view of the matter altogether. I am leaving here with those two girls and I’ll just promise you this: You try and stop me and I will spread the news abroad of what you have done. You will be unable to hold your head up in the village and will certainly have to find yourself another grocery store.’

  Minnie’s legs began to shake and she felt for the kitchen chair and sat on it and willed her legs to stop trembling. She glared at Dennis but his own eyes staring back did not flicker and she realised she had met a formidable adversary. This was a man who would get what he wanted and he wanted her daughter Chrissie.

  Well, Minnie decided, he could have her and welcome. From a child, Chrissie had been troublesome and never as compliant as Rosie or Geraldine, and she’d had to chastise her many a time. This time she wasn’t sorry she’d hit the girls, but she’d be sorry if anyone had to know about it. It would never do. Their standing in the community would be gone for good.

  Pity about Geraldine. She thought she’d have her help for years yet and she always did what she was told, for she was too frightened to go against her. Still, she doubted that even if she attempted to stop Dennis leaving with her, the girl would stay. Should she trail after them it would cause more of a scandal.

  Eventually, she had to look away from Dennis’s steel-grey eyes. ‘If you…If I let you take the girls, you will keep it to yourself about the beating and all?’

  ‘You have my word,’ Dennis said. ‘But I wasn’t the one beaten. I can’t answer for your daughters.’

  ‘They’ll do as you tell them.’

  ‘They will do as they see fit,’ Dennis said. ‘I have no intention of telling them what to say, and how, and to whom. They are people in their own right.’

  But he was to find Chrissie and Geraldine just wanted to leave the farm and for good. They had no intention of reliving their ordeal by talking about it. Dennis found both girls cowering behind the door when he entered the bedroom. ‘Away out of that,’ he chided gently. ‘The time for hiding in corners is past. Come on, a new life is to begin for you both. Hold your heads high and go out to meet it.’

  Both girls knew then their torment was over and that with Dennis’s protection they would leave unmolested. He picked up the bass hampers they had packed and they walked behind him out of the room, passing their parents without a word. Out in the yard, Dennis helped each one into the trap before leaping up beside them.

  ‘Good day to you,’ Dennis said, with a jerk of his head to Seamus and Minnie.

  They didn’t reply and the girls made no attempt to speak at all. Dennis flicked the reins over the horse’s head and he turned and clattered up the drive. Chrissie and Geraldine never looked back. They were on the open road and about a mile from the farmhouse before they felt they could relax and drop their shoulders and smile at each other. ‘We’re free,’ Geraldine said. ‘Oh God, I can scarce believe it.’

  ‘Nor I,’ Chrissie said, and she hugged her sister in delight and Dennis laughed at the two of them and knew he’d made the right decision that day and could scarcely wait for the time to come when he could make the beautiful Chrissie his wife.

  TWENTY-NINE

  Unaware of the events in Ireland, that same evening Dermot turned to Danny and said, ‘You have no need to stay in the house while I’m here. You can start looking for work again if you’ve a mind.’

  ‘Do you mean it?’ Danny said. ‘I heard today after Mass that they were setting on at Dunlop’s. I thought to try there early tomorrow.’

  ‘Go for it,’ Dermot said.

  ‘You’ll have to see to the child,’ Rosie said.

  ‘That’s all right,’ Dermot said. ‘I know, and in case you think I’m going to be a financial drain on you, I’m not. I have money.’

  ‘We’ll not take your money, Dermot,’ Rosie said.

  ‘Well then, forget your chance of a job, Danny. If Rosie is too high-principled to accept help from a brother I will take the first train back home tomorrow.’

  ‘It doesn’t feel right,’ Rosie said.

  ‘No, no, it doesn’t,’ Dermot said. ‘My God, Rosie, who d’you think you’re fooling? You barely eat enough to keep a bird alive, and I know why, even if you won’t admit it. I have no need of this money, but you have. Let me share it with you?’

  ‘Rosie, for God’s sake,’ Danny pleaded.

  ‘All right,’ Rosie snapped. ‘God in heaven, must you harass me like this?’

  ‘Aye, we must,’ Dermot said. ‘Because you’re so stubborn. All right, Danny, you go out as soon as you like and I’ll be here to give Rosie a hand,’ and boy and man shook hands on the deal.

  Danny didn’t get a job at Dunlop’s, nor at the Austin works he tried on Tuesday. When the rumour went out that there were jobs going at Ansell’s on Thursday, Danny joined the line of men that snaked out of the gates and way along the Lichfield Road, past the clock and Aston Cross and on into the distance, a line of desperation and despair. Each day, Dermot took on the care of the baby, feeding him and changing him while Rosie saw to Bernadette.

  He wondered if he was doing any good and how long he could stay. He wished he could take them all back to Ireland where they belonged, but he knew it was far too risky. Danny would be pulled back into it all if he returned, or shot or kneecapped if he refused. Phelan had explained it to him. Danny thought Sam and Shay were mad to be so involved still. Sarah didn’t know the half of it, and he knew she was heading for a life of heartache with Sam. But he could do little about that, and little about making Rosie and his own new life in England better, either, it seemed.

  By the time Dermot’s letters reached his mother’s house on Tuesday morning, Minnie’s anger against Dennis Maloney and her daughters had barely lessened. It was incomprehensible to her that Chrissie and Geraldine should just up and leave that way. She felt they’d shown her up, shamed her, and she doubted she’d ever forgive them for it.

  The news of Dermot’s disappearance, and the rumour he’d made for England and his sister’s place, was almost common knowledge and Minnie knew that wouldn’t be the end of it. She knew the school would soon get involved. The boy would get her into trouble if he didn’t return shortly.

  But the letter she received from her son said nothing of returning. He wrote that after he overheard Connie reading the letter she had received from Danny, he felt worried about Rosie and had a yen to see her. He stressed it was his own idea and he’d told not a soul about it, and that he was sorry that he’d felt bound to creep away like that. He knew his parents would have been worried, but he was determined to stay on a wee while to lend a hand and said he thought he was needed.

  Minnie was furious. She sent a vitriolic letter back, demanding Dermot’s immediate return. He had no right to leave his home and go flying to England just as the notion took him, and she expected him back speedily and before she had the law on her back for him not going to school.

  Connie wrote to Dermot in a different vein entirely. She was glad that the boy had gone over there to see the set-up for himself and could quite understand his concern, for her own anxiety over Rosie and Danny had almost spoiled the wedding for her. She included two ten-shilling notes in the letter.

  I know things can’t be easy for them, but neither Rosie nor Danny will accept financial help from me and I’ve offered often. Don’t tell them this money is from me, just use it sensibly to make their lives a little easier.

  You’re a good boy, Dermot, to care so well for your sister. I don’t know if Chrissie is very fine at the moment for Elizabeth said she hasn’t been at the factory since the wedding, something about catching a chill. Maybe your mother will tell you more.