Across a Summer Sea (12 page)
‘I’ve got a surprise for you,’ she said brightly as she sat them down at the kitchen table.
‘What kind of a surprise?’ Katie asked cautiously. Life was very topsy-turvy these days and she didn’t like it at all.
‘We’re going to Ireland, to Dublin, to stay with my aunty Molly. Won’t it be great?’
‘Is it a holiday?’ Tommy asked enthusiastically. He thought it did sound great. These days life was always full of some excitement, even if it was a bit hectic.
‘Well, sort of.’
‘Is me da coming?’ Katie asked.
Mary shook her head. ‘No, luv, he . . . he can’t. He has to stay here and work.’
‘Can’t he work there?’ Katie persisted.
‘Not really. His job is here.’
‘Will we be going on a boat?’ Tommy asked. He’d been down to the Pier Head and seen the ships and it had all looked thrilling.
‘Yes, we will and you’ll go to school there and make new friends and see all your cousins.’
Katie looked doubtful. She had become really confused these last weeks as they moved from house to house, from family to family; she wasn’t sure she wanted to meet all these new cousins or Mam’s aunty Molly.
‘Oh, it will be fun! You’ll love it, I promise,’ Mary enthused.
‘What about Lizzie? Will she go to school too?’ Katie asked, glancing at her little sister who was watching them all intently.
Mary gathered her little daughter to her. ‘Not at first. I’ll let her settle in; it will take her a bit longer.’ She stroked the child’s hair gently. ‘We’re going on a holiday, Lizzie,’ she said slowly. ‘On a big boat. Mam will tell you about it all later. Promise.’ Oh, poor Lizzie. How was she going to try to make the child understand these further changes in her life?
‘Will we go and say tarrah to me da?’ Tommy asked.
‘Of course you will.’
Accepting the situation with his usual happy-go-lucky air, Tommy jumped up. ‘Can I go and tell me mates?’
Mary smiled with relief. The children had taken the news better than she had dared hope. ‘Go on, but don’t be long.’
Chapter Seven
I
N THE DAYS THAT followed Mary had little time to dwell on her decision or have regrets. She went down to the offices of the British and Irish Steamship Company and found out the price of the fare to Dublin. In all it would cost her fourteen shillings, which would leave her with one pound and eighteen shillings for their keep until she found work. She wished it were more but it couldn’t be helped.
N THE DAYS THAT followed Mary had little time to dwell on her decision or have regrets. She went down to the offices of the British and Irish Steamship Company and found out the price of the fare to Dublin. In all it would cost her fourteen shillings, which would leave her with one pound and eighteen shillings for their keep until she found work. She wished it were more but it couldn’t be helped.
She had washed and ironed the few clothes they had; she had had Tommy’s boots mended and delivered a stern warning that there was to be no kicking the toes out of them as she had no money to have them repaired again: he would just have to make do and suffer wet and cold feet. She had managed to get Lizzie a warmer coat from Paddy’s Market for a few pence and Maggie had produced a pair of woollen mittens for each of them as a going-away present.
‘I’ll miss all of you,’ she’d said, wiping away a tear. The house was too quiet by far these days, she’d added, wishing for the thousandth time that Frank McGann would see what a fool he was being. She was also finding it much harder dealing with the laundry alone too.
Mary knew Frank was aware that they were leaving but he hadn’t relented. She’d known in her heart that he wouldn’t. She didn’t expect him to come to see them off, either.
‘Well, it’s his loss!’ Nellie stated grimly as they prepared to accompany Mary and her family down to the Landing Stage barely a week later. ‘Did he say anything to them? Give them a couple of coppers?’ she asked Mary in a whisper after the children had returned from saying their farewells to their father.
‘No. Just, “Behave yourselves.” I can’t understand him, he seems to have no feelings at all for them.’
‘Well, pride comes before a fall, I always say. He’ll get his come-uppance one day, you wait and see. Now, are we all ready? We’re to meet in Hetty’s parlour. She’s coming as well.’
Mary smiled. ‘It will be quite a send-off.’
‘We’ll all miss you, luv,’ Nellie said sadly, echoing Maggie’s distress.
The Landing Stage was always busy; the ships of the B & I line and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company were amongst many that embarked and disembarked their passengers there. It was a cold, dark and windy night as they pushed their way through the crowds towards the gangway.
‘I ’ope yer won’t all be seasick. It can be shockin’ rough once yer get out inter the bay, so ’Arry says,’ Bella remarked grimly.
‘Oh, trust you, Bella!’ Hetty Price said sharply. ‘Mary, take no notice. Get yourself a seat and then try and sleep. It’s the best way. If you can’t afford a cabin, that is.’
‘Hetty, I can only just afford the steerage fare! But we’ll be fine,’ Mary laughed, determined not to be put off. She also wanted to dispel the look of consternation that had come over Katie’s face.
‘Will yer aunty be there ter meet yer, luv?’ Queenie asked.
‘I don’t think so. She said they’d all be too busy.’
‘But yer
do
know where she lives?’
do
know where she lives?’
‘Of course. And I’ve a tongue in my head.’
‘Well, you’d better get aboard if you want to get a seat. It looks as if it’s going to be a bit of a crush,’ Hetty advised, taking in the crowd around the gangway.
Mary hugged them all in turn and then gathered her children to her. ‘Katie, keep tight hold of Lizzie’s hand and hang on to me. Tommy, you make sure you don’t lose that bundle and stay right behind me.’
‘Take care, Mary. Remember you promised to write each week and if things don’t go to plan you know you can always come back. There’ll always be a home for you here,’ Nellie said, giving her a last hug.
There were tears in Mary’s eyes when she reached the bottom of the gangway, gave in their tickets and turned to wave a last goodbye. They had all been such good friends and she prayed she would find similar generosity and kindness on the other side of the Irish Sea.
Hetty had been right, she thought as she looked around the packed saloon. There were wooden benches set in double rows bolted to the floor but certainly not enough for every passenger to find a seat. People were already settling down on the floor between the aisles. She noticed a space on one of the benches set against the bulkhead on the starboard side of the saloon and, pushing the children ahead of her, made her way towards it.
‘How many of you are there, girl?’ a large woman dressed in a tightly buttoned black coat and with a headscarf knotted under her chin asked kindly.
‘Four, but Lizzie can sit on my knee. Is there room, do you think? I don’t fancy a night on the floor.’
‘If I can get this lazy madam to move up there will be.’ The woman dug her elbow into the side of a thin, disagreeable-looking girl who sat beside her. ‘Shift up, Breda, there’s kids here!’ she instructed.
Thankfully Mary sat down with Katie beside her and Tommy perched on the edge of the bench. She lifted Lizzie onto her knee and the child nestled into her, already sleepy.
‘She’s not a bit happy, you see. She doesn’t want to go home. She’s been staying with me but her mam’s sick, so she’s needed,’ the woman confided in a low voice, jerking her head in the direction of the sullen-faced girl.
‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Mary replied.
‘It’s me sister and I’m going to help. Well, she’s got ten kids and him out of work.’
‘I see. Do you know if there’s any work for women?’
‘I can’t say as I do, luv. Is that why you’re going?’
‘Sort of. My aunty’s going to let us stay with her but I’ll have to work.’
‘No husband then?’
Mary shook her head. ‘I’m a widow,’ she lied, unwilling to explain her circumstances to a total stranger.
‘I’m sorry to hear that, luv, but a fine-looking girl like you shouldn’t be on her own for long. And you’ve only got three kids, not a whole tribe. Some fellers wouldn’t take on a widow with a crowd of kids.’
‘Oh, I’m not looking for another husband!’
The woman grinned. ‘You might find one just the same. Now, I’m going to try to get some sleep - that’s if that lot at the bar would make less noise. I’ll be glad when they’ve run out of ale!’
Mary nodded her agreement. There were obviously plenty on board who were not short of money judging by the noise and amount of beer that was being consumed. She settled herself as comfortably as she could and instructed Katie and Tommy to try to sleep. She closed her eyes, wondering just what faced her when they finally arrived in the morning.
There hadn’t been much sleep. In fact it had been a terrible journey. Once out of the protection of the land the ship had been tossed around like a cork and many people, including both Katie and Lizzie, had been sick. She and Tommy had not succumbed but she was very thankful when in the miserable grey light of the winter dawn they finally sailed into the Liffey. The air smelled of salt and dampness and the odours of the factories and sheds that lined the North Wall but she didn’t mind. After the stink of the saloon it was heaven, she thought. Her gaze wandered over the city and the misty outline of the Dublin Mountains that ringed it. She hadn’t realised that the open countryside was so near. Maybe they could take a trip out one day. They’d all enjoy that.
Katie and Lizzie, both pale and tired and confused, clung tightly to her skirts while she and Tommy struggled with the bundles. At first glance Dublin didn’t look very different to Liverpool, not quite as big or as grand but of course she wasn’t in the heart of the city yet.
‘How do I get to the Coombe?’ she asked one of the deck hands.
‘You walk down the Quays, past the Custom House, down the Ormond Quay to the Four Courts. Then cross the Liffey into Winetavern Street, go straight up Nicholas Street and Patrick Street to the Cathedral and then turn right. That’s the Coombe.’
Mary thanked him and followed the crowds along the dock road. It seemed to be quite a way and she wished she could have afforded the tram fare but she cheered herself up with the thought that even though there had been no one to meet them there was bound to be a warm welcome when they finally arrived.
They had trudged along for what seemed like miles, admiring the grand buildings that flanked the Quays and the shops and the stalls of street vendors. Mary also noticed that there were a lot of beggars and poor people and a lot of obviously unemployed men on the streets, but it didn’t seem to be any worse than Liverpool. They had stopped to rest a few times and outside the Four Courts she had been moved on by a burly member of the Dublin City Police Force.
‘Sir, I’m not a beggar! I’ve just arrived from Liverpool. I’m trying to find Weavers Street in the Coombe. Is it far, please?’ she’d asked.
He’d taken pity on her. ‘Ah, it’s not far now. Go straight across the bridge, up that road and turn right at the top and you’ll be there. Is it visiting, you are?’
She’d smiled for the first time that day. ‘Yes, and I was beginning to wonder if it was worth it.’
‘Sure, they’ll have the kettle on ready for you. It’s a desperate journey that at this time of year.’
She’d thanked him and trudged on in the direction he’d pointed out.
Beyond the huge, ornate St Patrick’s Cathedral the houses she passed didn’t look very inviting. This was obviously a poor part of the city. She could see that once they’d been very grand dwellings but decades of neglect had rendered them little better than slums. Doors were standing wide open despite the cold weather. Their paint was peeling; the steps leading up to them were worn and cracked. The once beautiful glass fanlights above them were broken, dirty and fly-speckled. The long hallways beyond were dark and dirty and smelled fetid. The big sash windows were warped and rotten, many with broken panes stuffed with rags or newspapers. Rubbish was strewn across the filthy cobbles and women, their shawls pulled tightly to them and with barefoot children clinging to their skirts, stood in groups gossiping. It wasn’t much better than Newsham Street and she thought of her words to the policeman. What had she done?
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