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"Janie's got a level head on her shoulders, and quite a lot in her head," he said.`

`Did he?`

`Yes, he did, and that's the English truth, not the Irish blarney.`

They were both laughing when Margaret arrived, carrying a tray holding three cups of tea and a bowl of sugar. And on the sight of her, Maggie Ann said, `Did you know I had a private nurse?`

`No. No, I wasn't aware of 269 it.`

Òh yes; yes I have, and her name is Miss Margaret Stewart, and she looks after me as no-one else in this house does. And I've got two manservants an' all.`

`You haven't!`

Òh aye, I have that: Mr Patrick and Mr Sean. But then of course, I forget me place; you don't give manservants "mister": Patrick, being the butler, will be called Stewart, just Stewart, and Sean being the footman ... well, he'll be called Stewart, an' all.` But using a different tone of voice, she added, `You know what I mean?`

Janie couldn't say, `Yes, I know what you mean,` to this badinage from a woman who was obviously so ill.

`How many have you, Janie ... I mean, servants?`

Òh, not many, as servants go: four inside with the cook, and three outside.`

`Seven? Oh, well, I have the same. Seven here, right down to Bridget, though I must say she's not much use at the present time because

all she does is squawk ... Oh, thank you, Margaret. That looks lovely. Where's your mama?`

Òh, she had to go and see to the squawker. But you know something, Maggie Ann, Michael's walked almost the full length of the hall this morning.`

`You don't say?`

Ì do. Yes, all on his own. And he tried to say "porridge" at breakfast.`

`Well! well! That is news.` Maggie Ann now turned her head towards Janie, saying, `Michael has been slow on the walking and the talking, and him three years old. It is wonderful news, isn't it?`

`Yes, indeed. I have a cousin in Bradford whose little girl didn't talk until she was five, and she's never stopped since.`

`Not till she was five?`

`No, not a word. Then one day, at the table, she said a complete sentence, and her mother almost choked with surprise, and had to be attended to. It appears, so her doctor said, that she was one of these people who just like to listen, so she took everything in and said nothing.`

`Well, that could be Michael all 271 over again, because his face is as bright as a button, isn't it, Margaret?`

`Yes. Yes, it is, Maggie Ann.`

When Moira came back into the room Janie saw straightaway that there was moisture in her eyes, and so, likely, the baby's needs had been a very tactful excuse made by this little girl here. She said to her now, `Have you broken up for the holiday?ànd Margaret answered, `No; the others will next week, though, but we all got leave because Mama needed us. Annie could have gone, but it would have meant one of us taking her, then bringing her home again, because it's a long walk.`

Moira now said, `They've all been splendid. I don't know what Maggie Ann and I would have done without them.`

The tea drunk, Janie thanked Moira for it; then rising, she looked down on Maggie Ann and said, Ì must away. I always overstay my welcome wherever I go. It's a fault I have.`

Òh, my dear, dear young woman, you could never overstay your welcome here, could she, Moira?`

`No. No, she couldn't. You're welcome at any time. I think I've told you that before, Janie.`

`Yes, you have, Mrs Stewart, and I thank you for it. Moreover, I'll take advantage of it in the future.`

`You're not just being polite there, are you? But do look in again on me, because I really would like to see you.`

`Yes, I certainly shall, Maggie Ann. But goodbye for now.`

`Goodbye, my dear. Goodbye.Ìn the hall Janie said quietly, Ìt's so sad, and more so, I think, because she's so cheerful. Her whole aim seems to be ... well, to lighten the atmosphere, is the only way I can put it; or perhaps it would be simpler to say, to turn any pity away from herself. She's a brave heart.`

`She is indeed, my dear, she's a brave heart. And God alone knows what I'll do without her. But that is to come. Will you do me a favour?`

Ànything. Anything, I'd be only too pleased.`

`Well, it's a present I would like bought.

You see, I won't be able to get 273 into town; the village'll be as far as I make; but I won't find the quality in the village. I want to buy a very good briar pipe and a pouch and some good quality tobacco.

You see, it's for Daniel. Once or twice I've seen him drawing on a pipe late at night. It's a wooden one but it looks an old smelly thing to me and I think he would enjoy a briar. And I'm sure you would know exactly what to buy him; at least, your father would. Now there's a sovereign. Will that be enough?`

`More than enough. Now is there anything else you would like; say, presents for the children?`

Òh, I make their presents as I do their clothes and they enjoy those as much as anything. I knit and sew for them through the winter months. No; if you would just get me the pipe for Daniel; it'll be a pleasant surprise to him because he's very low at the moment ...` Whether it was intentionally or not Moira added, Às far as I can gather he's broken with Frances.`

`He's broken with ..." You mean, they are no longer en ... engaged?`

`Well, if they ever were, dear; I mean,

officially, that is. Anyway, I should imagine it's finished. I don't know what caused it.` She now jerked her head to the side as if chastising herself as she went on, `Yes, I do; or at least in part. I think he wanted them to get married, but in no way would she consider living in this house, and that was natural enough, and still less did she agree with what he thought was a brilliant idea. Yet I could understand her refusal of his plan, which was to renovate the old part at the end, now used as a store. It was the original house and he had it in his mind to reconstruct it as a private dwelling. Apparently she would have none of it. And again I say I can understand it, because it would take a lot of time and money to make that habitable.`

Ìt ... it might only be a tiff. He cares for her deeply. I ... I know that, and I think she does for him too.

So, as I said, it could just be something slight and they could be reconciled within a few days.`

Òh, they've had tiffs before, and I've seen the results of them, but nothing like this one. And another thing, my dear: if you see Pattie, tell her that Maggie Ann would be delighted to receive a letter from her, although`--she smiled 275 now--`she can neither read nor write, dear soul.

But what she would like much better would be to see her face. Tell her that himself is out most mornings, sometimes all day. He may be on the farm or round about. I know she hasn't any transport, but perhaps you wouldn't mind bringing her. If only she would come.`

Ì'll ask her. I'll do my best. In any case, I'll be back before Christmas.`

`'Tis good of you.`

Òh, not at all, not at all. It's a pleasure for me just to be able to come. Goodbye now.`

`Goodbye, my dear. Goodbye.`

`Don't stand at the door, it's too cold, and I've got to get the trap out, but before I do I'll have to talk to Nelson`--she laughed now --`the pony, you know; I have to make my excuses for leaving him for so long.`

Moira gave an unusually clear laugh, such as she hadn't done for many a long day; and as she closed the door she said to no-one in particular, `There goes a fine young woman. But what really made me ask her to get him a pipe and pouch?

The one he has is not bad at all and he's used to it,` to which she gave herself no answer, but crossed the hall and was about to open the door into the passage when it almost thrust her back, and there appeared Sean, who had managed to open it by pressing his side against it the while bumping a large scuttle of coal in front of him.

Òh, my dear, you've filled that much too full. You should have got one of them to give you a hand.

Never attempt to carry that on your own again. Here, let me have it.`

`Leave it alone, Mama.`

She looked down on her fair-haired son and, bending over him, she asked, `What is it, Sean? You're very quiet these days.` She did not go on to explain her question by adding, You have hardly spoken a dozen words since they brought Maggie Ann into the house. Instead she asked him, Ìs something troubling you?`

He looked into her face for some seconds before he said, `Maggie Ann is going to die, isn't she?`

She pulled herself up straight. `We're all going to die, Sean, at some time or other. But a young boy like you has no need to worry about it

yet.` 277

Ì'm not worrying about me dying, Mama, but about Maggie Ann dying.`

`She won't die for a long time.`

`What do you mean by a long time? A week? A month? A year?`

Ì don't know. That is a question only God can answer, because even the doctor didn't know. Now look here! Give me one side of that handle and you take the other and no arguing.`

So, lopsidedly, they carried the bucket between them and when they reached the other side of the hall and she went to turn up the passage towards the study, he stopped her by letting go of the handle and saying, `No; 'tis for the drawing-room.`

She was about to say, Your father likes a fire in the study. You know what happens if it isn't ablaze, but something in the boy's face checked her. And as if she were obeying someone older she picked up the handle of the bucket again and after motioning to him to do likewise, they carried it into the drawing-room, she thinking, He's a strange child, and closing her mind on the answer she might have given to the question: Why wouldn't he take it into the study?

5

During the week preceding Christmas the weather had offered a sample of everything it could provide: with rain, sleet, high winds, then rain again, the latter causing the most havoc because it came down steadily for three days and the roads became quagmires, with many impassable. But on the Sunday morning the sun dared to show its weak face for a time, and, from her bed, Maggie Ann moved her head to the side and looked towards the window, saying, `There now! Isn't that a sight for sore eyes?` She now looked from Moira to Daniel for an answer, and when neither of them spoke she demanded on a laugh, `Well, isn't it?`

Ìt'll take more than that weak ray to dry up the roads,` said Daniel. `The cows haven't been out in the yards for days now. And, you know, this morning Betsy asked me to teach her to swim out of that byre, for the mooing of the others is getting her down. She's ageing fast and so I suppose the chatter of the young ones gets on her nerves.`

Both Moira and Maggie Ann laughed; then Moira said, `Go on now and get your breakfast. You must be starving.` 279

After Daniel had left the room Maggie Ann, in a low mutter, said, `'Tisn't fair. Five in the mornin' till all hours at night; he should have help.` She didn't go on to say, as she had done many times before, that his father should be down there with him instead of snoring his drink off; and then coming down and demanding his breakfast at eight o'clock in the mornin' as if he were landed gentry.

But Moira knew what she was thinking and she said, `Don't you worry your head about him. He's as strong as a bull; what you've got to concern yourself with is following doctor's orders and taking these tablets.`

`What's the use, Moira? I ask you plainly, what's the use? Can you see any difference? I'm still a balloon.

Before, if I wasn't quite a painless balloon, I wasn't troubled in all me veins as if the devil was already in me and scooting boiling water through them. No; no more, Moira. You and me know what we know; and for the time that is left, let me be at ease and happy among you all.`

`For ... God's ... sake! Maggie

Ann, will you stop talking like that or you'll break me up?`

`Well, I'll just have to break you up, won't I? because as I've got to face it, so you've got to face it an' all.

And we've got to do some talkin', you an' me, about the future. Not that I'm sure where mine's goin' to be. God himself knows I've never done any harm to anybody except through me tongue, which runs away with me at times and shows which way me feelin's are blowin'. When we meet up I suppose He'll decide. But then there's you and the children: if you're spared the comin' one, that'll be eight on your heels; so, what are you goin' to do with yourself and them?`

Now leaning her hands on the edge of the bed, Moira brought her face down to Maggie Ann's, saying softly and firmly, Ì don't know what I'm going to do, my dear, only that, like you, I'll have to leave it in God's hands.`

`Yes. Yes, I suppose you're right. He'll be the one to deal with it. One thing I wish He could do for me, but I see little hope of it, and that's bury me in Ireland. I can't see meself restin' easy in English 281 soil, because as you know yourself, I've never taken to it. It hasn't the quality about it, and it doesn't give off the colour in the grass like it does over there. Now does it?`

Moira straightened her back, gave one long hopeless look down on the bloated face, then hurried from the room, along the passage and into the kitchen.

There she leant against the door, and Daniel, rising from the table, said, `What is it? She's worse?`

`No. No.` She shook her head, then rubbed her hand round her face, saying as she went towards the fire, Ìt's the way she talks. She talks about death as if she was going on a holiday ... well, on a sort of journey, as I suppose it is, but she's not a bit afraid of it. For me, all me life I've been scared of dying; but there she lies, not able to move much and aiming to keep everyone else cheerful.`

`Well, wouldn't you rather have her that way than being afraid of ... what she knows is to come?`

Ì suppose so, but she's just said she's sorry only for one thing, and that is she can't be buried across the water, because the ground is different there, or some such. Oh--` She took the kettle off the hob and filled up the brown teapot standing on the edge of the table, and then she muttered, Ì

don't know how I'm going to stand this, one life coming and one life going. And I've got to say it, I'd give the one I'm carrying and a dozen like it just to keep her here.`