The House by the Liffey (17 page)

Two years later Mageen and Jack were married. She'd taken some persuading and at times they'd almost quarrelled about it, because she kept procrastinating. But Jack, with remarkable forbearance, simply refused to give up. He was quite determined that he was eventually going to marry her and he didn't care how long it took or how much persuasion. After their engagement, her visit to his home in Scotland was something of an eye-opener for her. His parents were delighted that, at last, he had found a girl he wanted to settle down with but also one who was so eminently suitable in every possible way. They hoped that Jack's older brother, Alasdair, would soon find someone equally suitable, but so far he didn't seem to be at all interested in girls, although delighted with his brother's choice. He liked Mageen a lot.

Jack's father, Ewan MacLellan, was the Clan Chieftain and was like an older edition of Alasdair. Jack was more like his mother, an elegant woman with the same laughing blue eyes and sandy hair. What tickled Mageen no end was that all three MacLellan men were very competent at playing the bagpipes.

‘Can we have pipers at our wedding, Jack?'

‘My darling Mageen, we can have whatever you want at our wedding.'

‘It would be marvellous to have you playing the pipes down beside the river, in your kilt. Will you do that for me someday?'

‘Of course.'

She fell in love with the Highlands and, indeed, with Jack's family, who couldn't have made her feel more welcome. She loved their home too. It was something of a formidable Scottish stately home, but nevertheless warm and comfortable throughout. This was thanks largely to the introduction of electric night storage heaters, well camouflaged and designed to ensure they didn't harm the fabric of the lovely old building.

‘We never could persuade Jock to bring home any of his girl-friends, Mageen. He always had some excuse. But now we couldn't be happier to welcome you into our family.'

‘Thank you, Mrs MacLellan. You've made me feel so much at home here.'

By now Mageen was fully in the picture as to what Jack's job involved, and while she wasn't too happy about the risk factor in some aspects of this, she accepted that this was what he loved doing. After all, it was how they had met in the first place, so how could she object? Marrying him would also mean leaving Ireland and living on or near a military base with him wherever that might be. Well that was part of the deal in any marriage she argued to herself and while she would be sad to leave Riverside, from what she could understand, mostly they would be based in the UK, and that wasn't so far away.

On the eve of their marriage, true to his word, Jack played his pipes for her. He had plotted with the rest of the family to have the pre-wedding drinks party down by the side of the river and the weather didn't let them down. While Mageen's attention was deliberately distracted by the bridesmaids, he had slipped away, put on his kilt and then walked across the lawn, towards the river, playing his pipes. The haunting sound drifted across on the still air as Jack gradually appeared out of the gathering evening mist, making him look as if he was floating. Everybody there fell silent, almost transfixed, and all would long remember that magical experience on the banks of the Liffey. Mageen, in particular, carried it with her for the rest of her life.

The wedding was a splendid family gathering, with relatives from all sides, some who hadn't seen each other for many years. To those not in the know, Mageen and Jack had met in Cyprus: a holiday romance, which was not altogether untrue. Mageen made an incredibly beautiful bride, positively glowing with happiness. Milo, walking her down the aisle on his arm, had a great big lump in his throat, while Noola and Maggie surreptitiously wiped their eyes. Sarah, Izzy, Orla Flynn and a college friend of Mageen's were bridesmaids.

To Izzy's bitter disappointment Bertie hadn't been able to make it, so Alasdair had stepped in to be Jack's best man. Everybody was surprised and highly delighted when Jack, Alasdair and their father, in kilts, played the bagpipes at an agreed point during the reception, in a huge marquee on the lawn of Riverside House. But the biggest surprise of all was that Sean Flynn's son Oisin, unknown to most, had learnt to play the Irish bagpipes and by pre-arrangement joined the three Scotsmen, wearing the wonderful saffron Irish kilt. It was yet another experience to remember. Mageen's wish had been more than fulfilled.

Sean was thrilled to bits at the turn of events and, when he got a chance, had a discreet word with Jack.

‘Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine some day you'd become a member of the family. I couldn't be more pleased. I'd still give you a job any time, at the drop of a hat.'

‘And I'd be thrilled to work with you again, Sean, but I'm afraid it's not likely to happen.'

‘No, I know, but I'd love to hear about a few of your other exploits sometime.'

‘Well we've decided that we'd like to go to Connemara for our honeymoon; I've never been there and Mageen thinks I'd love it. We'll be back here for a couple of days before we go across to where I'm based. Perhaps Noola and Milo could be persuaded to host a dinner at Riverside for the group of those “in the know” and we could have a good chat then.'

‘Just the job. Look forward to that.'

* * * * *

After the young couple had gone and the celebrations had finished, Tommy, on leave from the RAF station in the east of England where he was now based, asked Milo if they could have a few quiet words together before he and Isabel went back. The library was the unspoken agreed meeting place. They settled down comfortably and chatted about the wedding for a short while before Tommy, quite anxious about Milo's reaction, very hesitantly got around to what he wanted to say.

‘Lo, you know Isabel and I agreed that we wouldn't have any children?'

‘Yes, Tommy. Have you changed your minds?'

‘Oh no. Not at all. But I've been having thoughts about another possible way round this.'

‘Yes?'

‘It would mean you agreeing to something… something a bit – well, different.'

Milo was at a complete loss as to what he might be trying to get at.

‘It's very hard on Isabel not having children of her own. So I was thinking…'

‘What are you trying to say, Tommy?'

It came out in a rush.

‘Well, you're my brother and if she had your child it would be almost like having mine and I do know there's no health problem of any kind in the Butler family.'

Milo stared at him in astonishment.

‘
What?
What on earth are you
saying
to me? You
can't
be suggesting that I get into bed with your wife.
For God's sake, Tommy
. Have you gone stark raving mad? What about Isabel's feelings on this, not to mention Noola's? I can't believe what you're asking me.'

Tommy burst out laughing.

‘Oh, for goodness' sake, Lo. No! Of course I wouldn't make such an outrageous request.'

‘Well then, what
are
you suggesting?'

‘It seems some women have children by use of sperm donation. I'd be willing for us to have a child using this method but not by some anonymous donor that I knew nothing about. I'm told that great care is taken over the choice of donors but what guarantee would there be that there isn't some genetic problem nobody knows about? It could be out of the frying pan into the fire. What I hoped was that you might be willing to be a donor for Isabel and me. Actually I suppose it's really for me!'

Dead silence. Milo gazed at him, completely speechless. Tommy didn't rush him, determined to give him plenty of time to get used to the idea.

‘Let's have a drink, Lo.'

‘Make mine a
very
large brandy while I think this through
very, very
carefully.'

Milo was really shaken. He got up and walked around the room, taking generous swallows of his drink. It was the most bizarre request that he'd ever had in his whole life and he simply didn't know how to respond. For quite a considerable time he paced about trying to decide what he should do. He prayed silently for some guidance. Suddenly he wondered what his father's response would have been if
his
brother had asked him to do something equally difficult. How I wish I could talk it over with Dad, he thought. Then the answer came to him, he didn't quite know where from. I'll bet Dad would have agreed to help his brother out, even if it was something as strange as this. He went back to his chair and sat down again.

‘Have you talked this through with Isabel?'

‘Not yet. I didn't want to raise her hopes in case you didn't agree.'

‘Because you're my brother and for that reason only, I think I might go along with this. But first I must talk it through with Noola. You'd expect me to insist on that!'

‘Goes without saying. And if you both agree then I would have to talk it through with Isabel. She might refuse, but somehow I don't think she will. I've a strong feeling she would agree but only because it's being kept in the family.'

‘You must love her an awful lot to be willing to do this for her, Tommy.'

‘I'd make any sacrifice for her!'

Milo suddenly grinned delightedly at him.

‘Can't you just hear Maggie! “Jesus, Mary and Joseph. What an outrageous idea. Are you fellas out of your minds?”. But she's such a supremely
human
human being in the end I feel certain she would understand and wish us luck.'

‘I'll be in your debt for ever, Lo, even more than I am already. You've been as much a father as a brother to me and those are debts I can never repay.'

‘Tommy, let's allow ourselves to get a little bit sentimental here. I love you as much as I love my own children, but I'm so tickled that you're my brother too. Cheers!'

They both took large swallows of their brandy. No more words were necessary.

Milo and Noola talked it through at length and in depth. Then they talked it through again with Tommy. In the end, Noola said she thought it would be worth a try, deeply sympathetic to the young woman who, because she loved Tommy so much, had been willing to forego having children. But all three agreed that it must never be told outside themselves and Isabel, although she would want to talk to her parents about it and . . . perhaps they might include Maggie in the secret too.

They did tell her and waited with interest for her reaction. She thought about it for a while and it wasn't what they had expected.

‘That's a very remarkable thing to agree to do, Milo. God bless you. It can't have been an easy decision.'

Later when he had a chance to talk to her on his own he brought the matter up again.

‘Actually, Maggie, I personally had another motive for telling you the story. I tried so hard to imagine what Dad would have done in the circumstances: if he had been asked to do something so strange for his brother. Quite suddenly I felt he would have said yes. You knew him so well. Do you think he would have done it?'

To his surprise her eyes filled with tears. She blew her nose hard and swallowed.

‘Milo, darlin', I've no doubt whatsoever that he would have agreed.'

It really is extraordinary the way history repeats itself, she thought. She wished she could tell him the story about his father and uncle but didn't feel she could betray the man she had loved so much.

* * * * *

It took some time for Isabel to take on board all the implications and discuss it with her parents before making her decision. Chuck and Liz were as taken aback as Milo, but, after lots of thought and talking it around and around, they told Isabel and Tommy that they weren't against it but emphasised that it had to be their decision, and theirs only. Privately they were tickled at the idea. First of all it would mean Isabel would have a longed-for child. Like Tommy they hadn't missed the hunger in their daughter's eyes when she looked at others with babies and young children. And the huge bonus would be that Milo would be the father, another Butler and not some anonymous man: someone whose family and background they knew so well and someone they admired greatly.

* * * * *

It was unconventional but in the end it worked. Milo and Noola went across to England rather than try to achieve this unusual goal in Dublin's small community, where, however careful they might be, such a story could easily leak out with no intended malice aforethought. But even across the water the unusual proposal didn't go through without some obstacles being placed in the way. They thought they might have to go further afield, where the rules were less stringent. However, in the end, and after spending an almost obscene amount of money to get what they wanted, it all happened. Fortunately it was highly successful and they didn't have to go through it all a second time. To the relief of everyone Isabel became pregnant at once, with one fertilised egg surviving. No woman could have been happier.

‘Darling Tommy, thank you for being willing to do this for me. Because you've made it possible, I feel that it has created an even closer bond between us and strengthened my love for you. I feel so very happy.'

‘And as we've said so often, Isabel, it's all in the family!'

Nine months later, almost on the dot, Isabel went into labour late in the evening. As soon as he had seen her comfortably settled in the maternity unit of a local hospital and was assured she was absolutely fine, an ecstatic Tommy phoned Riverside. Noola answered and when she heard the news called to Milo. She looked at him and grinned, handing him the phone.

‘Someone has exciting news for you.'

‘Lo, it's starting, and so far everything's fine.'

Tommy couldn't disguise his excitement.

‘Wonderful. Any idea how long it will take?'

‘Well, from what I hear nobody can ever tell that. But she's in the early stages. I must go back to her but I'll keep you in the picture.'