The House by the Liffey (35 page)

By now the tears were coursing down Mageen's face again.

‘You're making me feel so selfish. But I'm just desperate to be with him and look after him.'

‘You're not selfish, Mageen,' answered Jenny. ‘You're a woman who loves her husband and has just had a severe shock. You haven't really had time to think it all through.'

Mageen looked at them both for a few moments.

‘I know you're right. Jack wouldn't be happy at being given special privileges, not available to others.' She paused and then continued. ‘You told me he had said to the surgeon that he
would
walk again. Well, he
will
and I'm just as determined about that. I'll help him every step of the way. And something else! So will his children, so will the whole family, just as we did for Sarah, my other sister, when she nearly lost her leg in a terrorist explosion.'

Her two friends smiled at her.

‘That's the spirit, Mageen. I bet you'll do it too! But I must say your family has certainly had its share of difficulties to cope with over the years.'

‘Yes we have, Julian, but you know we all pull together and support each other to the hilt and that's a large part of the reason why we get through in the end – whatever may be thrown at us.'

* * * * *

It took some days for the hospital ship to reach Montevideo, the procedure following exactly the steps described to Mageen. Jack was under heavy sedation and slept for most of the journey to Brize Norton.

In the meantime the family at Riverside and Jack's parents in Scotland had been told the whole story. Mageen accepting their offer to come to her if or when needed, Milo and Noola had hastened across to be with her, hard on the heels of Jack's parents. They tactfully suggested that they should not go to the airport with Mageen and the MacLellans, feeling that Jack might be a bit overwhelmed if they all went to meet him. The others wouldn't hear of that.

‘I think that Jack would actually be quite disappointed if you weren't there. He'll know very well that you'll have come flying over to be with me when you heard the news.'

Jack's mother agreed.

‘Mageen's quite right, Noola. You're like second parents to our son and he'll be delighted to see you there.'

So they waited together for him to be disembarked. He was wheeled through to them and in spite of his pain and emotional distress he was determined that he would wear a cheerful smile. Mageen ran to greet him and at least he was able to put his arms around her. She wasn't to know that she was reliving a scene very similar to that experienced by her grandmother, sixty-four years earlier, when greeting her injured and disfigured fiancé arriving home from the trenches. Try as she might she couldn't stop the tears, even though she too smiled determinedly through them.

‘My darling Mageen! I'm in a bit of a mess…' He choked up and had the hardest time not weeping with her.

‘Jack, I love you so much. All that matters to me – to all of us – is that you're alive and you're home. Together we'll cope with the rest. And look who's here with me to meet you!'

Then he saw his parents, with Milo and Noola and the smile came back, broader than before.

‘Mum, Dad! And begorrah if it isn't the Butlers! What a welcome home!'

Given his ambitions, each year Ewan was encouraged to spend some weeks of the summer vac learning about stockbroking and earning some pocket money in the family firm in Dublin. When they had seen that Ewan had a natural talent for sound and clever investment, Milo, Harry and Tommy had discussed the idea of opening a branch office in Edinburgh run by Mageen and Ewan. This idea was received by all, including Jack, with enthusiasm and the wheels were set in motion for the office to open when Ewan graduated the following summer. Milo proposed that he would spend some time over there to help with the setting up of the business and this was greeted with even more enthusiasm.

‘Gosh, Grandpa, that would be so cool!'

‘Yes! It really would be – er – “cool”, Dad!' Mageen grinned at him. ‘Would you come too, Mum?'

‘Do you really think I'd let him go off to live somewhere exciting like that, even for a short time, without me? Not a chance.'

The plan was that Mageen would start looking, at her leisure, for suitable premises to buy, lease or rent. Milo and Noola would then spend some of the following spring and early summer putting everything in place and there would be an opening ceremony after Ewan's finals around June or July. With plenty of time to plan, there was no urgent rush.

What was being planned much more immediately was a huge combined seventieth birthday party for Milo, Noola, her brother Paddy and Milo's old school friend and war-time partner in the RAF, Joe Malloy. The four of them were getting the best kick out of the idea, all eager to repeat their joint celebration for their twenty-first birthdays, nearly fifty years earlier. This time, by mutual agreement, it would be close to Milo's birthday in June and, as on that previous occasion, would be held at Riverside.

The children and grandchildren of all four of them had been given plenty of advance warning and told that refusals or excuses would not be accepted. Without any other guests these alone would form quite a crowd but there were lots of other relatives they wanted to invite too, as well as special friends. It was going to be a big party with plans for a large marquee to be put on the lawn between the house and the river. Outside caterers would be employed so that all staff could join the guests. The MacLellans would not be able to come over for it but Jack, Mageen and their three children would be there. Harry and Cathy would also be present with their three children. Johnny, now sixteen, was an outstandingly talented sportsman, often pursuing these activities to the detriment of his studies. Orla was eleven and Hal was ten, both also children of promise in their different ways.

Sarah and Dai had two boys, Bill aged ten and David, eight, called for his father. David, in particular, was a great musician, strongly encouraged by the whole family, especially by Izzy, although both boys, true to their Welsh ancestry, had good singing voices. Izzy's daughter, Trisha, now eleven, was a fine pianist, like her mother. However, her absorbing interest was anything to do with medicine. Her favourite game, when she was little, was nurses and doctors and at six years old she had insisted that what she most wanted for Christmas was a toy stethoscope. No one doubted that she would eventually opt to join the medical profession. Uncle Paddy Flynn was thrilled to bits, feeling that this was definitely the Flynn blood coming out but Izzy, her parents and Maggie knew otherwise. Izzy often reflected how delighted Eddie would have been.

All these members of the family planned to be there. Milo was so pleased that, not only Tommy, Isabel and their four children would be present, but Isabel's parents, Chuck and Liz, would also be able to get over for it.

Sean Flynn, much the same age as Milo and Noola, had eventually reached the rank of Chief Superintendent and was also retired. He too was looking forward to the big celebration. He often met his ex-Garda colleagues for a pint after they came off duty and on one of these occasions he was told some news that really bothered him. Freddie Armstrong was out on parole. He had hoped against hope that Freddie would be kept in prison for the duration, but apparently he had never put a foot out of place and, it seemed, had become a reformed character. The word was he had become a very devout Catholic. Sean had snorted with derision at that idea. Crafty bugger, he said to himself, that's the one thing he
knows
would soften attitudes and gain sympathy with those in authority. He made an opportunity to have a chat with Milo about it.

‘It's something I feel you should know, Milo.'

‘Like you I'm not at all happy about it Sean, but what do you advise? We've a lot of children around at the moment. How on earth do we protect all of them all of the time? I'm at a bit of a loss as to how we should play it.'

‘Well, I don't want to worry you needlessly, but there's something else I feel I should tell you. While Tim Kelly was in there he and Freddie became great buddies, doubtless founded on feeding each other's grudge against the Butlers. Tim Kelly completed his sentence long ago but, now that Freddie has some freedom, I wonder what the two of them might be hatching – grievance is something that can grow, spreading like a malignant tumour until it eats up the soul. I'm convinced that Freddie wouldn't have any hesitation in breaking his parole if he thought he could get his revenge.'

‘Oh,
please
God – not
again
!'

‘They may use the opportunity of your party to do something, on the basis that you'll all be preoccupied with the celebrations. In my view that's going to be the vulnerable time. So, I've asked my old colleagues if they could provide some men to patrol the grounds for the day. You remember Noel, I'm sure! He's the one who was with us out at Powerscourt that day and knows the full story. He stepped into my shoes as Chief Superintendent and he's more than willing to help.'

‘Thank heavens for that. We'll keep this as low key as possible. There's no need to frighten the children but the adults should be warned.'

‘It's what I would have suggested. I may be worrying needlessly but…'

‘Yes, Sean, I feel exactly the same way. I wonder if we should cancel the party.'

‘I wouldn't do that if I were you. At least if they decide to do something then, the children will all be here together, with the adults and my men to protect them. It would be almost safer if they were to try something then and be caught red-handed. That'll end any danger for the children there and then.'

‘The devil of it is they both know the house and grounds so well: they know exactly where they can hide away undetected. But you're right, Sean! Let them come and do their worst and let's get it over with once and for all.'

‘I suggest you move all the firearms out of the gun room and lock them away somewhere. If you and Tommy could very discretely carry small arms, and I will too, then at least we'll have some cover.'

‘Jack and Bertie will be here. They're both crack shots and I'll ask them to arm themselves too.'

‘Great! I'll feel even safer with those two on the job. It'll be good to see them again. Haven't seen Bertie in years – not since Izzy was abducted.'

‘We're all delighted that he's able to join us. He's coming all the way from Israel.'

‘
Israel
?'

‘Yes, he's retired from the army now and is trying to settle into life there.'

‘Mossad?'

‘No idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if they felt his training and experiences could be useful.'