With Love From Ma Maguire (44 page)

When they arrived back at the house, Molly and Joey found almost total disorder. The two younger children spilled out at the front door, yelling and pulling at their mother’s coat. ‘Wait till you see, Mam! Just you wait!’

‘Wait for what? What the blinking heck’s going on, Michael?’

Bella Seddon stepped on to the pavement, arms folded, lips clamped together beneath the blackest of frowns. ‘There’s been a fair din from your house just lately, Mrs Maguire,’ she pronounced. ‘Happen I’ll have to have a word in the rentman’s ear – old Leatherbarrow doesn’t like rumbustious tenants in his houses.’

Molly pushed her children away. ‘Hang on a minute while I get this sorted,’ she muttered before turning to face the offending neighbour. ‘Have you nowt better to do, Bella Seddon? Nothing in the pot, no fish to fry?’

The woman’s mouth fell open. She wasn’t used to a lot of backchat from Molly Maguire, though lately there’d been a thing or two said out of place . . . ‘How do you mean?’ she asked eventually, her back straightening with self-righteousness. After all, them bloody Maguires needed fetching a peg or two down.

‘What I mean is, Bella Seddon, how come you’re always watching me and mine when you should be keeping an eye to your own business by rights? Have you nowt at all to be getting on with, no lodgers to cater for?’

Bella Seddon blushed a deep and rather unbecoming purple. God, would she never live that down? Just a couple of paying guests for a week or two twenty years back? ‘There’s things going on in your house,’ she said loudly. ‘Like living next door to bloody bedlam, it is, what with your old feller singing his head off half the time and them kids out of hand all day long. I don’t see as how I should have to put up with it! Now. I’ve said me piece and I’ll say no more.’

A head appeared at the open upstairs window of the Maguire house. ‘That you won’t, ye old besom! And move out, why don’t you? Get off on a midnight flit over to the grand end of town with the toffs, see will they put up with you! Whatever – leave us in blessed peace, woman!’

Everyone stared skyward as if fascinated by some unprecedented phenomenon. Molly stepped back and shielded her eyes. So this was the cause of the two youngsters’ excitement. ‘What are you doing with that bucket?’ she shouted.

Ma put her head on one side. ‘Breeding goldfish,’ she snapped.

‘You shouldn’t be cleaning windows!’

Ma muttered something inaudible, then fixed her eyes on poor Bella who slowly backed away, a fist clenched over her heart. Dear God – she was up! The woman’s magenta hue faded slowly to a sickly white. Now there’d be hell to pay, right enough. Why, when Ma Maguire got her paddy up, there was no doing anything to mend it. It had been said, over the years, that dogs stopped barking, birds stopped singing – even the bloody fleas gave over biting once Ma kicked off.

With her bucket balanced on the window ledge, Ma leaned out, her eyes skimming the street methodically – no doubt looking for evidence of bad housekeeping – and Bella shot a quick glance over her own day-old donkey-stoning. She was back! No more slacking, no more gossip – not with her coming home from the mill every night to look for dirty curtains or neglected flags, nosey old cow!

‘Things have not improved,’ said the voice from on high.

‘’Tis as well I am out of me bed at last.’

‘You’re . . . better then?’ Bella managed with some difficulty.

‘I am mending, Bella Seddon. And I suggest you do the same, for I have not seen a step so bad since the Zeppelin came over and left us a bomb or two. I think herself the other side of you could do with a wipe at the same time – is she ready for confinement? In which case, Missus, you should better go and see does the poor girl need a hand. Howandever we have not the time to spend here talking over the what’s-to-be-dones and the wheres and whyfores with the likes of you.’ She turned her attention to the children. ‘We shall go this minute and thank the Lord that your Granny is spared and has not left you to the sort who takes in lodgers ten to the bed and never a mind for the neighbours.’ She slammed the window and began to polish its inner surface furiously while the rest of the Maguires ran indoors, leaving Bella Seddon with her face almost down to her chest.

She looked furtively along the street to assess how many had heard the heated exchange, but all the doors remained closed. The old troublemaker! Ten to a bed? Never more than two and then it was just to help the war effort, giving them as made uniforms and bullets somewhere to put their heads at night. Aye, that one needed no bullets, did she? Mouth on her like one of them automatic machine-guns, she had. Oh yes, the stroke had slowed her down a bit, but she could still rattle off nineteen to the dozen, that nice soft Irish voice – like a velvet cover over barbed flaming wire, it was! They could have done with her during the war. She’d have broken through the lines for them – there’d have been no need to get them there tanks invented, because any sensible German would have run up a mountain to get away from that!

Oh well, nowt else for it, she thought as she went in for bucket, scrubber and stone. Best get on with it before she got reported.

Inside the Maguire house, joy reigned supreme. Molly, overcome completely after her outing to the hospital, sat howling her eyes out at the kitchen table. Daisy performed an impromptu clog-dance in the scullery doorway while Janet poured a glass of parsnip wine for Ma who glared across the table at her daughter-in-law. ‘Would you ever take a look at that now, Janet? If that’s a picture of happiness, sure I’d settle for a pig-killing every time.’ She glanced over her shoulder at Joey and Michael. ‘And behind me I’ve a pair of apes grinning like they’ve found out which dock the banana boat comes into. Pull yourself together, Molly Maguire, or I’m away just now to have another stroke and a bit of quiet!’

Molly looked up. ‘Oh Ma. You don’t change, do you?’

‘Would you rather I should? Will I go out and come in again as the organ-grinder’s monkey and cheer you up? Where’s me other animal?’

Yorick pushed his large head on to Ma’s lap and she fondled the soft yellow ears. ‘The dog has you all beaten for sense,’ she declared. ‘He takes me as I am, doesn’t mind whether me legs are back to front or dropped off altogether. Daisy, would you stop that clogging? You’re wearing out the floor and me head’s bursting with the noise of it.’

‘You talk a bit slower, Gran.’ Janet refilled the ample glass.

‘Ah well, there’s a reason for all that now. In the first place, I had a clot in me head the size of a tennis ball and in the second place, where’s me snuff? I have not had a good clear-out of the nasal passages in all this long while.’ Janet dashed off to find the box as Ma continued, ‘During which long while not everybody came to see me regularly. Those who did will be remembered. Those who did not will also be remembered, but on a separate list altogether.’

‘Oh Ma . . . Ma . . .’ Molly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ‘I’ve missed you!’

‘I can see I’ve been missed, for isn’t the place in a sorry state and me just off the critical list? Where’s the Zebo for heaven’s sakes? When did that grate last see a bit of spit? And me brasses have a bloom on them like the flowers in June. Ah now, ’tis a good girl you are, Janet Maguire.’ She took the tiny box and emptied a liberal portion of yellow-brown powder on to the back of a clenched fist. ‘See? Both hands!’ she proclaimed before inhaling deeply. The pepper-like substance caused several sharp sneezes followed by a long sigh of relief. ‘There now, isn’t that better? I can walk, talk and breathe at last, so we must get on with things. Joey – away and do the grate. Janet can clean me brasses while you two little ones might help your mammy by scraping some praties. Molly – you and I have matters to discuss.’

Ma rose and walked towards the best room, the damaged leg trailing slightly as she moved. Molly turned towards her children, shrugged in a gesture of helpless submission, then followed her mother-in-law into what had become her bedroom.

They sat in twin straight chairs by the window.

‘Well now, Molly. And how was Sarah Leason?’

‘Causing bother.’ She wiped her eyes. ‘Won’t stop in bed, has the poor ward sister up the pole and the rest of the patients on strike over their food. There’s talk of force-feeding and Sarah’s got everybody to sign a petition or summat.’

‘Good. Sounds like she’s on the mend.’

‘Joey came. Did you send him?’

Ma studied her wedding ring. ‘Joey does what he wants to do.’

‘Happen he’ll get over his bad ways, Ma.’

‘Indeed. Give the money back after she’s home from the infirmary.’

‘I will.’ Molly dropped her voice to a whisper. ‘I reckon Joey knows where it is, though.’

‘He’ll not touch it.’

‘No, I suppose you’re right. So, you’re up for good, eh? I’d never have thought it, even last week. It’s like a miracle.’

‘Nonsense! It was time to get better, so I got better. These things cannot be hastened or slowed. But I have a reason to be about my business again, so I suppose I have tried extra hard just lately.’ She paused for a second or two. ‘The box under me bed,’ she continued slowly. ‘There’s a deal of disorder in it and I shall need things setting to rights by a lawyer. It seems that not all the Gallaghers were poor tenants. Some feller over to Sligo left me a piece of money and I’m taking a shop or two with it. Himself – the uncle – has willed everything to my first grandchild and as I seem to have a pair, then it must be split evenly between them.’

Molly’s jaw dropped. ‘Shops? For Janet and Joey?’

‘That’s the size of it. I thought a couple of shops would give them a start in life, but they’ll need help in setting up the trade. There’s money for stock too—’

‘Well!’ Molly’s face was a perfect illustration of the term ‘gobsmacked’. ‘How long have you known about this?’

Ma considered her next untruth. ‘A fair while. Only I said nothing because I didn’t want Joey getting out of his boots and him still in clogs too. Can you imagine the face on Bella Seddon when she finds out we are people of substance? And Joey would never have kept this to himself. Neither would you, Molly.’

‘That’s true enough.’ Molly pondered. So that was why Ma had had the twins trained for book-keeping and the like! Aye, Molly would never have sat long on a piece of information this size – she’d have been bursting to tell somebody! Shops in town? By, they were about to come up in the world.

‘And that son of mine – may God forgive me for saying so – would have tried to take the lot to spend on a desperate pile of foolishness. How is he, by the way?’

‘Daft as ever. He’s supposed to be droving tomorrow, only he’s taken a fancy for a night on the town, him and a few cronies. Fever’s been up and down, but he’s drinking that much – well, he makes himself ill. I noticed today he’s a bit yellow again.’

Ma sighed and dropped her grey head. ‘His liver is pickled, sure enough. After he’s gone, they’ll put him straight in a jar and he’ll keep as he stands, for there’s more whiskey than blood in his veins. He has been a sore disappointment to me, Molly, as was his father before him.’

Molly fixed her gaze on the box, a corner of which peeped out from beneath Ma’s bed. ‘Do you want me to take the papers down to a solicitor then?’

‘No. I’ve me own arrangements. What we’ll have to do soon is talk to the twins, see what do they want to sell. Joey will no doubt go into something mechanical, though I don’t know what Janet would like. Of course, I’ve a few ideas in me head, but the young ones will have their own thoughts on the matter.’

Molly’s eyes remained fastened on the box. ‘What are your ideas?’ she asked absently.

‘Well, before I came to England, I had the privilege of seeing some real shops, Irish shops, proper emporiums with souls, they were. Not so much shops as meeting places for many a social gathering. I remember me Uncle Porrick taking me down along to some little town and showing me these fine businesses. They’d a feel to them, do you see? Like the one called Duggan’s Stores. Now, there was a proper shop! Three doors it had, three separate establishments under the one roof. You could buy your groceries, go through and get a penny dinner, then on into the last shop to order your granny’s coffin. Wonderful, it was. A grocer’s, an eating place and a funeral parlour all in the one house. Mr Duggan was the owner of no less than three hats. He’d a yellow straw for the grocery, a flat white cap for the sit-down-to-eat and a tall black topper for the funerals.’

At last Ma had Molly’s full attention. ‘What?’ cried the latter. ‘You’re not suggesting that our twins turn to undertaking?’

‘Indeed I am not. What I’m saying is there’s no need for just the one thing to be sold. I found that out when I worked with Freddie – they come for one item and buy another because it’s on show. And why have one place for tripe and another altogether for bacon? Why walk a mile when you can cater for many needs in the one shop?’

Molly shifted uncomfortably in her chair. ‘There’s other problems, Ma.’

‘I know. They’re not talking to one another. And while Joey’s no angel, that Janet of yours is as stubborn as a donkey in an orchard of windfalls. She’ll not work alongside of him until she’s ready and a bit of sense in her head. Ah now, take the look off your face, Molly Maguire! Weren’t you a determined little madam in your time? Don’t be travelling through life thinking Janet is perfect, for did not the good Lord put a flaw in every flower? I believe Janet will go for the mill in spite of this legacy. Another thing – she needs to escape Joey for a while, find her own bearings. A spell in the sheds will do no harm and whatever Joey makes of the shops, half will always belong to his twin.’

‘But – hey, hang on a minute? What about Michael and Daisy? Won’t they have a say in time?’

‘Now Molly, I cannot be responsible for the terms of a will, can I? Sure, I never even met the man! It states that the money is for my first grandchild, so I invested it in the two shops I mentioned. No doubt the twins will take care of their own kin.’

Molly studied her mother-in-law closely. Something about this didn’t ring quite true, but she weighed her words before tackling Ma. Even when she was in the best of moods, this matriarch was a force to be reckoned with. ‘Ma?’