Page 50 of The Missing Sister

‘We jump.’ Hannah rolled her eyes. ‘Come the grand day when we win, we’ll be having that family out of there.’

‘Is the son for us or against us, Nuala?’ asked Christy.

‘How can you even ask that question?’ cried Hannah.

‘Let your sister answer,’ said Daniel.

‘I’d say that Philip is against any war at all and just wants it to stop,’ said Nuala.

‘Philip, is it now?’ Hannah’s eyes glinted at her sister.

‘Everyone calls him that, because being called “sir” reminds him of his time when he was a captain in the trenches,’ Nuala shot back. ‘I won’t be doing this if I’m getting this pile of shite out of your mouth.’

‘Nuala!’ Eileen slammed the table. ‘I’ll not hear that kind of language under my roof. And you, miss,’ she said, turning to Hannah, ‘will keep your comments to yourself. Now then, I’d better be getting started. Do we know how many men we’re expecting tonight?’ she asked Daniel.

‘Fifteen or twenty, and I’ve sent word to Timoleague to get some scouts to patrol up top whilst they’re all here. There’s a good few of them on the wanted list,’ said Daniel.

‘I’ve rounded up some local Cumann na mBan women to help with the cooking,’ added Hannah.

‘Make sure they hide their bicycles in the barn behind the hay bales,’ Christy reminded her.

‘Of course.’ Hannah stood up. ‘I’ll be seeing ye.’

When Hannah had gone, Nuala helped her mother clear the bowls away, leaving them to soak in one of the water barrels outside.

‘I’ll be in the far field if you need me,’ Daniel said as he strode out of the front door.

‘Daddy?’ Nuala caught up with him. ‘Will Finn be here tonight?’

‘I couldn’t say; what with Tom and Pat taken, they’re all on extra alert,’ Daniel said and strode off with a wave of one of his large, brawny hands.

Hannah was as good as her word, and by the time she and Nuala left, two women from Cumann na mBan were already in the kitchen helping Mammy with the cooking for that night.

Nuala’s heart thumped as she cycled towards Argideen House – not only at returning to it, but at the thought of the men from the Third West Cork Brigade, which included her beloved Finn, making their way in secret to convene at Cross Farm’s old barn.

‘Wherever you are, darlin’, I pray you’re safe,’ she whispered under her breath.

‘Well, hello there, Nuala,’ said Lucy as she walked into the kitchen. ‘I’m hearing you were a great hit with the young master.’

‘Was I?’

‘Oh yes, Mrs Houghton told me he’d said that you had far better nursing skills than the last girl.’

‘I wasn’t doing any nursing,’ Nuala frowned. ‘He’d a way of doing most things for himself. All I did was give him a quick wash before bed, then pop him under the covers and feed him his pills.’

‘Well, you got something right. Mrs Houghton’s out at the moment so ’twill be Maureen taking you to him.’

Maureen duly arrived and escorted Nuala upstairs without saying a word. She stopped just outside Philip’s door.

‘I’d be grateful if you would ring down for the young master’s tea at four prompt. The sandwiches grow stale if they’re left for too long, and I’ve other things to be getting on with.’

With that, she opened the door to let Nuala in.

Philip was sitting by the window in the same place she’d first seen him yesterday. Remnants of his lunch were on a tray on the table facing the damask sofa.

‘I’ll take these out for you now, if you’re finished,’ said Maureen.

‘Thank you.’