Page 59 of The Missing Sister

‘Now then, this is what I call news.’ Daniel thumped the table. ‘Did he say when exactly these Auxiliaries were coming?’

‘No, but he said they’d be highly trained.’

‘I’m assuming ’twould be soon,’ said Fergus.

‘’Tis all we need,’ Hannah sighed.

‘Well done, Nuala. ’Tis obvious that you’ve won his trust if he’s telling you things like that,’ Eileen smiled at her.

‘Hannah, will you write a message and get it sent off around the place?’ said Daniel. ‘It needs to go up to Dublin too, though I’m sure Mick Collins will already have heard the news.’

‘He will, sure,’ Hannah said, a glow in her cheeks at the mention of her hero. ‘I’ll be writing now.’

‘Nuala, I’d say that decides it,’ said Daniel. ‘If Strickland and Sir Reginald are after discussing the British plans and Philip’s being told them by his daddy, you’d be helping us by staying on there.’

‘What’s this?’ Finn shot her a glance.

‘Forgive me, Finn, I’d no time to see you yesterday,’ said Nuala. ‘I was going to tell you tonight that I’ve been offered a permanent position as nurse to Philip up at the Big House.’

‘Have you now?’ Finn’s intelligent blue eyes appraised her.

‘The money’s good – eight shillings a week – and I’d reckon ’twould come in handy.’

‘Though ’twould mean that you’d be missing your tea being ready on the table when you come in from a hard day’s work,’ her mother said pointedly.

There was a pause as Finn digested the news. Nuala felt utterly terrible and wished she’d just have said the words to him as soon as she’d got home, rather than him sitting here now with all the family staring at him.

‘Sure,’ he said, turning to her mother, ‘’tis school holidays at the moment and I’ve been a bachelor a while, so I know my way around a spud. Besides, if Nuala is there to help the cause, who am I to complain? ’Twill be harder for her than me. You’re having to learn to become a great actress, darlin’.’ He gave her a smile.

‘We’re all learning that, Finn,’ Hannah put in.

‘I’d say Daddy and Finn are right,’ said Fergus. ‘You should take the job.’

The rest of the family nodded their agreement.

‘That’s that then, so. You have yourself a new job, daughter. Right. ’Tis time to leave these two alone to discuss wedding plans.’

As the family dispersed, Nuala rekindled the fire to warm up the pot, then served stew into two bowls, taking little for herself as she was still full from the gorgeous Victoria sponge cake Philip had insisted she try earlier. Even though it was named after a British queen and was therefore a traitorous thing to be eating, she’d savoured every mouthful. ‘Can you forgive me for not telling you the moment I came through the door tonight?’ she asked him.

‘I’d have preferred it if we’d been able to discuss it alone but—’

‘Finn, you must say if you’d rather I didn’t take the position. It doesn’t matter about Mammy and Daddy – ’tis you I’ll be answering to this time next week.’

‘And why would I be stopping you? As you say, Nuala, ’twill bring in some shillings to the household, and besides, it means your nursing training hasn’t been wasted. You’re doing what you were born to do.’

‘Not really, Finn; ’tis hardly like I’m saving lives on a battlefield.’

‘From the sound of these Auxiliaries, there might be plenty of that coming your way in the future. And isn’t it you that’s always said to me it’s not just about tending wounds, but tending souls? Seems like you’re doing that for Philip. Oh, and one more thing’ – Finn took her hand across the table – ‘let’s have none of this old-fashioned shite about answering to your husband. The only person you need to be answering to is yourself and your conscience. Within reason, of course,’ he smiled.

She gazed at him and thought how well he and Philip would get on if they were to meet. Her heart was fit to burst with love for him.

‘Thank you, though you must know I’d never do anything without discussing it with you first,’ she said.

‘Marriage is about being a team. We’re both equals in it, and we must respect each other. I learnt that from the women up at teacher training in Waterford. I’d say half the students were women and just as bright as the men. If not brighter,’ he grinned. ‘Now then, with that agreed, tell me how the plans are going for our wedding?’

Nuala woke up on the morning of her marriage to Finn feeling as if she hadn’t slept a wink. Every time she imagined taking her daddy’s arm and walking down the aisle in front of two hundred souls, she thought she might be sick all over the beautiful white gown Hannah and the other dressmakers had sewn for her at the shop in their spare time.

Sitting up, she saw the sun was not yet showing its face above the other side of the valley, which meant it was before five.