Page 80 of The Missing Sister

As she sat cross-legged by the fire, with Mammy and Daddy on either side of her, she listened to Hannah’s reading. And it calmed her.

Oh, dear Lord, and Holy Mother Mary, keep my Finn and Fergus safe tonight, and let all us Irish have ourownPromised Land delivered back to us...

The family were just in the process of turning out the oil lamps when Seamus O’Hanlon, their neighbour and one of the scouts, burst through the back door. The whole family froze where they were.

‘Our lads have gone and done it! Come up to the top of the hill and see for yourself!’

The family followed him out through the back door and up the steep wooded hill to the top. And there, across the valley and down the hill again towards Timoleague, they saw great yellow flames jumping into the night sky.

The family crossed themselves, then sat down in a huddle on the soaking grass.

Nuala imagined she could smell the smoke hanging in the cold night air.

‘I’m just hoping the fire doesn’t spread,’ muttered Hannah to Nuala.

‘Ryan’s not in his lodgings, is he?’ Nuala whispered back. ‘Did you not warn him?’

‘How could I? Then he’d be knowing thatIknew.’

‘Sure, he’ll be fine, Hannah, he lives a way away from the targets. I’m just praying my Finn and our Fergus come home safely tonight.’

‘That’ll show the British we mean business and no mistake!’ Daniel punched his fist in the air.

‘Shh, Daniel!’ hushed his wife. ‘You never know who’s lurking close by.’

‘Tonight it’s just us, woman, and I’ll be as joyful as I wish on my own land.’

As they walked back down towards the farmhouse, Eileen caught up with her girls. ‘I’ve told your father there’s to be no more using us as an ammunition dump for a while. There’ll be reprisals for this, make no mistake.’

‘And we’ll all be ready for them, Mammy,’ Nuala said firmly, while Hannah said nothing and just walked off down the hill alone.

To her relief, both Finn and Fergus returned safely in the early hours, but the next morning, the main street in Clogagh was silent, everyone hiding away indoors, both from fear of reprisals and the stench of burnt timber that still hung in the air.

‘Hello, Lucy,’ she said as she let herself into the kitchen of Argideen House.

Lucy looked up from the floor that she was scrubbing. ‘Hello, Nuala. Don’t go and change – Lady Fitzgerald is wanting to see you first.’

‘Really? What about?’

‘I’ve no idea. Mrs Houghton will come and take you through to her parlour.’ Nuala sat down abruptly on the nearest stool.

Lucy wasn’t in the mood for talking and silence reigned as she waited for Mrs Houghton to come and fetch her.

‘Follow me, Nuala.’

Crossing the hall, Mrs Houghton knocked on the door of Lady Fitzgerald’s parlour room.

‘Come,’ said a voice from within.

Lady Fitzgerald was standing looking out of the window onto her garden, her back straight in a dark green gown.

As she turned, Nuala could see that her lovely features were held as stiffly as her body.

‘Sit down, Nuala,’ Lady Fitzgerald gestured, and she did so.

‘Now then,’ she began, ‘I wish to tell you about a call my husband received from Major Percival this morning, concerning the grave events of last night.’

‘Oh,’ Nuala said, summoning every ounce of acting skill she possessed to hold her features steady. ‘You mean the fires? Sure, ’twas terrible to see.’