Preview One
Chapter One
They trudged through the dusty road, a small procession of females, the elder pushing a small wheelbarrow in which was perched a trunk. The trunk was ancient with rusty hinges, but beneath its battered lid laid their most treasured possessions including the Brennan family Bible where generations of marriages, births, and deaths were recorded by the local parish priests, some of the few literate men in the small Donegal village they’d so recently departed from.
A sudden shower soaked the lot of them and turned the road to mud. Catherine, the eldest, joined her mother in trying to free the wheelbarrow from where it had sunk up to its axles in the muck. “It’s no use,” her mother muttered in despair. “We best carry what we can and leave the rest.”
“No, Mother,” the youngster howled in protest. It was unthinkable to her that they should arrive in America with just the clothes on their backs. A haughty pride filled her voice, making her sound much older than her ten years. “Surely someone will come along soon. Truly they will.” She took hold of her wee sisters’ hands and refused to budge.
“Cat, you’ll be the death of me,” her weary mother said. She rocked harder against the wheelbarrow, managing to free one wheel temporarily. Just as quickly it sank back into the ooze.
Cat’s premonition soon came true as a carriage came into sight. It was a fine vehicle, pulled by matching bay mares. But instead of stopping to help, the carriage swept past splattering the four of them with mud from head to toe. Two children peaked from the carriage. The eldest, a boy, grinned mischievously, but the girl looked sad, perhaps touched by their predicament.
“To hell with them!” her mother cursed. Her anger seemed to fill her with a firm resolve as she attacked the wheelbarrow with a new vengeance, so much so, in fact, that one wheel lurched off, even as the rest of the cart tipped precariously before being wheeled to more firm ground.
“Now what?” Cat asked as she retrieved the lone wheel, balancing it against the cart.
“We go on,” her mother said, “being careful not to tip it over.”
Three-year-old Mary Rose started crying, perhaps realizing she’d be walking the rest of the way. “I’ll carry you piggyback,” Cat promised. “Margy, help Ma steady the cart,” she ordered the seven year old girl.
There had been boys once -- Mike, Brendan, and wee Joseph. She silently wished even one of them had lived to make this trip. A strong male presence would have been welcomed just now, which would have ruled out wee Joseph, of course.
A stray tear made its way down her face even as she bent down to pick up Mary Rose. How cruel this land of Ireland was. If the famine hadn’t been bad enough, or the constant presence of the red coated English soldiers, now her father was gone as well, transported to Van Damien’s Land for stealing a milk goat, a pitiful and foolhardy attempt to keep his only remaining son alive. Joseph had died anyway, but now her da was thousands of miles away serving a twenty-year sentence.
“Where’s the ship?” Mary Rose whispered in her ear.
“We’ve a long ways to go yet,” she reassured her sister as she trudged along. The muddy skirt weighed her down, but she didn’t complain. The others were equally as miserable, but what good would it do to complain?
Just before sunset two young men leading a half starved horse came up behind them. Their lighthearted banter carried in the wind, causing her to stop and turn at the sound.
“Keep your eyes to the front, Catherine!” her mother scolded. “Heaven knows what those rascals might be up to.”
“Might they just be on their way to Derry same as us?” Cat asked.
"Could be,” her mother admitted, “but I won’t rest easy until they’re on their way.”
As the voices grew even closer, it was all she could do not to turn around and stare. A stranger, much less two, was such an unusual occurrence to her. Soon, she reminded herself, everyone would be a stranger until they arrived in Philadelphia to meet up with her mother’s Auntie Reed, and her husband, who’d sent money for their passage.
Mary Rose had been lulled asleep, but she woke with a start at the sound of the voices. “I need to go!” she howled. Before Cat could even swing her down, she felt the warm trickle of fluid run down her back. Cat swore under her breath as the little girl scampered down, lifted her dress, and squatted by the side of the road, unmindful of the strangers just a few yards behind.
Cat turned towards them, curious to have a closer look, but with the added motivation of wanting to hide her urine stained dress from sight. To her surprise the stray wheel from their cart was strapped to the horse’s back, along with several odd shaped parcels.
The two young men looked to be brothers, for they were similar in build, and both had lanky dark hair, shaggy and unkempt. The smaller one had sparkling blue eyes and, despite his young age, tiny laugh lines were already permanently etched in his face. The older one, the handsomer of the two, had a dark brooding intensity about him. She marveled at the difference, but her thoughts were interrupted by Mary Rose running back and clutching onto her hand.
The younger lad stopped the horse and began unfastening the wheel. “This wouldn’t belong to youse folks would it?” he called out.
“Indeed it does,” her mother said, as she lowered the cart to the ground. Her mother automatically reached up to smooth her unruly hair, patting it down where it spouted out from under her shawl.
“Seamus, help these damsels out of their distress,” the boy said.
The one called Seamus took the wheel and soon was kneeling by the cart, hammering it back on with a large rock he’d borrowed from a nearby fence. He turned and looked up at their mother. “It might hold awhile longer, ma’am.” He drew himself upright, towering over their mother. “Have you far to travel?”
“To Derry is all,” she said.
“Same as us,” Seamus said. “It will be dark soon. You’re welcome to abide near us this night, being females on the road alone.”
“I’m not sure that would be proper,” her mother said, “ though I’m thankful for your help.”
“If you’re bound for America same as us, soon we’ll be crammed in a ship’s hold with little hope of modesty or propriety,” Seamus said. He shrugged his shoulders and rejoined his brother at the nag’s side. The younger one tipped his hat as they passed and gave Cat a smile. She looked past him at Seamus’s broad back retreating in the distance as he led the horse.
When they were out of sight, her mother let out a sigh. “It’s for the best, truly it is,” she said aloud to no one in particular.
“What harm,” Cat started to say, but fell silent. What harm indeed? She’d seen the look on her mother’s face as she feasted her eyes on Seamus. Cat bristled at the thought of the young man showing interest in her mother. To Cat, anyway, he seemed too noble and pure for such thoughts, a knight perhaps, despite his shabby clothes and pitifully thin horse. His unnamed brother became a page in her imagination, the two of them on a quest. She lapsed into memories of the fanciful tales her da had told them as he’d settled them on their pallet each night before he’d gone away two years past.
Preview Two
It broke Seamus’s heart leaving Cat behind, and took all his resolve
not to turn around and offer some comforting words like, “A year’s not so long.
I’ll come look for you when I get to
When he was back out into the country, he stopped the horses, set the brake, and eased himself out of the cart. His stomach was in knots as he sank down on his knees and heaved up his breakfast. Afterwards, he was disgusted by the taste in his mouth. Seamus scooped some water from a puddle and rinsed his mouth out thoroughly.
When he drove the team into the farmyard, the horses were prancing, eager to get to the barn and enjoy some oats. They picked up their pace until they were right up to the barn door. He pulled them up sharply, dismounted, and began unharnessing the two of them.
Mr. Morrison came out from the barn. “Are you all right, James? You look a little pale.”
He was startled, as well as confused by the name change. Everything was happening too fast. He felt pressured from all sides. “I’m not use to such rich food, I think. My stomach is a little off is all.”
The other man patted him on the back. “Take it easy. You needn’t push yourself so hard today.” He smiled. “Did the Brennans get to their ship on time?”
“It doesn’t sail for two days. I believe they board late tomorrow to get settled in.” The thought flittered across his mind that it was not too late; he had plenty of time to catch up with them and buy passage. Just as quickly he wondered where that thought came from. He and Padriac had agreed to stay on, though he reminded himself he hadn’t actually asked what the terms were.
“Mr. Morrison, if I may be so bold, could we not sit down and discuss the terms of employment, so as not to have any misunderstanding on either side?”
The other man slapped him on the back. “That’s an excellent idea. You’ve a fine head for business, James.”
He shouldn’t have taken credit for Padriac’s idea, but he did, and felt guilty for it. “Do you know where Padriac is off to? I need to have a word with him before I start with me own chores.”
“He’s cutting hay in the back field. Come in and have some cold water before you go out in the heat again.”
Seamus looked up at the sky. It was indeed warm for May. “Aye,” he agreed.
Mr. Morrison walked beside him. “My daughter, Emma, was quite taken with you. She thought you to be a fine young man, and I must concur.”
“She’s a lovely girl. You must be proud of both your daughters.”
“Indeed I am.”
“And they’re a comfort to you, having the both of them here to help out, I suppose.”
“Aye. My son never was much for farming. He couldn’t wait to be away to the city.”
“It’s either in your blood or not, I suppose.”
Eliza was in the kitchen so she was the one who served him water and some bread. “Would you not take some out to Padriac as well?” she asked.
“Aye. I’m off to find him just now.” He stood up, took the flask of water, and the wrapped bread.
Seamus grinned as he walked towards the field, trying to picture his brother with Eliza. She was pleasant enough, but would make nearly two of Padriac, not to mention she was nearly as old as Cat’s mother, he’d wager. Emma was the younger of the two, and though rather plain, was not without some charm. He sighed. It was just as Padriac had said, a well-laid trap, except they weren’t for marrying anyone.
Padriac was whistling as he drove the workhorses across the hay meadow. He’d taken off his shirt and the sweat glistened on his bare back. He was sure to get burned by the sun; so pale was his normally unexposed flesh.
“Hello!” Seamus called out.
Padriac pulled the team up and jumped down. “Is that a cool drink you’ve got there? If it is, it would be most welcome about now.”
“Put your shirt back on, and your cap as well, or you’ll be sick from the sun,” Seamus scolded him.
“You’re not me ma,” Padriac chided him.
“I’m ma and da to you now, so you’d best remember that.” He cuffed his brother across the head softly.
“How was
A sob escaped from his throat so unexpectedly that it took him by surprise, as well as bringing a worried frown to Padriac’s face. “Was it as bad as all that?” Padriac asked softly. He stood waiting expectantly for an answer.
“I broke her heart, as well as destroying her trust in grownups, that’s for sure.”
“Don’t, Seamus!” his brother begged. “Don’t throw away this chance.”
“I’m all for going back to the barn, grabbing up me bag, and walking
to
“I can take care of meself,” Padriac said.
“Don’t make me choose between you,” Seamus begged his brother.
“You’re being a damn fool, you know that, don’t you?” Padriac asked.
“Aye,” Seamus answered. “I broke her wee heart,” he whispered. “I didn’t even try to explain our reasons.”
“She would have understood. You just went about it badly, lad.” Padriac cheered up immediately. “We’ll go up there after the chores are done and explain it to her, the both of us. She’s a smart girl. She’ll understand.”
“Too smart for that,” Seamus grumbled. “She’ll see the trap, just as you mentioned yourself. She’ll see Mr. Morrison turning us into a couple prods named ‘James’ and ‘Patrick’, two contented wives, and a bushel of children we swore we wouldn’t breed.” His head started spinning, maybe from the heat, maybe from the realization of what he’d just said.
“Hop on the hay wagon. I’ll drive us back,” Padriac said softly. He grabbed up his shirt and put his cap on as well. Neither of them spoke until they had the team tied up at the barn.
“Finished already?” Mr. Morrison called out, as he hurried from the house.
Padriac shook his head. “No, sir. We’ve had a change of heart so
we’ll be heading for
The other man’s face fell. “You can’t,” he whispered. “How can you do this to me?”
“It’s not that we don’t appreciate the offer of your hospitality. It’s your daughters, sir.” Padriac gave him a conciliatory smile.
“Me daughters?” He reached up and scratched his head. “What do they have to do with the bargain?”
“We’d grow fond of them, surely, being here,” Seamus began. He looked down at the small scar on his hand. “We’ve a disease in our family, and me brother and I made a pledge not to marry for fear of passing it on.”
“Of what sort?” Mr. Morrison asked.
“It’s a sickness that affects the body and mind. Our da did himself in when I was ten.” Seamus wrung his hands in anguish as the memories flooded over him.
“Finish the day at least,” Mr. Morrison said. “I’ll pay you wages for today, and you can have another night in the barn.”
“Aye, sir,” Padriac said, as he headed back towards the wagon.
Mr. Morrison draped his arm around Seamus’s shoulders. “It must be a terrible burden for you, but I appreciate your honesty.”
“Aye, sir,” Seamus said, as he started to walk away.
“I’m relieved actually. I thought maybe you were giving it all up for that wee little girl, Catherine, wasn’t it? Sure, wouldn’t that have been a blow to my dear Emma’s pride?”
Seamus hid his smile. “Give all this up for a wee slip of a girl? What sort of foolishness would that be?” Even though the words were said with sincerity, Seamus had to admit how foolish he’d been acting since he’d met little Cat. What was it about the girl that stirred up such strong emotions in him, that made him want to protect and care for her, as he’d been unable to do for his own sister Lizzy?
Was that was all there was to it? Was he being honest with himself? Aye. There were no fanciful notions of waiting for her to grow up. He’d made the pact with Padriac, a bond he’d never willingly break. It was Padriac that was the weak one. He’d show his wee brother he was made of stronger stuff than that.