Bridie's Fire by Kirsty Murray

of Brandon, walking through the wild sea towards her. With a rush of guilt, Bridie realised she hadn’t thought of him for days. Perhaps more frightening than the storm that raged around them was Bridie’s sudden fear that she had been changed, that as her life became better, her heart was becoming blacker. Then Caitlin slipped an arm around her and hugged her as she read, and Bridie felt the darkness lift.
    The next day when the girls came up for air, they found that the big brown-and-white albatross that had been following them was lying, half-drowned, on the deck. Its long brown wings, large enough to carry a man, and each one longer than the tallest sailor on board, were stretched taut. At first Bridie thought the storm had rendered the albatross flightless, but then a sailor pulled a baited hook from its beak and she realised the bird had been caught. The sailor lashed its beak shut with a piece of string, handling it with rough disregard. The bird struggled to its feet and walked about the deck in distress, no longer the beautiful sky creature Bridie had admired for the whole voyage, but a clumsy, pathetic beast, unable to take to the air. Some of the girls laughed, and a sailor in the rigging looked down and called out that it looked just like the second mate. Bridie leapt forward, tore the string from around the bird’s beak and, using all her strength, heaved the great creature over the side of the ship. The sailor grabbed her by the arm. ‘You brat, it was naught but a bit of fun I was having.’
    Bridie’s cheeks burned in the flush of her rage. ‘The curse of St Martin upon you,’ she shouted, drawing her leg back and kicking the sailor in the shins as hard as she could.
    Later, sent to her bunk again in disgrace by the Surgeon-Superintendent, she seethed at the injustice of being punished for rescuing the albatross. Caitlin came down below deck and sat beside her. She reached over and took Bridie’s hand in hers.
    â€˜I know you felt you were doing right, Bridie, but you’ve got to mind that temper of yours. It won’t serve us well in the Colony.’
    â€˜But he was doing wrong, Caitlin! That bird never did him any harm.’
    â€˜It’s not the point, girl. It’s the same as when you set upon Biddy Ryan. I know you meant to help me, but you have to learn to rein in your feelings. You and I, we’ve talked about how we’re going to make good, how we’re going to get ahead. But if you go losing your temper, getting in the way of other people’s business, then it’s going to be harder. Harder for us to be together.’
    â€˜Did your sister have a foul temper? Is that why you left her outside the gate?’ said Bridie, feeling the sting of her words even as they escaped her.
    Caitlin recoiled.
    â€˜Bridie, your own sweet mother died in a ditch,’ said Caitlin so softly that Bridie had to lean closer to hear the bitter words.
    In the long silence, Bridie heard all the sounds of the ship about her, the creaking of the timbers, the wash of the sea, the voices of the other girls above deck and the cries of the sailors. And she heard her own breath coming fast and sharp and her heart pounding. Gently, Caitlin reached out and put her arm around Bridie.
    â€˜Darlin’ girl, I want you to promise me you’ll try harder to mind your temper.’
    Bridie sighed, and leaned her head against Caitlin’s shoulder.
    â€˜When my dad died, staying angry was what kept me and Brandon alive, like it fed the fire inside me. And then when we were at the workhouse, I felt like all the fire had gone out in me. But the sea breeze, it’s like the wind of freedom, Cait, blowing off the new world and making me feel like the spark in me is alive again. Don’t make me promise a lie.’
    â€˜I don’t want you to promise for my sake, girl,’ said Caitlin, taking Bridie’s face in her hands and staring hard into her eyes.