job they didn’t climb up to have a proper look,” whispered Keva. “Or stop us before we got ter Longford. That package I delivered while yer were havin’ yer lunch had a couple of rifles in it and there’s one under the blanket destined fer a Brother in Mayo. Sure, there’s a box of ammunition too. It’s no good havin’ a rifle, if you’ve nothing in it ter fire.”
Jack’s face went crimson. Here was the man putting them all in danger, just for the sake of his bloody cause. He balled his fists, his temper matching the one before of Maggie’s.
“How dare you put us all at risk, yer bloody fool. What would have happened if the soldiers had bin more thorough? You’d have had us all hauled to a magistrate before nightfall. If it wasn’t for the sake of me family, I’d knock yer senseless. Now, drive on ter the next town or village and we’ll find someone else ter take us the rest of the way.”
Jack climbed back into the carriage beside Maggie, trembling from head to foot at the thought of what could have happened to them all. Maggie had calmed down, though looked very grim. She had heard some of what Jack had said but didn’t dare mention it, as Hannah’s eyes were full of concern. She accepted the hip flask that Jack had shakily drank from then passed on to her. The contents were fiery, but it seemed to help in calming her down.
“Papa,” Hannah began unhappily, “I wish we hadn’t come to Ireland. It’s a frightening place. I wish I was back at home.”
Maggie put her arm around her comfortingly.
“I’m sure we both agree with yer that we’d be much safer back at home. The problem is, we haven’t much in the way of choices. Though I think it would be safer, Jack, if we sail back from Sligo, rather than return overland.”
“It’s sorry that I am to have brought yer. I was taking this as a chance fer Hannah to see where we came from and do a little business along the way. Still, we can’t be very far now from Ballaghadereen, I’ve just seen some women gathering peat blocks for their fires.”
Craning their necks through the window brought them untold relief. At least this village was inhabited. Alongside the road was a fast-flowing river, and Jack swore he could see salmon leaping up the craggy rocks towards the hill side. The carriage drew up beside a row of poorly-constructed cottages, the more substantial one in the middle being the tavern, where they were to stop to rest the horse and let him drink his fill. It was time for Jack to make a decision. He disappeared with Keva, leaving Maggie and Hannah to stretch their legs by the riverside.
The mist began to lift as the two women stood by the river, and soon a spot of blue could be seen in the cloudy sky. They wandered a little, pointing excitedly if they saw a flash of silver in the frothy water, glad of their warm clothing against the morning chill.
“Hey up,” shouted Jack from the tavern entrance. “Do yer want to come in where it’s warm or drink this in the carriage?”
He was carrying two cups of tea on an old tin tray. There was no sign of Keva.
“We’ll sit in the carriage,” replied Maggie. “Here, Hannah, you go ahead with these. I want to speak to yer father.”
When Hannah was out of earshot, Maggie asked what had been going on when they had been stopped by the soldiers. It was as she had suspected. Keva had been gun running, using his passengers as a cover, and posing as a delivery man.
“So, what can we do, Jack?” asked Maggie, a little fearfully. “We’re taking a risk by travelling with him, what if some soldiers stop us again?”
“Keva says t’would be foolish to be rid of him now, though he’s mortally sorry that we got caught up with it all. We can make Foxford by nightfall, then he’ll leave us ter make our own way. We’ll find somewhere to rest fer the night, then we’ll ask around to see if anyone is travelling beyond.”
“Well, all I can say is that I’ll be glad when we manage ter
Jack’s face went crimson. Here was the man putting them all in danger, just for the sake of his bloody cause. He balled his fists, his temper matching the one before of Maggie’s.
“How dare you put us all at risk, yer bloody fool. What would have happened if the soldiers had bin more thorough? You’d have had us all hauled to a magistrate before nightfall. If it wasn’t for the sake of me family, I’d knock yer senseless. Now, drive on ter the next town or village and we’ll find someone else ter take us the rest of the way.”
Jack climbed back into the carriage beside Maggie, trembling from head to foot at the thought of what could have happened to them all. Maggie had calmed down, though looked very grim. She had heard some of what Jack had said but didn’t dare mention it, as Hannah’s eyes were full of concern. She accepted the hip flask that Jack had shakily drank from then passed on to her. The contents were fiery, but it seemed to help in calming her down.
“Papa,” Hannah began unhappily, “I wish we hadn’t come to Ireland. It’s a frightening place. I wish I was back at home.”
Maggie put her arm around her comfortingly.
“I’m sure we both agree with yer that we’d be much safer back at home. The problem is, we haven’t much in the way of choices. Though I think it would be safer, Jack, if we sail back from Sligo, rather than return overland.”
“It’s sorry that I am to have brought yer. I was taking this as a chance fer Hannah to see where we came from and do a little business along the way. Still, we can’t be very far now from Ballaghadereen, I’ve just seen some women gathering peat blocks for their fires.”
Craning their necks through the window brought them untold relief. At least this village was inhabited. Alongside the road was a fast-flowing river, and Jack swore he could see salmon leaping up the craggy rocks towards the hill side. The carriage drew up beside a row of poorly-constructed cottages, the more substantial one in the middle being the tavern, where they were to stop to rest the horse and let him drink his fill. It was time for Jack to make a decision. He disappeared with Keva, leaving Maggie and Hannah to stretch their legs by the riverside.
The mist began to lift as the two women stood by the river, and soon a spot of blue could be seen in the cloudy sky. They wandered a little, pointing excitedly if they saw a flash of silver in the frothy water, glad of their warm clothing against the morning chill.
“Hey up,” shouted Jack from the tavern entrance. “Do yer want to come in where it’s warm or drink this in the carriage?”
He was carrying two cups of tea on an old tin tray. There was no sign of Keva.
“We’ll sit in the carriage,” replied Maggie. “Here, Hannah, you go ahead with these. I want to speak to yer father.”
When Hannah was out of earshot, Maggie asked what had been going on when they had been stopped by the soldiers. It was as she had suspected. Keva had been gun running, using his passengers as a cover, and posing as a delivery man.
“So, what can we do, Jack?” asked Maggie, a little fearfully. “We’re taking a risk by travelling with him, what if some soldiers stop us again?”
“Keva says t’would be foolish to be rid of him now, though he’s mortally sorry that we got caught up with it all. We can make Foxford by nightfall, then he’ll leave us ter make our own way. We’ll find somewhere to rest fer the night, then we’ll ask around to see if anyone is travelling beyond.”
“Well, all I can say is that I’ll be glad when we manage ter
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