Heroine Of Her Own Life

3. Two Up, Two Down-2

After their father left for his nightly walk, David rose and put an arm around Jinny’s shoulder. “Whew. Try to ignore the old misery, girls. He’s mad.” He straightened and stretched, his fingers touching the ceiling. “I’m off, then.”

“Oh yes? Where to?” asked Annie with a grim smile.

“The Orange Hall, of course, a prayer meeting for bachelors,” joked David, winking. He kissed Jinny’s cheek.

“Mind you don’t get caught out after curfew.” Worry lines creased her already lined face.

“It’s just half eight, I’ll be back before ten,” David promised.

“You’d better be, and not too much stout, mind. We’ve a train to catch in the morning,” said Meg.

“Oh, aye, I won’t. Listen, my pal Martin is driving his cart over tomorrow for us. He’ll bring the dogs from the kennel and drive us to the station. It’ll save time.”

“Ha! I can’t wait to see Meggie sitting on a wee cart with your dogs.” Annie roared with laughter.

Meg ignored her. “As long as this Martin arrives on time. Tell him not to take too much drink tonight.”

“My sister, the police constable. I’ll have you know that Martin is very reliable. Nighty-night.”

Once the front door creaked shut, Jinny sighed and shook her head. “I worry about him. There’s so much trouble out in them streets …”

“If he ruins our trip, he’ll have me to deal with,” Meg said with a wry smile and gestured to the ham plate and hers. “I’ll make some sandwiches for our lunch out of these.”

“Aren’t you hungry? You’ve hardly eaten a thing.”

“My stomach’s off, from seeing … from today. I’ll be fine tomorrow. Sorry, Jinny, it looks tasty.”

“Oh. I hope so, Meg. I’ll make farl from what’s left of the potatoes. You can have it for your breakfast.” Jinny gathered plates, then stopped. “Oh, I’d forgot to tell ye that Florrie came by today.”

Meg and Annie perked up and glanced at each other.

“Oh yes? I wish she’d come when I’m at home,” Meg complained. Annie nodded in agreement. Florence was the great favourite in the family, but since she’d married Ralph Henderson, they’d seen little of her.

“What did she have to say?” Annie asked with some exasperation.

“Florrie wants you to help her pick out paper for their parlour walls tomorrow—said she’d come here with Lizzie in the morning.” Jinny hesitated a moment before asking, “Could I come with youse then?”

Meg regarded Annie, willing her to say yes.

“Of course you can,” Annie assured her.

Pleasure brightened Jinny’s face. “That’ll be grand.”

Meg and Annie rose and brought dishes to the old stone sink while Jinny began to roll out leftover potatoes in flour.

As the clock struck nine, their father returned from his constitutional. He padded through the kitchen to visit the outdoor facility—or “the library” as it was called in their family.

Meg washed and Annie dried while he stepped into old shoes by the door, and lit the candle left there for the trips. He went out in silence, closing the door quietly.

“I’ve saved enough from my wages, so I’m ready to shop for fabric anyways. I’m going to make a new dress,” Annie stated casually, grabbing the last plate.

“What kind?” Meg asked, placing cutlery she’d just dried into the fork and knife butler.

“I’ll show you. I cut a picture out of the newspaper.”

Meg glanced at her sister drying a dish with ferocity that belied the look of detachment on her face.

Their father returned from the great outdoors, blew out the candle, and put it back on the narrow shelf by the door. “Night, night,” he said quietly and left the kitchen.

The sisters wished him a good night in return.

The stairs creaked, marking his climb to his bedroom above.

“I swear to heaven, the only time the old misery’s happy is when he’s in the wee library outside,” Annie smirked.

The three sisters pealed with laughter. Jinny muffled hers with a dishtowel, then stopped laughing abruptly and sighed. “Poor Father.”

As they had since they were girls, they waited in the kitchen for each one to make a trip to the library, and took turns brushing their teeth at the kitchen sink.

Jinny banked the embers in the range. They turned all the gas lamps off, save the one turned low in the parlour to guide David’s return, and headed up the narrow wooden stairs by candlelight.