by Maggie Finn
After Raff had helped Noah safely to shore, the doctor had checked all his vitals and handed him over to Ma Brennan who’d fussed around him like a mother hen, practically smothering him with fluffy towels and hot tea. Danny Brennan had wanted to interview Noah for the Examiner, of course. ‘Hero Guard Saves Life At Festive Plunge,’ something like that, but Noah had refused point blank. Not only was saving people part of his job, he argued, he didn’t want The Plunge to be forever-more associated with a near-drowning, especially as the truth was that he was the only one ever in any danger.
Noah turned to her, his face serious.
‘Why did you save me?’ he asked.
‘Why do you think?’, she said, giving him a playful punch on the arm.
‘Okay, so why did you come back?’
Eliza thought for a moment. ‘Same answer.’
‘No, but really,’ insisted Noah. ‘I’d acted like a bull banging against a gate. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d just got on that airplane and disappeared forever.’
‘I was close, believe me,’ said Eliza. ‘But then I met…’
She shook her head. How could she explain? Meeting the real Santa on Christmas Eve? It sounded ridiculous.
He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. ‘Who?’
‘Just some old guy I met in the airport bar,’ she said, smiling to herself. ‘We were both waiting for our ride out of there and he said some very wise things.’
‘Such as?’
‘He asked me what I wanted. And you know what? He was right: No one ever asks that question anymore: ‘What do you want? In your heart of hearts, what do you really want?’
‘Was it a Jacuzzi with Leo Walker?’
She feinted another punch.
‘Don’t tempt me,’ she said. ‘No, I wanted you, Noah Moyes and I wanted this place,’ she gestured towards the boats rocking gently on the rising tide. ‘I… I can’t explain it. I just feel right here. And with you. If you’ll let me stay.’
Noah gathered her into his arms and kissed her.
‘I’m not letting you out of my sight, Eliza Carlisle.’
After a while they walked on and as they passed the church, the snow began to fall again, gentle and soft, their footsteps whispering as if across newly-laid carpet.
‘Listen, I need to make a detour,’ said Noah. ‘Won’t take long.’
‘Noah,’ said Eliza. ‘I know you’re nervous about this, but you can’t put it off.’
Noah smiled. ‘Seriously, just a quick house-call. It’s important.’
Eliza sighed, but she was smiling. Noah was still a Guard and this was his beat, she couldn’t expect him to change that – didn’t want him to, it was one of the things that made this man who he was.
‘Sure,’ she waggled a finger at him. ‘But I’m watching you.’
Noah led her down into a small terrace and knocked on a door with peeling green paint. He waited, but there was no answer. Frowning, he tried again, then cupped his hands at the window.
‘Odd,’ he said. ‘This is Mr. Fitzgerald’s place. You remember, the fella we met with the missing cat? There’s no light on inside and’ – he held up a finger – ‘no sound.’
‘Gone to visit relatives?’
‘Mr. Fitz doesn’t have any.’ Eliza could see he was concerned.
‘Well, why don’t we ask his neighbor, the one the cat preferred?’
They crossed the road and knocked on an almost identical door, only this one was white and had a holly wreath on the door. As Noah pressed the bell, Eliza could hear the sound of laughter from inside. The door opened and an old lady in a 1940s-style dress complete with pearls stood there.
‘Noah! A Happy Christmas to you, Guard,’ she cried. ‘Raff, come see who’s here!’
Eliza and Noah looked at each other in surprise. ‘Raff?’ mouthed Noah.
‘Ah, so it’s yourself, Guard,’ boomed the fisherman, standing in the doorway. Eliza couldn’t help noticing that he was wearing fluffy slippers with rabbit ears. ‘Have you dried out yet?’
‘I’m grand now Geoffrey, many thanks to you. But I was just wondering if you’d seen Mr. Fitzgerald today? We’ve just been across to his place and there’s no peep.’
‘Seen him!’ cried Raff. ‘We haven’t been able to shut him up all day, have we Mrs. H?’
‘Och, he’s a demon at the charades.’
Just then the old man appeared, wearing a garish jumper and carrying Jimbo the cat.
‘How’s it going, Guard?’ he said. ‘I hear you had a dunking.’
‘I did that,’ said Noah, ‘So you’re spending the day across here, are you now?’
‘Oh yes. Mrs. Hervey’s been very kind. Raff came over to fix my boiler, you see, and while he was here, he got Mikey to cut us cat-flaps so Jimbo can come and go as he pleases. And as we were all getting along, Miriam asked us for Christmas lunch.’
Eliza watched as the old man looked up at Mrs. Hervey and she had the intuition that there might be more than a cat they’d be sharing from now on. Wishing them all a Merry Christmas, Noah and Eliza walked on, the snow coming down harder now, quarter-sized flakes settling on their shoulders.
‘You asked Raff to fix the boiler, didn’t you?’ said Eliza.
Noah shrugged modestly.
‘Well, I asked Raff to ask Mikey to do it. Geoff Rafferty fiddling about with the gas doesn’t bear thinking about. But all’s well that ends well.’
Eliza nodded thoughtfully. Noah had asked her why she had come back and this was part of the answer. Yes, she had come back for Noah, but she had also come back for the place he lived, because the two things were inseparable. Noah had a kind heart, but he also had strength. He had vulnerability, but he was also willing to risk change. How much, well that remained to be seen, but Eliza loved that he was trying. And Eliza also loved that Noah’s best parts were reflected in Cove and the Port themselves: that everyday kindness, the defy-the-elements strength, even his fragility was here in the sagging houses and the crumbling cliff edges. People here didn’t have much, but they had a warmth, whatever the weather. Sure, Raff might blow up your house mending the heating, but he was prepared to come over in a blizzard to have a crack at it. There was something lovely about that.
Eliza reached out and squeezed Noah’s hand.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
‘What for?’
‘For bringing me here. For letting me be a part of this.’
Noah tried for a smile, but it didn’t quite get there; too much on his mind. She loved him for that too. He was anxious, but he was still doing it because it was the right thing.
They passed along the street next to the church, past O’Leary’s Bar, and onto Cork Lane. Number twelve. Noah stopped, his face drained of color.
‘Well, this is it. Where I grew up, mostly.’
The door was a festive red, a wreath of orange leaves and dark berries fixed to the center. Noah looked at Eliza and she nodded as he pressed the bell: the soft chimes of ‘It Came Upon a Midnight Clear’ rang out and the door opened. Niall Moyes stood there, handsome and proud – and wearing a Santa hat.
‘Noah,’ he said, his voice barely a croak.
‘Merry Christmas, Da.’
Niall’s mouth opened, then closed. Eliza could see tears in the man’s eyes.
‘Linda!’ he shouted. ‘It’s Noah and Eliza!’
‘Well you’d better bring them in, then!’ came the reply. ‘Whatcha gonna do? Leave them on the doorstep ’til the Wren Boys come knocking?’
‘Yes, come in, come in,’ nodded Niall, ushering them inside. The house was small, but warm, an open fire glowing in the living room hearth. Eliza looked up at Noah. He was stiff and uncomfortable, like a little boy called before the school principal.
‘I’m sorry to come unannounced,’ he said. ‘I wasn’t sure if we’d be… whether you’d have enough.’
‘Don’t be daft, Noah,’ said Niall. ‘This is Ireland. We’ve cooked enough to feed an army.’
Linda bustled in from the kitchen, pulling an apron from around her waist. ‘Sit, sit,’ she said, shooing them both to matching armchairs in front of the fire. ‘Now what will you have to drink?’
‘Sherry!’ cried Niall, clapping his hands together. He brought over tiny glasses of red liquid on a tray decorated with pheasants.
‘It’s a family tradition,’ said Niall, handing a glass to Eliza. ‘Sherry before, Port afterwards. I think it’s one of those things Noah’s grandad inherited from the fancy folks like Lord Balcon up at the Castle.’
Eliza took a sip and wrinkled her nose. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever had sherry.’ It was like medicine.
‘Now then, how about some music?’
Niall crossed to an ancient record player and, blowing the dust off a disc, dropped the needle: ‘Little Drummer Boy’, the Bing Crosby version.
‘Remember this, Noah?’ he laughed, ‘You used to love this when you were little. He even asked Santa for a drum one Christmas so he could play along.’
‘Dad…’
‘Ach, I know, I know.’ He turned to Eliza, pride puffing his chest. ‘Trouble is, most folks look at Noah and they see the Guard in his uniform. I just see an eight-year-old boy climbing trees and playing with his Action Man. Now who’s for a sausage roll?’
When Niall had gone, Eliza lent across and whispered. ‘Action Man?’
‘European version of GI Joe,’ said Noah, he looked down at his hands, sad and lost. Eliza took his hand.
‘You’re doing fine,’ she said softly. ‘He’s just excited to have you here. They both are.’
‘I know, but… it brings it all back, you know?’
Eliza just nodded and stroked the back of his fingers. Guard Moyes could be such a brave man, so upright and true, but he just wanted his mom like everyone else.
‘Wait here,’ she said, walking down a narrow corridor to the kitchen. She was just about to step inside when she heard whispers. Peeking around the doorframe, Eliza saw Linda turn and plant a kiss on Niall’s neck. In return, he looked down and gave her a melting smile. It was an intimate, fleeting moment and Eliza felt like she was intruding, but at the same time, she was glad she had seen it. She ducked back and knocked on the doorframe.
‘Who’s that? Eliza?’ said Linda, looking up, ‘Oh do come inside, love.’
‘I just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help.’
‘Actually yes,’ smiled Linda. ‘I’ve got a very special job for you. But first,’ – she handed Niall a pile of folded napkins – ‘The men can make themselves useful by laying the table.’ With another of those smiles to Linda, Niall left them alone.
‘Here, try this,’ said Linda, dipping a spoon into a pan on the stove. Eliza bent to taste the rich gravy.
‘Mmm. That’s delicious,’ said Eliza. ‘Are there herbs in there too?’
‘Family secret,’ smiled Linda. ‘Couldn’t possibly say.’
She paused, her face turning serious.
‘Thank you, Eliza. For bringing Noah home. Even if it’s for one day, you’ve made Niall so happy. It’s like a great stone has been lifted from him.’
‘I wish I could take the credit,’ said Eliza, ‘But this was all Noah’s idea, I’m just tagging along. Actually, I guess this is our second date – maybe third, depending on whether you count the lighthouse.’
She was babbling, nervous again, because Eliza knew how much was riding on this for Noah – for Niall and Linda too.
‘Well, I’m sure there will be many more dates,’ said Linda, ‘You’re a fine match. My ma is from traveler stock and I’m sure I got a touch of the sight from her.’
‘The sight?’
‘Second sight,’ Linda smiled, ‘Ah, it’s not magic, I can’t see the future or any nonsense they try to sell you on the fairgrounds, it’s more that I can just tell if something’s right or wrong. Like you two. You’re right, darling. I got a real good feeling about you.’
Eliza blushed as Linda touched her face affectionately.
‘And how about you and Niall? Is that going to work out?’
Eliza wasn’t sure if she should be asking such forward questions when she hardly knew the woman, but she found she was hugely curious. After all, Niall and Linda had risked so much to be together. In a village which prized gossip, their love story wouldn’t have pleased everyone.
‘Ah, sadly the Sight doesn’t work on yourself,’ said Linda, ‘Which I suppose is only right. Otherwise I’d be winning the lottery every week, wouldn’t I?’
She looked towards the door and her face lit up.
‘Although I do feel I’ve won the lottery most days. He’s a fine man, Niall. And it runs in the family.’
Eliza was about to ask more, but Linda turned and handed her a silver tray, whipping off a linen cloth.
‘Oh my!’ said Eliza. It was a huge turkey, golden brown and surrounded by roast potatoes. ‘That’s amazing – and enormous!’
Linda chuckled. ‘I had a feeling we’d be having guests today.’
‘Was that the Sight too?’
Linda shook her head. ‘I’ve known Noah since he was a boy. He’s a wonderful soul, with a big, big heart. I knew he would do the right thing. He always does.’
Eliza looked at Linda in amazement. Noah had scorned her, accused her of underhandedness and made her feel like pariah. And yet Linda had never lost faith in Noah.
‘Come along now,’ said Linda, ‘Let’s get this feast on the table before it gets cold.’
Eliza carried the tray through to the living room where she found Noah and his father standing by the table, laying out the silverware and talking in low voices. For a moment, Eliza was worried they were arguing but as she watched, Niall clapped his son affectionately on the shoulder and Noah looked up at him and smiled. It wasn’t exactly a reunion on Oprah, but it was a certainly a step in the right direction.
‘Come on you two,’ called Linda, coming up behind Eliza carrying bowls of steaming vegetables, ‘This turkey’s not going to eat itself.’
It was a magnificent spread. In Eliza’s family, Thanksgiving had been a sumptuous, overblown affair, but she thought this might actually have topped it, especially as it was originally meant for two.
As well as the turkey and stuffing, Linda served thick slices of roast ham, accompanied by pigs-in-blankets, potatoes both roasted and mashed, steamed Brussels sprouts and carrots and a huge ‘boat’ of steaming gravy. It was delicious, but Eliza began to wonder about the etiquette of loosening your waistband at the table. When most of the food was gone, Niall stood.
‘I’d like to make a toast,’ he said, raising his glass. ‘To Eliza, who is five thousand miles from her loved ones and yet has honored us by choosing to spend this special day with us – and more than that, she has given us the greatest Christmas gift of all: she has brought us all together.’
‘To Eliza,’ nodded Noah. ‘And I’d like to make a toast too.’ He stood and dipped his glass to the woman to his left. ‘To Linda. For the food she has cooked, the welcome she has offered and for’ – his voice caught and he pressed his lips together. ‘For being a friend when a friend was most needed.’
There was a pause, the words hanging in the air as Noah and Linda’s eyes met. Eliza hadn’t thought she could love Noah Moyes more, but in that moment, she did.
‘To Linda!’ beamed Niall and the woman smiled modestly. They all talked too quickly and too brightly for a while, but slowly sank into a happy discussion of the differences between the American and Irish traditions.
‘So what’s Boxing Day exactly?’ asked Eliza.
‘The day after Christmas,’ said Linda. ‘It’s St. Stephen’s Day here, but it’s Boxing Day in the north – and in England, too. It was called that after the tradition of the Lords and Ladies giving gifts or “boxes” to their servants. What do you call it?’
‘Mall Day, mostly,’ slightly embarrassed, ‘Everyone goes to the sales at the big stores.’
‘Oh, that happens her
e – in the big cities, anyway – you won’t get seventy per cent off in the grocers. Not that they’ll be open.’
‘Oh – oh, tell her about the Wren Boys,’ said Niall eagerly.
‘Yes, you mentioned that when we arrived,’ said Eliza, ‘Who are the Wren Boys?’
‘It a peculiar tradition, probably handed down from some long forgotten ritual from way before St. Patrick landed here,’ said Noah, ‘But a group of boys catch a wren – or these days, make a model of one – and put it on a pole and parade it through the town, as a pipe band plays.’ He laughed. ‘It sounds crazy when you say it out loud.’
‘It’s even crazier if you see them, dressed up in masks,’ said Niall. ‘They sometimes come door-to-door, collecting money for charity. It’s like your Trick or Treat, I guess. Only even more mad.’
Just when Eliza was sure she could eat another thing, Linda came back from the kitchen with a glistening volcano on a plate.
‘The pudding!’ cried Niall, bursting into applause.
The pudding was actually on fire, blue flames shooting from the top and running down the sides. Eliza looked at Noah with alarm, but he just grinned and asked his father to pass the custard.
‘It’s Christmas pudding, love,’ whispered Linda. ‘We pour flaming brandy over the top, more for the spectacle than the taste. But mind your teeth, there may be a sixpence in it. It’s supposed to be good luck if you find it.’
Eliza’s first experience of Christmas pudding was surprisingly pleasant. It was like a more moist fruit cake, the dense sweetness offset by the poured custard sauce, which was like the filling of a donut, but piping hot.
‘Well, that was a first,’ said Eliza, sitting back and patting her straining sides. ‘Delicious, but… different.’
Noah went across to his jacket and took a parcel from his pocket, coming back and setting it in front of Niall and Linda.
‘Thanks son, but I didn’t get you anything,’ said his father.
‘Yes you did. You gave me kick in the pants right when I needed it. Anyway, it’s not for you, it’s for Linda.’
He slid the gift across. Looking more nervous than Eliza had seen her since they’d arrived, Linda tore off the paper. Inside was a small blue box which she opened. Inside was a small gold brooch, a swooping seabird, it’s wings spread. Linda gently placed one hand on top of it, the other she pressed to her lips.