‘I don’t like his behaviour to women either but we can’t do anything about it. He’s twenty-eight years old and he’s not going to take the slightest bit of notice of anything we say. Trouble is he’s had it all his own way. But let’s just wait and watch. I’ve a strong feeling that one of these days he’ll fall hard for someone who’ll treat him in exactly the same way and then he’ll know how it feels.’
* * * * *
Just a year younger than the twins, Sarah had sailed through and got a first-class degree at Trinity College. She was invited to stay on in the botany department to follow a course of research for her PhD and do some lecturing. This had been completed successfully and she was now a full-time lecturer in University College Dublin. She had cultivated a remarkable range of subtropical and tropical plants in the conservatory and they were so successful she had persuaded Milo to extend the building further. She was now engaged to Dai Thomas, someone she had met as a fellow student. He had come from a university in Wales and also followed a course of research in the same botany department. Eventually he had been offered and accepted a full-time lectureship in Trinity. He was steady and reliable, and like many of his countrymen, was a great raconteur. He also had a lovely dry wit and a wonderful rich baritone voice. If he’d been hand-picked for her he couldn’t have suited Sarah better.
When they had first met, from Sarah’s point of view, their interest in each other had been purely academic. She was totally absorbed in her subject and Dai was attractive to her purely as an equally dedicated professional. Having such a keen interest in common couldn’t have been a better basis for a friendship, but, quite quickly, Dai’s affection for this lovely-natured and very attractive young woman grew almost without his being aware of it. He found he wanted to spend more and more time with her and not just talking about botany. They discovered they had other things in common such as their interest in classical music. The Butlers for generations had enjoyed serious music and Sarah was no exception. Like others in the family she had a lovely singing voice, and had been given some basic training, although following music as a career had never been in her mind. Dai came from the Welsh valleys where music was an essential part of life.
Dai’s first visit to Riverside was, ostensibly, to see the wonderful collection of plants Sarah was cultivating in the conservatory. He had worked hard to bring her around to issuing this invitation. His visit was a resounding success. Not only did Sarah suddenly realise she liked him for reasons other than their shared interest in plants, the whole family fell for him in a big way. He had a pleasant, open face, with the black hair and grey eyes not unusual amongst his fellow countrymen, and not uncommon amongst the Irish too. In fact he could have been related to the Butlers, except the hair was straight and he was shorter in stature, although what he lacked in height he made up for in breadth of shoulders. The family especially loved his disarming honesty about his mining family background, putting it to them in his lovely lilting voice and in typical Welsh fashion.
‘Dirt poor as a family we are. Father, grandfather and back for generations they’ve been miners. I was lucky. Won my scholarship to the grammar school and then was offered a place at the University of Aberystwyth. Got a good honours degree and then the offer of a grant to do research at Trinity.’ He paused and with a slightly embarrassed smile added. ‘Dad and Mam were so proud.’
‘I bet they were and still are, Dai. Good for you! Not only that but I gather you can sing too.’
He laughed delightedly.
‘Oh, Mr Butler, Bach! There are very few Welsh who can’t sing and we all love it. At Aber they seemed to think my voice was good and I was given the chance to have some training. There’s lucky I was.’
Dai had been slightly apprehensive about meeting members of this wealthy family and was vastly relieved to discover that social distinctions were of no consequence whatsoever to the Butlers. The friendship between him and Sarah developed into a deep and abiding love which took them both rather by surprise in its intensity. Neither had ever before met anyone to whom they had been so attracted both mentally and physically.
Having realised that the family would have no objections whatsoever to his marriage to Sarah he proposed to her. When she accepted joyfully, he didn’t make a point of the fact that he couldn’t afford to keep her in the style to which she was accustomed. Instead he quoted from Yeats’ wonderful poem about the Cloths of Heaven:
‘Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths…
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams.‘
This touched her more than any protestations could possibly have done.
‘Dai, my darling, I couldn’t care less how much or how little worldly wealth you have. I just love you for yourself and I’m pretty sure you know that by now.’
With a gentle prompt from Milo, Tommy asked the couple if they would be willing to move into the East Wing and live there on a caretaker basis. He emphasised that this would mean such a lot to him. From an earlier suggestion of his Aunt May and Maggie both had their own private apartments there. It was an ideal arrangement, with both near enough to each other and the rest of the family if they wanted company but also having complete independence. However, he explained that Aunt May and Maggie were getting on a bit and he sometimes felt that they needed a young couple close by so they didn’t feel too much responsibility for looking after his home.
The East Wing was big enough for Sarah and Dai to have their own self-contained, fully equipped area, just as the two ladies did. The young couple were delighted to accept this arrangement, since, apart from the many other advantages, it meant they could continue Sarah’s work in the conservatory and she could keep up her rowing without any difficulty. It would also give them plenty of time to find a house of their own that they really liked, if possible not too far from the river, this to be a wedding present from Milo and Noola.
* * * * *
The wedding was to be in the summer holidays and plans were well underway. Sarah was over the moon because Bill would be able to conduct the marriage ceremony for them. The idyllically happy Mageen and Jack were coming with their two small boys and Tommy and Isabel would also be there with the twins, now almost five years old. They had decided to stay for a couple of weeks after the wedding, since it was some time since they had been to Dublin and had a lot of catching up to do. They had made a brief visit three years previously, when Grandfather Featherstone had died, and Tommy understood from Bob’s widow, Deirdre, that his grandmother was now very frail indeed. He wanted to see her to say goodbye as it were. He also needed to talk business with Milo, who looked after all his financial investments and kept an eye on the East Wing.
Riverside was so big there was no difficulty in accommodating any guests who needed somewhere to stay, including Dai’s family. His sister Megan, Izzy and the twins were to be the bridesmaids, with Mageen’s little son Ewan to be a pageboy and wear his kilt. It was another dream wedding, with the weather being kind, and the surprise at this wedding was that Dai sang for Sarah, happily accompanied by Izzy on her baby grand piano, moved into the marquee for the occasion. He sang several love songs finishing up with “You Are My Heart’s Delight”, which produced gentle tears of happiness from Sarah.
They had decided that they would like to go to Cyprus for their honeymoon. After that first visit Sarah had hoped she would get back again someday. This seemed the perfect opportunity and an ideal romantic location for a honeymoon but also she looked forward to introducing Dai to the wonderful plant life there. By coincidence, Tommy had managed to wangle another posting to the island. He and the family would arrive back there briefly towards the end of Dai’s and Sarah’s visit.
Chapter 22
A couple of days after the wedding Milo and Tommy managed to have some time together, as much to talk business as anything.
> ‘Everything all right, Tommy? I must say you and Isabel look so happy and the little girls are a delight. I do love the way they still call me Lolo and hope that will never change.’
Tommy beamed with pleasure.
‘It’s wonderful, Lo. We’re very happy. It’s all worked so well. I’ve actually decided I’m going to have a vasectomy which will mean we’ll never have to worry again about an accidental pregnancy. I kept putting it off because I didn’t much like the idea, but one of my fellow officers had the procedure and told me it’s easy. I had an appointment to have it done a couple of weeks ago but then decided to postpone it until after the wedding.’
‘Ouch, Tommy, I don’t like the idea at all. Do be careful. Is there any fear something might go wrong?’
‘I gather none whatsoever.’
‘Well, good luck to you. Rather you than me.’
A week later Tommy’s grandmother died. She had had a series of strokes and one final major attack ended her life. It was sheer luck that Tommy was with her at the time and they had been communicating after a fashion before it had happened. She could say enough to let him know she knew him and was glad he was there. He felt so sad for her. Life had not been easy and she had had many difficulties to cope with. At least she had met the twins and seemed to be so excited at having great-grandchildren. She never knew the truth.
Having been left executor of his grandmother’s estate, Tommy needed to see her solicitor. They went through her will together. She had little to leave and when she had been putting it together with Tommy’s help, he had insisted that she should leave everything of any monetary value to Deirdre and her daughters. Not only did he not need anything of that nature, once he had reached adulthood he had given her substantial financial help.
To his surprise, the solicitor gave him an envelope addressed to him which had been attached to the will. On the outside was written “To be read when you are alone”. He looked at the solicitor in surprise.
‘I didn’t know anything about a letter.’
‘No, your grandmother insisted that you should not be told about it until after she had died and I had to honour her request.’
Full of curiosity, Tommy went back to Riverside. There were few people about and most of those were down by the river or scattered in various places around the house and grounds. Milo hadn’t yet returned from the office, so he sat down, alone, in the library to read the letter.
When Milo arrived home he found him sitting slumped in a chair beside the empty fire grate, head in hands. The letter lay on the floor beside him.
‘Tommy?’
He raised a tear-streaked face. He said nothing, simply lifted the letter from the floor and held it out to his brother. Milo read it through and then read it again very slowly.
Darling Tommy,
This letter is being written by me with your grandfather’s help to ensure I get the facts right. I’m going to tell you a story which I wanted to tell you many years ago but, for reasons which I will give you, I was not able to.
Before your mother was born, your grandfather and I lived for three years in quite a remote part of Scotland. We had wanted a child but it hadn’t happened. We lived quite close to an orphanage run by nuns and one of the little orphaned girls there was old enough to be allowed to come and do some housework for us. The nuns were pleased because they trusted us and felt it was preparing her for a job outside the convent when the right time came. The girl would never tell us how it happened, but we suddenly discovered she was well advanced in pregnancy and was terrified. She hadn’t told the nuns. We persuaded her to allow us to see the Reverend Mother with her and tell her the situation. The poor lady was horrified. This had happened to the child while in the care of the convent. The girl wouldn’t even tell the priest who the father was. After long hours of discussion it was agreed that the girl would stay in our house and the doctor attached to the convent would attend the birth. There were serious complications and although the baby survived, the girl died. We were very keen to adopt the baby but, to protect the convent, they would only agree to this under certain very strict conditions. We had to agree that we would sign a solemn oath, sworn on the bible, that we would never reveal to anyone that the child was not our own.
We had to move away from the area very quickly and because the neighbours were few and far between we managed to keep the secret. Eventually, of course, we came over here to live.
Your grandfather and I swore that oath but if you are reading this it means we are both dead, and we felt that death would release us from it. In the light of what happened afterwards we felt it only fair to tell you the story, but we would ask that you don’t tell Deirdre and her two girls.
That baby was Bob. Looking back afterwards and with hindsight we came to the conclusion that the father was one of the men who worked in the convent gardens. We had met him a couple of times and thought he was a very strange man.
Then our beautiful Angela, your mother, was born and we felt that we had been rewarded for giving the little boy a home. All this means, of course, that you are in no way whatsoever related to Bob and no doubt this will be a great relief to you, especially as it means you and your two beautiful little girls are in no danger of developing any mental disorders.
I have no way of describing to you how it has distressed us over the years not being able to tell you. But it was such a binding oath and you know how we always felt about things like that.
God Bless you our darling Tommy and your lovely family. You brought us nothing but joy and we love you so very much. Now you can relax and be happy, knowing you have nothing to fear.
Your loving grandparents.
Both had signed it.
‘Oh dear God! This makes me feel so angry, Tommy. The stupid old fools. How could they do something like this to you? Surely there are times when anyone could justifiably be released from an oath and especially in the circumstances involved here. They say that they loved you so much, yet not enough to release you from such a burden of worry. How wicked. May they rot in hell!’
‘Oh no, please don’t say that, Lo.’
‘I do say it and I’ll never ever forgive them for what they’ve done to you – not that it’ll worry them. I just can’t understand them.’
‘But I can. You remember how very devout they were. They would never have been able to bring themselves to break an oath actually taken on the bible. I’m not exaggerating when I say the distress of doing such a thing would have brought on a stroke or heart attack.’
‘What you’re saying to me is they loved themselves and their convictions more than they loved you. When I think of the heartache this has caused you, completely unnecessarily, I feel totally outraged.’
‘Poor old things. You know, Lo, they had a rotten deal all round. This child that they adopted, out of the goodness of their hearts, murdered the daughter they loved so deeply. And all that happened after that: Wendy developing mental problems, and then Bob’s involvement in the abduction of Izzy as the final straw. It must have been a relief when he was killed. I do feel very sorry for them and at least they did tell me in the end. Even the idea of breaking their oath after death must have been hard for them.’
‘Well all I can say is you’re much more of a real Christian than I am. In your place I could never find any reason to excuse or forgive them.’
‘Drink, Lo?’ Tommy managed a bleak smile. ‘Do you remember the last time we sat here and I suggested a drink?’
Milo thought for a minute and suddenly grinned broadly at him.
‘Yes, I do, Tommy. And, you know what? That makes me think of something else!’
‘What?’
‘You can have children now with no worries any more. If my memory is correct Isabel’s only thirty – same age as Mageen. Yes, Tommy, I’ll have a big drink, but it’s going to be champagne! And please don’t keep me waiting too long to become an uncle again.’
‘Oh, Lo! I so nearly had that vasectomy. Somebody was watching ove
r me when I decided to postpone.’
All of a sudden they were both laughing. They couldn’t wait to tell the news to Isabel, Noola and Maggie.
Chapter 23
It was early November. Bill had started his army career and was passing through the city on an errand in connection with this. He had suggested that his father, Harry and Sarah join him for lunch in the nearby Hibernian Hotel, a favourite with the family and convenient for the workplaces of all three. Milo was unable to join them and the other three agreed to meet in the hotel foyer.
Bill got there slightly early and wandered around the lobby area while he waited. He wasn’t in uniform but was wearing his dog collar. A very attractive young woman came into the hotel and seeing Bill did a double take. She walked up to him, stared in obvious disbelief and then slapped him hard across the face. He backed away from her in astonishment, rubbing his jaw.
‘How dare you! You’re a disgrace to that collar you’re wearing. You certainly never let on to me that you were a priest. In fact I think it’s disgusting the way you behaved with me and never pretended. I’m going to report you to the archbishop and serve you right.’
At that moment Sarah arrived and, completely unaware of what was going on, hurried across to Bill, reached up and kissed him and apologised for being late. The other woman looked at her in astonishment.
‘And who are you?’
‘Oh hello! I’m his sister.’
‘Is he really a priest?’
‘Of course he is – carries out all the functions of a priest. I was so thrilled because he was even able to marry me in August.’
The House by the Liffey Page 18