Romantic Novelist's Association - Truly, Madly, Deeply

‘The Mammy died,’ the older boy muttered. ‘And Da’s taking us to Australia. I don’t want to go.’

‘I do,’ the younger boy said

‘Well, I don’t! I won’t have any friends in Australia.’

A man came across to join them. ‘I hope my boys weren’t giving you any trouble?’

‘No, but they were quarrelling and needed settling down.’

He turned to glare at them. ‘Did I not tell you to behave yourselves?’

They scuffed their feet and stared at the ground.

He turned back to Sarah, sighing. ‘Thank you for your help, ma’am.’

Just then there was a disturbance by the gate. As he turned to see who it was, his face turned pale. ‘Dear God, the master’s sent his bailiff after us.’

Sarah looked at him quickly. ‘What did you do?’

‘Left the estate after my wife died instead of marrying a woman the landowner chose.’

Sarah saw the desperation on his face. She knew how arrogant some employers could be and her heart went out to him. ‘You could pretend I’m your wife. He won’t have any use for you then.’

He stared at her. ‘Are you sure? Thank you.’

‘My name’s Sarah Boswick.’

‘Mine’s Ellis Doyle.’

‘Put your arm round my shoulders and look affectionate. Rory, in this game I’m your new mother. Come and stand next to me.’

‘I want to go back,’ Kevin said.

‘And have Mary Riley for your mother?’

Kevin hesitated then went to his father’s side.

By the time the constable got to them, they were standing as a family group.

‘This is Doyle,’ the bailiff said. ‘He’s running away from the woman he promised to marry. Mr Colereigh wants him back.’

Ellis seemed to be fumbling for words, so Sarah spoke for him. ‘Well, he can’t marry anyone else. He’s married to me.’

‘There hasn’t been time.’

‘We bought a special licence.’

‘I’d not have come back, even if I hadn’t married Sarah,’ Ellis said. ‘And there’s no law that says I have to.’

The bailiff leaned forward. ‘What if the master said you’d stolen some money? You don’t have enough for a special licence.’

‘You never said anything about stolen money,’ the supervisor said, looking suspiciously from the bailiff to Doyle.

‘It was my money that bought the special licence,’ Sarah said. ‘It took every penny I had. He had none left from paying the fares.’

Ellis put his arm round her and pulled her close. ‘Even if you forced me to go back, I couldn’t marry Mary Riley now, could I?’

Everything hung in the balance for a moment or two, then the bailiff stepped back. ‘I’d not marry her either. It’d be better if I tell him I couldn’t find you. Don’t ever come back, though.’

They watched him walk away, then Sarah realised Ellis was still holding her close. She didn’t dare move until the bailiff was out of sight. And she didn’t want to move either. She’d missed the feel of a man’s strong arm round her shoulders.

Ellis moved away. ‘Your quick thinking saved us. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.’

‘He didn’t ask to see the marriage lines. He could have proved us wrong.’

‘No. He’s not a bad fellow but if he wants to keep his job and home, he has to do as he’s told.’

Rory tugged at her skirt. ‘Are you really our new mother?’

‘No. We were just pretending. But I can be your new friend.’ Her eyes sought Ellis’s for permission and he nodded.

As they stood there, Ellis cleared his throat. ‘Um, I probably need to go and see the supervisor and explain to him that we aren’t really married. Will you keep an eye on these two rascals for a few moments?’

‘Of course.’

But suddenly the supervisor came striding back into the yard. He walked across to Sarah and Ellis, scowling. ‘I want the truth now. Are you two married or not?’

‘No, we’re not,’ Ellis said in his lilting Irish voice.

‘Well, you’ll need to get married if you want to travel as a family.’ The supervisor studied the children. ‘Looks to me as if these two need a mother’s care.’

Sarah could feel her cheeks burning because she’d had a sudden fervent wish that she was married again. She was so tired of being alone, fending for herself.

The supervisor looked at her disapprovingly. ‘We don’t allow any hanky-panky on board, Miss. They’re very strict about that sort of thing.’

‘I’m a widow, not a “Miss”.’

‘It’s not hanky-panky to be courting someone,’ Ellis told him. ‘And that’s what we’re doing, courting.’ He put the arm back round her shoulders.

It felt good.

The supervisor’s voice softened. ‘Oh, it’s like that, is it? Well, I’ll have to report this but no one can stop you talking to one another on deck.’

He walked away and Ellis turned to Sarah. ‘I had to say something to save your good name.’

‘I’m really grateful. But…we’ll have to meet and talk to one another or they’ll be suspicious.’

‘I know. I hope you don’t mind.’ He looked at her as he spoke but not the way a man looks at a woman he desires. Pity.

There would be other women on the ship who were nicely dressed, who would attract and keep the attention of a man like him. Such a nice-looking man.

She sighed and told herself not to be stupid. But she wasn’t used to being ignored. She’d been told many times she was a fine-looking woman. Other men had wanted to court her when she was younger, not just Daniel.

She wasn’t fine-looking now, wouldn’t have been even if she had been dressed nicely. Haggard was the best way of describing her, and she knew she looked years older than her age.

Perhaps one day she’d attract a man again, even if not this one. She’d like to marry, have children, live a normal life.

In the meantime, she had an adventure to face: a journey by ship to the other side of the world.

She had new friends: Ellis and his boys, and the Blake sisters. They were well-read and always had something interesting to say. She envied them their education. They must have read many more books than she had. She would enjoy their companionship on the ship.

Sarah was glad when it was time to board the ship but sorry to find herself lodged with another group of single women –widows like herself –instead of with Pandora and her sisters.

Her cabin was large. It had a long narrow table down the middle and cubicles down the sides, each sleeping four women in two pairs of hard, narrow bunks. They were placed in messes of eight with a leader appointed to take care of the food for the whole group. Why they chose Sarah as leader, she couldn’t work out. She didn’t want to be singled out in any way, just wanted to build up her health.

When they went up on deck, the matron kept a careful eye on the single women. That amused Sarah. Did they think any of the men would want women who looked like starvelings?

She didn’t see the Doyles the first time on deck, but on her second outing little Rory came running towards her smiling and she found herself sitting there talking to him, telling him stories as her mother used to do with her.

Kevin stood to one side pretending not to listen.

Ellis came across to join his sons, speaking politely about the weather, not staying long. He didn’t waste words, that was for sure.

At first time hung heavy on their hands. Everyone feared for the three months the voyage would take, but to her delight the ship’s passengers organised classes to help pass the three month journey to Australia. She joined groups for reading and sewing, went to the regular weekly concert. She’d have joined the choir, because she loved music, but she was a poor singer, often making people wince when she did join in.