The Good People by Hannah Kent Read Free Book Online

come knocking and begging for lumpers come winter. But didn’t she keep to herself, and didn’t she stay that winter, and the next and the next, until folk started saying that ’twas not a natural thing for a woman like her to be living fat off weeds and berries. Some thought she was stealing at night. Others thought she was in league with Himself.’
    ‘The Devil?’
    There was a loud clap of thunder. The women jumped.
    ‘What a night to be telling of these things!’ Nóra exclaimed.
    ‘Sure, Nance was a queer one from the start.’
    ‘Is it not time to eat? Are you hungry? Peg, will you be staying? ’Tis no night for walking.’ For all her desire to be alone during Martin’s wake, Nóra suddenly longed for company. The thought of spending the storming evening alone with Micheál made her stomach clutch in dread.
    Peg looked around the empty cabin and, as if sensing Nóra’s reluctance, nodded. ‘I will, if ’tis no trouble to you.’
    ‘Shall I take Micheál?’ Brigid offered.
    ‘I’ll set him down.’ Nóra laid the boy in a makeshift cradle of sally twigs and straw.
    ‘He’s a bit too big for that now, is he not?’ Peg asked. ‘His legs don’t fit at all.’
    Nóra ignored her. ‘I’ll go for the milk and then I’ll get us a bite to eat.’ Another roll of thunder sounded above the rain and the spitting turf fire. ‘What a dirty night.’
    Peg gave Brigid’s belly a gentle pat. ‘’Tis a good thing you’re here with your man’s aunt and not out in the dark.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘The thunder kills the unhatched birds in their eggs.’
    ‘Peg O’Shea! Don’t be frightening her with tall talk.’ Nóra lifted a heavy pot of water onto the chain hanging from the hearth wall, squinting in the smoke.
    ‘Go see to the beast, Nóra. She’ll be in pieces from the storm.’ Peg turned to Brigid. ‘The lightning does be taking the profit from the milk. There’ll be some fearful churning after tonight, you mark my words.’
    Nóra shot Peg a stern look and pulled her wet cloak from its rafter and back over her head. She stepped out into the night with her pail, stumbling in the sudden wind, rain lashing against her face. She lurched towards the byre, eager to escape the downpour.
    The cow blinked at her in the dark, eyes round in fear.
    ‘There, Brownie. Easy with you.’ Nóra ran her hands over the cow’s flank, but when she reached for the stool and placed the pail on the ground, the beast started and pulled at her rope.
    ‘No harm will come to you, girl,’ Nóra crooned, but Brownie moaned. There’s a fright in her, Nóra thought, and hauled an armful of hay into the bracket. The cow ignored it, panting, and as soon as Nóra took hold of her teats, the cow skittered sideways, leg kicking in its spancel. The pail clattered across the floor. Nóra got up, irritated.
    Lightning flashed outside.
    ‘Have it your way, would you,’ Nóra muttered, and snatching the pail, she pulled the sodden cloak back over her head. She staggered back through the pelting darkness towards the cabin, pausing under the thatch to scrape the mud from her feet. As she wiped her heel on the step she heard Peg’s voice, low with conspiracy, coming from inside.
    ‘Wee Micheál. Would you look at him. He’s an ill-thriven thing.’
    Nóra froze.
    ‘I heard Martin and Nóra had a cripple child with them. Is it true he hasn’t taken a step yet?’
    Brigid.
    Nóra’s heart began to hammer.
    ‘I doubt he ever will! Four years old and the state of him! I knew Nóra was after caring for Johanna’s boy, and that there was little keeping body and soul together when he came to them, but one like this? He hasn’t the whole of his sense.’
    Nóra felt her face flush, despite the chill. Hardly breathing, she pressed her eye to a gap in the wood. Brigid and Peg were staring at the boy.
    ‘Has herself fetched the priest for him?’
    ‘To heal him? I’ve always believed a priest has the power if he wants to use it.