Then She Fled Me by Sara Seale Read Free Book Online Page B

s grandfather was carried off by the Sidhe, but the old woman smoking a clay pipe welcomed them with the flattering extravagance of her race, and Aunt Em was already there, sipping strong black tea by the turf fire. Sarah spread her mackintosh over the donkey ’ s back, and Miss Dearlove smiled and stepped graciously inside.
    This was the real thing, she thought, gathering together her flagging spirits; the tiny two-roomed cottage—cabins, weren ’ t they called?—with a cow looking over the partition, the clay pipe, and the spinning wheel in the corner . They spent, over an hour with Mrs. Donovan, drinking tea and listening to her stories. Miss Dearlove made copious notes, but it was very dark, and she doubted if she would be able to read them later. Still, it was all being stored up in her mind for her next wee tale for little people. She thought she would make Mrs. Donovan a witch, and Kathy and possibly Danny would be the lost children—not too like Hansel and Gretel, of course—and a leprechaun, mischievous and cute, living in the teapot on the mantelshelf.
    Miss Dearlove noticed a sudden coldness in the old woman ’ s manner as they made their farewells, and wondered if she could have offended in any way. Aunt Em, already in the cart, was being showered with blessings for her gifts of tea and tobacco, and, slightly at a loss, Miss Dearlove followed her, graciously bowing her thanks for hospitality. They set off through the rain which was turning to fine mist, and Miss Dearlove said:
    “ A delightful experience. That is just the sort of copy I have been looking for. Do you think, dear Miss Emma, the old lady objected to a stranger? I thought she seemed somewhat malevolent when we went. ”
    “ That ’ s because you didn ’ t give her any money, ” said Sarah.
    “ Oh! ” Miss Dearlove felt annoyed, both with herself for appearing mean, and with Mrs. Donovan for expecting payment.
    “ I suppose they ’ re all alike, ” she remarked rather acidly. “ Commercialized like the rest of the world. No doubt they make up their stories especially for the tourist. ”
    Sarah pushed the wet fringe out of her eyes, and looked up at her with a grin.
    “ And if she did, Wasn ’ t it worth it as entertainment? ” she said softly. “ Get along with you, Cosgrave, we ’ ll never be home. ”
    Miss Dearlove was offended. For the second time that day she thought of the Miss Kellys and reflected that it was perhaps a pity she had not heard of them before the Riordans.
    It was nearly dark when they got home, and mist from the lough surrounded the house. For the first time since she had come to Ireland Miss Dearlove thought a little wistfully of the flat in Streatham and Miss Pringle returning from the library with a bundle of new magazines under her arm. Nolan, for once, was on hand to stable the donkey, and as they went into the house Danny remarked with surprise: “ There ’ s a light in the nursery. ”
    They were hardly inside the front door when Nonie came hurrying through the hall.
    “ A fine thing! ” she scolded. “ And is it today of all days you ’ d choose to be gallivanting away from home, Miss Sarah? ”
    “ What ’ s the matter, Nonie? You knew we were going. ”
    “ Did you have no telygram? ”
    “ No, of course not. ”
    “ Och! That Willie ’ s guv it to someone who ’ s forgot it for sure. Himselfs arrived. ”
    Sarah stared.
    “ Not—not —” she faltered.
    “ Amn ’ t I telling you? And his room not ready, and he wanting to go straight to his bed as soon as he ’ d seen the proprietress. What ’ s that, I asks him, and he says, impatient like, the owner of the house, Miss Riordan, and I tells him both Miss Riordans is out with the ass and the cyart, and he says will I trouble you to come up to his room as soon as you ’ re within, Miss Sarah. ”
    “ Oh—oh, dear! ” For once Sarah sounded at a loss, “ Perhaps he wants to leave immediately. ”
    “ He ’ s not lavin ’