Brigid the Girl from County Clare by Vicky Adin

Author:Vicky Adin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: lacemaking, Australia, New Zealand, Irish, Irish emigration, NZ immigrants, 19th century women, captivating history, authentic characters, dual timeline, Irish famine, Kathleen McGurl, Jean Grainger
Publisher: Vicky Adin
Published: 2019-03-19T16:00:00+00:00

9

Love, Fear and Death

Townsville

March 1887

Months had passed since Sally had first stumbled across Jamie outside the hotel that day in January. She could laugh now at his disapproving face, but it had annoyed her at the time. She’d had enough of men thinking they could control her. But then, he really was quite young. At least he was a hard worker, she’d give him that.

Despite herself, Sally was drawn to Jamie’s freshness and honesty. She still judged him an idiot to have left Brigid for that irrational woman but admired his certainty he was doing the right thing. And he loved those two little girls. Who’d have believed it? A big bloke like him being soppy over a couple of brats. She tried not to think about it – but there were days when her thoughts wouldn’t leave her alone.

For days after their meeting, the papers had been full of the storm that hit Townsville.

But what had scared them both were the reports about the severity of the storm as it travelled south and hit Brisbane. The flash flood had been one of the most damaging the town had seen, with houses floating away and bridges demolished. With no knowledge of the landscape in Brisbane, they couldn’t imagine where Brigid fitted but prayed she was safe. They’d not had a letter in a long while.

Jamie came nearly every day from then on, either to deliver the ice or more often to see if she’d heard from Brigid. The papers continued to talk of the clean-up and the damage the flooding had wreaked upon the business district, but still they heard nothing.

Emily McKendrick had proved to be a good employer – even a friend – and she’d had few enough of those in her life. The bar was thriving and Emily encouraged her ideas, but so far Sally had not found a way of asking if Brigid could be included in her schemes. She didn’t know why it seemed so important that Brigid join her in Townsville and they become a team. It didn’t even make sense. They were as opposite as could be, with different goals.

Brigid was a talented seamstress and lacemaker, but humble and caring. Someone would take advantage of her one day if she wasn’t careful. Someone like that Philip Harrison-Browne. She was too compassionate and too trusting for her own good. Much to her own surprise – and anyone else who knew her, if they’d been able to read her deepest thoughts – Sally was worried.

Unlike Brigid, she wasn’t clever at anything except beguiling people. Oh, yes, she was entertaining. She could make men laugh. She could fleece them at cards and have them come back for more, but she was a loner, even if something was missing. No one would take advantage of her or rip her off. She certainly didn’t want to be considered a do-gooder.

But when Jamie turned up at her door with Maggie, she had little choice. “What the hell am I supposed

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