‘All right,’ he said reluctantly, ‘I’ll do it, Biddy, but on this condition: not one bit of whatever it is comes off that ship ends up in the Seaman’s Stop, do you hear? I’ll send your telegram today, for Mrs Deane is a good woman and if she has asked you, then it must be necessary.’

Biddy smiled. Her goal had been achieved. ‘Of course I agree. And Maura and Tommy’s house is empty, so we can store it all in their wash house out the back, just like we always have. Now get your coat, Malcolm, and I’ll come to the post office with you. Mary, here’s your list. The rooms all have numbers on the door. Top and bottom each one out and then start on the dining room. You’ve done it with your mother enough times before.’

Mary gathered up Malcolm’s empty plate and cup and obediently carried them to the sink,where she began to wash up.

‘Did she take a vow of silence?’ said Malcolm to Biddy.

‘If she had, it would be a strange thing altogether, coming from a house with nine kids, isn’t that right, Mary?’

Mary turned from the sink and smiled. ‘I’ll get cracking once I’ve cleaned up here,’ she said.

Malcolm grinned. ‘She may not be a nun, Biddy, but it seems you’ve brought me a saint.’

Chapter Six

Once the door slammed shut, Mary leant against the range and gazed around the large kitchen where she would now be spending many hours. It was bigger than her mother’s on Nelson Street and smaller than the convent kitchen at St Saviour’s where she had worked for six mornings a week since she left school at the age of fifteen. Only those who were considering taking the veil and becoming postulants were allowed to work full-time and her mother, Deirdre, had made it very clear to her that this was her destiny. Mary had promptly burst into floods of tears.

‘Send Malachi to be a priest, not me to be a nun!’ she had howled.

‘Don’t be ridiculous, Malachi wants to be a docker like your da. What’s up with you, Mary? Jesus and Lord above, you won’t ever have a moment’s worry in your life. Full board and everything paid for, no visits to the rent office for you. Why do you think the nuns are always smiling? Not a care in the world amongst them.’

Mary had stared at her mother, disbelieving, already knowing it was futile to object, already plotting an escape. As it was, Sister Evangelista had come to her rescue.

‘Mary, I see no great calling in you, but work amongst us, spend time here observing our devotions and should you feel things change…’