We worked through the day, doing what we had to do, but Mummy Joy never settled herself. I had to do half her work for her, she was that busy fiddling and footering. I had the same nerves in my belly, but I knew one of us had to get things done or we’d all be in trouble. Mummy Noreen did her share too, even if it was with one hand, her other holding a flannel to her throat. If the Daddies noticed the blood on her dress, they never let on themselves.

It was getting late in the day when Daddy George took Mummy Joy aside, and says he, Why don’t you cook the tea for everyone? I bought a gammon in the village there, and new potatoes and some parsnips. Cook it fancy, make it special, maybe use some of the honey from the larder. Put everyone in the right form. And then it’ll be a celebration, won’t it?

Aye, says Mummy Joy, a celebration.

She didn’t sound sure of it.

Says I, Can I help?

Daddy George smiled down at me, and says he, Aye, why not?

So we set about it, Mummy Joy getting the gammon ready, boiling it with carrots and onions in the big pot, me peeling the parsnips and more carrots. We were wondering what to do with them, should we mash them or just boil them?

Mummy Noreen appeared behind us, and says she, Roast them in the honey, along with the gammon. I saw that in a book one time, when I was at the library to stay out of the cold. I used to like looking at the cookery books.

Aye, says Mummy Joy, we’ll do that.

She clapped her hands and tittered and we all took into it, laughing and chittering like I’d never ever known us do before. And I had that feeling again, like everything was going to be all right, like I was going to be free of thon house.

I should’ve known it would never let me go.

Before the men sat down for their tea, Daddy George spake up.

Says he, The girls have worked awful hard on this feed. Maybe they could take a plate down with them while it’s hot instead of waiting for the scraps?

Daddy Ivan gave him a terrible hard look. Daddy Tam just sat there with a dirty wee smile on his face, his eyes all red from the drink.

Go on, says Daddy George, just this once. Sure, there’s plenty for everyone.

Daddy Ivan let a grumble out of him, then, says he, Aye, all right, just this once.