Private Universe

Charlotte

Jack woke around ten when Bridie came into his room with a breakfast tray and enough food to give indigestion to a small elephant.

‘Breakfast in bed for you today, boyo. Herself ses you’re to rest the morning. If she sees you out of this room before noon, I’m to nail your shoes to the floor. Mind, from what Gina let on to me this morning, it’d be more to the point if we strapped your dick to the bedpost. Mother of God, Jack. I’d say I’d take me hat off to ye, but with half the women in the district after throwing their corsets, ye’ve scarce the need for it, so.’

‘I don’t need to kiss and tell, do I? Everyone’s doing it for me. Oh, what? You must be joking; I can’t eat all of this.’

‘And since what you don’t eat goes in a paper bag and up to young Ken, ye dam well better not eat all that. And don’t look at me so. Her Ladyship’s orders. Gina won’t steal from her employer and don’t take charity, but she’ll not see good food wasted. I’ve to be awful careful to waste just enough and not too much.’

Jack laughed and shook his head in wonder. ‘You’re a deviously good woman, Bridie.’

‘Huh. An Englishman once said that nature is red in tooth and claw. Typical bloody English never saw what every Irish woman is born knowing, though. Them as stands together has more teeth and more claws.’

‘I’m going to write that on the back of my hand and not wash until I’ve got it memorised.’

‘Thought ye were going to say you wished ye’d said that.’

‘Oh, I will pet, I will.’

She laughed and then there was a silence where she thought she might have to get off and work, though she wanted more to stay and talk and he thought about how to keep her there.

‘I was scared shitless yesterday, Bridie.’

‘I saw it on ye, darling. Yer looking better today, though.’

He nodded. ‘Good night’s sleep, I suppose. But I don’t know about this bed-rest idea. It feels like a time to be around people. Can’t I come and work in the kitchen? I’ll peel potatoes or wash dishes – no heavy lifting or strenuous work, I promise – but I don’t want to just sit here moping on my own.’

His eyes showed he meant it.

‘Well, I’ll have a word with herself. I’ll not mention the potatoes, but she’ll probably be alright with the idea of you sitting in my kitchen and drinking tea. Truth to tell, it’ll be company for me. Gina and Abby’ll be busy today and there’ll be no one to gossip with for the morning. I could do with the extra hand as well. First off, though, you need to see some of that breakfast off.’

***

So Jack spent the later part of the morning with Bridie. He did peel potatoes, mix batter, dry dishes that she washed and make her cups of tea just the way she liked them. He also listened to her stories of Moneygall, where she’d been born and raised and married. Of Dublin, where she’d had her first job when Seamus took work as a chauffer. Of the move to England where the money was better and the work easier because of the bigger staff. Of the start of the war and the winnowing of the household as the men had enlisted and the women found better money working in factories. Of Seamus and the constant rows. Of the lack of children which was one of the causes of them.  Jack listened, Jack asked questions she found she didn’t mind answering and Jack soon knew things about her that only Gina Hawk and her confessor did. For every problem she had, he’d got an aunt with the same or worse. He could tell their stories with sympathy and a touch of wit, but did it to make her laugh, or (she was sure) to let her know she wasn’t the odd one.