Moya takes my hands in hers, her touch sending a jolt of energy through me. ‘James punched him? Oh my goodness,’ she murmurs, shaking her head. She squeezes my hands. ‘It sounds like James did the right thing by defending you. No one should ever have to endure such verbal abuse.’ She pauses for a moment before continuing, ‘But now you need to think about what comes next. People can be cruel when they feel threatened. I know it’s hard to do so right now, but you must think about what’s best for you and for James in the long run. Sometimes all you can do is protect your peace. Stay low-key, until things settle down a bit.’
‘But why would he say that? My mother would never steal, never! Even when we had nothing, she’d never…’
Moya sighs, and I can see the conflict in her eyes. ‘It doesn’t matter now. Let it go. It’s in the past. People believe what suits them, Daisy.’
‘No, Moya, please. I need to know,’ I say, exasperation creeping into my voice.
Moya pauses for a beat, her brow furrowed in thought. ‘It’s bad luck to tell the secrets of the dead, don’t you know?’ She appears agitated as she shakes her head at me. ‘Your mother did everything she could to protect you from this wickedness. I’m trying my best to do the same, keep Rose’s wishes alive – but, Daisy, you never stop pushing, do you? I’m just an old woman, and I don’t have the strength to fight you any longer. Have it your way. Here’s the truth, and let this be the end of it, you hear me?’
I keep my mouth shut and sit back in my seat.
‘Rose had a shift as a cleaner at The Tap House. There was lodgings upstairs and a jewellery box disappeared from a guest’sbedroom. It was full of very expensive pieces, and they said your mother was the only one who’d a key to the room that day. When a traveller finds themselves in a situation like that, you can imagine the rumours that start doing the rounds… and then, of course, the police were called. She was very afraid that she’d be arrested and end up in prison and all with a baby growing inside her.’
‘But it wasn’t her! I know it wasn’t!’ I protest.
‘I believe you. And I believed her,’ says Moya with a sad smile. ‘But sometimes no one listens to you, even if you’re innocent. Pregnant, unmarried, alone and labelled a thief by the town, the situation left her no choice. You’d always be tainted by that, no matter what. And so, she did all she could do: run. Run and never look back.’ She puts a hand on mine.
I let Moya’s words sink in. My mind reels with the implications of what she’s just told me. I feel my heart break for my mother, who had to endure such suffering and shame all on her own. Tears prick my eyes and I look down at my hands, struggling to find the courage to ask the next question.
‘If you knew she didn’t do it, why didn’t you help her to clear her name?’
Moya looks up to the ceiling and breathes deeply. ‘Times were different then. Not that that’s an excuse. I knew she didn’t do it; all of us who knew her felt just as you feel right now – that’s just not her character, not in her. We went to Tom, Rose’s father, and told him what had happened, about the false accusation. Said it wasn’t a battle she could win. He told her she’d made her bed, so she’d have to lie in it and he washed his hands of her.’
I can imagine it all too well: their poor attempt at salvaging this sinking ship of a situation, the demoralisation and helplessness I can hear in Moya’s voice.
She sighs heavily. ‘He said he couldn’t take any risk; he wasn’t a young man anymore – too weak to fight, too old tomove on. He wanted no trouble. “We need to take care of this situation, and quickly,” he said. “Rose, you can’t stay here.” So, he told her to get out or… or else.’ She looked away as she said this last part.
‘And you said before she never told him she was pregnant?’
Moya shakes her head.
‘But wouldn’t that have made a difference?’ I ask.
‘Oh yes, it would have – but not in a good way,’ says Moya. ‘It’s like I said: Tom would have been furious; he’d have felt that Rose had been taken advantage of – and he’d have had Mick punished for it. He’d never have accepted a child out of wedlock, let alone one that wasn’t from our folk. He would have had Mick beaten to a pulp if he found out he’d got her pregnant. That’s why Rose needed to stay quiet.’
I feel my stomach sink – no one had come to my mother’s rescue when she’d needed it most. No one had been on her side or fought for her innocence when the allegation arose. Her own father had abandoned his only daughter. No wonder she’d never returned.
Moya looks up at me slowly and wipes a stray tear from her cheek with trembling fingers. ‘She left that very night,’ is all she says before bringing her gaze back down to the tabletop once more.
We sit in silence for a few moments – each of us lost in our thoughts – before Moya finally breaks it by saying softly, ‘Your mum made sure you’d have a fresh start.’
I nod silently before thanking Moya for sharing Rose’s story with me. I bid her farewell and step out into the bright sunshine.
As I walk away from the caravan, my heart feels heavy with sadness but also with a deep understanding of my mother’s actions. My mum had had no choice – she’d had to give up her home and Mick, for me and for herself. When Mick arrived in London, she’d steered him away for his own safety. If Tomever found out they had a child together, Mick would be put in serious danger. To protect us all, she’d chosen to do the one thing that would keep everyone safe – disappear from Innisfree for the rest of her days. She’d taken on this burden alone, running away so that we could start again somewhere new. Even though the circumstances were less than ideal, she found a way to turn it around for us – finding strength in the face of adversity; fighting against the odds – the irony being, for all she did to protect everyone, it was her who perished first. There’s no way my mother stole anything in her whole life. This fight isn’t over.
CHAPTER 45
THE CHOICE
We pass the following days in a state of wonder. As I soak in the warmth of James’ embrace, the reality of our situation sinks in. It’s a beautiful contradiction. Wrapped up in each other’s arms, it feels like we’ve created a sanctuary within the walls of The Lake House. But outside these walls, our world is teetering on the edge of a delicate balance, a precarious peace that could easily shatter under the weight of small-town grudges.
Though Moya’s warning still lingers in the back of my mind, I can’t deny the happiness that’s bloomed within me since James and I have started sharing our lives. Surrounded by the love and support of friends like Jacinta, Fintan, Dom and the boys, I can’t help but think that this is where we’re supposed to be.
As we sit by the water, the sun casting both light and shadow on the lake’s surface, it seems silly to worry. How could there be darkness amidst so much beauty? I lean my head on James’ shoulder, searching his face for an answer. Lately, we’ve agreed to simply not speak of the malevolent cloud hanging over us, creating a stubborn bubble of denial.
‘What are your thoughts on leaving?’ I question. I don’t want to be a hindrance to James’ success. I can’t demand nor require him to give up any ambitions or amazing opportunities justbecause of me. Even if that means we need to do something long distance, I’m sure it’ll work out. If there’s anything I’ve learned from this experience, it’s that where there’s a will, there’s always a way.
He gazes at me, a look filled with sentiment. ‘Well, I’ve been considering the idea of not going.’
