Wildflower Girl Read Online Free Page B

opened her arms and let the flowers tumble onto her great-aunt’s lap. ‘They’re for you.’
    ‘Peggy, you’re always bringing me flowers …’ Nano held the woodbine to her face. ‘By tonight its scent will fill the house … by tonight …’
    Peggy washed and dressed. Eily cooked the biggest breakfast ever. They all sat around and watched her eat, making sure she swallowed every bit. Eily had sorted out food for travelling, saying she hoped it would last all the weeks at sea. There was dried beef, some tea and sugar, a rich porter cake, a round golden cheese, and dry oatcakes. Another hour and it would be time to leave.
    Nano was varying between fussing and flustering and sitting down every few minutes with her handkerchief to her eyes. Peggy tried to leave her be and concentrate on getting ready.
    Michael fastened a horse-hair bracelet on Peggy’s wrist. ‘From the three best horses in the stable.’ He had plaited and linked the black, the chestnut brown and the golden hair so they came together and formeda stiff circle. ‘It will bring you luck and speed and strength,’ he added.
    Peggy looked at it and loved it straight away, knowing what it meant.
    Nano produced a small drawstring purse, heavy with coins. ‘For a rainy day, pet, and to help you get started.’
    Eily wrapped her best shawl around Peggy’s shoulders. ‘It’s yours. We can’t send you off to the New World with a worn-out shawl.’ Peggy clutched it close to her. She rubbed her face to the soft wool. It would enfold her just like Eily had always wrapped her and kept her safe.
    All too soon they heard the clatter of the cart on the cobbles in the lane. Nell Molloy and her family were sitting on the cart, the little ones perched on tightly wrapped bundles of clothes. Michael went to fetch Peggy’s bundle. Eily was stacking her wrapped food.
    Nano had disappeared into the shop. She was walking up and down and running her hand over and back on the counter distractedly. Peggy tiptoed in and hugged her.
    ‘Stay here, Auntie Nano! Don’t come out in the lane.’
    Nano managed to paste a wobbly smile across her face. There’d be time enough for tears later.
    Michael lifted Peggy on to the cart. Eily ran almost the whole way down the main street, waving, and following the cart and horses like a little girl. Peggy watched and waved until all that was left of Castletaggart town was the haze of smokedisappearing in the distance.

CHAPTER 4

Queenstown
    THE CART JUMPED AND JOLTED along the bumpy roads and tracks, the two horses trotting in time, their manes blowing in the breeze. Nell Molloy was busy keeping order among her brood, who were singing and playing tricks. After a few miles they would pick up the Sullivan brothers.

    This is travelling in style, thought Peggy as she let her feet hang over the side, free and easy. Father Lynch had paid for the cart. He regularly told a story of a husband and wife and child who had been on their last legs at the height of the Famine. The good father gave them a meal and paid their passage for America, but a week later he discovered that they had died on the way to the harbour, too weak and worn out to make the journey to the sea port. Ever since, Father Lynch pledged that anyone from Castletaggart parish who was setting sail for the New World would have the comfort of a good ride on the first step of their journey. No one would leave the town in shame or despondent if Father Lynch had any say in it. There had been too much of that.
    The summer countryside flew by. Mile after mile blended into a confusion of colour and images – green hedgerows, wild honeysuckle, high, heavy hawthorns weighed down with boughs full of blossom, small woods of ancient oak and ash where startled wood pigeons broke out in a flap into the clear blue sky.
    ‘I told your aunt and your sister I’d keep a good eye on you,’ announced Mrs Molloy. She was a big woman and was already hot and sweaty with the heat and all the