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went to the door. She saw the woman shaking her wet hands and staring at
the house, then, before Sarah’s eyes, she crossed herself. Sarah threw
the towel across the halfdoor. "Ye may dry your hands on that," She said
loudly. The woman looked at her with startled suspicious eyes. "Thank
ye," she said.
Then, as Sarah set their plates before them she saw Bridie flush and
gaze at her curiously. Her sensitive conscience rankled. There could
only be one reason why the woman stared at her like that. The others / *
started to eat hungrily but Bridie sat with her hands in her lap, and as
Sarah stole a glance at her she saw her look pleadingly at Agnes. The old
woman understood in a moment what was wrong. She lifted the bacon from
Bridie’s plate and put it on Hamilton’s, then she drained the gravy off
and set it before.her again. "What ails ye?" asked Hamilton, looking at
the woman.
"Nothing ava," she replied, smiling and glad to be at her meal.
"The day’s a Friday," explained Agnes,
Hamilton struck the table, "It is indeed. I’m right and sorry,
Mrs Dineen. Sarah, is there anything else in the house?"
"There’s a bit o’ ling, ’ answered Sarah, without raising her head.
An awkward silence fell on the table, broken only by Bridie’s assurance
that she was content.
"Well, if there’s fish in the house get up and cook the woman a bit""
said Hamilton loudly and angrily.
Sarah sprang from her chair, and rushing round the table snatched the
plate from before the embarrassed woman. "I’ll get ye'a clean plate, too,"
she said, girning in fury at her.
