A Pocket Full of Shells Read Online Free PDF Page A

down to the village and find out what news there is?" Mary drew a blanket around her shoulders before running out into the night. 
         All but the youngest and oldest villagers had gathered on the beach, watching helplessly as their husbands, sons, fathers and brothers were tossed about by the raging sea. Like a scene from a ballet, the small vessels moved gracefully through the darkness towards the shore, their bows raised into the air. The wave crashed onto the sandy beach, depositing the boats and their crew almost at the feet of the onlookers.
         As she approached the crowd of people the sound of wailing and crying reached Mary's ears.  She was sure her husband and his uncle had lost their lives. When James called out to her, she didn't respond immediately. It was Pat placing a hand on her arm as she passed him by, that made her realize she was not widowed.
         "James, James," she was shouting, pushing her way through the crowd.
         "Mary, I'm over here."
    The young woman followed the voice of her husband and found him sitting on a seaweed covered rock, coughing and still calling her name.
         "We lost a boat and three men. I thought I would never set eyes on you again."
    They held each other until Pat joined them and helped James to his feet.
         "We should get back to Annie, she will be worried sick," the old fisherman said.
         The three tired figures made their way to the cottage, but before they reached it the door swung open and Annie ran out, thrusting herself into Pat's arms.
         "Calm down, love, you can't get rid of me that easily. Sure how many times have I told you that?" he said, patting her back and kissing her wet cheek.
    In the safe, steady, warmth of the cottage the men recounted their story to the women. The baby, who had woken up looking for a feed, was suckled, swaddled, kissed and passed to her father.
         "The catch from the four remaining boats will be shared out and an equal portion given to the widows and children of the lost men," said Pat, "That being the case, we should have enough to do us till the weather clears. If you will excuse me, I am going up to bed now. I lost some good friends in that storm, I won't be much company for you tonight."
    As he began to climb the stairs, Annie took his hand and said, "I will come with you, love, we can warm the bed together tonight."
     

     
     
    CHAPTER 6
         The families of the drowned fishermen, all female with no man to provide for them, decided to move to Liverpool. One of them had relatives there and was told that a word in the right ear could lead to a job for the women as domestics in some of the big houses. The potato crop had failed again for the second year running and for those who couldn’t pay their rent it meant the workhouse or the boat. Most of those leaving the area were heading for Liverpool from Dundalk. It was a sad day for the village when the two widows and their three daughters left. An older girl, Brigid, who had married the year before and was living with her husband’s family, moved into her parent’s cottage with permission from the landlord. He had been very sympathetic, providing coffins for the burials of the four men, whose bodies had been washed ashore the day after the storm. Wreckage from their boat had been scattered along the beach and on the rocks. 
         Brigid’s husband, Michael was also a fisherman and worked on his father’s boat. His parents’ house was crowded enough already and the young couple were expecting their first child. If they could afford to pay the rent on the cabin it would mean Brigid’s family would have a place to come back to if things didn’t work out in England. A close friendship had developed between Michael and James and their wives. The two young women spent a lot of time searching through the woods with Annie, learning about the cures she had for different ailments and the plants that were edible or poisonous. In