My mother-in-law had taken in Bridie to train her as a maid, but had grown fond of her and now seemed to be raising her to be a young lady. Either way, she had blossomed into a sweet young girl, almost twelve years old, and I was delighted to see her. I went to the front door to meet them.
“Mother Sullivan, how good of you to come,” I said. “And Bridie too. What a lovely surprise.”
“I thought she might be useful minding the baby,” Mrs. Sullivan said. “And it’s lonely for her up at the house with just Martha to talk to. And of course she pestered me until I agreed she could come.”
Bridie gave me a sheepish smile. “I didn’t pester. I asked nicely. I didn’t want to miss out on seeing Liam.”
“Only Liam, I notice.” I grinned as I ruffled her hair. “You’d no real desire to see me then?”
Bridie came over and hugged me fiercely.
“Careful, child. Molly’s been injured.” Mrs. Sullivan touched my shoulder as if I was made of porcelain as she leaned forward to kiss my cheek. “But you, my poor dear girl. What a terrible thing to have happened to you. When we read about it in the newspaper I said to Martha ‘I just hope nobody we know was riding on that train.’ And then we got Daniel’s telegram. It’s a miracle you’re still alive, saints be praised.”
“Yes, it is a miracle,” I said. “I almost got in the car ahead, but there was a man coughing and I didn’t want Liam to catch a disease. That was the car that plunged down and so many people were killed. I was in the car that hung down over the edge. We would have fallen all the way to the street as well, but we came to rest against the side of a building.”
“Awful!” she exclaimed again. “And Daniel says you’ve broken ribs?”
“Either cracked or bruised, not broken,” I said. “But they certainly hurt enough when I try to do anything like pick up Liam.”
“Of course they would. Well, I’m here now.”
Mrs. Sullivan turned to the cabby who was struggling with a large trunk. “Bring that up to the house, will you?” she said. The cabby gave a sigh as he heaved it onto his shoulder and followed us. I opened the front door.
“I can’t tell you how grateful I am,” I said. “Please do come in. I’m afraid the house isn’t quite ready yet, but Sid and Gus have lent me some items so we’ll get by for now.”
“They are still living across the street then?” She shot a disapproving glare at their house. “Last thing I heard they were off gallivanting in Europe.”
“Yes, they just came home recently from Vienna. Miss Walcott has been studying with Professor Freud.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Not that awful man who says that all we think about is…” She lowered her voice and said, “S-e-x.”
“I can spell, you know,” Bridie said. “But you never told me what sex is.”
“Later, dear,” Mother Sullivan said. She turned back to the cabby. “You might as well take that upstairs to my room.”
“I’m a cabdriver, not a footman or a delivery boy,” he said. “I’ll leave it in the front hall. You can do what you like with it after that.”
“And I was going to give him a good tip too,” Mother Sullivan said as the cabby stomped away and I closed the front door behind him.
“Now, where’s that adorable grandson of mine?” she asked.
“He’s asleep on my bed. His crib is still at the apartment where Daniel’s been staying. He’s supposed to pack up our stuff and have it delivered, but the Lord knows when he’ll find time to do that. He’s been awfully busy lately.”
“When is that poor boy not busy?” she said. “Working himself to the grave, that’s what he’s doing. You must persuade him to leave the police, Molly. I’ve told you we have friends who would be only too glad to help him get into politics.”
“But he loves what he does, Mother Sullivan. He’s not designed for a life of leisure, you know that.”
She sniffed. “You’re right about that. Just like his father.”
I showed her the newly furnished parlor and then took her upstairs to the bedrooms. She didn’t seem particularly impressed, but then I realized that everything looked just as it once was to her. She had never seen my house burned and in ruins. She had no idea of the work it had taken to bring it back to how it was. And as I looked at it myself I felt ashamed that I had criticized Daniel for doing it all without me. It had been a mammoth task for him and one undertaken with love. I’d tell him that as soon as he got home.