IT WAS ALMOST mid-morning when, to Grace’s surprise, Mick Collins called at Temple Villas.
‘Is it Joe?’ she asked, fearing bad news. ‘Is he worse? Am I to go to the nursing home?’
‘Ah Grace, it’s nothing like that,’ he told her kindly. ‘He sent me to give you these.’
He passed her a package. Perhaps it was a message about their wedding tomorrow, but it felt strangely heavy and she immediately opened it. It was a revolver and also there was £20 in notes wrapped up beside it.
She suddenly felt terribly afraid.
‘Mick, why do I need a gun?’
‘Joe wants you to have it if you need to defend yourself. The money is in case you have to bribe some of the military. He’s afraid you may be captured, Grace, or might be arrested because of him.’
‘Arrested?’ Grace gasped out loud.
‘Ssshhh,’ Collins warned, stepping forward and taking her arm.
‘Mick, do you think they will come here?’
‘Who can say what they will do or what they might be planning, but Joe just wants you safe. He’s checked out of the nursing home.’
‘But he’s far too sick! The doctor told him he had to stay – why would he do such a silly thing?’
‘You know what he’s like when he wants something, Grace, how determined and set about things Joe can be.’
She nodded dumbly.
‘He’s got a room at the Metropole Hotel and he asks you to come in to see him this evening.’
‘Tell him I’ll be there,’ she promised, watching as the tall figure of Michael Collins, message delivered, disappeared back outside.
She felt the heaviness of the gun and touched the trigger. She had never even held a gun in her life and could not imagine herself ever using one. Aiming at another human being and killing or injuring them – it was something she could not personally contemplate, even if Joe did want her to have it for self-defence.
Running upstairs, she hid the revolver and the money in her bag, hoping that she would never have to use either.
‘Who was that man that called to see you?’ asked her brother Liebert curiously.
‘Just a friend giving me a message,’ she said lightly.
Grace took a tram into Sackville Street, arriving at the Metropole Hotel around six to see Joe. She was surprised to see him suddenly appear down the hotel stairs. He looked terrible: his hair was shaved tight to his skull, he had lost weight and now even in his new uniform and hat he looked positively skeletal. She ran to greet him and they embraced. Tomorrow morning they would be wed.
‘I was about to give you up as a bad job,’ he said, touching her face. ‘Why didn’t you come earlier? I waited in all the afternoon for you.’
‘But I was told to come only now,’ she said, trying not to get upset.
‘No matter about the muddle, you are here,’ he said tenderly. ‘But I am afraid I will have to leave in a few minutes.’
They found a quiet spot and sat down beside each other.
‘Joe, why did you leave Mrs Quinn’s? You should be in bed resting.’
‘Grace, I promise this is no time for rest. There is far too much for me to do, but I needed to talk to you about tomorrow,’ he said quietly, holding her hand. ‘I’m so sorry, my love, but there will be no wedding in the morning in Rathmines. We have to postpone it.’
‘Why?’ she demanded loudly.
‘Ah Grace, there was some awful mix-up with the priest about our banns and they haven’t been read, which means that we cannot get married tomorrow with Geraldine and Tommy like we planned.’
Utter disappointment overwhelmed her, but Grace was a lady and would not create a scene or cry in such a public place. With all Joe’s talk of rebellion and the slow recovery from his operation, the possibility of their marriage on Easter Sunday had become more remote over the past few days. She had already quietly steeled herself for such news, but she was still deeply hurt and upset.
‘But I promise you with all my heart, once the banns are read and we have permission from the Church, we will be wed immediately. I want you to be my wife,’ he pledged. ‘Somehow in the next few days in some nearby church we will take our vows, be husband and wife, and all that is mine will be yours. Just be ready, Grace, when I send you word.’
‘I will,’ she promised.
‘Grace, I wish that I could stay here with you, but I have to take a cab to an urgent meeting on important Volunteer matters. Come with me.’
She sat with him in the back of the cab, her hands in his, fearful suddenly that she would never see him again. Joe kissed her gently before getting out at the bridge near Gardiner Street, which was only a few minutes away, and saying goodbye. He seemed relaxed and fearless as he waved to her.
Grace resisted the temptation to run after him …
She could not bear the thought of returning home to Temple Villas and instead ordered the cab driver to take her to Muriel’s house on Oakley Road.