The parish priest walked out of the McGrother house, leaving behind a disappointed family looking helplessly at each other. He had apologized for not being able to bring them any news of their men, except that they were being reasonably well fed but kept apart. He assured them that the head constable had appeared sympathetic, particularly on account of Pat’s age. Unfortunately, the police could not divulge any information about the case, even to a man of the cloth, as they were still gathering evidence.
“This has nothing to do with those wooden bowls, Mary. It’s the silver spoon that’s caused all the fuss. I hope Pat doesn’t talk about taking the bowls, it will only convince them of his guilt,” Maggie clucked her tongue as she dished up some food.
Mary was feeding the baby and staring into the fire while her sister-in-law bustled around the table, settling the children. She had been trying to remember all of the occasions when Pat had been missing over the past few weeks.
“Do you mean to say you believe Pat stole that teaspoon?” asked Mary.
“Well, not exactly. More like he was confused and put it in his pocket without realizing what he was doing. I’m sure the magistrate will take his age into account.”
“It was concealed in the lining of his jacket, Maggie. Nobody slips something that size easily into their clothing in a moment of confusion. I cannot believe he would do a thing like that. Pat is as honest as the day is long.”
“Why would the big house make such a fuss over one wee spoon anyway?” asked Catherine in between gulps of broth.
The two women exchanged glances. The same thought had entered their heads but neither had wanted to voice it. James and his uncle had been held for twenty four hours and only their priest had been allowed in to see them. Even he could not find out what all the fuss was about.
“I am going into town tomorrow and if I have to stay outside that prison for a week, I will, until someone tells me what is going on.”
“I’ll come with you, Mary. We can get young Rosie Matthews to look after the wee ones while we are gone,” said Maggie.
The children protested that they too wanted to see their father and Pat, but the women ignored the fuss they were making and sent them outside so they could talk in peace. The baby would have to go with them to town, as she was still at the breast and they would need to bring enough food for a couple of days wait. Maggie put some eggs on the boil while Mary gathered what she would need for swaddling Brigid and keeping her warm.
Next day, hardly a word passed between the women as they walked the two miles into Dundalk. Disappointment was their reward when the policeman on duty would not allow Mary in to see her husband or his uncle. She tried begging, crying and berating but to no avail. Having settled herself down on the steps beside Maggie, she was nursing her baby when the head constable arrived and glared at them. Mary thought about approaching him but quickly changed her mind when she saw the scowl on his face.
“How long have those women been sitting out there?” he asked.
“That’s James McGrother’s wife and sister, sir. They’ve been taking it in turns all morning to come in and ask for permission to visit the prisoners. I told them we would have them for vagrancy if they didn’t leave.”
“Maybe we could use their visit to help us with our enquiries. I’m going to let the wife in to see her husband and I want you to listen to every word that passes between them. On no account are you to leave them unattended, understand?” the chief constable’s scowl had turned into a cunning smile.
The young policeman nodded and went outside to fetch Mary.
“You are to be allowed in to visit with your husband for a short while. Your baby will have to remain outside. Follow me.”
Mary jumped up, thrusting the infant into Maggie’s arms. She grabbed the basket of food they had brought but the constable took it from her.
“There’s no need to bring that in, they are most likely eating better than yourself,” the young man said.
Having been warned not to approach James but remain seated on the opposite side of the table, Mary’s heart raced at the thought of seeing him. She hoped she wouldn’t cry, especially in front of the young constable, but as soon as her husband was brought into the room with his hands cuffed together, the tears spilled over.
“I’m sorry James, I didn’t want to get upset in front of you,” Mary looked at the policeman standing by the door. “Am I allowed to hold his hand?” she asked.
When the constable nodded and reminded them they must remain seated, James grabbed hold of his wife’s hands so tight it made her wince.
“Mary, have you seen Uncle Pat? Is he still confused?”
“And I miss you too, James McGrother,” Mary tried to lighten his mood.
“They won’t let me talk to him. I don’t know how he’s faring. I’m worried to death over him, Mary.”
“I’ll see if they will let me visit him before I go, James. Have they told you why both of you are being kept here? Surely they don’t suspect you of stealing anything, sure the teaspoon was found in Pat’s clothing.”
James replied that she knew as much as he did. “There has to be more to this. It wasn’t the Crown jewels that was found in his jacket. All this fuss for a piece of cutlery, even if it was silver. You know how Pat has been lately, confused and forgetful, but he’s not a thief,” said James.
“I don’t know what possessed him to take it but as soon as he realized what he had done, he would have returned it immediately, like he did with the bowls,” said Mary.
James coughed and glanced quickly at the constable guarding them. He hadn’t mentioned the bowls to the police during questioning, thinking it would make the situation worse. Whether his uncle had spoken of the incident or not, James had no way of telling.
Their conversation was interrupted by two constables entering the room to take James away. Mary remained calm and blew a kiss as her husband was led through the door.
“Try and talk them into letting you see Pat. Make sure he’s well, Mary. Kiss the children for me,” James’s words faded into the distance.
Mary was told to wait outside until sent for. She didn’t ask to see Pat as her emotions were still reeling over the visit with James. Maggie listened as every word spoken between the young couple was repeated by Mary, until she was summoned to the chief constable’s office.
“I have decided to let you visit your husband’s uncle but I must warn you not to get him overly excited. He has been behaving himself all morning and I want him to stay that way. Do you understand, Mrs. McGrother, that it is in his best interest to remain calm and coherent?
“I do, sir, you have my word on it. I will do my very best to cheer him up with news about the children. He is like a grandfather to them and must be missing them sorely.”
The head constable nodded and signalled to the young policeman standing by the door in the small room. As Mary was being led into the corridor she turned her face back towards the desk and thanked the man sitting behind it. He appeared to be stern and cold natured but she hoped there might be a sympathetic soul lying beneath the hard exterior.
Pat jumped up and ran to Mary as soon as she walked through the door. It took all of her inner strength to push him firmly away before the constable accompanying her could intervene.
“We must keep a distance between us, Uncle Pat, but we are allowed hold hands. Why don’t we sit down?” Mary glanced at the policeman standing just inside the locked door.
Relieved at his nod of approval, she led the elderly man towards a rough wooden platform that served as a bed. Pat looked like he had aged ten years and appeared to be exhausted.
“James tells me the food here is very good indeed, Pat. I fear that when you get home my cooking will not be to your liking anymore,” Mary gave a weak laugh.
“You have spoken to James? They will not let us see each other. Mary, they must think that James had a part in this. I have no recollection of taking that cursed teaspoon but I know for sure that James had nothing to do with it. I felt it in my jacket the moment I picked it up, but I was afraid to tell him about it on account of the incident with . . .”
“Now don’t you get yourself all worked up again,” Mary interrupted Pat before he said anything else that would add to the trouble he was already in.
“Mary, a stór. The next time you see James you must tell him that this will all be sorted out. I’m going to make everything right for him. Promise me that you will let him know and ease his mind. Will you do that for me?”
The old eyes that held Mary’s gaze were clearer than she had seen them in a long time. Pat looked focused and sure of himself as he spoke. She nodded her head, lost for words. Whatever he had decided to do had brought him to his senses and Mary did not want to say anything that might change that.
The young man on guard cleared his throat and informed Mary that her visiting time was up. He did not rush forward when she threw herself into Pat’s arms to embrace him. The old fisherman patted her back, then pulled away to look her in the eye and made her promise once more to support him, no matter what she believed or how she felt
.