‘A DAY OUT IN THE FRESH AIR blackberry picking would do you the world of good, Eily,’ Nano had suggested. ‘’Twould help you forget your troubles.’
The air was still and warm as Eily, Nano and Mary-Brigid set out across the fields to go blackberry picking. Ahead of them a tangled, winding hedgerow of lush brambles meandered for what seemed like miles, before the ground finally rose gently upwards towards the slopes of the Giant’s Bed.
They each carried a pail. Mary-Brigid’s was the smallest – and how she longed to fill it. Each curving branch was laden down with the weight of huge clusters of shiny purple-black fruit.
‘I’ve never seen the like of it,’ murmured Nano.
‘Be careful of those thorns, Mary-Brigid,’ advised Eily, ‘and make sure to check that there are no maggots in the berries.’
Mary-Brigid nodded; she was just itching to get picking. She stuffed the first few blackberries into her mouth, relishing the strong, sweet taste, then good sense prevailed and she began to follow the example of her mother and Nano and drop them into her pail. She watched the way her mother’s fingers flew along the branches. Nano picked slowly and steadily. At one stage her wide black skirt got caught up in some thorns and Mary-Brigid had to rescue her.
‘What would I do without you, child?’ chuckled Nano, ‘I’m rightly stuck.’
It was hot, and after a while Mary-Brigid wished that she had brought a sun-bonnet as she could feel herself getting too sticky and warm. Luckily, Eily had a can of water and the three of them sat in the shade and drank from it. Mary-Brigid knew that she must look a sight with her hands and arms and chin all stained with the bright purple juice. Then Nano took a bit of a rest as the others worked on.
‘Mammy, there’s lashings of them, look!’ Mary-Brigid pointed out, as she moved along, pushing against the trailing brambles. She picked low down as her mother stretched and picked above her, until both buckets were almost full.
‘There’ll be plenty of eating in this lot,’ smiled Eily. ‘Jams and fillings for pies and tarts and, best of all, fresh with a jug of cream. You and Daddy and Jodie will be sick of blackberries in a few weeks’ time.’
‘I’d never be sick of blackberries, Mammy!’ declared Mary-Brigid. ‘Never! But isn’t it a pity you couldn’t sell some of them?’
‘What’s that, child?’ enquired Nano, rousing herself from the old tree stump that she had been sitting on.
‘Well, it’s only I … I … was sort of thinking that you and Mammy make the best jams and pies and tarts – better than anyone else – and I’m sure people might buy them …’ Mary-Brigid trailed off, feeling silly.
They were both staring at her.
‘I’m sure people would buy them,’ she continued, blushing. ‘And I heard you and Daddy saying we need to get some money and I just thought that –’
‘Aren’t you the wise girleen!’ interrupted Nano.
Eily swooped down and caught Mary-Brigid under the armpits and swung her round and round. ‘Mary-Brigid Powers, you are the cleverest bit of a thing I’ve ever come across!’
Mary-Brigid could feel the whole world and the grass tilt beneath her when her mother stopped spinning her. Why, she was just pure dizzy with excitement!
‘It will be like the old days back in the shop in Market Lane,’ said Nano wistfully. ‘Do you remember, Eily?’
Nano’s and Eily’s eyes were shining, and Mary-Brigid bounced up and down with pride beside them.
‘We’ll need some extra sugar and flour, Nano, and we’ve Maisie’s eggs,’ said Eily, all excited, ‘and Mary-Brigid can go up to Old Drummond’s place, he always used to let the children pick some apples when he was alive. Folks always like a nice blackberry and apple pie.’
‘Jams and chutneys and pies …’ Nano was busy planning too. ‘Eily, you could go door-to-door selling, but to my mind the market is the best place for home produce.’
‘What do you think John will say to all this?’ asked Eily.
‘He’ll say what a good wife you are, pet, and what a smart daughter he’s got. That’s what he’ll say.’
At long last, despite all the chat and excitement, all three pails were full.
‘And we can come back again and again, and there’ll still be plenty more,’ said Eily happily.
Mary-Brigid could just about manage to lift her pail, and she had to walk carefully so as not to spill any of the precious berries. Her mother strode ahead of her, humming softly under her breath. It seemed such a long time since she’d heard her mother laugh or sing. The sound did her heart good.