Gaynor Hazel - The Girl Who Came Home: A Titanic Novel

THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME

A Titanic Novel

by

Hazel Gaynor

The Girl Who Came Home A Titanic Novel Hazel Gaynor

Kindle edition Copyright 2012 Hazel Gaynor

This is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact and those identified in the Authors Note, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to organisations, places, things or events is purely coincidental and entirely unintentional.

All rights reserved in all media. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form other than that which it was purchased and without the written permission of the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the author.

Cover design by Andrew Brown @design4writers

Cover image Maiden Voyage is used with the kind permission of the artist Jim McDonald .

Visit www.titanicart.co.uk to purchase prints of the original painting and other Titanic art by the same artist.

This book is dedicated to the memory of The Addergoole Fourteen and all those who lost their lives on Titanic on April 15 th , 1912.

Never since the dawn of history was such disaster known

Fifteen hundred human bodies on the waste of waters thrown

Ah! The loss of the Titanic is deplored in every clime,

And the story sad recorded even to the end of time.

From a poem by Mitchell OGrady, Connaught Telegraph, 25th May, 1912

And as the smart ship grew

In stature, grace, and hue

In shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too.

From The Convergence of the Twain, Thomas Hardy, 1912

PART I

Dorothy Gibson Carpathia: ' Will be worried to death till I hear from you what awful agony. Julie'.

Marconigram message sent from Julie [Jules E Brutalom], New York via Cape Cod to Miss Dorothy Gibson, Titanic on 16 th April 1912

CHAPTER 1 - County Mayo, Ireland, 10 th April, 1912

Maggie Murphy stood alone and unnoticed at the small window of the thatched, stone cottage which three generations of her family had called home. She twirled one of her rich, auburn curls around and around her index finger, as she did when she was anxious, and watched as the day she had been dreading dawned in the sky above the distant mountains.

Narrowing her usually wide, blue eyes against the glare of the early morning sun reflecting on the glass, she wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her jacket sleeves to try and keep warm as she quietly observed her friend Peggy Madden outside. Peggys laughter filled the air as she vigorously scooped up armful after armful of cherry blossom and, giggling like a schoolgirl, threw it into the air, the pale pink and white petals cascading down onto the heads of her cousin Jack and his wife Maura who were sitting on the dewy grass. Peggy had caught them kissing under one of the trees a few moments earlier.

Just like your wedding day Maura, she cried. Theres confetti enough here for all of us to be brides and then maybe therell be some kissing for us too.

The two women laughed. Maggie wondered how they could be so carefree when her own heart was heavy and troubled.

Unseen, she continued to watch her fellow travellers for a few moments longer, Peggy fussing with her new hat and Maura placing a hand protectively over her stomach. Her baby wasnt due for another few months yet, but her belly was already large and swollen. Maggie was mildly fascinated by it; by the fact that an actual person was growing in there and she wondered how Maura would fare on their journey. Shed heard talk of the difficulties and strain which a crossing of the Atlantic could place upon a person and for a woman with a baby growing in her belly she was certain that it couldnt be such a good idea. Shed expressed her concerns to her Aunt Kathleen a few days previously.

You certainly dont need to be worrying about Maura Brennan, I can tell ye, Kathleen had replied, brushing Maggies nave fears easily aside. Shes crossed that ocean more times than most men ever will and a baby in her belly wont make one bit of a difference. Anyway, were sailing on the Titanic, the biggest ship in the world. Unsinkable yknow. No better crib for any of us.

Her aunts words hadnt really reassured Maggie and neither had the adverts in the Western People which Peggy had insisted on showing to herself and Katie.

Look girls, shed enthused, hurling herself down onto the grass between them and shoving the pages of the local newspaper under their noses. Its amazing isnt it? Listen to what it says: The Queen of the Ocean, Titanic , The Finest Steamer Afloat, over 45,000 tons of steel and triple screws. Can you believe were going to be sailing on that ? They say it stands higher than Nephin Mor and that theres a hand basin in every cabin, even the third class ones!

Peggys enthusiasm about the journey to America and this fancy new ship which they were to sail on was hard to ignore. Most of them had never been on a train or a boat. Were it not for the fact that this journey didnt come with a return fare, Maggie assumed she would have been quite excited at the prospect of the journey ahead. As it was, she had her own reasons for wishing to stay in Ballysheen and since she didnt care for water, barely dipping the tips of her toes into Loch Conn on warm, summer days, the prospect of travelling across the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean filled her with a hollow anxiety.

Not wanting to dampen Peggys excitement and well aware that her pragmatic Aunt Kathleen had no time for the silly notions and unfounded worries of young girls, she hadnt mentioned her doubts or anxieties about the trip to anyone, not even when Joe Kenny had read the leaves in his sister Katies teacup last night and told her she would drown.

For the love of God Joseph Kenny, dont be tellin me stuff like that you eejit, Katie had hissed at her brother, hoping that Maggie hadnt overheard. Especially not in front of Maggie, shes nervous enough as it is. But from her perch on the butter churn in the corner of the kitchen, Maggie had heard, and wished she hadnt.

Maggie was very fond of Peggy and Katie. They were more like sisters to her than old school friends and she was glad that, along with the others from the Parish, they would be making the journey to America together; Peggy to join her cousin in St. Louis, Missouri and Katie to join her sister Catherine in New York. Maggie would be travelling to join her Aunt Mary in Chicago along with her Aunt Kathleen, who would act as her chaperone for her journey.

Peggy Madden was the perfect balance to Maggies reflective, considered nature; renowned for her sharp sense of humour and flighty notions. She was also renowned for her good looks with a pretty, heart-shaped face, long blonde hair and full, rosy lips which the boys seemed to especially like. Maggie was slightly envious of Peggys hair, which she would leave to hang loose about her shoulders whenever she could. Maggie would often frown in the mirror at her own unruly, auburn curls which barely reached her shoulders, brushing and teasing them to try and make them lie sleek and flat like Peggys. They never did.

Katie Kenny was a blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked girl who was well-known in the parish from her job at ODonoghues shop and well-liked for her caring and kind-hearted temperament. Maggie knew how much Katie missed her sister Catherine who had been in America for the last three years and how much she was looking forward to seeing her very soon.

Maggie enjoyed listening to her two friends romantic notions of sailing to America, where they imagined a life of wealth and independence waiting for them. They aspired to the American way of life which they saw in the women who returned from there, like Maura Brennan and Maggies aunt, Kathleen Murphy. The self-assurance and poise displayed by these women was undeniably inspiring to the nave younger girls of the parish and they could often be found gawping at the American ladies, whispering remarks to each other about their fancy hats and shiny brass buttons.