Tell Them I'll Be There (4 page)

She didn't remember falling asleep but she awoke several times and in the grey early light she saw that Michael was lying on the floor, snoring noisily, and Dan and Tim were stretched out on the bed that was really only big enough for one of them, all three fully clothed except for their boots.

She was scared when a man stole her mother's purse, an ugly, dirty-looking little man, scared when the woman with the painted face came close with a creepy smile that looked as though it was painted on, scared even more when the woman took hold of her hand. But at that moment her rescuing hero had arrived and she had taken to him at once. Dan had put a strong arm around her shoulder and as soon as he spoke she felt safe.

Dan was lovely. He had talked to her calmly about her mother. He had treated her like a grown-up and she was grateful for that. She was one of their family now, he told her, and they would all stick together until she could join her Aunt Maureen.

Michael was lovely, too. But in a different way. He was always singing and if she was looking sad and feeling sorry for herself he would pull silly faces until he made her laugh. Tim seemed quieter, more serious. But that would be because he was going to be a priest.

The big room was filling up now and the man from Courtown the boys had met on the steamer coming over waved at Dan as if Dan was a friend he had known all his life. Dan waved back and the man brought his wife and two small boys to sit nearby.

The great ship let out a low groan and the chatter in the main cabin subsided. There was a creaking sound and a mild shudder reverberated as the seagulls squawked loudly overhead.

‘We're on our way,' Dan said quietly.

S
HE WAS LOOKING
out to sea, standing by the rail on the upper deck. She was wearing a cloche hat and a slim,
tight-fitting
full length coat that flapped with the wind about her long legs. She didn't need the high-heeled shoes, she was quite tall anyway. But Dan got the impression this was all part of her pose as she threw back her head to take in the thin rays of intermittent sunshine, knowing she had caught the admiring attention of the lower class of mortals down in steerage.

Michael nudged Dan. ‘I'm going to get myself one of those.'

‘One of what?' Dan asked.

‘One of those. A million-dollar baby.'

‘You had better get the million dollars first,' Dan said.

Michael smiled up at her and touched his cap, then he gave her a cheeky wink. The woman ignored Michael but came to the top of the steps, removed a glove languorously and pointed a finger at Dan. Dan looked around him, surprised.

‘She means you,' Michael said, nudging him again.

Dan stood up and the woman crooked her finger and signalled for him to come forward. Michael gave a low whistle and Dan looked back at him disdainfully.

‘Go on, you big dope,' Michael said. ‘See what she wants.'

Tim and Caitlin had been for a walk up to D deck to see what time the
Punch and Judy
show began and they reappeared now just as Dan was climbing the metal steps to first class.

‘What's going on?' Tim asked.

‘Looks like Danny boy's hooked a big one,' Michael said.

Caitlin caught a glimpse of the well-dressed woman who lifted 
the red and gold twisted rope at the top of the steps to allow Dan through and the little girl didn't like it. Dan was
her
friend.

Dan doffed his cap respectfully. ‘I don't think I'm allowed up here, ma'am.'

‘I invited you,' she said, and he noted her voice. It was the first American accent he had encountered in person. ‘You're my guest.'

She led him along the deck to where a small metal table and a chair on either side were battened down against the cabin wall, resistant to the wind. They sat down and a waiter in tight black trousers, a white shirt and a short white jacket trimmed with the pale blue of the shipping line, passed by. He glanced briefly at Dan then came back.

‘Everything all right here, ma'am?' he asked.

‘Perfectly,' she said.

‘Could I get you something?'

‘Er … no,' she said, then she smiled at Dan. ‘Unless…?'

Dan shook his head. ‘Not for me, thank you.'

The waiter nodded and moved away.

‘What's your name?'

‘Dan,' he said. ‘Daniel Dolan.'

‘Dan,' she said.

He waited, curious to know why he was here. She took out a silver cigarette case, flicked it open and offered him one. He shook his head.

‘Well, I will,' she said, and he watched as she lit a cigarette and languidly blew a smoke ring. ‘I thought the lower classes all smoked their heads off.'

He knew she was trying to provoke him. ‘Not where I come from,' he said quietly. ‘They can barely afford a drink after a hard day's work.'

‘A hard day's work,' she repeated.

‘Yeah,' he said. ‘That's what the lower classes do. A hard day's work. Most of them anyway.'

‘Got you,' she said with a laugh. ‘I got him ruffled.'

Dan leaned towards her slightly. ‘Why did you invite me here?' he asked. ‘What do you want?' 

She turned towards him, her head bowed conspiratorially. ‘I'm bored. The people up here are
old
, wrapped in their
blankets
, sipping their port wine. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them are already dead.'

‘So you thought you'd have some fun baiting the lower classes?'

‘I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insulting. I just want someone to talk to, someone who's still alive.'

‘Are you here on your own?'

‘Might as well be,' she said. ‘My husband's a businessman. He spends all his time fiddling with papers and waiting for ship to shore telephone lines.'

‘No family? No children?'

‘My husband's sixty-eight. He doesn't want any kids and nor do I. Not with him anyway.'

‘You don't sound very happy,' Dan said.

‘Oh, I'm all right – when I'm home. It's just this boat ride gets me down. And we've another three days yet.'

‘So why did you come?'

‘Oh, I love coming to England. Nice hotel, nice shows. And he wants me to come. I don't think he trusts me in NYC on my own.'

NYC? thought Dan, New York City.

‘Anyway,' she said, ‘I'm supposed to be asking the questions.'

Dan spread his hands. ‘Ask away.'

He told her he was with his two brothers, Michael and Tim. They were going to try their luck in the New World. There was nothing for them back home. Tim, he said, was going to be a priest.

‘Is that so?' she said, impressed. ‘And the little girl?'

‘Her mother died,' Dan said, but he didn't elaborate. ‘First thing we do is make sure she gets to her aunt in the US.'

‘Then you're going to set about making your fortune.'

‘I hope so.'

‘Well,' she said airily. ‘It can be done. Take my husband. A self-made millionaire.' She blew another smoke ring. ‘We stayed a week at the Ritz in London. My husband was there 
on business and I was there for the shops. Then he had
something
to sort out in Liverpool so we came up by train, first class, of course, and we had three days at the Adelphi, the best hotel in town.'

Dan smiled. ‘Am I supposed to be impressed? I mean, I don't know any of these places. I'm just a simple lad from the Bog.'

‘Mm … yes,' she said. ‘But you don't have to stay that way. I take it you don't have a job to go to. In which case maybe I could persuade my husband to help.'

Another passing steward glanced at Dan, no doubt wondering who he was and what he was doing in first class.

‘I'll introduce you to him,' she offered. ‘All you have to do is say nothing, nod your head in the right places and try to look intelligent.'

‘Is that what you did?'

‘Don't get smart,' she said, tartly.

‘Look, it's very kind of you,' Dan said, ‘but I have nothing to offer in return.'

She looked him up and down, embarrassing him now. ‘Oh, I don't know,' she said, then she went on quickly, ‘In the morning I'd like you to take me for a look around steerage.'

‘Why would you want to do that?'

‘Because there seems to be more going on. More
fun
. The passengers down there look as if they actually move and talk.'

Her husband, she told Dan, was called Baker. He was Joe Baker, a financier. He was well known and well connected in the New York business community. Her name was Barbara. She was a New Yorker, she said, born and bred.

When she came down the vertical steps from the upper deck next morning Dan was there waiting. So, too, were Michael, Tim and Caitlin, all curious to meet Dan's new ‘friend'. She was wearing tailored trousers and flat heels and only two rings. No eye-catching jewellery, Dan had warned. But she still looked a little too smartly dressed and well groomed for steerage.

Michael was dazzled by her elegant way of walking and her, what he called, ‘class'. He danced attendance like a court jester, doing his best to make her laugh. Tim was more subdued, as 
usual, and she displayed a friendly deference towards him, the priest-to-be. She bought them ice creams all round but even this didn't alter the sullen look on Caitlin's face.

On D deck there was a piano that could be rolled in or out of doors as the weather dictated. Today was fine with only a gentle breeze and the steerage decks were alive with people taking the air. A little man from Liverpool was seated at the piano, playing and singing to entertain the crowd. Michael, it seemed, already knew the piano player and they had struck up a partnership where Michael joined in to harmonize some of the tunes. Michael sang and did a little tap dance and delighted the children by pretending to overbalance, just righting himself in time. The watching crowd clapped and cheered and Caitlin sucked her thumb in delight, the interloper forgotten for the moment. But the frown returned when Barbara led Dan away saying she needed to talk to him. Her husband, she said, would like to meet him and Dan was invited to join her and Mr Baker for dinner.

Dan was doubtful. He didn't want to get too involved with this Barbara but the prospect of a job was not easy to ignore. The problem was he didn't have a decent jacket or even a necktie. Barbara said this was not a problem and told him to be at the top of the steps at 7.30 the following evening.

When he arrived, one of the white-coated stewards was waiting. Dan expected to be turned back but the steward lifted the rope and beckoned him in. ‘Here you go, son,' he said and he handed him a dark jacket. ‘Go on, put it on.'

Dan pulled the jacket on and the steward handed him a striped tie. He looked at the steward in the half light. ‘What's going on?'

‘Mrs Baker's orders,' the steward said. ‘Now it's my coat and I want it back. No soup stains. OK?'

‘Thank you,' Dan said, knotting the tie. ‘I'll take good care of it.'

‘You better,' the steward said. ‘Now let me look at you. Yeah. You'll do. Come on, follow me.'

It was a calm pleasant evening and as the steward led him 
along the deserted upper deck Dan caught the plaintive strains of an orchestra. Then as the steward led him indoors the music became louder and close at hand. Double swing doors now and an elegant restaurant, many of the tables occupied.

Barbara, in a long silk gown, was nursing a glass of
champagne
. She saw Dan at once, excused herself from the people she was with and came over to greet him.

‘Go get 'em, son,' the steward said, under his breath. ‘Looks like you got it made.'

Dan had never seen anything like this, except in a silent movie or in a poster for one of those shows in Dublin. Men in dinner jackets and black ties, expensively clad ladies with diamonds that sparkled at their mostly wrinkled necks, and in the background on a curved stage a ten piece orchestra, in white trousers and blue striped jackets, was playing
Moonlight and Roses
.

Barbara looked him over, at his dark eyes and wayward black hair, and seemed to approve of what she saw. A waiter led them to their table and Dan saw that several of the ladies looked at him quizzically as he passed. They were all without exception, as Michael would say, ‘well past it'. Nowhere was there any competition for his amused hostess.

‘What's funny?' he asked as they sat down.

‘You are,' Barbara said and she leaned forward and laughed. ‘You have awakened the dead and the dead don't approve.'

Dan bristled. ‘I don't need their approval,' he said, his chin raised as he looked around.

‘Don't get upset,' she said. ‘It's me they don't approve of, not you.' She leaned closer. ‘Why aren't you ignorant and stupid? You're from Ireland, for God's sake.'

‘I am ignorant,' he said. ‘But I'm not stupid. If I was stupid I wouldn't know I was ignorant. Being stupid is tough. But being ignorant is OK. That can be put right. I'm a fast learner.'

A slightly stooping man in his late sixties had arrived to catch this last bit. ‘Fast learner, eh? I'm glad to hear it, son. You'll have to be if you're gonna work for me.'

Dan jumped to his feet at once. 

‘Joe Baker,' the older man said. ‘An' you must be?'

‘Dolan, sir. Dan Dolan.'

‘Well sit down, Dan. I need a drink.'

Mr Baker barely raised a finger and at once a waiter arrived. He ordered water and looked across at Barbara but she shook her head. She still had the champagne. ‘What'll it be, Dan?'

‘I'll have what you're having, sir.'

‘An indigestion tablet?'

Dan laughed and Mr Baker ordered two beers. The menu was in French but, fortunately for Dan, an English translation in pale type was under each line. He read what was on offer and felt maybe an indigestion tablet was not a bad idea. In steerage there was a refectory with bare wooden tables where you could buy a plate of fish and chips, or cabbage and ribs, or sometimes a bowl of doubtful-looking stew that most of the passengers gave a miss.

He wanted to ask Mr Baker about America and the prospect of advancement. But he soon found it was his host who was asking the questions. He told him about the village where he came from, about the estate of the absentee English landlord he had worked for and, embellishing the facts only slightly, he explained that he had been responsible for the staff and the
day-to
-day running of the place. Why had he left? Limited prospects, he answered. At home, he said, America is seen as the land of opportunity.

‘And so it is, son,' Mr Baker said, ‘so it is. But only for those prepared to work.'

‘I've always worked, sir. Even in the evenings after school. Our mother needed the money.'

‘There are three of you.'

‘My brothers, Tim and Michael. Tim is joining the
priesthood
.'

‘That so?' Mr Baker was impressed.

‘We don't expect to see much of him for the next year or two. He'll go to a seminary, then when he's ordained, well, we don't know. He could be sent anywhere.'

‘So you and your other brother will be looking for work?' 

Dan nodded and decided to tell him about Caitlin. How they had found her alone at the dockside and were taking her to her aunt.

‘Poor kid,' Mr Baker said, again impressed.

A waiter spoke quietly to Mr Baker. He nodded and stood up. ‘My call came through,' he said.