Riven

Riven

“Maggie! … What are you doing down here? You’ll not come to see me off then?”

“I wanted to – but I couldn’t … I thought if I came down here and climbed the tall rocks, I’d be able to watch you all the way across, see you safe all the way to New York.”

“Pfft, it’s unsinkable, you goose! It’s the absolute pinnacle of modern technology. All the papers say so. They say nothing short of an act of God himself could sink it.”

“Well, even so, maybe – maybe I just needed to feel like I was doing something to keep you safe … Do you have time to walk with me a moment? Just to the edge of the rocks there? The very edge of Ireland.”

“Just for a minute, they’ll be looking for me soon enough. It’s only here two hours and we have to get the boat across, there’ll be hell to pay if I’m late … Take my arm a moment. Look, d’ you remember the first time we met, just there, and you called me stuck up because I had fine leather boots like a lady and pushed me over in the surf and I soaked my bloomers?”

“Don’t! Don’t tease me, Kate. Not today. I can’t bear it.”

“It’s funny! I’m not teasing, just shoring up my memories, they need to last me after all. We had so many times here. D-you remember? Digging for treasure, swimming in the sea –”

“– pure Baltic even in summer –”

“– searching for clams … Mind that time your Owen caught a crab and put it up your skirt?”

“He isn’t my Owen.”

“Remember that time we tried to build a boat to sail across the sea and almost drowned?”

“And when we tried to dig our way to Australia. Always trying to get away. And now you’re finally doing it.”

“I wish I wasn’t.”

“Don’t! Don’t say that. You know there’s nothing here. You’ll have a chance, over there.

“Still. I wish –”

“I know … Remember when we lay here and watched for shooting stars?”

“And the time we camped out all night. Froze half to death and bitten to pieces by midges.”

“Ay, and got our ears boxed for our troubles … I remember everything, Kate. All of it.”

“You’ll keep remembering, Maggie? Promise me. You won’t forget me?”

“Don’t be daft. Sooner you’ll forget me in the fancy parlours of New York city. Going to balls and dining out. You’ll be married to some merchant’s son within the month.”

“Ugh I will not. Merchant’s son. Some limp fool with soft hands and a daft accent. And anyway, I swear to God the place is three quarters savage. You’ll visit me though?”

“Ay sure, I’ll book my first class ticket the same day we finally find that crock of gold, don’t you worry about that.”

“Please Maggie, there must be a way! We could – you could – I don’t have to marry, you could be my maid, or not maid, my companion – and I could be a writer or a lady explorer or – or – It’s a new world, Maggie!”

“How, Kate? How? Have you been drinking seawater already? Owen means me to bear him a dozen children and all of us dig potatoes all the hours of our days. I don’t know that I’ll have time for social visits. I don’t think they let girls with bare feet and bog-coloured skirts onto their swanky ships.”

“Oh. “Not your Owen”. You’ll marry him then?”

“Well God knows I’ve had no other offers, have I, Kate?”

“Please don’t – don’t be mad at me, I can’t bear it. Let’s not fight today. Come here, give me your arm again. Oh – look! Look at that stone. Such a brilliant blue, I never saw its like. Its edge is broken, look.”

“Ay, nothing else but brown and grey and drear for miles around. It’s beautiful. And look – here’s its double. Its other half. Hold yours like that – see how the edges fit together?”

“It’s perfect. Poor thing must have got dashed on the rocks and split in two. Here – give me your half – that’s it, and keep it here, close to your heart –”

“– Oh! Your fingers are so cold! –”

“– Your skin is so warm. And I’ll do the same with my half, see? And then when we see each other again, we can match the two halves. Like a locket, but better. A little piece of Queenstown, until we meet again.”

“Kate, I can’t get on a boat. We don’t have the money, I can’t let Owen down, I’m just not brave like you –”

“I’m not brave. I’m not brave at all. If I was brave I would stay here by myself, regardless of what Mother and Father say –”

“No! You can’t stay here, Kate. God knows I don’t want you to leave but you have a future out there. Oh this is agony. This is why I didn’t want to come to the harbour –”

“– If I was brave, I would have done this years ago –”

“– Oh! –”

“– Are you alright? I shouldn’t have –”

“No, no, I wanted you to – it’s just that that wave broke over my feet and startled me –”

“Kate! Kate, are you down there? Where are you?”

“It’s Father!”

“Does he see us? ”

“No, he’s coming down the cliff path now. He’s round that corner, he can’t see us here. Take your hand away from your lips, Maggie, he’ll know –”

“Kate! Where in the name of God have you been? The America has left already and if we miss the Ireland –”

“I’m coming! I’m coming. Goodbye, Maggie. Keep that pebble – keep me – close to your heart. ”

“I have it here. Goodbye, Kate. Dr Minahan. Slán leat. Stay well. Keep yourselves safe. ”

“Slán go fóill – for now. Until we meet again. ”

…

“But I can’t keep my hand from my lips. They burn, Kate. They burn and burn.”