Chapter Fifteen: ‘Doris Becomes Unwell’
Life proceeded very satisfactorily with the family during their years in the village of Haworth. Doris soon settled into the school where she worked and within six months, Mary, who was to become the best of cake makers for miles around, constantly baked in the kitchen of her home, fulfilling the regular orders from five shops in the village and two shops in the nearby village of Oakworth.
The two sisters, Nellie and Nora, would rarely attend village events outside the company of their mother and Doris. Having now reached the age of sixteen, they were growing up fast and had started to look more attractive.
While the boys at their school could see the attractive womanly features that the two sisters possessed, none were brave enough to ask either sister out on a date. Their peers viewed their behaviour as ‘strange’ at best bordering on ‘sinister’ and no boy in the school dared risk the perceived dangers of being alone with either sister. They seemed forever fearful that they might cast a spell on them, were they ever to displease.
The two sisters however, did not have the slightest inclination or desire to enter the dating scene that all the other girls seem to seek and constantly talk of. Nellie and Nora could not understand what it was that made the company of bossy boys so desirable a thing to preoccupy the mind of any girl!
While the boys at their school could see the attractive womanly features that the two sisters possessed, none were brave enough to ask either sister out on a date. Their peers viewed their behaviour as ‘strange’ at best bordering on ‘sinister’ and no boy in the school dared risk the perceived dangers of being alone with either sister. They seemed forever fearful that they might cast a spell on them, were they ever to displease.
The two sisters however, did not have the slightest inclination or desire to enter the dating scene that all the other girls seem to seek and constantly talk of. Nellie and Nora could not understand what it was that made the company of bossy boys so desirable a thing to preoccupy the mind of any girl!
Instead of going around with their schoolmates, the two sisters preferred to keep to themselves; with the only other welcomed company being that of their mother and Auntie Doris. The sisters would spend their leisure hours helping their mother with her homemade cake business. There would always be work to do in this respect, helping with the baking preparations, cleaning and washing up and delivering the finished product to all the customers in Haworth and nearby Oakworth.
As the two sisters approached their 18th birthday, their mother asked them if they would prefer their own space by occupying their own bedroom or at least having their own bed to sleep in. When Mary asked this question of them, both daughters looked back at her as if the question had been too asinine to pose. It was obvious by their looks of disdain that Nellie and Nora had no desire to be separated at the age of eighteen years, any more than they had during previous years.
Nellie and Nora, although clever at school, did not want to advance their education after they had taken their school examinations. University life was not for either of them. Neither had they any desire to obtain an ordinary job outside the family home where they would simply become the subjects of prurient observation. After some discussion, their mother consented to let them work at home alongside her in her cake-making venture. Thus, their bakery business became a family business of mother and two daughters.
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One Monday evening, Doris arrived home breathless from the school where she taught. She slumped down in the chair as soon as she came in and looked very pale. Mary dropped what she was doing at the time and made Doris a nice warm cup of tea with two spoons of sugar.
“Get that down you, Dory,” she said. Dory was Mary’s newest pet name for her partner, which she called her when the two of them were alone.
Doris drank the tea and then retired to bed early, thinking that she was perhaps coming down with some infection she had caught at school. When Mary went to bed around 11.00 pm, after she had prepared some work for tomorrow, she found Doris fast asleep so left her undisturbed. As Doris slept, Mary heard her heavy and irregular breathing.
“Get that down you, Dory,” she said. Dory was Mary’s newest pet name for her partner, which she called her when the two of them were alone.
Doris drank the tea and then retired to bed early, thinking that she was perhaps coming down with some infection she had caught at school. When Mary went to bed around 11.00 pm, after she had prepared some work for tomorrow, she found Doris fast asleep so left her undisturbed. As Doris slept, Mary heard her heavy and irregular breathing.
The following morning, Doris asked Mary to call down to the school for her as soon as the head arrived and tell her she would be having a few days off work due to some mild illness she was experiencing. Mary asked the girls to keep an eye on Doris while she visited the school with the message.
Later, when Mary returned from her school errand, she called upstairs to check on Doris. Doris was still looking very poorly so Mary insisted upon sending out the girls to request that the doctor make a home visit later that morning.
Later, when Mary returned from her school errand, she called upstairs to check on Doris. Doris was still looking very poorly so Mary insisted upon sending out the girls to request that the doctor make a home visit later that morning.
Doctor Brown visited their home around 11.30 am, after he had cleared his morning surgery at the Health Centre. He examined Doris while Mary waited down stairs, making a pot of tea. When the doctor had finished his examination, he came downstairs. His face carried a look of concern upon it.
“What is it?” Mary asked Doctor Brown, “What is it Doctor?”
“I’m afraid it’s bad news,” the doctor replied. “It looks like your sister could have a lung disease, but we won’t know for sure until we get some x-rays done at ‘Bradford Royal Infirmary’.
“What can we do for her meanwhile?” Mary asked Doctor Brown.
“She must rest completely and let’s hope it does not worsen,” the doctor replied. “I’ll arrange to get her an x-ray as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis.”
“What is it?” Mary asked Doctor Brown, “What is it Doctor?”
“I’m afraid it’s bad news,” the doctor replied. “It looks like your sister could have a lung disease, but we won’t know for sure until we get some x-rays done at ‘Bradford Royal Infirmary’.
“What can we do for her meanwhile?” Mary asked Doctor Brown.
“She must rest completely and let’s hope it does not worsen,” the doctor replied. “I’ll arrange to get her an x-ray as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis.”
During the following week, Doris had her x-ray at the hospital. Unfortunately, the feared diagnosis was confirmed. Doris had cancer of the lung and it was in its later stage.
Mary seemed to take the news far worse than her partner did, despite it being Doris who faced the inevitable death sentence.
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Mary seemed to take the news far worse than her partner did, despite it being Doris who faced the inevitable death sentence.
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Over the following week, Doris’s condition worsened and the doctor visited her home daily. Doris was offered hospital admission, but as her condition had passed the stage where it was operable, Doris decided that were she to die, she would prefer to die at home with Mary and the girls and not on a sick hospital ward or in some isolated side room. Doris loved the cottage where they lived, and in particular, its kitchen and bedroom areas.
Once it became clear that Doris was not going to improve in her health, even temporarily, Mary told both sisters the probable outcome and warned them to prepare for the worse over the weeks ahead.
Mary and Doris cried a great deal together during the immediate weeks after learning of the confirmed medical findings. Then, when things looked to be at their worse, something very strange happened, which was to lead both women to know that the girls they looked after was indeed truly ‘special’.
After the two sisters had learned of the stated condition of their Aunt Doris, they refused to accept the doctor’s prognosis that she would shortly die. Something deep inside told the two sisters that they could help Doris. When Doris was at her worse, the two sisters decided it was time to intervene. Their mother knew that there was nothing to lose by going along with her daughters. She believed if anyone could help Doris, they could.
Once it became clear that Doris was not going to improve in her health, even temporarily, Mary told both sisters the probable outcome and warned them to prepare for the worse over the weeks ahead.
Mary and Doris cried a great deal together during the immediate weeks after learning of the confirmed medical findings. Then, when things looked to be at their worse, something very strange happened, which was to lead both women to know that the girls they looked after was indeed truly ‘special’.
After the two sisters had learned of the stated condition of their Aunt Doris, they refused to accept the doctor’s prognosis that she would shortly die. Something deep inside told the two sisters that they could help Doris. When Doris was at her worse, the two sisters decided it was time to intervene. Their mother knew that there was nothing to lose by going along with her daughters. She believed if anyone could help Doris, they could.
For four days and nights, the two sisters sat by the side of their Aunt Doris’ bed. They refused to leave her room and insisted that they ate and slept at the side of her bed until she pulled through. Throughout their vigil, the healing hands of both sisters remained placed upon the lungs of the dying woman. One sister applied healing hands while the other rested and visa versa, all through the night and following day.
For four nights and days, the two sisters carried out this hands-on healing ritual and on the morning of day five, Doris miraculously started to get better. Mary was over the moon and could hardly believe her eyes to see the daily improvement in her partner. Doctor Brown was simply flabbergasted when it became apparent that his patient was getting better instead of worse!
For four nights and days, the two sisters carried out this hands-on healing ritual and on the morning of day five, Doris miraculously started to get better. Mary was over the moon and could hardly believe her eyes to see the daily improvement in her partner. Doctor Brown was simply flabbergasted when it became apparent that his patient was getting better instead of worse!
Thinking his stethoscope to be faulty and in need of urgent replacement after he’d listened to the patient’s lungs, the doctor arranged to have Doris x-rayed at the hospital again. When the results came back, he started to question all the medical training he had acquired since leaving university.
The x-rays no longer revealed the presence of the patches on her lungs which had previously shown up. Doctor Brown felt there must have been some mistake, some administrative mix up, and so he insisted that Doris be x-rayed again. Once more, the x-rays came back, revealing her lungs were clear of all manner of infection!
That was the moment when both women knew that the two sisters possessed inexplicable powers; powers of a supernatural kind. Never again, would either woman question the sisters as to the source of their powers. In future, they merely accepted their presence. The two sisters did try their laying on of hands again with other creatures close to death, but apart from Lucky the black cat and Auntie Doris whom they brought back from the brink of death, there were no other miracles performed in Haworth.
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The x-rays no longer revealed the presence of the patches on her lungs which had previously shown up. Doctor Brown felt there must have been some mistake, some administrative mix up, and so he insisted that Doris be x-rayed again. Once more, the x-rays came back, revealing her lungs were clear of all manner of infection!
That was the moment when both women knew that the two sisters possessed inexplicable powers; powers of a supernatural kind. Never again, would either woman question the sisters as to the source of their powers. In future, they merely accepted their presence. The two sisters did try their laying on of hands again with other creatures close to death, but apart from Lucky the black cat and Auntie Doris whom they brought back from the brink of death, there were no other miracles performed in Haworth.
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Throughout the Second World War years 1939 to 1946, Doris continued to work as a schoolteacher and during the last six months of the war years, Mary returned to work in the Royal Ordinance Factory at Steeton, approximately eight miles from Haworth. She'd decided to put her part in their home business on hold until the war had ended now that her two daughters had acquired sufficient baking skills to carry on with the business meanwhile.
Mary and Doris had a happy existence together and throughout their lives, no villager ever suspected the two women to hold any closer relationship than one of legitimate sisterhood. As to the two sisters, Nellie and Nora, they were to continue living within the same house as their mother and Aunt Doris until the older women died.
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Mary and Doris had a happy existence together and throughout their lives, no villager ever suspected the two women to hold any closer relationship than one of legitimate sisterhood. As to the two sisters, Nellie and Nora, they were to continue living within the same house as their mother and Aunt Doris until the older women died.
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Two months before the end of 1956, the two sisters celebrated their fortieth birthdays and exchanged the letters they had written to each other at the age of ten years as instructed by their voice from the well.
Each letter told the other sister the secret they had learned after their visit to the well as children. The two sisters learned that they had each been co-joined twins throughout their mother’s pregnancy, but had been born without their co-joined twin, who had died in their mother’s womb. Nellie learned that her twin sister had been given the name of Nancy and Nora learned that her twin sister had been named, Maureen.
Each sister was told that until their deaths, their deceased twin would be their Guardian Angel and would continue to stand at the foot of their bed nightly to protect and watch over them until they awoke the following day, just as they'd done since they'd been born. Nellie and Nora felt blessed to have their own Guardian Angel look over them and each felt more complete to know their names of Nancy and Maureen.
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Each letter told the other sister the secret they had learned after their visit to the well as children. The two sisters learned that they had each been co-joined twins throughout their mother’s pregnancy, but had been born without their co-joined twin, who had died in their mother’s womb. Nellie learned that her twin sister had been given the name of Nancy and Nora learned that her twin sister had been named, Maureen.
Each sister was told that until their deaths, their deceased twin would be their Guardian Angel and would continue to stand at the foot of their bed nightly to protect and watch over them until they awoke the following day, just as they'd done since they'd been born. Nellie and Nora felt blessed to have their own Guardian Angel look over them and each felt more complete to know their names of Nancy and Maureen.
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Two months after their fortieth birthdays, the family house in Haworth was partly destroyed in the middle of the night when all four occupiers were fast asleep in their beds. It was around 3.OOam in the early morning when the explosion occurred at the cobblers, next door. A gas leak had developed and when the owner went to investigate the smell and turned on the light downstairs, the leaking gas main exploded.
The dwelling next door was completely demolished along with half of the upstairs in the neighbouring home of Mary, Doris, Nellie and Nora. Both adults and a child who occupied the cobbler’s dwelling were killed outright, along with Mary and Doris who slept in their beds on this side of the partitioned wall that adjoined both properties. The explosion did not touch the other side of the house where Nellie and Nora slept.
The two sisters were deeply shocked by the tragic deaths of their mother and aunt and despite whatever mysterious powers they possessed; neither had experienced any premonition about the tragic explosion that was to divide their family in two on that fatal night.
The dwelling next door was completely demolished along with half of the upstairs in the neighbouring home of Mary, Doris, Nellie and Nora. Both adults and a child who occupied the cobbler’s dwelling were killed outright, along with Mary and Doris who slept in their beds on this side of the partitioned wall that adjoined both properties. The explosion did not touch the other side of the house where Nellie and Nora slept.
The two sisters were deeply shocked by the tragic deaths of their mother and aunt and despite whatever mysterious powers they possessed; neither had experienced any premonition about the tragic explosion that was to divide their family in two on that fatal night.
For a full three months after their deaths, their need to grieve was great. This was the only time in their lives when the two sisters were known to cry. Nellie and Nora found the funerals of their mother and Aunt Doris almost too much to bear. Their mother and aunt's funeral service was held at Haworth Parish Church of ‘St Michael and All Angels’ whose one-time curate, the Reverend Patrick Bronte, had ministered there from 1819 onward. Patrick Bronte had been the father of the three famous, literary sisters of Haworth, the authors, Charlotte, Emily and Anne. After the funeral service in church, Nora and Nellie buried their mother and Auntie Doris in Haworth Cemetery.
After the burial of their mother and Aunt Doris, the two sisters had no desire to continue living in Haworth a moment longer than was necessary. They felt that destiny decreed that the time for them to move on had arrived and that a new phase of life awaited them in another place. For them, Haworth had lost all pleasure and purpose and to remain there without their mother and Aunt Doris, would not have been the same.
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After the burial of their mother and Aunt Doris, the two sisters had no desire to continue living in Haworth a moment longer than was necessary. They felt that destiny decreed that the time for them to move on had arrived and that a new phase of life awaited them in another place. For them, Haworth had lost all pleasure and purpose and to remain there without their mother and Aunt Doris, would not have been the same.
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Following the family home having been properly rebuilt, the sisters sold the property and moved back to the land of their birth to live out the remainder of their days. Naturally, there was only one part of Ireland to which they were drawn; Portlaw, County Waterford.
The two sisters had attained a certain notoriety during their years living in Haworth, a notoriety that was to find its way back to County Tipperary long before their return. You see, Nellie and Nora were not the only two residents of Haworth Village who had been born in Ireland.
There were another two Irish villagers called Claire Downy and Brigit Doggery. Claire and Brigit had left their homes in County Tipperary twenty years earlier. They had each married local Yorkshire chaps and set up home in Haworth. Naturally, never a week went by without either of them dropping a line to their family in Tipperary, the neighbouring county to Waterford.
When Irish women chat together, they tend to chat for hours on end. Separate them by three hundred miles of Irish Sea and make their only communication one of letters, they become no different. They remain muck spreaders, character destroyers, gossip transmitters and the conveyor of mystery and miracles!
When Claire and Brigit wrote home to their parents weekly, they rarely wrote less than a dozen pages of gossip each. It was only natural for them to mention in their letters, the two mysterious sisters from the Emerald Isle with the power to speak in one breath, prophesise future events, read thoughts and bring dead cats back to life by their laying on of hands!
For a number of years now, news of the mysterious powers of the two sisters had found its way back to the families of Claire Downy and Brigit Doggery in County Tipperary, a mere distance of ten miles from Portlaw in County Waterford, long before Nellie and Nora Fanning next set foot on Irish ground.
There were another two Irish villagers called Claire Downy and Brigit Doggery. Claire and Brigit had left their homes in County Tipperary twenty years earlier. They had each married local Yorkshire chaps and set up home in Haworth. Naturally, never a week went by without either of them dropping a line to their family in Tipperary, the neighbouring county to Waterford.
When Irish women chat together, they tend to chat for hours on end. Separate them by three hundred miles of Irish Sea and make their only communication one of letters, they become no different. They remain muck spreaders, character destroyers, gossip transmitters and the conveyor of mystery and miracles!
When Claire and Brigit wrote home to their parents weekly, they rarely wrote less than a dozen pages of gossip each. It was only natural for them to mention in their letters, the two mysterious sisters from the Emerald Isle with the power to speak in one breath, prophesise future events, read thoughts and bring dead cats back to life by their laying on of hands!
For a number of years now, news of the mysterious powers of the two sisters had found its way back to the families of Claire Downy and Brigit Doggery in County Tipperary, a mere distance of ten miles from Portlaw in County Waterford, long before Nellie and Nora Fanning next set foot on Irish ground.
Lo Their reputation as fortune-tellers, mind readers, and wielders of mystical powers had preceded them! The people of Portlaw knew not whether they'd be welcoming back into their midst, witches or miracle workers.
It was rumoured by some Portlaw residents that the two sisters would join a convent or even establish a religious Order of their own, where they might live out the rest of their lives. A few of the less charitable and more suspicious villagers said they would be more likely to hold a witches’ coven up Curraghmore on every full moon!
It was rumoured by some Portlaw residents that the two sisters would join a convent or even establish a religious Order of their own, where they might live out the rest of their lives. A few of the less charitable and more suspicious villagers said they would be more likely to hold a witches’ coven up Curraghmore on every full moon!
