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My Books
- Book List & Themes
- Strictly for Adults Novels >
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Tales from Portlaw
>
- No Need to Look for Love
- 'The Love Quartet' >
-
The Priest's Calling Card
>
- Chapter One - The Irish Custom
- Chapter Two - Patrick Duffy's Family Background
- Chapter Three - Patrick Duffy Junior's Vocation to Priesthood
- Chapter Four - The first years of the priesthood
- Chapter Five - Father Patrick Duffy in Seattle
- Chapter Six - Father Patrick Duffy, Portlaw Priest
- Chapter Seven - Patrick Duffy Priest Power
- Chapter Eight - Patrick Duffy Groundless Gossip
- Chapter Nine - Monsignor Duffy of Portlaw
- Chapter Ten - The Portlaw Inheritance of Patrick Duffy
- Bigger and Better >
- The Oldest Woman in the World >
-
Sean and Sarah
>
- Chapter 1 - 'Return of the Prodigal Son'
- Chapter 2 - 'The early years of sweet innocence in Portlaw'
- Chapter 3 - 'The Separation'
- Chapter 4 - 'Separation and Betrayal'
- Chapter 5 - 'Portlaw to Manchester'
- Chapter 6 - 'Salford Choices'
- Chapter 7 - 'Life inside Prison'
- Chapter 8 - 'The Aylesbury Pilgrimage'
- Chapter 9 - Sean's interest in stone masonary'
- Chapter 10 - 'Sean's and Tony's Partnership'
- Chapter 11 - 'Return of the Prodigal Son'
- The Alternative Christmas Party >
-
The Life of Liam Lafferty
>
- Chapter One: ' Liam Lafferty is born'
- Chapter Two : 'The Baptism of Liam Lafferty'
- Chapter Three: 'The early years of Liam Lafferty'
- Chapter Four : Early Manhood
- Chapter Five : Ned's Secret Past
- Chapter Six : Courtship and Marriage
- Chapter Seven : Liam and Trish marry
- Chapter Eight : Farley meets Ned
- Chapter Nine : 'Ned comes clean to Farley'
- Chapter Ten : Tragedy hits the family
- Chapter Eleven : The future is brighter
-
The life and times of Joe Walsh
>
- Chapter One : 'The marriage of Margaret Mawd and Thomas Walsh’
- Chapter Two 'The birth of Joe Walsh'
- Chapter Three 'Marriage breakup and betrayal'
- Chapter Four: ' The Walsh family breakup'
- Chapter Five : ' Liverpool Lodgings'
- Chapter Six: ' Settled times are established and tested'
- Chapter Seven : 'Haworth is heaven is a place on earth'
- Chapter Eight: 'Coming out'
- Chapter Nine: Portlaw revenge
- Chapter Ten: ' The murder trial of Paddy Groggy'
- Chapter Eleven: 'New beginnings'
-
The Woman Who Hated Christmas
>
- Chapter One: 'The Christmas Enigma'
- Chapter Two: ' The Breakup of Beth's Family''
- Chapter Three: From Teenager to Adulthood.'
- Chapter Four: 'The Mills of West Yorkshire.'
- Chapter Five: 'Harrison Garner Showdown.'
- Chapter Six : 'The Christmas Dance'
- Chapter Seven : 'The ballot for Shop Steward.'
- Chapter Eight: ' Leaving the Mill'
- Chapter Ten: ' Beth buries her Ghosts'
- Chapter Eleven: Beth and Dermot start off married life in Galway.
- Chapter Twelve: The Twin Tragedy of Christmas, 1992.'
- Chapter Thirteen: 'The Christmas star returns'
- Chapter Fourteen: ' Beth's future in Portlaw'
-
The Last Dance
>
- Chapter One - ‘Nancy Swales becomes the Widow Swales’
- Chapter Two ‘The secret night life of Widow Swales’
- Chapter Three ‘Meeting Richard again’
- Chapter Four ‘Clancy’s Ballroom: March 1961’
- Chapter Five ‘The All Ireland Dancing Rounds’
- Chapter Six ‘James Mountford’
- Chapter Seven ‘The All Ireland Ballroom Latin American Dance Final.’
- Chapter Eight ‘The Final Arrives’
- Chapter Nine: 'Beth in Manchester.'
- 'Two Sisters' >
- Fourteen Days >
-
‘The Postman Always Knocks Twice’
>
- Author's Foreword
- Contents
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Seventeen
- Chapter Eighteen
- Chapter Nineteen
- Chapter Twenty
- Chapter Twenty-One
- Chapter Twenty-Two
-
Celebrity Contacts
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Thoughts and Musings
- Bereavement >
- Nature >
-
Bill's Personal Development
>
- What I'd like to be remembered for
- Second Chances
- Roots
- Holidays of Old
- Memorable Moments of Mine
- Cleckheaton Consecration
- Canadian Loves
- Mum's Wisdom
- 'Early life at my Grandparents'
- Family Holidays
- 'Mother /Child Bond'
- Childhood Pain
- The Death of Lady
- 'Soldiering On'
- 'Romantic Holidays'
- 'On the roof'
- Always wear clean shoes
- 'Family Tree'
- The importance of poise
- 'Growing up with grandparents'
- Love & Romance >
- Christian Thoughts, Acts and Words >
- My Wedding
- My Funeral
- Audio Downloads
- My Singing Videos
- Bill's Blog
- Contact Me
Chapter One
‘Liam Lafferty is born’
The birth of Liam Lafferty in Portlaw, County Waterford in the year of 1942 got the tongues of the townsfolk wagging and it kept them wagging for many years thereafter. What was unusual wasn’t that Liam had been born with two heads or suffered some rare and peculiar disorder which the medics were unable to name, but the mere fact that he had been born at all! He had entered this world after having been born outdoors on the coldest of November nights and had somehow survivedthe treacherous climate.
The newly-born child was found near the Presbytery steps of 'St Michael’s Catholic Church' at the top of the hill. The temperature was minus five degrees that night of his birth; it was bitter cold and had started to snow heavily. Indeed, the child was so cold that its skin was rapidly turning blue. It appeared deadly silent as it lay there motionless, having been stuffed inside an old pipe that the mother's rigid hand still grasped. All that the infant had for protection was the outer plastic coating of the pipe around its tiny body. Inside its miniature hand had been placed a small religious patch.
No more than a foot away, lay the corpse of the infant's mother, 14-year-old Lucy Lafferty. Lucy had originally been born less than six miles away, but had become a stranger to these parts. She hadn't been seen in Portlaw or Kilbunny for the past seven years.
Lucy had arrived in Portlaw extremely tired from her long day's walk. Initially she had planned to walk on to her aunt's house in Kilbunny, but being on the verge of giving birth, she decided to walk down William Street, Portlaw, across the bridge and up the steep hill towards the Catholic Church and the Presbytery. There was nobody in Portlaw to whom she felt she could turn for help and assistance and her only relative lived miles away. So being Catholic, albeit lapsed, Lucy decided to make her way to the one person she knew wouldn't turn her away; the parish priest. She would clearly have preferred to throw herself upon her Aunt Hetti's compassion before appealing to the charity of the Catholic Church had circumstances allowed, but realised that she had little time left in which to find some shelter. Her birth pains were increasing in frequency now and the time to give birth fast approached.
Lucy had arrived in Portlaw extremely tired from her long day's walk. Initially she had planned to walk on to her aunt's house in Kilbunny, but being on the verge of giving birth, she decided to walk down William Street, Portlaw, across the bridge and up the steep hill towards the Catholic Church and the Presbytery. There was nobody in Portlaw to whom she felt she could turn for help and assistance and her only relative lived miles away. So being Catholic, albeit lapsed, Lucy decided to make her way to the one person she knew wouldn't turn her away; the parish priest. She would clearly have preferred to throw herself upon her Aunt Hetti's compassion before appealing to the charity of the Catholic Church had circumstances allowed, but realised that she had little time left in which to find some shelter. Her birth pains were increasing in frequency now and the time to give birth fast approached.
Lucy didn't think that she'd have the strength to manage it, especially as the fallen snow became thicker, but eventually Lucy staggered her way to the Presbytery door at the back of the church building and pulled on the cord that rang the door bell. As she stood waiting for the priest to open the door and grant her entry, she propped herself up against the wall for support. Then, her birth pains became more frequent and she collapsed to the ground in sheer exhaustion.
Five minutes later, the infant had been born. Lucy's last breaths of life had been used to push down and deliver the infant onto the sheet of snow.
The Presbytery door had remained unopened throughout. Lucy Lafferty lay dead! Before the infant's mother had died however, she'd managed to grab hold of a piece of old plastic pipe nearby and insert the infant inside the tube for some protection from the cold elements. As she lay there dying with one outstretched hand towards her child, the soft white snow beneath her fragile corpse was being soaked in crimson with a massive loss of blood seeping its way into its white, earthly sponge. Lucy used her dying moments in one final act; to scratch a few letters in the snow before she breathed her last. Although written with the irregular hand of a dying person, the letters spelled out, 'Liam'; the name of a grandfather she had never met, but whom her Aunt Hetti had often spoken of with deep affection.
Five minutes later, the infant had been born. Lucy's last breaths of life had been used to push down and deliver the infant onto the sheet of snow.
The Presbytery door had remained unopened throughout. Lucy Lafferty lay dead! Before the infant's mother had died however, she'd managed to grab hold of a piece of old plastic pipe nearby and insert the infant inside the tube for some protection from the cold elements. As she lay there dying with one outstretched hand towards her child, the soft white snow beneath her fragile corpse was being soaked in crimson with a massive loss of blood seeping its way into its white, earthly sponge. Lucy used her dying moments in one final act; to scratch a few letters in the snow before she breathed her last. Although written with the irregular hand of a dying person, the letters spelled out, 'Liam'; the name of a grandfather she had never met, but whom her Aunt Hetti had often spoken of with deep affection.
Seconds later, a prowling fox in search of food approached the infant bundle in the snow. The fox could smell the human blood nearby and started to nudge the plastic bundle with its nose as it anticipated fresh meat to eat. Suddenly the fox's movement of the circular pipe that held the child, miraculously roused it and the infant let out its first cry. Before the fox could regain its senses, seize the plastic pipe in its mouth and make off with its human supper, a light illuminated the area immediately outside and footsteps were heard as the Presbytery door opened with a noisy creak. The sudden burst of noise, human movement and illuminated door-entrance simultaneously was sufficient to warn the fox off and, in its haste, make it abandon its human prey.
Father Jacobs had thought he'd heard the door bell some minutes earlier, but he'd been in the process of getting bathed. Then he saw the dead girl grasping hold of a length of abandoned pipe that cried out. A quick inspection revealed that the building pipe contained an infant inside it. He quickly picked up the piped infant and rushed it back inside the house, placing the bundle on the rug in front of the open fire to give the infant instant warmth. Father Jacobs soon realised that the pipe coating was obviously providing some heat for the infant, which its small body completely filled, so he merely placed both tube and infant close enough to the fire to maintain some warmth for the poor mite. After rushing back outside and ascertaining that the infant's mother was indeed dead, he hurried back inside the Presbytery and phoned the Garda and the town doctor.
The following ten minutes seemed like an eternity before Doctor Fabian Samual Matthews arrived on the scene, carrying his Glastone bag of ox leather. Four generations of the Matthews family had acted as town GP to Portlaw folk and as one retiring family member handed over the practice to the next family doctor, the bag was passed to the next incumbent. Indeed, until the folk of Portlaw could see the bag in the possession of the new GP, nobody would accept that a smooth transfer of power had yet taken place within the family practice of doctors.
It was almost half an hour later before the Garda managed to send out an investigating officer from Waterford. Father Jacobs, being fearful that the infant would die, administered the 'Last Rights' on the spot. The newly born was a boy and with the passing of each minute, his face miraculously started to regain a more healthy colour. However, the infant was so tightly fitted inside the plastic pipe that the doctor decided to allow the hospital surgeon to perform the task of removing it.
"He must have the constitution of your old bag there!" the priest said to the doctor.
"My bag?" Doctor Matthews replied in a puzzled tone.
"Aye, doctor, that old bag of thine fashioned from the hide of an ox!" replied the priest. "He must be as tough as that old bag of yours to have managed to survive in the cold outside. Thank God, I got to the poor mite before he froze to death like his mother."
"He certainly is a miracle child, Father Jacobs" the doctor replied. "It must be minus 6 or 7 degrees out there! Thank God that the mother had the foresight to bundle the bairn in a tube of plastic to preserve some of its essential body heat until it was found."
It was almost half an hour later before the Garda managed to send out an investigating officer from Waterford. Father Jacobs, being fearful that the infant would die, administered the 'Last Rights' on the spot. The newly born was a boy and with the passing of each minute, his face miraculously started to regain a more healthy colour. However, the infant was so tightly fitted inside the plastic pipe that the doctor decided to allow the hospital surgeon to perform the task of removing it.
"He must have the constitution of your old bag there!" the priest said to the doctor.
"My bag?" Doctor Matthews replied in a puzzled tone.
"Aye, doctor, that old bag of thine fashioned from the hide of an ox!" replied the priest. "He must be as tough as that old bag of yours to have managed to survive in the cold outside. Thank God, I got to the poor mite before he froze to death like his mother."
"He certainly is a miracle child, Father Jacobs" the doctor replied. "It must be minus 6 or 7 degrees out there! Thank God that the mother had the foresight to bundle the bairn in a tube of plastic to preserve some of its essential body heat until it was found."
Doctor Matthews arranged for the infant to be removed from its plastic prison by the local hospital before inquiries pertaining to any surviving relatives could be made. Miraculously the infant emerged relatively unscathed from its traumatic birth. The pipe into which the child had been placed had been so narrow in circumference that it fitted the newly born babe like a glove fits the hand it was bought for.
After searching the dead girl's body for some identity, the Garda discovered an old photograph of a woman and young girl aged around six years. On the back of the photograph was written the words: Aunt Hetti and Lucy near the Kilbunny Cross, May, 1934.
After searching the dead girl's body for some identity, the Garda discovered an old photograph of a woman and young girl aged around six years. On the back of the photograph was written the words: Aunt Hetti and Lucy near the Kilbunny Cross, May, 1934.
Over the following week, the incident of the child being literally born in parish grounds was the main talk and gossip in Portlaw pubs and on street corners. The nurse at the hospital joked, "He may have come out of his tube crying, but he's been living up to his name ever since, has little Liam Lafferty! He never stops smiling and laughing from one minute to the next. Even when he poohs and is having his nappy changed, he laughs at you as though he's messed it on purpose!"
The infant's dead mother, Lucy Lafferty had one living relative in the area of Kilbunny; a spinster aunt who'd hardly set eyes upon the girl since the age of seven years. Ironically, Lucy Lafferty had also been orphaned at birth. She never knew her father's identity and her mother had died three hours after bringing her into this world. Her Aunt Hetti who lived in Kilbunny initially adopted and reared her, and whenever asked by the young child who her father was, always fobbed her off with some statement that indicated that she never knew or wasn't telling if she did!
Hetti Lafferty was a confirmed spinster who'd lived in Kilbunny since her teenage years. She was Lucy's only living relative and the sister of her deceased mother. Consequently, it was only natural that Lucy was reared by her Aunt Hetti after her birth and the tragic death of her mother. For the dead woman's only sister not to have taken in her orphaned niece would have been considered by her neighbours and the Catholic Church as representing the most unchristian of acts and would most certainly have been frowned upon. Such an absence of Christian duty would undoubtedly have been
held against the good name of Hetti Lafferty by the community of Kilbunny until the day she died. Indeed, the view had long been held by Irish historians that the power of community shame or church disapproval mattered more in holding fast, firm community morals than even the nails on Christ's cross ever could!
Hetti Lafferty was a confirmed spinster who'd lived in Kilbunny since her teenage years. She was Lucy's only living relative and the sister of her deceased mother. Consequently, it was only natural that Lucy was reared by her Aunt Hetti after her birth and the tragic death of her mother. For the dead woman's only sister not to have taken in her orphaned niece would have been considered by her neighbours and the Catholic Church as representing the most unchristian of acts and would most certainly have been frowned upon. Such an absence of Christian duty would undoubtedly have been
held against the good name of Hetti Lafferty by the community of Kilbunny until the day she died. Indeed, the view had long been held by Irish historians that the power of community shame or church disapproval mattered more in holding fast, firm community morals than even the nails on Christ's cross ever could!
Over her early years, Lucy had proved herself too much to handle for a woman on her own. She was an emotionally-disturbed girl and a difficult child to rear. Lucy would constantly lose her temper for no apparent reason and would then go missing for hours on end. She was very secretive and would never say where she'd been upon her return. Her behaviour was erratic in so many ways and was always unpredictable. The medics told her Aunt that Lucy had incurred some brain damage at birth due to lack of oxygen during the first minutes of her life. According to the nuns who taught her in her First School, she was considered to be 'educationally subnormal'. To most of her Aunt's neighbours and the other children in Kilbunny, Lucy Lafferty was regarded as the town simpleton.
Eventually Lucy's Aunt Hetti was obliged to admit that she couldn't cope with the girl, especially as there was no man in the house to take overall charge. So at the age of seven years, Lucy was placed for adoption and was taken in by a Children's Home in Limerick that was run by the nuns. This was an extremely strict organisation and none of the child residents liked living there.
Her Aunt Hetti had genuinely tried to rear her niece, but finally had to admit that the young girl was too much of a hand full to cope with and was beyond her control. Whatever the reality however, Hetti Lafferty had been left with strong feelings of guilt; having 'let down' her deceased sister by abandoning her daughter to the nuns in Limerick.
Her Aunt Hetti had genuinely tried to rear her niece, but finally had to admit that the young girl was too much of a hand full to cope with and was beyond her control. Whatever the reality however, Hetti Lafferty had been left with strong feelings of guilt; having 'let down' her deceased sister by abandoning her daughter to the nuns in Limerick.
By the age of ten, Lucy Lafferty still remained a deeply unhappy and disturbed young girl. No longer content to put up with the daily jibes of being referred to as 'dummy', along with the stated cruelty of the nuns, she ran away to Dublin. By the age of eleven, Lucy found herself a resident in the Protestant-run establishment of 'The Bethany Home' in Dublin. This was an establishment primarily set up by the Protestant Church to cater for unmarried mothers and their offspring.
Within six months she'd run away from 'The Bethany Home' three times. She was picked up and returned to 'The Bethany Home' on the first two occasions within the space of one week; after which she seemed to settle down for a brief spell. Lucy had only been biding her time however, and was determined to make sure that the next time she did a runner that she wouldn't be found and returned so easily.
Lucy Lafferty may well have been an educationally and behaviourally challenged girl who could barely read and write her name, but she had been endowed with exceedingly attractive looks. She was a girl who had been forced to grow up before her years and her overall appearance and body development made her look about three years older than she actually was. She did however, retain that look of a childlike 'Lolita' and presented as a visual blend of angelic physical innocence and nymph-like suggestion. Her naivety made her an easy target for any man to take advantage of and she quickly became a more appealing victim to the 'Dirty old-boy's brigade'.
Within six months she'd run away from 'The Bethany Home' three times. She was picked up and returned to 'The Bethany Home' on the first two occasions within the space of one week; after which she seemed to settle down for a brief spell. Lucy had only been biding her time however, and was determined to make sure that the next time she did a runner that she wouldn't be found and returned so easily.
Lucy Lafferty may well have been an educationally and behaviourally challenged girl who could barely read and write her name, but she had been endowed with exceedingly attractive looks. She was a girl who had been forced to grow up before her years and her overall appearance and body development made her look about three years older than she actually was. She did however, retain that look of a childlike 'Lolita' and presented as a visual blend of angelic physical innocence and nymph-like suggestion. Her naivety made her an easy target for any man to take advantage of and she quickly became a more appealing victim to the 'Dirty old-boy's brigade'.
By the age of thirteen, Lucy was selling her body on the streets of Dublin City to anyone who would pay her the going rate of a compliment or who would offer her affection and companionship, along with a bit of food and a roof over her head for the night. Often she would live rough and too frequently, streetwise girls would cheat her out of whatever little money she did possess. She would invariably be taken advantage of by older men who made her false promises which they'd no intention of ever keeping, but which Lucy continued to foolishly believe. To most men who took advantage of her, Lucy was a young girl in a woman's body, especially after applying a bit of lipstick and eye shadow and wearing clothes more suitable for a woman older than her years.
During her fourteenth year of life, the inevitable happened and Lucy found herself pregnant with child. During this period of uncertainty and emotional confusion, and without knowing the identity of the father, she had no notion as to whom or where to turn or what to do. Being in this state of emotional turmoil, Lucy did the one thing that all souls in desolation tend to do; she turned towards her family. She turned towards the only family in the world that she had ever known; her Aunt Hetti in Kilbunny, near Portlaw. While it had initially been her Aunt Hetti who'd placed her in care at the age of seven years, deep down Lucy believed her mother's sister to be a good Christian who would not abandon her in her hour of need; especially if she was heavy with child.
Lucy was in her eighth month of pregnancy by the time she'd decided to return to her aunt's cottage, throw herself on her mercy and crave her help and compassion. With no money to use as fare and dressed plainly in worn-out clothes, Lucy determined to start walking the 100-mile journey from Dublin to Kilbunny. She naturally hoped that she would be able to hitch a lift part of the way with some kind motorist, but the only person who did stop for her, immediately pulled away as soon as he saw the dishevelled state of her dress and unclean face and hands.
It took Lucy three weeks of weary walking to complete her journey. She walked by day and slept in fields, barns and beneath large tractors during the night. Although severely limited in her understanding, Lucy had learned never to seek or accept a lift from a lorry driver; so refused their help on the few occasions she was offered a lift. She washed in the streams she passed along the route.
It took Lucy three weeks of weary walking to complete her journey. She walked by day and slept in fields, barns and beneath large tractors during the night. Although severely limited in her understanding, Lucy had learned never to seek or accept a lift from a lorry driver; so refused their help on the few occasions she was offered a lift. She washed in the streams she passed along the route.
No sooner than she arrived in Portlaw, she knew that she had neither time nor strength to make it to her aunt's place in Kilbunny. The weather was crisp and dry, but a sudden chill had come on and snow was forecast. Lucy walked through Portlaw in fear that she might see someone who recognised her; so she concealed herself by pulling her cloak tightly around her head whenever passing another foot traveller.
Having no door that she could knock on in Portlaw in the knowledge that she would be welcomed in, Lucy swallowed her religious pride and went to visit the only person and place whom she believed would not turn her away; the parish priest.
She could sense that her time to give birth was nigh, even though she still had another two weeks before her full term of pregnancy was due to expire. As she walked the last half mile towards the bridge at the bottom of William Street and the entrance to the town, Lucy wrapped her shawl around her body to conceal both her identity and her expectant circumstances from anyone walking in the opposite direction. It was a grave thing to be placed in a Children's Home while another adult family member lived, but it was a most shameful and unforgivable act for any woman to get pregnant out of wedlock, let alone a 14-year-old runaway girl! Lucy stopped to catch her breath when she eventually reached the bridge. It had started to snow heavily and she began to shiver in the evening cold.
Having no door that she could knock on in Portlaw in the knowledge that she would be welcomed in, Lucy swallowed her religious pride and went to visit the only person and place whom she believed would not turn her away; the parish priest.
She could sense that her time to give birth was nigh, even though she still had another two weeks before her full term of pregnancy was due to expire. As she walked the last half mile towards the bridge at the bottom of William Street and the entrance to the town, Lucy wrapped her shawl around her body to conceal both her identity and her expectant circumstances from anyone walking in the opposite direction. It was a grave thing to be placed in a Children's Home while another adult family member lived, but it was a most shameful and unforgivable act for any woman to get pregnant out of wedlock, let alone a 14-year-old runaway girl! Lucy stopped to catch her breath when she eventually reached the bridge. It had started to snow heavily and she began to shiver in the evening cold.
Up the hill, Lucy plodded; stopping every ten yards or so to catch her breath as a blizzard of snow started to blow in her face. It had been many years since she'd last climbed this hill towards 'St Michael's Catholic Church' and she'd quite forgotten how steep a gradient it had. The fields across from her were now covered from top to tail in snow and there appeared to be no sign of the bad weather abating.
Her intention had simply been to ask the parish priest if he could phone an ambulance for her so that she could give birth to her baby in a secure environment. She also hoped that the parish priest would be good enough to contact her Aunt Hetti in Kilbunny to see if he could persuade her aunt to offer her and her baby a place to stay for the immediate future after they left the maternity hospital. Fate however was to ensure that poor Lucy would not survive the hour and that she would give birth in the wide open like some stray bitch or other wild creature.
Her intention had simply been to ask the parish priest if he could phone an ambulance for her so that she could give birth to her baby in a secure environment. She also hoped that the parish priest would be good enough to contact her Aunt Hetti in Kilbunny to see if he could persuade her aunt to offer her and her baby a place to stay for the immediate future after they left the maternity hospital. Fate however was to ensure that poor Lucy would not survive the hour and that she would give birth in the wide open like some stray bitch or other wild creature.
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