Where Old Ghosts Meet - Kate Evans [75]
The kettle began to sing on the stove.
So, Joey Coady understood very well about “not knowing.” Understood better than most. “I liked him.” Nora looked across at Peg, but she was busy with the tea and didn’t seem to hear her. “I liked him a lot,” she murmured to herself.
“You fetch some cups and milk and I’ll make the tea and we’ll finish off that drop of whiskey.”
“I enjoyed the dance,” Nora said reassuringly. “It was just like a country dance at home. Did you always go to the dances, Peg?” She was about to add, “even when he was around,” but stopped herself just in time.
“Yes, my dear, I always loved to dance.” Peg set the tea on the table. “It was mostly in people’s kitchens those days. We’d just get together and have a ‘time,’ that’s how we call it, a kitchen party, you know.” She sat down heavily. “Nora, if you slip into my bedroom you’ll find an old-fashioned oil lamp on the dresser. Bring it here to the table and I’ll light it. We’ll have it nice and low. That way we won’t have Gerry or the like droppin’ in on the way home from the dance. If they see the big light on, they’ll be to the door and I’ve had enough of that for one night.”
Nora found the lamp as Peg had said. As she left the room, she noticed a little metal plaque hanging on the wall by the door. It had a pie-crust edge and was decorated all around with painted red roses. It said: Lord grant me all things / That I may enjoy life. /The Lord gave me life / So I might enjoy all things.
She closed the door behind her and brought the lamp to the table. Peg carefully removed the glass chimney and turned up the wick. She struck a match and held it to the wick. A blue-gold flame leaped upwards, pushing a tail of black smoke into the air. Nora was startled and pulled back.
“You’ve never seen a lamp lit before, have you?”
“No, I haven’t.” The pungent smell of kerosene made her catch her breath.
Peg’s crooked fingers, unsteady but practiced, turned the knob and carefully lowered the flame. Nora watched, fascinated, as she replaced the glass globe and adjusted the flame still more. “Close them blinds onto the road like a good girl, Nora, and turn off that big light and then we’re all set.”
A warm amber glow filled the room. Their reflection, soft and muted, peered back from the window.
“There’s more I want to tell you that’s important and as you’ll be off early tomorrow, it’s got to be now.” Peg stared into her mug, stirring slowly, memories swirling.
“I suppose the Lord had no room for me back then.” She scratched her head. “By rights, I should have died. But I made it through, hung on, and when I come home, not only was Matt still there but I was now a Canadian. While I was to the hospital the great debate had taken place and the vote taken. Newfoundland was no longer a country in its own right, but a province of Canada. We were dragged into this country of Canada barkin’ and complainin’ like harp seals on a whelpin’ pan, but Canadians we were and that was the end of it.” She laughed. “I wish I’d been about them days, they were exciting times. That vote was some close.”
“How close?”
“Fifty-one point nine percent.”
“Very close.”
“Yes, there were some rackets about that, I can tell you.” She settled in close to the table. “It didn’t seem so important to me then. I had other things to be concerned with. The house was in a state when I got back: after three years you can imagine, but, my dear, Matt was best kind, with the ground all turned and ready for planting, and not only that, the garden was twice the size it used to be, with a proper fence all around. Joey Coady, if you please, put the fence in place for him.