Read Online The Magdalen by Marita Conlon-Mckenna - Free Book Online Page A

Wooden slats covered the ground, with only the odd blade of grass peeping through. Up at one end sat Louis King and his Dance-Hall Band. They wore cream evening jackets and played away as if they were centre-stage in a glitzy hotel nightclub, rather than McGrane’s old sheep paddock. Magic was in the air. Walking in with her brothers, Esther realized how handsome they had become, as she could see the girls looking at them. Donal sloped off straight away, holding hands with a petite fair-haired female whom she had never seen before.
    Tom dragged her up to dance. Her younger brother had got so much taller and so handsome, she could see some of the girls putting their eye on him. They danced easily together, both keeping time to the music as they got their bearings and had a look around. Spotting the Quinns arriving, Esther went over to join them, watching out of the
corner of her eye as Tom tried to get up the courage to ask a tall girl with sparkling eyes, who was about his own age, to dance. Carmel and Helen introduced her to some of their crowd. The girls all admired each other’s clothes while all the time watching the huge numbers arriving and filling the edges of the tent. Three old bachelors came up and asked them to dance. Tears ran down Esther’s face as she watched Carmel trying to put a distance between herself and her partner.
    Her own fellah was about the same age as her mother at least! “I live up tha Carraroe way,” he mumbled, “‘tis a small piece o’ land.” Esther nodded politely, trying to appear interested while at the same time noticing that he was missing a tooth. “The mother died a year back so’s I’m on me own now.” Esther tried to be nice and listen but found he mumbled so much that she could scarcely hear him. The poor eejit! she thought, thanking him when the band finally took a break. For the next hour Esther was whirled around the room by a succession of partners. Then the band went outside for a smoke and a drink, while inside the crowd laughed and joked and introductions were made. Gerard had appeared over with a pal of his.
    â€œMeet my sister Esther, Eddie!”
    She smiled politely; she had heard her brother talk about Eddie Boylan before. The music started again and Eddie asked her up.
    â€œTake care of my sister, Boyler!” joked Gerard, pulling Carmel up to dance.
    The marquee became hotter as Mr. King decided to up the tempo and played a melody of Mexican songs, Eddie and herself laughing and joining in with all the rest of the
couples on the dance floor, trying to keep up with the Latin rhythm. Eddie’s brown hair clung sweatily to his forehead as he danced, and Esther was wishing that she had tied her long hair up, then just as suddenly Mr. King decided to slow it down and swung into his own version of “South of the Border.” With relief Eddie pulled her close to him, and tired they leant against each other, swaying to the music as they both got their breath back. In the distance she could see that Carmel had her arms around Gerard’s neck, and he was holding her close. Eddie pressed her even closer to him. He had her almost pinioned against his large chest, moving her around the floor. The palm of his hand was hot and sweaty as he guided her to the music.
    â€œIsn’t this grand!” he mumbled. “You couldn’t beat the likes of a night like this.” Esther nodded in agreement. He was pulling her even tighter, trying to smooch to the music like some of the other couples. Resistance was useless, as Eddie had begun to breathe softly against her ear, touching it with the tip of his tongue and running his lips along her neck. She gasped as he drew her body tight against his own. “Isn’t this lovely, pet!” he breathed as she became aware of the growing pressure of his broad hand on the lower part of her back, moulding her thighs and body to his as he pressed himself against her.