"Of course," Bronnah grabs her medical bag and pulls the door shut behind her. She follows her wondering what to expect. "What's wrong?"
“Alice started complaining of stomach pain last night. It hasn’t stopped. You must help her!” Mary whimpers and begins crying once more.
“I’ll do my best,” Bronnah answers and follows her inside the cabin. This suite is the largest cabin on board the ship. It has a sitting room, a massive window, private water closet, and two bedrooms.
A scream sounds out from the bathroom, and the mother comes rushing out. "Oh, Thank heavens! Mary, make us some tea." Mary hurries to do as ordered and the woman begins to pull Bronnah quickly to the bathroom.
“I would ask for your utmost discretion with this situation. Alice is in here.” Her hands are trembling with fear for her daughter as she opens the door.
Bronnah has a sinking feeling when she enters the room. Alice is panting and doubled over in pain. “Make it stop, Mother!” She begs, and her face is blotching from tears and pain.
“Tell me what her symptoms are,” Bronnah demands, thinking of cholera.
They glance at each other before answering. "I'm pregnant," Alice groans, biting back another wave of pain. "I started cramping and bleeding last night. Can you help me?"
Bronnah’s heart sinks. “Again, I will do what I can.”
Turning to the mother, Bronnah guides her to the door and tells her to give them some privacy. "I'll call you if I need you."
“But, I… I need to help my daughter.”
Alice screams as another wave of pain hits her.
“I’m afraid you can’t, Mrs. Brooks. Alice will have to do this on her own.” Bronnah shuts the door and faces the young woman balled up on the floor crying in pain.
Six hours later, Alice suffers a miscarriage. Once she is resting comfortably in her bed, Bronnah allows them to visit her. The three women cry together, and she turns to leave them to grieve. “Thank you, Ms. O’Dalaigh,” Mary says holding her sister's hand.
Bronnah nods too exhausted to speak. Mrs. Brooks walks her out of the bedroom and stops her at the door to the stateroom.
“Ms. O’Dalaigh please accept my apologies for offending you earlier. If anything happened to one of my girls…” she walks to a table and pulls out an envelope of cash. “Take this,” she murmurs softly pressing seventy-five dollars into Bronnah’s hand. Immediately offended Bronnah is surprised when the woman will not let go of her hand.
"Listen to me. You may find that you need it. New York is not the place you want to be without means. I would suggest you head west as quickly as possible. I realize I spoke harshly to you, but what I said was the truth. The Irish are not well thought of. Many places refuse to hire and hang signs specifically stating that fact."
“I see. Thank you, I won’t lie and pretend I couldn’t use the money. Have you been there often?” Bronnah asks deciding to keep the money. Satisfied Mrs. Brooks releases her and walks over to pour a decanter of wine into a glass and sits on a couch.
"This will be my second trip. I had hoped not to return, but my husband sent for us. He works at the Stock exchange and will be splitting our time between England and New York." She watches Bronnah process the information and sighs. "I can't thank you enough. Will my daughter be alright?" she asks glancing at the door of the room when she hears Alice crying again.
“She should be, with patience and love. Have her checked by the ships doctor before you leave.”
Bronnah sits next to her, “Please, tell me why the Irish are being mistreated?”
"From what my husband tells me it's the jobs. So many people are arriving every day, and it is making jobs harder to find. This ship alone is full of laborers. I'm afraid you will be surprised by what you find."
Bronnah frowns and stands up. “Thank you for the information and the money.”
"You're welcome."
She walks back to her cabin exhausted and drops on the bunk to sleep until dinner.
“Wake up, Bronnah. I brought you breakfast.” Lizzy sits a tray beside the bed and turns the light on. Opening a window, she lets fresh air drift into the cabin and waits for her to sit up.
“I slept all night?” she gasps. “What time is it?”
"Past ten, dove. I heard about your day. I spoke to the Captain, and the doctor is feeling better. You will be able to rest now. Drink your tea." Lizzy is oddly calm and sits in the chair waiting for her to eat.
“Thank you.” After sitting quietly for a moment, Bronnah sighs and sits her cup down. “Alright, out with it.”
Lizzy doesn’t bother to deny it. “Jules has asked me to marry him.”
“What?” she gasps, fully awake now.
“I know it seems sudden, Bronnah, but … I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
“Of course not, but what do you know about him?” Bronnah asks sitting her food aside and scooting to the edge of the bed.
"More than I would know about a stranger in America. I know that he's a twenty-five-year-old lawyer, like his father. He's going to New York to work." Lizzy beams when she speaks of him. "We share so many of the same beliefs, Bronnah. He wants to travel, and he writes the most amazing stories. One day he wants to be published. But most of all I know that when I'm with him, I'm happy."
“I don’t know what to say, Lizzy.”
"I said yes. I can't imagine marrying
