Page 51 of Heart of the Wren
“Fine, fine. I promise.”
He took one last drag of his cigarette and dropped it to the ground. The tip fizzled in the snow.
???
The squared limestone walls and diamond-paned windows of the church made for a chilly welcome, despite the general air of joviality. Young children showed off the toys brought to them by “Santy” while the adults shared knowing glances and whispered stories of early starts and forgotten batteries.
With every pew filled, we joined the throng at the very back of the church, finding a space to lean against the cold wall. I spotted Pat a few rows from the front. Bullseye, Aine, and four of their daughters sat behind him. Big Tom leaned on the opposite wall to us and nodded hello.
“You know I wanted to be a priest, once,” I said.
“Go on outta that. Really?” Dara nudged me. “I bet you were an altar boy.”
“I was,” I said with a laugh. “I thought I was so important.” I nodded to the front of the church. “Up there, every Sunday morning, the whole village watching me. I remember kneeling at the altar, with a big feckin’ crucifix looming over me, the glint of gold from the eucharist chalice, and the incense stinging my nostrils, and it all felt so… heavy and important. So holy, I suppose.”
“What put you off joining the priesthood?”
I lowered my voice. “I discovered sex.”
We both giggled, drawing stern looks from the other people at the back of the church. Big Tom cleared his throat.
The service went as it usually did and the choir sang beautifully, the weight of the day adding clout to their voices. Only during his final remarks did Father McDonagh stick the knife in.
“Before I send you all off to your turkey and ham.” He spoke from the diaphragm, every syllable preciously intoned. “I’d like to take a moment to remind you of the beauty and sanctity of God’s creation. Of the perfection of his design. Of how he created man and how he created woman, and how he meant for man and woman to come together as one. There are many these days who seek to pervert the intention of God, who are intrinsically disordered in their thinking and in their actions. These sinful men would have us believe their perversions are justified, are rightful, are acceptable. Men in our midst. Men like…” He blinked hard, then frowned. “Like…” He coughed and turned away from the congregation for a moment. “My apologies. Men in our midst, such as…” He winced, unable to get his next words out.
Dara nudged me again and winked.
“Well, I’m sure you can all think of someone,” Father McDonagh said. “Do not let these men pull the wool over your eyes. Remember always they are illegal in the eyes of the law, and worse, they are sinners in the eyes of God.”
He fixed me with a baleful stare, obvious enough for several heads in the crowd to turn to the back of the church.
I held firm.
“Go now, to love and serve the Lord.” Still staring, Father McDonagh drew the sign of the cross and the people began to gather their belongings and file out of the church.
We were the first out. I steamed along the road to my car, slamming the door when I got in. I revved the engine and tore along the road.
“He’s a slimy feckin’ bastard,” I said. “But your poppet did the trick.”
“Don’t let him get to you.” Dara grabbed the handle above his head. “Small minds think small thoughts. He can't see the world beyond his church doors.”
“How can you be so calm?”
“I’ve heard worse. Sure I’ve had worse shouted at me. Some people don’t know any better. It’s hard to see from here but the world is changing.” He set his free hand on my knee. “It won't always be like this.”
Chapter 31
DARA
I WAS glad to get back to the farm so I could check on the ham joint in the oven. I roped Eddie into helping prepare the potatoes and vegetables while Lorcan and Carol checked on the sheep.
“I’m supposed to be out there.” Eddie dropped a carrot into the bowl on the kitchen table.
“You’ve been out all afternoon,” I said. “You deserve a break. Has Carol given you an answer yet? About moving back to England with you?”
Eddie’s peeling slowed. “I don’t knowwhat else I can do to convince her. You know for my first month here she was the only person who’d talk to me? Outside of the family and Lorcan, I mean. Everyone else ignored me or looked at me like I was planning to steal the silverware.” He attacked the carrots with renewed vigour. “But she talked to me like she’d known me forever. I can’t imagine going back and leaving her here. I can’t imagine living my life without her.”
“Have you told her that?”
