Page 38 (1/2)

"Mr Malvern," I say, "do you want as," Malvern says "Two hundred ninety"

"Mr Holly has offered h I’ me or at the mention of Holly’s name "Two hundred fifty"

I cross my arms Two hundred fifty is unattainable "Who else will touch him after today?"

"They’ve all killed someone"

"Not all of them have killed solass "Tell me a price"

"Two hundred" This is dear, but doable Only just Only if I can count this year’s unwon purse as part of s

"This is where I walk away, Mr Kendrick" But he doesn’t I stand and I wait I realize that the hotel lobby has gone quiet I realize that this is the reason e aren’tin the tea shop or the stables or his office Here, it’s the best advertising Malvern can get His name will be on everyone’s lips

Malvern exhales "Two hundred Enjoy your races, gentlemen"

He puts his hands in his pockets and walks away Calvert opens the door for hiht

I have to win

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

PUCK

"Kate, you do realize that you aren’t at fault"

Father Mooneyham sounds a little tired, but he always seeo to confession I s to church in my trousers, but I wasn’t about to ride Dove in a dress, so I put a smock on over uilty I was the last one to hold his hand And when I let go, he was dead"

"But surely he would have died anyway"

"Maybe not, though What if I’d stayed and held his hand? I won’t ever kno I’ll alonder"

I stare at the brilliant stained-glassover the altar The peculiarity of the confession booth allows e point Because St Columba’s apparently predates confession or priests or sin, the booth was added much later The confessional is open to the rest of the church, and the curtain is only between the confessor and the priest And the curtain is ridiculous not only because Father Mooneyhah the peard him, but also Father knows everyone’s voices on the island, so even blind, he’d knohose sin hose The only real benefit of the curtain is to allow you to pick your nose without a holy audience, soe of before

Now Father sounds a little cross "This soundsmuch power to as, after all, only your hand"

"You’re the one who says that God works through us Maybe he wantedit"

There’s silence for a moment on the other side of the curtain Finally, he says, "Not everyone’s hands can always be the site ofDid you feel called to stay by his side? No? Then put down your guilt"

HeI can wrap in wax paper and leave by the door for Puffin I slouch back in the chair and look at the ceiling of the church

"I’ht?" I rehteously angry, and that was all right I feel slightly righteous about er over Gabe’s decision to leave the island, so perhaps it’s not a sin after all

"Why are you angry at hi tear, because I didn’t even feel it coood reason Nothing I can change"

Father Mooneyham says, "Gabriel" Because of course he knohich brother Ifor a few ht froh my hands cupped over my face It’s very quiet in the church Finally, I wipe the sleeve of htly and I see Father Mooneyha a handkerchief I use it to drythat he’s said in here, Kate And I don’t know if it will make you feel any better to know that he has sat in that same chair where you sit now, and he has cried as well"