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I think of Peg Gratton telling irth I lose "

There’s genuine worry on George Holly’s face "You’re the first, aren’t you? The first woe to be called a woman, but I nod

"It just sounds quite bad down there," he says "I wouldn’t say anything if I didn’t think it seee Holly’s becoainst a few dozen capaill uisce and he thinks it’s the men I should be worried about

"I know not to trust anyone," I say "Except …"

Holly studies e, wonderful, repressed place this is"

I glare at him, relieved that I see and can’t get any redder "I’ myself be played by three sisters with four and a half eyes between thehtedly "Very true"

Dove strives for my Noveht," I say "Do you think she’s pretty?"

"I do"

"I reckon she finds you agreeable, too," I say I glance at him sideith a sly smile "Since she can’t see any farther than her ar you any of these cakes, though There’s a reason Palsson’s is full of women Thisby women are lazy"

"Lazy as you?"

"Just about"

"I think I could bear that" He glances up; Finn has just broached the door of Palsson’s, bearing two bags, and he approaches us looking cheerful Holly says to me, "I sure do wish you the best of luck, Miss Connolly And I hope you won’t wait for Sean Kendrick to realize that he’s lonely"

I want to ask him, Wait for what? but Finn’s come up then and it’s not a question I want to ask in front of one of oes on his way to watch the training on the beach, I go o back to Dory Maud’s to do odd jobs

"Did you hear his accent?" Finn asks

"I wasn’t born deaf"

"If I were Gabe, I’d go to Aoodin my soul "If you were Gabe, I’d slap you"

Finn is unperturbed He gives Dove’s ru away

"Hey" I stop hio"

He trots gleefully off, so easily pleased by the arrival of food I balance my cakes in one hand and take Dove’s reins with the other, leading her toward the cliffs I think about George Holly’s co better in e, luxurious statement It assumes you’ll have not only that h moments in front of it for that mouthful to become a memory My future’s not that certain that I can afford to wonder ill become of the taste later And in any case, the November cake tastes plenty sweet towhen Puck gets to the top of the cliffs I’m not the only one; about two dozen race tourists haveCorr andenough that some of them flinch in surprise I’ht I don’t kno to address her I don’t knohat she expects froet is a wordless hello and a November cake in my hand We each silently eat one under the attentive audience of the tourists and then scrub our sticky palrimaces at the onlookers "Dove is timid around the water horses"

"As she should be"

She turns her ferocious expression on me "Well, it won’t do for the race noill it?"

I turn my attention to her dun mare She’s very aware of Corr’s presence, but she doesn’t look fearful

"She doesn’t have to love the as you aren’t afraid that she’s afraid"

I can see Puck working it out, getting her ht place Her eyes are narrowed as she studies Corr, and I wonder if she’s re our ride on the cliff tops

"Myself I can trust," she says She looks at me as if it’s a question, but if it is, it’s one only she can answer