How she would love to stay longer in France with Keelin and Armand, enjoying the friendships she’d made in the village, reading the thought-provoking books that filled Keelin’s bookshelves, and absorbing the energy from the mystical mountain that she had grown to love. But there was unfinished business between her and Imelda and, until they made their peace, if such a thing was possible, there would be constant misery for both of them.

For the sake of her family, Brigid would have to make the first move. But before she left this heavenly place she would climb the peaceful slopes of Canigou once more, she promised herself, glancing over to the dawn-caressed mountain that dominated the landscape, as she pedalled across the cobbles to her niece’s kitchen door where she could smell the aroma of coffee brewing for petit déjeuner.

*

‘We’ve loved having you stay, Mère,’ Keelin said as she and Brigid sat looking out at the moonlight painting the slopes of Canigou, etched sharp against an indigo sky.

‘And I have loved being here, alannah,’ her great-aunt smiled. ‘Keelin, would you mind if I borrowed that book, the one you recommended about Mary Magdalene and Iona? It sounds intriguing.’

‘Pilgrimage to Iona – oh, it’s lovely, Mère. It made me long to visit Iona when I read it and when I did visit, very briefly, I was blown away.’

‘I’d like to go there myself,’ Brigid confided. ‘It seems so deeply mystical and esoteric, much like Canigou.’

‘How about we go for a few days in May?’ Keelin suggested out of the blue. ‘Maybe Marie-Claire could join us.’

‘That’s a great idea!’ approved Brigid excitedly. ‘I’d love to visit Rosslyn Chapel too—’

‘Oh, it’s amazing, Mère. And we could go and see the stained-glass window of the pregnant Magdalene in Dervaig on Mull. I’ve always longed to see it.’

‘Ooohhh yeeessss!’ Brigid clapped her hands her eyes alight with excitement. ‘Oh my! Did I ever think I’d be having such adventures? It’s so wonderful to have you to share this awakening with. But you need to make your peace with your mother. And I need to make peace with Imelda too. You should be sharing adventures like this with her.’ Brigid sat up straight in her chair. ‘Keelin – that’s it! Will we invite Imelda to come to Iona with us? It could be a pilgrimage of reconciliation. For once and for all, let us sort out all our issues so we can live the rest of our lives in peace, whatever the outcome. What do you think?’ She turned her bright, blue-eyed gaze on her niece.

Keelin made a face, not enamoured with the idea. ‘It sounds good, in theory,’ she sighed. ‘But I don’t think she’ll come. And even if she agreed, she’d probably ruin the trip with her shenanigans.’