James thought the remark faint praise. “A decent, respectable family!” he said indignantly. “With a damn good business house there on the Square. The father took the other side in the old days, but sure, these things can’t be helped. The young people nowadays couldn’t care less which side their parents were on.”

Their name? Father Conroy, knowing his bluff was about to be called, tried to guess their name. Why the hell hadn’t Kate told him? She was as bad as the Donovans now, just as close.

“I’m surprised Kate told you,” James went on. “Jimmy had them sworn to secrecy till it was all fixed up. I was let in on it myself only because Jimmy wanted me to have a word with the girl’s father, which I’m glad to say was well worthwhile.”

“I’m sure.”

“I had to make over a tidy bit of business to Jimmy, the auctioneering end of things. Ah, well, ’twas time for me.” He smiled coyly, put his hands together, then gave that warning dart of the eyes. “It should fit in well with the farm-machinery side of theirs. If Jimmy plays his cards right.”

Ah, yes, now Father Conroy had it. The Burkes of Castlemore, the hotel and hardware place on the Square! It was a step up for a Donovan from the back of the mountain. Father Conroy smiled and murmured, “Don’t worry! Jimmy never misses a trick.”

“I take it, Father, you’ll be performing the ceremony?”

“If I’m asked.”

“Oh, you will be, Father, don’t worry about that. Now, the question is, who can we have to assist? The Burkes, of course, will be asking the Canon – he’d be a first cousin of the girl’s father.”

“Then he can assist.”

“Yes, but I dare say we could do with someone else as well, from our side.” And James fitted his hands together and admired the blunt steeple his fingers made. Dare you, thought Father Conroy. Too bloody much you dare say! What you mean is that Father Conroy plus A.N. Other equals the Canon. “Don’t take me for granted,” he burst out.