‘Jesus, you look even worse than you did before,’ said Jay. ‘Do you want a drink? I only have cold tea.’ He took a bottle out of his basket, unscrewed the top and held it to McGuffey’s lips.

McGuffey pulled in long draughts of the welcome liquid and when he was sated pushed the bottle away and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. ‘Did you bring food?’

Jay shrugged his backpack from his shoulders and let it slide to the ground with a thud. ‘I did. I took some from Bee’s cottage, up at the top. Here.’ He passed McGuffey the bread and ham he’d taken; it was wrapped in one of Bee’s cloths. ‘I took the whole plateful, and the plate as well.’ He grinned.

McGuffey couldn’t manage to raise a smile. ‘You should never leave any sign that you were there,’ he said. ‘Always cover your tracks. Be invisible. Let no one know you’re about.’

‘I’m as invisible as that feckin’ ham is in her cottage now,’ Jay replied. ‘I’ve been thieving stuff all my life. Do you think I don’t know that?’

‘Do you have news?’

‘I do.’ Jay squatted down onto his haunches and grinned, displaying an uneven set of dark brown teeth interspersed with large gaps. He was keen to tell McGuffey his plan. ‘There’s a dance up at the long hall in a few days’ time – on the full moon. I reckon that’ll be the night I can get her, before she sets off. Everyone will be busy. If someone’s collecting her, they might think she’s already left.’

‘Full moon’s no good for us, you eejit.’ McGuffey hawked and spat. ‘Makes it too easy to spot us. And anyway, I need to get away soon – I can’t survive here much longer. Did you get anything from the gypsies in Ballycroy for this?’ He clutched at his thigh, as though to stop the pain in its tracks. It was so swollen, he’d had to rip his trouser leg up the side to free it.

‘I did. Here.’ Jay pulled a jar of murky-coloured liquid out of his pack and handed it over. ‘But even they said you should go to Bridget McAndrew. She has the right spells for sickness in these parts and the best potions too.’

‘I can’t fecking do that, she would call the guard,’ McGuffey replied through clenched teeth. The spasms had become more frequent and were lasting much longer. He rolled onto his side and groaned out loud, which sent a shiver through Jay. ‘It’s a doctor I need. They may have to take the leg off, which is why I have to get away. Did you get a motor and petrol?’

‘I did. I took one from the back of a boat at Blacksod Bay. ’Tis on the top. I’ll go back up and bring it here and then I’ll be off and get the boat.’

Jay was relieved to get out of the dank, putrid-smelling cave. He clambered back up to the dip on the clifftop where he’d hidden the outboard motor, manoeuvred it into the crook of his arm and began the slow descent down the cliff-face once more. ‘Feck this,’ he muttered, repeatedly wiping the sloshes of petrol from his forearms as he half carried, half dragged the motor with him. ‘I’m getting too old for this sort of malarkey.’ He ignored the stink of petrol that trailed in his wake, pleased only to find that the engine felt lighter at the bottom than it had at the top. ‘Must be fitter than I thought,’ he muttered with a curl of his lip. Not that McGuffey would appreciate it.