‘So I hear,’ he replied.

‘The funny thing is, she’s gone already, without me.’

‘Really? That’s not like her. Are you sure? Was the bike there?’

Bee poured herself some tea. ‘It was. She must have set off fierce early for me to miss her.’ She placed her hands on her hips as a thought struck her. ‘Bob, did you remove the willow pole that Angela used for the curtain at Sarah’s end of the cottage?’

‘No. Why would I?’

Bee sat down at the table with her plate and cup. ‘Oh, I don’t know. You probably think I’m going mad, but someone’s taken it. Along with Paddy’s whiskey and Rosie’s cake. I just think it’s all a bit funny.’

‘Aye, and you’re forgetting the shawl on the night Aedan thought he saw someone, and the boat I saw down at the cove.’

‘That was Angela’s shawl,’ said Bee. ‘I’ve brought it here, it’s in the chest. I thought that maybe it was one just like it, from over on the islands, one that someone had dropped.’

There was silence for a moment, and then they both spoke together. ‘It was Angela’s.’

Their eyes met and they both felt the change of atmosphere in the cottage. Only Bee knew it was because Angela had joined them.

‘What shall we do?’ said Captain Bob. ‘What do you think it all means?’

Bee looked up at him and the fear in her own eyes was reflected in his. ‘I think it can only mean one thing – McGuffey’s back.’ Her eyes filled with tears and her hands began to shake. ‘God in heaven, he can’t be, not after all this time, can he? I’m so scared, Bob, scared that if I lay eyes on him, I’ll kill him meself.’

She was back in his arms before she could say another word.

‘I suggest you ask Bridget, when she arrives. If anyone knows, she will, and if anyone can do something about it, it’s you two, and Father Jerry. Between you, you’re stronger than him. How old is he now anyway? He must be into his sixties, and besides, the rumours are that he was working with the IRA. He won’t be back over here.’

It didn’t matter how much he tried to reassure her, they were both aware that this time his words didn’t work. They knew he was wrong and in their hearts they could both sense there was trouble ahead.

*

Nola had already turfed the men out of the house to work and was left with Cat and Mrs O’Keefe, who insisted on helping her clear up after breakfast. ‘Stop, would you, I have all day to be doing this once you’ve gone off on your visits.’

‘You don’t fool me,’ said Mrs O’Keefe. ‘The bread doesn’t bake itself nor the butter churn if you shout instructions to it down the path, and I’ve seen the mound of washing waiting to be done in the tin bath on the back step. Why don’t we stay here and help you for a day? We can meet Ellen Carey later this afternoon. I would love to just stay here on the hill with you. To be brutally honest, Nola, there’s only so much whiskey I can drink in a morning – although I’m getting better at it and that’s a fact.’