An Island Apart by Lillian Beckwith

some of their friends.’
    â€˜Do you yourself go to the cinema?’
    She gave a negative shake of her head. ‘When I first came to the city I longed to go and see a picture. The cinemas looked so inviting with their bright lights and music whenever I went past them but the old aunt I was living with at the time said they were “Devil’s Palaces” and I mustn’t think of going inside one of them. The Reverend MacDonald and his wife regarded them in much the same way and told me I should be ashamed of myself for mentioning the word “cinema” in such a place as the Manse. It wasn’t until after I came here to work for Mrs Ross that I got the chance to go. Indeed she herself took me to an afternoon matinee but I found it a sore disappointment. Ach, it was a cosy enough place but I caught fleas and I wasn’t of a mind to pay sixpence to watch pictures and feed fleas so I didn’t go again,’ she said dryly.
    â€˜You wouldn’t miss such things, then?’
    Her heart gave a little leap. He was on the edge of approaching the purpose of their meeting. ‘I would not,’ she assured him. ‘Indeed there is very little the city offers that I should miss.’ He noticed a small furrow of concentration appear between her eyes as if she was trying to recall some diversion she might miss. ‘Maybe the swimming baths,’ she admitted. ‘I enjoy swimming but the baths are fast becoming so crowded and noisy I’m not much tempted these days.’ She hesitated a moment. ‘But I’m forgetting the public library. Now that is a place I should miss sadly. Ever since I learned to read I’ve loved books. My greatest pleasure is a good book.’ She injected a note of seriousness into her voice so as not to lead him into thinking that she might be persuaded to contemplate relinquishing such amenities.
    â€˜There is a good postal library in the Islands these days,’ he was quick to tell her. ‘It will send books regularly and you can keep them for a few weeks before you need to send them back. And,’ he emphasized, ‘it’s all paid for by the Education Authority.’
    She was sceptical. There’d been nothing like that when she was young. ‘What kind of books? Lesson books?’ she queried.
    â€˜No indeed. My brother gets every kind of book for the asking. He’s a rare man for reading once the outside work is finished and on the Sabbath whenever he can be alone.’
    â€˜Your brother lives on the Island?’ His mention of a brother took her by surprise.
    â€˜My brother also lives in the house. It is the two of us just since the old folk passed on.’
    She caught her breath. Sharing a house with two men was something she had not envisaged. She was immediately suspicious. ‘Your brother,’ she began haltingly. ‘Is he in good health?’ She could well understand Ruari MacDonald seeking a wife if there was an invalid brother dependent upon him.
    â€˜My brother is in the best of health,’ he replied. ‘He is a big man and he is altogether stronger and cleverer than myself. He has never seen a doctor and his teacher said he was such a good scholar he could have gone to University. He won bursaries but ach, he was never keen to go away from the Island,’
    â€˜Is he older or younger than yourself?’
    â€˜He is older by a year or two.’
    â€˜And he’s never married?’ The Islands were noted for their bachelors. ‘Would there be a reason for that?’
    â€˜He’s too content with his fishing and his sheep and his handiwork and his reading to have time for a woman, though there’s many a good lassie would have been pleased to have the chance to marry him.’
    This time it was she who noticed the slight crease furrowing his brow. She guessed that he was becoming sensitive to her questioning. But, she excused herself, she had to continue. There was