"I can tell that you miss her."
"It's been twenty-three years. I can still see her vividly, standing on the docks of Boston , waving goodbye to me, as I left for France . She was a much younger woman then, I imagine she looks quite different now," and suddenly he laughed. "Of course, I have not changed!"
It was getting late, and Darcy was the first to stand up. She smoothed her apron, picked up her basket and said, "Do you know what a thin place is, Father?"
"A thin place? What do you mean?"
"The ancient Celts believed certain spots on Earth have thin boundaries between the natural and the supernatural world. I believe the monks felt that transparent quality here and for that reason chose this site for a monastery."
"What a beautiful idea. I've never heard of such a thing."
"Some think its romantic superstition. I prefer to think of it as evidence of eternity," and turning with a sigh she said, "I'd better not be late with Liam's supper tonight. A bit of the devil's been into him lately."
He looked up at the abbey ruins. "I fancy sometimes that the ghosts of the monks listen to us here. I think it would appeal to them knowing that learning is still going on within these walls," and he looked into Darcy's green eyes. "Thank you for being my friend. I believe I was lonely before you came along."
She smiled. "I too was lonely. It all fell into place when you said one can find God in many places, so you see I must thank you too."
Darcy extended her hand, and he pressed it between his own. Carrying the new book in her basket, she hiked down the hill toward home. As she approached her cottage, she spied a figure waving cheerfully. It was Teila Mullin, Darcy’s best friend, and she felt a pang of guilt for neglecting her lately. She prepared herself with a hundred excuses.
Teila was breathless when she met Darcy. An uphill walk was difficult because of her twisted left foot. She suffered from rickets like her brother, Michael O'Hearn. Teila was a slight wispy young woman now in the bloom of pregnancy. She had fine strawberry-blond hair and a light-hearted attitude. They embraced, and Teila said, "I just saw Liam. He looked confused and angry when I said I had seen you near the abbey with Father Etienne."
"You saw us?" asked Darcy.
"Yes, that's one of the reasons I came to see you. Father Etienne must be more careful. I could have been an informant."
Teila saw the troubled look on Darcy's face and asked, "Why have you been seeing Father Etienne? Are you in some sort of trouble?"
"No.”
Teila looked searchingly at her friend. "I know you, Darcy, and I can tell when something is amiss. What is it? Are you ill? Are you going to have a baby?"
"What? Oh, saints preserve us, no!" laughed Darcy. "But you're certainly showing your baby, Teila," said Darcy patting her friend's belly.
Teila looked down and smiled. "I feel better with this baby than any of the others."
They turned and started down the hill. Darcy decided to tell Teila the truth. She took her friend's thin wrist and said, "I have something to tell you, but no one else must know, especially Liam." She swallowed hard and said, "Father Etienne is teaching me to read."
Teila‘s eyes grew wide. "To read? Why?"
Darcy laughed and said, "So I can learn."
Teila laughed. "Why, that sounds just like you, Darcy McBride. You've always wanted something different than the rest of us. I can't say that I understand you, but if it's what you want, then I'm happy for you."
"Oh it is wonderful. Let me teach you to read, Teila."
"No. Now what use would I have for books? They can't tend sheep or feed my babies. I'll leave that to you.”
They chattered happily all the way down to the McBride cottage, excited to be in each other's company once more. When they arrived at the cottage, Teila said, "You have spent no time with me lately.
"It's been twenty-three years. I can still see her vividly, standing on the docks of Boston , waving goodbye to me, as I left for France . She was a much younger woman then, I imagine she looks quite different now," and suddenly he laughed. "Of course, I have not changed!"
It was getting late, and Darcy was the first to stand up. She smoothed her apron, picked up her basket and said, "Do you know what a thin place is, Father?"
"A thin place? What do you mean?"
"The ancient Celts believed certain spots on Earth have thin boundaries between the natural and the supernatural world. I believe the monks felt that transparent quality here and for that reason chose this site for a monastery."
"What a beautiful idea. I've never heard of such a thing."
"Some think its romantic superstition. I prefer to think of it as evidence of eternity," and turning with a sigh she said, "I'd better not be late with Liam's supper tonight. A bit of the devil's been into him lately."
He looked up at the abbey ruins. "I fancy sometimes that the ghosts of the monks listen to us here. I think it would appeal to them knowing that learning is still going on within these walls," and he looked into Darcy's green eyes. "Thank you for being my friend. I believe I was lonely before you came along."
She smiled. "I too was lonely. It all fell into place when you said one can find God in many places, so you see I must thank you too."
Darcy extended her hand, and he pressed it between his own. Carrying the new book in her basket, she hiked down the hill toward home. As she approached her cottage, she spied a figure waving cheerfully. It was Teila Mullin, Darcy’s best friend, and she felt a pang of guilt for neglecting her lately. She prepared herself with a hundred excuses.
Teila was breathless when she met Darcy. An uphill walk was difficult because of her twisted left foot. She suffered from rickets like her brother, Michael O'Hearn. Teila was a slight wispy young woman now in the bloom of pregnancy. She had fine strawberry-blond hair and a light-hearted attitude. They embraced, and Teila said, "I just saw Liam. He looked confused and angry when I said I had seen you near the abbey with Father Etienne."
"You saw us?" asked Darcy.
"Yes, that's one of the reasons I came to see you. Father Etienne must be more careful. I could have been an informant."
Teila saw the troubled look on Darcy's face and asked, "Why have you been seeing Father Etienne? Are you in some sort of trouble?"
"No.”
Teila looked searchingly at her friend. "I know you, Darcy, and I can tell when something is amiss. What is it? Are you ill? Are you going to have a baby?"
"What? Oh, saints preserve us, no!" laughed Darcy. "But you're certainly showing your baby, Teila," said Darcy patting her friend's belly.
Teila looked down and smiled. "I feel better with this baby than any of the others."
They turned and started down the hill. Darcy decided to tell Teila the truth. She took her friend's thin wrist and said, "I have something to tell you, but no one else must know, especially Liam." She swallowed hard and said, "Father Etienne is teaching me to read."
Teila‘s eyes grew wide. "To read? Why?"
Darcy laughed and said, "So I can learn."
Teila laughed. "Why, that sounds just like you, Darcy McBride. You've always wanted something different than the rest of us. I can't say that I understand you, but if it's what you want, then I'm happy for you."
"Oh it is wonderful. Let me teach you to read, Teila."
"No. Now what use would I have for books? They can't tend sheep or feed my babies. I'll leave that to you.”
They chattered happily all the way down to the McBride cottage, excited to be in each other's company once more. When they arrived at the cottage, Teila said, "You have spent no time with me lately.
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