Page 22 of The Last Love Song
Sorcha put her head in her hands. ‘It seems now I really have no choice. I can’t go home, so I guess I’m coming with you. Con?’ She turned to him.
‘Yes?’
‘We’re going to London.’
Con struggled to suppress a smile. ‘Really?’
Sorcha shrugged. ‘I don’t see that there’s any other way. As you know, my life here is over.’
Con wrapped a tight arm around her. ‘I suppose you’re right.’
Sorcha looked up at his beaten face. ‘On one condition.’
‘Name it,’ he replied.
‘That we go tomorrow. I don’t want to stay in Ballymore for a moment longer than necessary. Maybe we could find a guesthouse in Dublin for a couple of nights and stay there until our boat sails for England.’ Sorcha’s face fell. ‘Oh no, I’ve thought of something terrible!’
‘What?’
‘My post office savings. I withdrew them in case you needed help getting to Dublin.’ Con suddenly looked deathly guilty. ‘They’re in an envelope in my room. I’d nearly a hundred pounds.’
‘Oh, dear me, now...that is a great shame,’ sighed Con, his eyes skirting about the hut.
‘Unless...unless I telephoned my mother and begged her to bring the money to me. Then I could say goodbye to her and...’ Sorcha bit her lip as tears welled in her eyes.
Con put a comforting hand on her knee.
‘I know, I know. I swear I’ll never forget what a sacrifice you made for me today. I’ll do anything I can to make it up to you,’ Con comforted her.
He kissed her gently and she tasted the coppery flavour of blood on his lips.
‘I love you, Sorcha.’
‘I love you too, Con.’
7
Her mother reminded Sorcha of a sinner entering Heaven, looking left and right as if she might be struck down at any minute.
‘Can we close the curtains, Sorcha, just in case?’
‘There are no curtains, Mammy.’ Sorcha shrugged. ‘Don’t worry. Daddy would never come back here if it was the Blessed Virgin herself commanded it.’
‘I brought your envelope.’ Mary handed it over. ‘And the bags of clothes you asked for.’
‘That’s grand, Mammy. I’m very grateful.’
Mary glanced around the hut uncertainly. ‘Sorcha, please, your daddy won’t tell me what happened yesterday. He came home drunk. I’ve not seen him like that before. He says he never wants you to set foot in our house again. Of course, he’s exaggerating. You must come home. You are our daughter. Once he calms down, he’ll see sense.’
‘No, Mammy, he won’t.’
‘Then tell me what happened!’
‘He found me and Con here together in the hut. We were...kissing.’
Mary studied her daughter’s face. ‘Was that all, Sorcha O’Donovan? Your daddy might be a puritan, but evenIcannot see him banning you from our house forkissingCon Daly.’
‘I...’ Sorcha blushed and hung her head. ‘No, Mammy. That’s not all.’
