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."I feel comforted," she whispered to Emerald."Father Fitz is sounderstanding.Shall I wait for you?""No, go and have your breakfast.This is my first time, it may take a while."The chapel was now completely empty, and Emerald was uncertain aboutwhat to do.Should she go into the confessional booth or wait for Father Fitz tocome to her? She closed her eyes and said a prayer for Sean.She had been rackedwith worry for his safety ever since he had sailed off in the gale.The crashing seaand lashing wind had made it impossible for her to sleep since he left.She openedher eyes as an Irish voice intoned, "Emerald Montague." He was standing directly infront of her.Though she hated to be called by that name, she did not contradict him."Yes,Father.I know I should have come before this," she said contritely, "but—but atleast I'm here now.""Why are you here, Emerald Montague?" he demanded, his red face no longerwreathed in smiles."I—I have so many prayers, and I would like your blessing.I came to prayfor Sean's safety and to pray for my—" Something in Father Fitz's lace preventedher from uttering the word baby."Sean O'Toole has not set foot in God's House since he returned to Ireland.His soul is blackened with sin, yet he makes no confession, shows no contrition," heaccused.Compassion and understanding for the man she loved rose up in her."Yousurely must know he was imprisoned for five years in unspeakable conditions.Thesins were committed against him, not by him.""He is guilty of committing deadly sins and breaking God's commandmentsevery day of his life.Hate, wrath, pride, lust, consume him! His god has becomevengeance, and in order to achieve it he will do anything—lie, steal, kill, or commitadultery.You would do well to use your influence to turn him back to God so hemay cleanse his soul and receive absolution.""I will try, Father," she said in a tight voice, thankful that she had notmentioned the child.His eyes burned into her."Are you ready to go and sin no more?""Go?" she echoed, terrified of his meaning."You must return to your husband, Emerald Montague.You are anadulteress!"Her flaming cheeks blanched as the blood drained from her face and sheturned icy cold."Are you ready to confess your sins and ask God's pardon?""I—I confess that I love Sean O'Toole, and if that is wrong, I ask God'spardon.""Do not mock God, woman! Unless you are ready to end your adulterousrelationship and return to your husband, you can neither ask forgiveness nor receiveabsolution.""I—I am not Catholic," she said distractedly."Adultery is a venal sin in any religion, in any country!"He turned from her then, and Emerald felt anger well up inside her and boilover."You are guilty of both wrath and pride, to say nothing of self-righteousness,and if that is not considered one of your stupid sins, it ought to be!" she cried.She hurried out of the church and back to Greystones.Avoiding everyone,she went straight up to the bedchamber she shared with Sean.She stared at the widebed, feeling riven with guilt.The priest had called her an adulteress, and how couldshe deny it? In his eyes she was committing a deadly sin.What about God'seyes? she wondered wretchedly.She rationalized that it would be a greater sin tosleep in Jack Raymond's bed without love than to sleep in Sean O'Toole's.Emeraldwalked to the window, staring out to sea with haunted eyes."Come home.comehome.I need you."Sean O'Toole felt a great deal of satisfaction over all he had accomplished.Maynooth was richer by five hundred horses, paid for by William Montague, and hisenemy's merchant shipping line was now reduced to four vessels.As Sean had planned, he sailed down the Irish coast to the seaport whereEmerald's mother lived.As the Sulphur dropped anchor in the Bay of Wicklow, hewondered if he was doing the right thing.He had known of Amber FitzGeraldMontague's whereabouts as soon as he returned to Ireland.Mr.Burke told Sean allabout her arrival the day before they buried his grandfather, and how Shamus hadprovided the money she used to set herself up in business.Sean had hated her for years because she was a Montague and for the part shehad played in Joseph's destruction, but he had begun to realize that Emerald lovedher mother deeply and longed to be reunited with her.He decided to see the womanfor himself; talk to her, question her.Only then would he make the decision aboutinviting her to Greystones.After what Montague did to her, she must hate the manalmost as much as Sean did himself.Perhaps she would make a better ally thanenemy.Perhaps he could use her, too.Sean left his crew aboard and disembarked his ship.He walked past theboardinghouses and grog shops that lined the docks and made his way to the moreaffluent end of town.He went up the steps of an elegant stone house at the end of along street and lifted the heavy brass door knocker.He was shown into a businessoffice by a maid in a starched cap and asked to wait.Amber FitzGerald entered her office briskly, then her footsteps taltered as shecame face to face with the gentleman who was waiting to see her.She was shrewdlyknowledgeable about men, usually able to size them up in a glance, but this one wasdifferent.He had the most arresting lace she had ever seen, as well as the proudestcarriage, and darkest eyes.It was possible to tell his age.Though not advanced in years, there wasnothing youthful about him.Dressed dramatically in black, he was, she sawimmediately, a figure of authority.He looked like a man who would break the rules ifit suited his own purpose; he looked dangerous.Amber knew she had never laid eyes on him before and yet there was avaguely familiar quality about him, as if she should have been able to guess hisidentity immediately.Sean O'Toole found it difficult to believe that the ravishing young womanbefore him could be old enough to be Emerald's mother.He looked more closelyand saw the fine lines about her eyes and mouth.They did not diminish herattractiveness; rather they added to her allure, hinting at worldly experience.Her gray silk gown was tastefully elegant and understated, yet it was a cleverfoil for her blazing hair [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]