Chapter Twenty

On the same day the following week and at her usual time Maria was in the market. She stopped in front of the paho seller who was sitting in the same place, her wares displayed in front of her on the straw mat.

‘Well, mother, did you carry it all yourself or did your son help this time?’

‘My son is a good boy.’

‘He helped?’

‘Yes.’

‘And where is he now?’

‘In church praying for me. He is a good son, very devout; he’ll stay in church for an hour, no more, then he must leave. He has other work to see to besides helping his mother.’

‘You are lucky to have such a son.’

Maria turned to go but the woman called to her and she stopped.

‘Aren’t you going to buy anything?’

‘No, I don’t like sour things. I only bought them as a treat for someone I know.’

The woman looked down at her fruit.

‘They’re not to everyone’s taste. Won’t you buy some for your friend? My son and I walked a long way to get them here.’

Maria picked up half a dozen of the small, green fruit, haggled for a moment then paid and went on her way. Instead of strolling and stopping to talk and buy, she hurried, leaving the market with her basket not even half full. She walked quickly back to the church, covered her head, and went in. Morning Mass and Confessions were long over and the church was empty except for a young man in one of the pews, whose head was bent in prayer.

Maria left her basket beside the door, genuflected to the altar, then moved into the pew where the young man knelt. He looked round, made the sign of the cross and sat up.

‘Yes?’

‘I have a report to make. Things have been happening, unusual things. There is a young woman who managed to wheedle her way into the house. She has slept with the priest.’

She waited in case the young man wanted to make any comment or ask a question.

‘Slept with the priest, yes, go on.’

‘She told me she had been sent by her village. That they wanted her to try and get the priest to go there.’

He turned this time and looked at her.

‘For what reason?’

‘There hasn’t been a priest in their village for many years.’

‘To say Mass, baptise, and marry?’

‘Yes.’

‘Nothing more?’

‘That is what she told me.’

‘And you helped her?’

‘It didn’t seem unreasonable. She gave him something so he should give her something.’

‘And he went?’

‘Yes.’

‘With a police escort?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did he ask for the escort?’

‘No, not that I know of. In fact I’m sure he didn’t.’

‘But he got one anyway.’

‘Yes.’

‘And a lieutenant from our army was waiting?’

‘We didn’t know that at first, but the next morning he was there and the policemen were taken. The woman who slept with the priest was the lieutenant’s wife.’

That got a surprised look.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes. She was at his side when he presented himself to the priest. They had their child with them.’

‘I see. What else?’

‘Then there has been an American.’

Another surprised look.

‘An American? What sort of American?’

‘He said he was a reporter from New York.’ And slowly, carefully, and as accurately as she could, Maria told him about the American’s visit and what had passed between him and Father Enrique. She finished with Carmen’s return and her taking up residence in the house once more.

‘She doesn’t like me and I don’t make it pleasant for her but she bites her tongue. It’s not easy for her to do that, I can see, she’s a cat and she’d prefer to claw but she wants Father Enrique to take her back. She seems to want it very much. Too much.’

‘Yes. How did the priest explain having her there in the first place?’

‘He didn’t, I did. I told people she was the daughter of my cousin who has come from her village to stay with me and look for work. I said her father’s sick and her family need the money for medicine. While she’s looking she’s helping me out.’

‘And people accept that?’

‘He’s our priest, a good priest; people want him to stay. Why make trouble for him? If I say my cousin has a pretty daughter who needs to find work and lives in the house why should they bother if I’m telling the truth or not?’

‘But you’re worried?’

‘Too many things, too quickly, connected but not connected and all to do with the woman. I thought the general should know.’

‘Yes, I agree. The general needs to know.’

‘Do you know this lieutenant?’

‘I know of him. Lately we’ve all come to know of him. He’s very close to the general since he got our men back.’

‘Is there anything else? Think carefully.’

‘No, I don’t think so.’

The young man then asked Maria a few more questions which she answered as best she could. Neither looked round while they were talking so neither noticed a face look round the church door and watch them. It was Carmen’s face.

When Maria arrived back in her kitchen Carmen was sitting at the table. Maria ignored her and put her basket on the table. She took out the pahos and threw them into the waste bin.

‘What are you doing with those?’

‘Nothing but if you want them you can get them out of the bin. I suppose it’s what you’re used to where you come from. We do better here.’

She then put away the rest of her shopping and set about preparing Father Enrique’s lunch.

‘Your basket didn’t have much in it. Were you in a hurry today? Did you get everything you wanted?’

Maria kept on with what she was doing.

‘I got all that was needed.’

‘Can I go to the market and get anything?’

The offer wasn’t given with any real enthusiasm and it was received with less.

‘No. I’ve told you before this is my kitchen; sit in it if you want, get coffee when you want, but leave everything else to me.’

Carmen stood up.

‘I’ll get out of your way then and go for a walk.’

‘Go wherever you like.’

Carmen left the kitchen, looked up at the clock in the church tower, and then set off.