"'More news and stories from Angola, Cyprus and France...'...." "'..in three days of fighting in the capital between rival liberation groups.'" "'ln France, several bombs have exploded...'" "Go and have a word with her, then." "Don't just stand there." "Go up." "All right." "'..swept the board, getting 46 seats." "'That's far better than the most optimistic leaders expected 'and it gives them a clear, working majority.'" "Valerie." "Go on." "We just want to talk, that's all." "Valerie?" "Valerie!" "What's the matter?" "What is it?" "No!" "." "Valerie." "No!" "." "No!" "." " Terribly sorry!" "." " No, it's my fault." " Are you all right?" " I'll live." "I know you!" "You're, er..." "No, I don't get down there much." "Somerset's a bit of a trek." "Neither do I." "My mother died about three years ago." "Oh, I'm sorry." " It's nice running in to you like this." " No, I ran into you!" "It's my fault." "I was in a dream." " Got a few problems at the moment." " Haven't we all." " You too?" " Don't have anywhere to live at the moment." "Something will turn up." "What's wrong with you?" "Oh." "This guy I live with." "You know, I was telling you about it." "Things aren't going very well." " Let's not talk about that." " I am supposed to be able to listen." " Not in the middle of the high street." " If you do need to talk..." "Sounds like I'm trying to do a conversation job on you." " I do mean it, Jen." " I know." "Jenny." " Hi, Bob." " Got time for a drink?" "I'm not going in that thing with you!" " I'm a bit busy now." " Oh." " Give you a ring, yeah?" " Yes." "I'll see if I can get one." " You'll never guess who I met." " Think you'd better go upstairs." " Guess who I met" " I don't know." " Bernard Cutler." " When?" "Just now." "He tried to knock me down." "Vanessa, you won't believe this." "He's become a priest." "Isn't that incredible?" "He works in that church by the library." " Stranger things have happened." " You're in a good mood." "Well, I've being trying to cope with your boyfriend for the last half-hour." " Oh, dear." " You had better go upstairs." "Could be trouble." " Bernard said he might call in later." " Did he?" "No, he said he'd definitely call in - when I told him you were here, that is." " But you've got to tell me why." " Why must there be a reason?" "I'm moving on, that's all." "Time to go." "If you get out of here now, you can stay out." " That's up to you." " Well, if it's up to me, you bastard, don't ever set foot in this flat again." "Do you understand?" "Ever again." "I told you, Jen." "You are a right little charmer, aren't you?" "Get fucked." "Excuse me, is Father Cutler here?" " No, I haven't seen him." " Thank you." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "Do you know if Father Cutler's here?" "No, sorry." "Do you know who's taking confession?" " What?" " Who's taking confession?" "Don't know." "I've never been here before." "Nor have I." "Yes?" "I can't say it." "I just can't." "Do you wish to make a confession or not?" "I'm listening." " I'm sorry, Father." " When did you last confess?" "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here." " Are you without sin?" " No, it's not that..." "Then you should be here." "No, I was..." "I was looking for someone." "Are you being honest with yourself?" "I don't understand." "One may look for another in a church but not in a confessional." "One enters only to unburden one's soul." "Is that not correct?" " Yes." " Then, how are you troubled?" "Well..." "There's a man." "A man I love." "And he's left me and I can't go on without him." "I know I can't." "Who is this man?" "I lived with him." "And slept together?" "We...slept together, yes." " Why did you hesitate?" " Because..." "Recently, we hadn't." "Well..." "I hadn't." " Had intercourse?" " See...he doesn't care about my feelings." "He's...got other girls." "He doesn't even attempt to try and hide it." "I could put up with it, I could put up with anything, if only..." "How long is it since... you were last intimate?" "Oh, I don't know." " Why is it important?" " Tell me." "I want you to tell me." "So... it really is true?" "Oh." "I went to the labour exchange, it was the only job they had." "Thank you." "No, I didn't mean that." "No, as long as you're happy, that's the main thing." "You are happy, aren't you?" "Of course." "There are things wrong with the Church but every job has its problems." "Well, we can solve one of them right now." "Can we?" "Accommodation." "Wait, what happens if this friend of yours doesn't want me?" " That's what we're going round to find out." " OK." "If he doesn't, you could always stay here." " That's if it wouldn't upset anyone?" " Here?" "I don't see why not." "There was a guy living here." " Her boyfriend." " Her ex-boyfriend." "He moved out this evening." "So?" "Sounds like a good idea." "Well, we'll just see, shall we?" "I did tell you how nice it was to see you again, didn't I?" "Yes." "You are holding something back." "I don't want to say anything else." "There's no need to be embarrassed discussing sex with me." "I'm not embarrassed." "Then tell me everything." "I had an abortion, a few months ago." " He forced you?" " I shouldn't have come here." " It was all a mistake." " Don't go!" " I want to help you." " I don't think you can." " I'm sorry." " You must let me try." "Not now, Father, I'm late for an appointment." " Please." " Then tomorrow?" "Come and see me tomorrow." "Not to confession, just to talk." " Will you?" " I'll try." "Together we will seek God's help." "Thank you, Father." "What time will you come?" "Bob?" "You know that drink..." "Do you fancy some company?" " I only phone you when I need you." " That's all right." "Come on." " My keys!" "Have I left them in the car?" " I'll have a look." "Oh, bloody hell!" "I must have left them in the phone box." "They're not here." "We'll go back." "Oh, somebody will have picked them up." "Oh." "We're not going to get in then, are we?" "We are." " If nobody's looking." " That's a bit dangerous, isn't it?" " It's almost ready." " Oh, fine." " Did he buy all these?" " No, he gets them free." " What does he do?" " Who knows most of the time?" "Calls himself a record plugger." "From what you say, he doesn't sound like much of a loss." "No, but I love him." "That's the trouble." " Do you?" " Hm." "I was trying to find someone to talk to and I went to the church to look for an old friend." "I felt so desperate..." "that I went to confession." "Isn't that stupid?" "I haven't done it since I was at school." " Did it do any good?" " You must be joking." " Made things ten times worse." " Why?" "There was this priest..." "He was really strange." "In what way?" "I left my cigarettes in that phone box." " You don't smoke?" " Sorry." " I'll go and get some." " I'll go." "No, it's all right." " Switch the thing off if it hurts, will you?" " OK." "Christ!" "Where did you come from?" "How did you get in?" "You must be crazy." "You've ruined..." "What do you want?" "Come on." "Who are you?" "What do you want?" "For Christ's sake, what do you want?" "Don't come any closer." "You'll get this." "Robert?" "Robert?" "Robert?" "Jenny?" "Upstairs..." "Upstairs!" "Upstairs..." "I can't believe this happened." " Must have been a chance in a million." " Hm." " Don't throw it away." " Why?" "Well, someone might want to examine it." "What for?" "It blew up." "Fat lot of use it is to Robert lying there in hospital." "I shouldn't have moved in tonight." "You probably want to be alone." "We wouldn't have known what to do without you." " I haven't done anything." " We needed you here." "Come on, Jen, bed." "I want to wait." "The hospital might ring." "They said there'd be no news tonight." "Come on." "Oh, I forgot to tell you something." "After I found Robert, this door was unlocked." " So?" " But it was locked before." "I locked it myself." "Hello?" "Yes." " Speaking." " Hospital?" "Did I?" " Good morning." " Morning." "Excuse my appearance." "Compared to way that Terry used to wander around, you're positively overdressed." "Please." "I'm a man of the Church." "No one would think it to look at you now." "You look almost human." "What are you doing?" "Bacon and eggs after a fashion." "Don't tell me you don't want any?" " Morning, love." " Morning." " Who was on the phone?" " Father someone or other." " The one at your church." " Meldrum?" "Does he know I'm here?" "No." "I left my keys there last night when I went to look for you." " I'll fetch them for you tonight." " No." "They're not there any more." "He's taken them home with him." "To the presbytery." "Erm..." "Father Meldrum is expecting me." "Thank you." "Would you mind waiting?" "Yes, of course." "I'm sorry but he's extremely busy and he cannot be interrupted." " No..." "" "Now look what you've done!" "You selfish, naughty, old woman." "How many times have I told you..." "I can't..." "What did you and Jay do..." "Can I help you?" "I'm sorry to have kept you." "I can't stop, actually." "Just step inside a moment." "How are you feeling this morning?" "I'm glad you came back to see me." "You did the right thing." "I'm sorry, I think you're mistaking me for someone else." " My name's Jenny Welch..." " You came to see me yesterday." "Troubled, in need of help." " And I am here to provide it." " Oh, I see." "Yes." "Well, I'm sorry about that." "I...shouldn't have used you." " Then why are you here?" " You said you had my keys." "Are you afraid..." "afraid of the man who defiled you?" "Don't be." "He won't harm you again." "I won't allow any man to do that." "Think of the spiritual rewards we'll find, Jenny." "Here." "This man, he's corrupting you." "Let me show you the way to true happiness." "Erm..." "I'm...afraid I can't spare the time." "I have to get back to the shop, you see." "Erm...if I could just have my keys..." "I have many pupils, you know?" "And I always quote them a line from the Book of Numbers." "Chapter 32." ""Be sure your sin will find you out."" "'There's no need to be embarrassed discussing sex with me.'" "'I'm not embarrassed.'" "'Then tell me everything.' 'l had an abortion, a few months ago.'" " 'He forced you?" "'" " How did you get that?" " 'lt was all a mistake.' - 'Don't go!" "'" " You have no right." " I have every right." "I was put on this earth to combat sin and I shall use every available means to do so." "But that's...a breach of a basic Catholic ethic." "Only if someone else hears it." "We must make sure that no one else does." "What do you mean?" "We must make sure your family don't find out about the unborn child you murdered." "I don't believe this." "Is it so hard to understand?" "A priest attempting to put his parishioners back on the path of righteousness." " My keys." " You cannot survive without me!" "'There's no need to be embarrassed discussing sex with me.'" "'I'm not embarrassed.'" "'Then tell me everything.' 'l had an abortion...'" " I didn't hear you knock." " How strange." " What do you want?" " I heard shouting." "Well, it was nothing that concerns you, Miss Brabazon." "Just a young person in need of guidance." "Just one of the many." "No, Father." "This one was different, wasn't she?" " Is Bernard here?" " No." "He went to take benediction or..." "I've got to talk to somebody." "That priest I went to see is insane." "OK, Jenny, but I..." "No, no, listen to me." "We've got to do something, we've got to..." "find the church authorities or the police..." "Jenny." " It's Terry!" " He's back." "He's here!" " I'm sorry." " What have you got to be sorry about?" " I'm sorry." " I lose my temper and I say things I don't mean." "Forget it." "Hey, are you all right?" "Jenny?" "Something happened this evening." "It upset me." "What?" " You wouldn't be interested." " Tell me." " Have you nothing better to do?" " Not until 7:30, no." "I'm taking benediction at St Bartholomew's." " Father Trafford is still ill so..." " Very interesting." "I fail to see how a service at 7:30 has anything to do with wasting time here." "But still..." "I was reading about Franz de Vries, the Belgian cardinal." "He's going to the Vatican on Monday," ""determined to reintroduce his motion to abolish celibacy."" "I have little regard for the whims of renegade Belgian cardinals." "And nor will the Sacred College." "it's an important issue." "It ought to be discussed." "Don't you think that the need for celibacy, especially today, isn't all that relevant?" "Relevant?" "To what?" "Relevant to increasing permissiveness in society?" "There are those, including yourself no doubt, who would rip away the whole fabric of the Catholic church." "Times change and we must change with them." "By whose orders?" "Go about your business." "Oh, er, by the way, the Robertson funeral tomorrow." "I'm well aware of the fact that the Robertson funeral is tomorrow." "It's been cancelled." "They've decided to put him in the family crypt." "So the grave will have to be filled in." " I'll see to it." " If you give me the gravedigger's..." "I said I will see to it." "Father?" "I'm coming." "Go, go." "Please don't be here when I return." "Bugger the church authorities, I'll go round myself." " What are you going to do?" " Sort him out." " That won't get us anywhere." " lt'll get us the tape." "Hello?" "I want to speak to somebody called Meldrum." "Yeah?" "Where's that?" "Yeah, OK." "Ta." "He's got some church." "The Sacred Heart." " It's up by the library." " Yeah, right." "Don't go too strong, will you, Terry?" "Father Meldrum." "Yes?" "I'm Mrs Davey." "Is there something I can do for you?" "I'm Mrs Davey!" "I don't recall the name, I'm sorry." "You knew my daughter." "Valerie Davey." "Valerie." "Oh, yes, of course." "How is she?" "She's dead, Father." "She threw herself out of a window." "My poor woman..." "Don't pretend you're upset cos I know you're not." "I know a lot about you, Father." "I know that Valerie used to come and see you every night and that she'd come home in tears." "I know you killed her." "Mrs Davey, I realise that you are distressed and that you must also be overwrought, otherwise you would not make such a foolish allegation." "It's not foolish, it's the truth." "I know it!" "I know everything." "I see." "Then you also know that your daughter was pregnant, that she came to me for help and that she lived in mortal fear of your husband finding out." "No..." "Oh, yes." "I don't believe you." "You won't be here." "Mrs Davey, I can assure you that I will be here and we will discuss everything then." " All right, then." " Good." " After Mass on Sunday?" " Yes!" "And now would you care to leave?" "This way." " Your name Meldrum?" " Yes." " I want a word with you." " A church matter?" " That's right." " Perhaps you could leave it till the morning." "I said I wanted a word." "You're very friendly, aren't you?" "If you wouldn't mind." "You know Jenny Welch?" "I asked you a question." "Yes, I know Jenny Welch." "She tells me you've been upsetting her." "Whatever passes between me and my parishioners is our business." "It's my business as well, mate." "Jenny happens to be a very good of mine." "We live together and have no secrets." "She told me about your tape recorder." "Did you say you lived with Miss Welch?" "Yeah, that's right." "Last two years." " Are you shocked?" " The man who deserted her," " who forced her to abort your child?" " You're changing the subject." "I'm here to nail you, mate, and I ain't leaving without that tape." "Meldrum?" "Meldrum!" "The game's over, Meldrum." "Do you think there is anything in what Jenny says?" " About Meldrum?" " Hm." "Well, nothing she says at the moment makes much sense, does it?" "No." "She's getting all her troubles at once, poor kid." "Might be weeks before she recovers from, you know, what happened in here." "And it's her boyfriend mucking her around." "He came back this afternoon." "It was all tears and apologies and now he's pissed off again." "She's sitting there waiting for him and he's not coming back." "I bet he's found some old slag in a pub, I could slaughter that boy." "Bernard." "There you are, my dear." "Made with my own fair hands." "Thank you." "Bernard, I've been thinking." "If Terry doesn't come back tonight, we'll have to see Meldrum tomorrow." " Well..." " We'll force him to give us the tape." "Look, Jenny, there's no point in you going up there." " I'll mention it, it'll be all right." " He'll pretend he didn't do anything!" " I'll see to it." " When will you go?" "Tomorrow morning." "First thing." "Drink up." "I think something's happened to Terry." "I'd almost given you up." "Mrs Meldrum's dinner has been ready for hours." "Why were you playing that record?" " I don't understand you, Father." " You were playing a gramophone." "I wouldn't have the first idea how to operate it." "I'm not imaging things, Miss Brabazon." "You should wipe your feet if you've been to the graveyard, Father." "You've trailed mud into the house." "Good evening, Mother, have you had a pleasant day?" "I'm late, I know." "Forgive me." "Why does she use this machine?" "Against my express instructions!" "Why does she do it?" "!" "I don't understand." "Do you, Mother?" "Do you know why she does it?" "Oh, Mother, I need your help so badly." "Do you remember when I used to come to you with all my problems?" "Big or small, you always knew what to do." "I wouldn't be a member of the church now if it hadn't been for you." "You guided me away from temptation and into God's service." "I'll always be grateful." "But I need your help again, Mother." "The old temptations...they have returned." "They've been growing for some time." "I don't understand it." "I guide and advise young people all the time." "Some of them attractive, young girls." "They come here, they still do, but I've never..." "I've never..." "Well, not really wanted to..." "I've never wanted anything more." "Until now." "She reminds me of her." "The voice, the first time I heard it." "The manner...everything." "I want her." "Is it wrong?" "Of course it's wrong but I can't control it." "I thought he was her lover." "He used her despicably." "But I punished the wrong man." "I've atoned for that now, though." "Oh, yes." "The real culprit has been brought to book." "Perhaps she'll come to me now." "Now she's alone." "Perhaps she'll need me." "How dare she meddle with this instrument!" "It's not hers, it's ours." "This is our music...isn't it, Mother?" " Mother is ready for bed, Miss Brabazon." " Thank you, Father." "I'm going for a walk to clear my head." "He's gone out, I'm afraid." "You're all alone again with me." "Vanessa." "Vanessa, did you lock the front door?" " Mm-hm." " Are you sure?" "Mm..." "Terry?" "Hello?" " Everything all right, miss?" " I'm sorry." "Yes, everything's all right." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Father Meldrum, please." "Yes?" "Yes, I realise that." "I'm sorry, I'm finding this very embarrassing." "As well you might." "You come here with these accusations..." " Her accusations." " You evidently gave them credence." " I wanted to please her." " Exactly." "She needs to be pacified." "She's a disturbed girl who is still in what I believe is termed a state of shock." "She came to me of her own volition and I tried to help her." "What more is there to be said?" "Well, she said you recorded her confession and played it back." "'And this young man is responding well to my council." "'I'm most interested in the case of a young woman who came to see me this evening." "'She was reluctant to talk 'and pretended she had come to church for a reason other than to confess." "'lt was some time before she felt at ease with me 'and it was only then that I realised how much she needed help." "'Her frustrations are partly sexual I suppose but I think they go deeper than that." "'l must discover why she depends so heavily on a man who has little regard for her." "'At our next meeting I shall suggest new companions, new interests." "'Cutler's youth club may well be a start...'" "I record salient facts about the young people who come to me." "It helps me study their cases." "Miss Welch learned of this and insisted on hearing what I had said about her." "If I'd known how she'd distort things, I'd never have considered it." "Well, she needs help, that's true." "As do the patients of St Andrew's Hospital." "I'm already late for my rounds." "'Attention, please." "Would Dr Walker please report...'" "He's still very weak." "You'll only be able to stay few moments." " Can he talk?" " He hasn't said anything yet." "Father." "Just a minute." "Here, sir." "It's a bleedin' lark, innit?" "What is?" "First it's on, then it's off, then it's on again." "They wanna make up their bleeding' minds." "The Robertson funeral." "Yes, it was cancelled." "Father Meldrum probably filled in the grave." " Cancelled?" " Yesterday." " Well, who's in there?" " Nobody!" "It's empty." " Come off it." " What do you mean?" "Look at all this." "You can't put in more earth than you take out." "Look, Father, there's a mound and if there's a mound, there's gotta be something inside." "What is it?" "I don't understand." "Tell me." "I know, I know." "I love you, too." "Poor Bobby." "I did it for you." "Do I repel you?" "You mustn't shy away from me." "Not after what I've done for you." "I was right to punish this man." "To destroy the face that charmed and lured you." "Don't waste your pity on a wastrel, let him languish and repent his sins." "You were meant for something better." "Help me!" "Somebody!" "Help me!" "You'll find no ally here, or anywhere." "In time you will come to realise that." "Help me!" "Get the police!" "For God's sake, get the police!" " Just calm yourself." " You don't understand." "Get the police!" "For God's sake get the police." "He tried to kill Robert." " Don't you see?" " Is this the girl?" " This way, please." " What are you doing?" "How is he?" "Get Dr Baxter." " Oh, what have you given me?" " Just a sedative." "My head feels funny." "It will do." "Don't worry." "I'll just finish this and I'll see you home." " The priest..." " He's gone." "Gone?" "I don't know why you took such a dislike to him, he's very concerned about you." " Oh..." " He told us what you'd been through." "Don't feel embarrassed." " Closing for lunch?" " No, I've got about 50 crates to unpack." " I'll help." " I was hoping you'd say that." " Shit!" " I beg your pardon!" " It's not funny!" "Look." " Aw!" "Thought you were joking when you said 50." "This is the last one." "There you go." "That's nice." "There should be a very lovely..." "Ah!" "Here it is." "Could you stop just here, please?" "Thanks." "I'd rather walk the rest of the way." "I need the fresh air." "OK." "Thank you very much." "We're neighbours." "I live just over there." "You have any more problems, you give me a ring." "You can always get me at the hospital." "Thank you." " Miss Welch, isn't it?" " Yes." "I thought so." "Been following you, you see." "I didn't want to speak till I was sure of everything." "I'm sorry." "You wanna know who I am and everything." "You don't know me but..." "Well, we got the same interests, you might say." " What?" " Father Meldrum." "What about him?" "I had a daughter, bit younger than you she was... and he killed her." "They said it was suicide but he killed her just as sure as if he'd pushed her out of that window." "My husband says I'm mad saying things like that." "You'd better come with me." " What for?" " We're going to the police." "You think I haven't been?" "It's no good." "They won't listen." "He's a priest, you see, and he's been too clever." "I'm the clever one now." "I've seen the body." "Body?" "Where?" "We can't go now but..." "You come to church, after Mass on Sunday," "I'm seeing him then." " Yes." " I'll show you." "I've got an idea." "Sunday?" "It was Father Meldrum who alerted us." "We're very glad he did." "I think we can put the delusions down to strain." "And these should pass within a couple of weeks at the most." "In the meantime, your sister will have to be cared for very carefully." "Yes, thank you, Doctor." " 'Goodbye, Miss Welch.'" " Goodbye." " Did you get all that?" " Most of it." " Bet you're sorry you moved in with us now." " Yes." "Careful." "Here she is, talk of the devil." "Hi, Jen." "We've been plotting things in your absence." "We were wondering if you'd like a holiday." "You haven't had one for a few years." "Go down to the country." "Go to Somerset, see Mum." "You can go anywhere you like but there would be a few conditions." " Did you see Father Meldrum?" " One of them is that this subject is dropped." " Did you?" " Yes, I did." "Well, did you get the tape?" " No." " Why?" "!" "There was nothing on that tape, just his personal memo." " I knew it!" "I knew this would happen." " Listen..." "And stop patronising me." "Would you like to go to the country?" "In a sanatorium, I suppose." " Don't be silly." " All right, Vanessa." "I won't be silly, I won't mention Father Meldrum again because I don't have to." "I've found someone who does believe me." "And let's see what happens when Robert gets better cos that'll put a different complexion on things." " Jenny..." " Vanessa." "We've got to tell her." "What is it?" "What's the matter?" "Robert's dead." "He's not." "No, he's not." "Robert's not dead." "No!" "No, he's not dead." "No!" "Leave me." "No, he's not dead." "He came here to murder Robert." "I saw him." "He was in this room." "I saw his cross in the dark." " What are we going to do?" " Just give her time." "He admitted it." "He told me." "Why won't you believe me?" " Try and rest." " Why won't you believe me?" "Why won't you believe me?" "None of us is without sin, be sure of that." "And if you have looked into yourself and found none," "look further." "Look to your children." "Are they pure?" "Are they blameless?" "If they are not, it is you who are to blame." "You taught them what they know." "Why do you throw up your arms when your children lie and steal?" "Become sexually adventurous and bring unwanted babies into the world." "It is the parent who is responsible for his child's misbehaviour." "What a new wealth of meaning, therefore, is expressed in our Lord's pertinent question," ""Why beholdest thou the mote that is in my bother's eye" ""but consider as not the beam that is in thine own eye?"" "I think you've looked out of that window long enough." "People will begin to think that we're harbouring a geriatric spy." "You don't expect a hot breakfast every morning, do you?" "Yesterday was an exception, I can assure you." "Your son was hanging around the kitchen, I had to put on some kind of performance." "Now, come on." "If you don't drink this properly, you'll get nothing else for the rest of the day." "I mean it!" "All right, Mrs Meldrum, two can play at that game." "You don't cooperate with me, I don't cooperate with you." " Was there any history of heart trouble?" " I wouldn't know." "I'll have a word with her husband." " Where is he?" "Outside?" " Yes." " Was it a heart attack?" " Yes." "Out like a light." "Easy, fellas." "No!" "Jenny?" "Come on." " No..." "No!" "That woman..." " You're supposed to be in bed." "What happened?" "No, you must tell me." "Come along." " Get this for her as soon as possible." " Of course." "See she doesn't get out of bed." "I've sedated her heavily." "I'm sorry I've got to rush." "I should have been at the hospital five minutes ago." " Thank you for coming so quickly." " Not at all." "It's a most unusual case." "You feel almost inclined to believe her." "You have to remind yourself that her ideas about Father Meldrum are quite fantastic." "But why should she pick a Roman Catholic priest of all people?" "Difficult to say." "She obviously feels responsible for Robert's death so perhaps when she went to Meldrum for help and didn't get, she transferred her guilt onto him." " I see." " Sorry, I must go." "Erm..." "I'll look in on you tomorrow." "Why did she think she knew that woman?" "Perhaps she did." "Remember she said she'd found someone who believed her." "Well, we'll never know now." "I'll go and get this medicine." "Vanessa..." "I've made my decision." "I'll do it tonight." " Ah!" " Is something the matter, Miss Brabazon?" "If you feel incapable of carrying out your duties, you must tell me." "I want someone who can cope, not hinder." "I have enough to do as it is." "The church." "Pupils to see." "I've been neglecting them." "Her jaws can't take this food, Father." "I've told you, there's no point in bringing her down here every Sunday." "If you cannot look after my mother in the manner to which she is accustomed," "I shall have to find someone who can." "No one is indispensable." "Are they, Mother?" "Or are they?" "Is she indispensable?" "The girl." "Perhaps I should find out." "Yes..." "I shall find out." " 7440." " 'Miss Welch?" "'" "Speaking." "'This is Father Meldrum." "I want to remind you of your obligations to me." "'l call them obligations as you have no alternative but to honour them.'" "'..to be embarrassed discussing sex with me.'" "'I'm not embarrassed.'" " 'Then tell me everything.' - 'l had an abortion...'" "'Are you going to come and see me 'or am I going to have to play this tape to somebody else?" "'" "Jenny." "I don't know how to say this..." "We've got to talk, now." "I can't see the reason for your concern, Bernard." "You've made a decision and you've made the right one." "Ironically enough, you're just the man the Church needs." " Do you mean that?" " Bernard..." "I've never been able to understand why the Catholic Church looks upon itself as a kind of prison with those in its service doing life sentences." "Just because a man can't live by its code doesn't mean to say that he can't further the religion in another occupation." "Some would call it cowardice." "They might at that." "I call it honesty." "If you stayed on, you'd be a hypocrite" " and we've enough of those as it is." " I'm glad I came to see you, Father." "I hope you didn't come so I could salve your conscience." " Oh, no." " You've no need to have one anyway." "Have you written your resignation?" "Well, I thought I might do it tonight, at the church." " Should I do it, Father?" "Should I?" " Yes." "Act now, Bernard." "Maybe next year or the year after, who knows?" "Our church could become enlightened." "Then we may see you again." "Thank you, Father." "God bless you." "He ain't here but he'll be here in about an hour." "Oh, I can't wait that long." "Erm, look, when you see Father Cutler, would you tell him that Vanessa called?" "Yes." "And that she's gone to the presbytery to get the tape." "The tape, yes." "No, but he'll understand." "Thank you." "Is there anything I can do, Father?" "I'm expecting someone." "If she should call, tell her to wait." "It's going to rain, Father." "You'll need an umbrella." "Rain, yes." "Cleansing rain." "You knocked that over on purpose." "You bad-tempered old lady." "I've a good mind to leave you up here to fend for yourself." "You're obviously not as helpless as you make out." "What is it?" "What, under here?" "What are you doing in my house?" "Give it to me." "Give it to me." "Please." "Please let me go." "Please, I haven't done anything." "Bernard knows I'm here." "He's going to be coming in a minute." "No." "No." "Father, forgive me." "Judas!" "I don't think Mrs Meldrum will survive a shock like this, Father." "Do you?" "She's growing very weak." "I think you ought to administer the last rights." "Ego te absolvo in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti." "Amen." "Corpus domine nostri Iesu Christi." "Custodiet animam tuam." "In aeternam." "Amen." "The oil, if you please." "Through His holy anointing and His great love for you, may the Lord bring you to the power of His Holy Spirit." " Amen." "" "In His goodness, may He ease your suffering and extend His saving grace to you." " Freed from all the power of sin." " Amen." "I'm afraid." "Aren't you?" "No." "I don't want to be alone." " I don't want to be alone." " You're not." "You're not alone, Xavier." "I'm here." "I've always been here." "Why?" "Why have you stayed?" "I jilted you 30 years ago." "Why did you stay?" "You know the answer to that." "No." "Not after all this time." "Love, Xavier." "Love and understanding." "I have things to do." "My sermon for tomorrow." "You didn't leave me, Xavier." "You were afraid." "You went to your mother for help and she..." "engineered you into the Church." "That's what happened." "She was to blame." "She was afraid of losing you." " No." " But I understand." "I know why people want to escape from the world." "Look at me." "I was the girl they all stared at." "The one with the funny eye." "What a shame." "Poor girl." "She had an operation that went wrong." " You mustn't do this." "I won't allow it." " I'm doing it for you, Xavier." "I want you to know that you're not alone." "I've always been here." "I followed you into the Church because I was happy to share your house, even though I couldn't share your bed." "But I've understood the self-doubt, the grief, the longings." "Face the facts, Xavier." "Face up to reality." "I have." "I know why I fell in love with Jenny Welch." "I've known all along." "She looks like you 30 years ago." "I wanted you then." "But Mother said no." "Mother knew best." "I had no choice." "I-It's..." "It's not too late." "Not too late." "We've wasted our lives." "Not wasted, Xavier." "Not all of it." "Can't you remember when we were together in the country, in the summer," "listening to our music?" "The music I still can't live without." "It can be like that again." "No." "Not now." "There's one way, Xavier." "One way we can be together again for always." "Wait for me." "Vanessa." "Oh, God." "Why did he do it?" "In the name of God." "Meldrum!" "Meldrum!" "30 years." "She loved me for 30 years and I never knew." "Never knew what she was prepared to do for me." "This is surely a dream, Cutler?" "We're dreaming, aren't we, you and I?" "You've...been upstairs." "How and why?" "Her mind snapped." "When, I don't know." "A week ago." "A year ago." "30 years ago." "She wanted me for herself." "I'd sensed she was becoming jealous of anyone who depended on me." "But this?" "She's murdered my mother, Cutler." "And there's another woman up there." "I've never seen her before." "Vanessa." "Vanessa?" "Vanessa Welch?" "She was coming to see me tonight." "She telephoned." "She was worried about her sister." "Oh, the poor girl." "How did she, er...?" "I came in here to telephone the police and I found her like that." "Why did she never confess to me?" "Why did she suffer alone?" "At the church, there's another body." "Oh, dear God, no." "At the graveyard." "A young man, middle twenties, blond." "Wyatt?" "Teddy Wyatt." "Oh, why him?" "A hot-blooded man." "He challenged me on my handling of his fiancée, Jenny Welch." "I explained in the best possible way and she must have overheard and thought she was protecting me." "What have you done with him?" "He was in a grave." "I covered him up." "Covered him up?" "Yes, that is what we must both do." "This tragic woman's actions must not reflect on the church." "We must cover up our involvement with the minimum of scandal." " I am already involved." " There's no need..." "I was going to resign from the Church tonight to be with Vanessa." "She was all I wanted." "I was..." "I was going to ask her to marry me." "I see." "But then, if she was all you wanted, there's no longer reason for you to leave the church." "Yes, this hurts, I know." "But I must show you the reality you are too distraught to recognise." "Have you seen the bishop?" "Now it is as if you had never been here." "The Lord will forgive us for preserving the honour of His church." " Go." "Time will heal, I promise you." " But I..." "I shall telephone the police and tell them what I found when I arrived home." "I shall not involve you or the good name of Miss Welch." "Vanessa?" "'Hello?" "'"