A Blazing Truth by Hilary Walker

Author:Hilary Walker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Catholic Fiction Novels, British Fiction Novels, Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition, British Literature, British Authors, British Fiction, Christian Social Issues
Publisher: Hilary Walker
Published: 2023-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Catching Up

Sunday, June 9th

Unable to speak freely on their pressing issues with Rebecca in attendance, the two men sipped their coffee and bit into hot toast dripping with butter and thick peel orange marmalade.

They chatted on innocuous topics while Mark enjoyed the comforts of civilisation; they beat crouching on a ledge for two hours!

His phone was charging upstairs in the room. Given his new circumstances, he relished being out of reach for a while longer. It had been a rough couple of days, and he was happy to sit with his good friend and appreciate the view over the sand and sky and calm waters of the Channel from indoors, through the bay window.

During those arduous hours on the ledge, he’d had plenty of time to think, and looked forward to sharing his conclusions with the priest.

Where could they find privacy?

As they were finishing their breakfast, Father James made a suggestion. “If you’ve recovered enough from your morning, I’ll drive you to the friary and we can take care of business there.”

“That would be perfect,” Mark replied.

The priest collected his dog, Mark fetched his phone, and soon they were in the burgundy Triumph, negotiating the hills and dales that led towards Poppleford.

Father James asked Mark why he’d spent the night on the beach. “I was really worried that you might have committed suicide. What was I supposed to tell Mary? She’d think she’d caused it.”

Mark laughed at the idea. “But I didn’t top myself, did I?”

“Thankfully, no, but it would have been nice if you’d let me know that you weren’t going to make our meeting this morning. I’d at least have known you were alright.”

“It would also have been nice if I’d not had a dead phone battery,” Mark reminded him.

“Fair point,” acceded the priest.

“Anyway, I’m here now, alive and well.”

“Thank the Lord!” Father James said.

As always, Mark was struck with the beauty of the view from the final hillcrest: below them lay the valley, and the friary nestling by the beach, surrounded on three sides by spacious grounds. Even from that distance, he could see white sculptures and grottoes dotted between the trees and along the paths. It was an impressive sight.

Father James let his loud sedan coast down the hill and soon they’d gone through the portcullis-style front gates, passing large statues of famous Dominican saints – St. Dominic, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Catherine of Siena – as they progressed down the long driveway.

Our Lady, standing atop the filled-in well at the front of the friary, seemed to stretch her arms out to Mark in a personal welcome.

Mark glimpsed up at the word ‘Veritas’ as he, Father James and Judith entered underneath the arch. He sighed inwardly. Accepting the truth of his situation wasn’t easy.

His friend led him a short way down the hall and into his office.

The priest dipped his middle finger into the holy water found on the wall just inside, before crossing himself. Mark followed suit.

The room was sparsely furnished, yet with clear signs that this room belonged to a holy Catholic priest.

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