Silence is Golden

35. Pretty Priestly

'I don't think so.'

The priest let his eyes flicker to me again – then abruptly pressed them shut, and folded his hands in front of his chest.

'...Venha a nós o Vosso reino,

Seja feita a Vossa vontade,

Assim na terra como no céu...'

'Is he...praying?'

'I believe so, Mr Linton.'

One of the priest's eyes opened a fraction of an inch, caught sight of me, still standing there in my shift – and abruptly snapped shut again!

'...O pão nosso de cada dia nos dai hoje.

Perdoai as nossas ofensas,

Assim como nós perdoamos a quem nos tem ofendido...'

'What is he praying about?'

Was I mistaken, or was there a slight glint in Mr Ambrose's eyes as he turned to me and let his gaze rake over me?

'Right now, Mr Linton, I believe he is praying not to be led into temptation.'

His gaze swept over me again, meaningfully.

'What? Oh. Oh! You don't mean he–'

'In my experience, Mr Linton, devout priests seldom get visits from scantily dressed young ladies.'

'...E não nos deixeis cair...'

I glared at Mr Ambrose, then at the priest, who was still kneeling, his hands clutched tightly together, his eyes shut even more tightly.

'Hey, you!'

He ignored me.

'...em tentação,

Mas livrai-nos do mal,

Amém.

Pai nosso, que estais no céu

Santificado seja o Vosso nome...'

'Is he starting all over again?'

'Priests have been known to recite the Lord's Prayer up to thirty times in a row, especially in situations of carnal temptation.'

'Carnal temp– I'll give him carnal temptation!'

Fuming, I marched over to the young man kneeling on the ground.

'...Venha a nós o Vosso reino,

Seja feita a Vossa vontade...'

'Hey, you!'

'...Assim na terra como no céu.

O pão nosso de cada dia nos dai hoje...'

'I'm talking to you! Open your peepers!'

'...Perdoai as nossas ofensas,

'Assim como nós perdoamos a quem nos tem ofendido.

E não nos deixeis cair em tentação...'

'I'm not going to bloody tempt you! I don't even want to tempt you! And trust me, you most certainly don't want to be tempted by me!'

'Mas livrai-nos do mal,

Amém.

Pai nosso, que estais no céu...'

'Are your ears corked or something?'