Mr. Monty sighed, remembering the ambiguous, prejudiced whispers against Catholics in the yards and engineering foundries of Westburn. He regretted the hostility separating the two communities. In civilian life, it would have been folly to take sides.
He"d witnessed the havoc that arrogant priests could wreak on their flock and remembered the bad time Ma and James Forrest had when Nathan was born and his mother died.
Ma invited Mr. Monty to see the new baby. He liked the name: Nathan, a Gift from God; a good name for a boy born out of wedlock, his mother dead. Mr. Monty brought a parcel for Nathan"s layette. Mr. Monty"s mother knitted a pair of woollen boots, matching mitts, a tiny cardigan, a cap to protect the boy"s head from Westburn"s winds. And the shawl; the Cashmere shawl that had
