1922
On Monday afternoon, Peg Parle came out the side door of Mucknamore National school, and saw him immediately, sitting on the schoolyard wall with his back to her. He had his jacket off in the sunshine, his shirtsleeves rolled up. She spun round on her heel the second she saw him, to face the door she had just closed behind her.
It was she who locked up the school each afternoon, as Master Cole flew off home like a hare out of a trap as soon as the three o’clock bell came, and she was glad of the duty now. It bought her a minute to hide her infernal blushing — and to think.
Was he waiting for her? He must be. What else would have him sitting there like that, at this time of the day? The key shook in her hand as she tried to fit it in the keyhole. Look at what he did to her, it was d
