I knew what she meant but I knew too that she was probably stronger than she believed. With courage, she could break that grip they had on her heart and soul.
“What if you weren’t to think so much of your family? What if you think about your country?” I hesitated, but I had gone so far, I felt I might as well get it all out. “What about Barney?”
“Barney?” She stopped what she was doing. “What about Barney?”
“Norah, you know. Surely you must know.”
“Do I? Oh God, do I? I suppose I do.”
I thought that was a strange thing to say and I think that I knew, by then, from the look on her shrivelled face and the way her fingers were twisting each other crooked, that I might be going too far. But on I went again. “Norah, have you any time for him at all? I only ask because he has it bad for you
