One Blood (34 page)

‘I haven’t come here to be happy, Sister,’ said the young priest censoriously. ‘I believe, indeed I know, that there is a great deal of work to be done, and I am anxious to get on with it quickly. I hear that this mission has fallen into a considerable state of disrepair, both physically and spiritually.’

‘The sisters are working very hard,’ said Conchita. ‘Would you like to meet them?’

‘Time enough for that later,’ said Father Johnson. Suspiciously he watched the Melanesians carry his bags up to the mission house. ‘I believe that you have been here just to keep matters ticking over, Sister Conchita. You won’t have had time to put your imprimatur on the mission. I intend to stay much longer and carry out a root-and-branch revision of all that goes on, or does not go on, here.’

‘Yes, Father,’ said Conchita humbly, suppressing the answer that rose to her lips. The priest was young and inexperienced and could not be expected to establish himself at the mission first. He would have to make his own mistakes and invent the wheel for himself, just as she had. For his sake she hoped that it would not be too painful a process. She took a deep breath.

‘I could delay my departure and stay on for a few more weeks if it would help,’ she offered.

‘No need, no need,’ said the priest, transparently anxious to be rid of her. He extended a limp hand. ‘Goodbye, Sister; I hope that your brief sojourn at Marakosi was an enjoyable one, even if you didn’t have time to accomplish a great deal.’

‘Oh, it was,’ said Sister Conchita, but the young priest was already scurrying away purposefully up to the house. Engrossed in his shining plans for the future, he did not look round.

The dinghy was making the return journey from the
Bellama
to pick her up. Conchita picked up her holdall. Sister Brigid, Sister Jean Francoise and Sister Johanna hurried over to the young nun to hug her and say their fervent goodbyes. Conchita looked at the slim, unbowed form of Father Johnson as he
entered the mission house, busily shouting orders to the carriers. Then she turned back to the three elderly, innocuous-looking nuns. She wondered what lay in store for the energetic young priest in his new life. She was rather afraid that she knew.

‘Be gentle with him,’ she said.