The
tables were filled with smiling, chattering women. Nobody missed dinner this
time, and not just because of the bottles of wine on the tables. Everyone was
looking forward to the moon ceremony. For the majority, it would be their first
attempt to make contact with an animal spirit. It would also be, except for the
wayward Jocasta, their first physical release for at least twenty seven days, a
release they had been skirting around with increasing difficulty in their daily
practice.
The upper reaches of the legal profession were
one of the few remaining areas of modern work life, apart from rubbish
collection, which was still a predominately male environment. Robert was not
used to being outnumbered so comprehensively and sat down next to Angus for
moral support once he had collected his bowl of yellow lentil stew with yellow
rice from the kitchen.
“Ye decided to stay then?” said Angus, taking
off his cap and placing it on the table.
“Regina more or less insisted, but I am curious
to see the ceremony.”
“Well I hope ye are feeling energetic. Ye may be
in demand later on.”
“Not me, I’m married.” Robert picked at his
lentils, his appetite not stimulated by the smell or the texture.
“There’s no one married on Mura. That’s what
Miss Heart says, anyway. Ye best be prepared. Eat yer stew.”
“What about you? Are you married?”
“Nay. I’m still looking for the right girl.
There’s not many single lasses on Sporran.” From his grizzled looks, Robert
guessed Angus had been looking for a long time. Angus drained his cup of wine.
“Is that where you’re from?”
“Aye, lived there all my life.”
“What about the women who come to Castle
Dunlaggin? Lots of them seem to be single and looking for something or someone.”
Angus leaned towards Robert and spoke
conspiratorially. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad of the work ferrying people
here and there and doing odd jobs for Miss Heart. But most of these lasses are
wrong in the head. I wouldn’t want a girl of mine to get up to what they get up
to.”
“But surely there’s nothing wrong with
masturbation?”
“In front of strangers?”
“But it’s not just mindless sex, is it? They’re
trying to connect with some bigger power, develop themselves spiritually.”
“You’ve no been taken in by this nonsense have
you?”
“Not taken in I hope. I’m just trying to keep an
open mind. It’s part of my training.” Robert immediately wished he hadn’t
reminded Angus that he was a lawyer. Angus gave him a look of contempt and
refilled both their cups with wine.
“Well don’t say I didn’t warn ye.” That was
Angus’s final word on the matter, so Robert struck up a conversation with a
stocky woman sitting on the other side of him. Linda was older than most of the
other acolytes, in her forties he would guess. Robert noticed she hadn’t
touched the wine in the cup in front of her. She said she was divorced and this
was part of her project to get her life back together. She had decided to
expose herself to as many new experiences as possible.
“What about you?” Linda said. “I’ve only been
here two weeks but I gather it’s unusual for men to participate in the
programme.”
“I’m not here for the programme,” said Robert. “I
came to help Regina with a legal matter and ended up staying longer that I
expected.”
“But I’m sure I saw you come out of one of the
practice rooms with Georgina?”
“Yes well, it’s hard not to get drawn in if you
spend a few days here. It does raise some questions.”
“Yes, it does,” said Linda. “More questions than
answers. I’m hoping I’ll understand it all better after the ceremony.”
“Me too,” said Robert.
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