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Summary

Chapters 6-7

Chapter 6 

Furlong misses the first Mass, and Eileen asks if Mother Superior gave him a Christmas bonus. He hands her the envelope and goes to wash up, scrubbing the black soot from his hands and fingernails. Eileen asks if he has change for the church collection box, and he asks if she has enough in her purse to give to the kids.  

At Mass, Furlong observes the people in the congregation, noticing that they are whispering and gossiping about one another. Afterwards at home, Furlong’s daughters decorate for Christmas, practice their instruments, and bake and ice the Christmas cake. Restless, Furlong tells Eileen that he is going to pay a visit to Ned, and she tells him he can invite Ned for Christmas dinner if he’d like. 

On the drive to the Wilson property, Furlong recalls a memory of sitting with Ned at Mrs. Wilson’s house while she was still alive. The two talked about how Mrs. Wilson took care of the three of them and never regretted it. Ned shares that he is satisfied with his life. He confesses to Furlong that he used to steal Mrs. Wilson’s haystacks and give them to another farmhand for his donkey. Ned and Furlong both wonder who his father might be, and Ned tells Furlong that his mother had mingled with a few men in the summer before he was born, so it could’ve been anyone.  

Back in the present, Furlong arrives at the Wilsons’, where a woman answers the door. She tells him Ned was hospitalized for pneumonia a few weeks ago and is recovering in a nursing home. She invites him in to see the Wilsons, but he declines. She tells him she knows he’s a relative by his strong resemblance to Ned. Furlong excuses himself, returns to his car, and ruminates over the possibility that Ned could be his father. Driving home, he thinks about the girl at the convent and the hypocrisy of going to Mass after that experience.  

Chapter 7 

On Christmas Eve, Furlong goes to work. With gratitude, he reflects on the tradition of visiting the graves of his mother and Mrs. Wilson with his daughters at Christmas. After checking everything at the yard, he starts the lorry and notices black smoke coming from the exhaust, realizing it’s on its last leg. He knows he’ll have to prioritize repairs over the new windows Eileen wanted. 

As Furlong makes deliveries, he is warmly greeted by his customers, reminding him of the goodness in people. Back at the coal yard, the men finish their work and take turns scrubbing their hands and rinsing their boots. They head to Kehoe’s for a Christmas dinner celebration, Furlong planning to stay just long enough to wish his crew a Happy Christmas and ensure they receive their bonuses. 

Mrs. Kehoe makes small talk with Furlong before inquiring about his encounter at the convent. She warns him to stay quiet about his experience, reminding him of the nuns’ influence in the community, which includes his daughters’ chances of being admitted to St. Margaret’s school. Furlong thanks her and leaves. 

While running errands in town, he peers into shop windows and hears Christmas music from a nearby speaker. At the toy shop, he asks Mrs. Stafford for a 500-piece farm jigsaw, like the one he wanted as a child, but she informs him that they only sell simpler puzzles for kids. He buys a bag of Lemon’s jellies and leaves. Furlong then goes to the barber and reflects on the many ways that Ned cared for him when he was younger—polishing his shoes, tying his laces, buying his first razor, and teaching him to shave. The idea that Ned could be his father continues to circle his mind. 

After his haircut, Furlong makes his way over to Hanrahan’s to pick up the patent shoes he purchased for Eileen’s Christmas present. Afterwards, he crosses the bridge, recalling the myth of the cursed river. People believed the Barrow was cursed by monks who were driven out after growing greedy over river tolls. As they left, they vowed the river would take exactly three lives each year, their bodies ending up in its waters. Furlong thinks about the young girl who begged him to take her to the river to drown. Though he knows Eileen is probably wondering where he is, Furlong feels a new sense of purpose and decides not to go home. He walks past festive homes and observes people in their windows as he makes his way to the convent. 

Furlong approaches the coal shed, hesitating for a moment before deciding to open it. He finds Sarah lying on the coals, shivering and weak. He helps her to her feet, gives her his coat, and the two leave the convent grounds. 

On their walk back to town, Furlong considers taking Sarah to the priest, but he suspects that  he and the rest of the church might be complicit in the convent’s abuse. People pass him and Sarah on the street—some curious, some offering holiday greetings—but no one speaks to Sarah. Furlong feels no need to explain why she’s with him. 

In the town center, Sarah vomits. She and Furlong pause at the Nativity scene, where she brushes snow off the donkey’s ear, a small gesture of appreciation for its simple beauty. As they continue, Sarah weakly leans on him for support. Furlong feels both fear and fulfillment, knowing he’s done the right thing despite the consequences ahead. He reflects on the idea that, without Mrs. Wilson’s kindness, his mother might have ended up in a convent, forced to endure abuse and ignored by a community that would rather feign ignorance than risk the consequences of intervening. He believes the hardest part is over, despite the inevitable challenges ahead, and that they will be okay. 

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