‘I found this fellow wandering the streets,’ she said. ‘I thought you might appreciate his safe return.’

He kept looking past her at Barry. ‘Last time I checked, Izzy, you didn’t have any children at this school.’

She chose to ignore this.

‘And Mr Crowley,’ he said. ‘I didn’t think I was going to see you again today.’

Izzy took a seat. Barry stood beside her looking at the floor and grasping the straps of his school bag.

Master O’Connor clasped his hands together on the desk in front of him. ‘Did Barry tell you why he was sent home today, Izzy?’

‘He did indeed, and it seems to me that insulting Mrs Frawley, although very rude, is a minor misdemeanour that can be easily forgiven. And Barry promises to not only give a full apology to Mrs Frawley but to yourself.’

She shook Barry’s elbow.

‘I’m sorry, Master O’Connor,’ he said, with so little conviction that Izzy wanted to shake him again.

‘That’s as may be, Izzy, but what Barry might not have told you is about the numerous times he has disrupted classes and other pupils’ education, the numerous times he has skipped class or not done his homework or not bothered showing up for school at all. You probably don’t know about the insults he has launched at other teachers, besides Mrs Frawley, and has Barry mentioned the damage he did to the science classroom last year? I’m sorry, Mrs Keaveney. We have done every single thing we can for Barry and I’m afraid we’ve come to the end of what is possible to achieve with him here at this school.’

‘Barry has had a difficult year and you’re telling me that you’re not even going to try and help this boy—’

‘These problems began with Barry a long time ago.’

‘And you’re just going to give up on him?’

‘We’ve done a lot to try and help Barry.’

He was so tired-looking, she thought, that waxy skin and such deep lines scoring his forehead. His fingers were yellow from smoking. The headmaster of a school, she thought he could make more of an effort, sitting there in his short-sleeved shirt – no wonder the kids had so little respect for him. ‘Stand outside, Barry,’ Izzy said, and Barry shuffled off into the corridor. ‘And shut that door behind you!’ She listened out for the click of the door closing. ‘Now, listen here to me—’

‘No. You listen to me, Mrs Keaveney—’

‘Are you not even going to speak to the boy’s father before you suspend him?’

‘I’m afraid we’re looking at expulsion at this point, Mrs Keaveney. But I shouldn’t be talking to you about this and if you don’t mind me saying it has very little to do with you.’

‘But when do you plan on telling his father? Have you even phoned him?’

‘His father has been phoned and he has been invited to come in and have a full discussion about this.’

‘But you haven’t made contact with him yet?’

‘We’ve left a message with his secretary.’

‘And why is that? Because Shaun Crowley is a very busy man. And in the absence of his mother that boy has no one else to stand up for him.’

‘We are all very sorry for what Barry has gone through.’

‘You have no idea what he’s gone through, and you know that if his mother was alive, she would be sitting here arguing with you and not me. And I think you’re playing a very dangerous game, Master O’Connor, because you do not want people in this town thinking you took advantage of Colette’s death to expel a boy who you clearly have an agenda against.’

‘Now, Mrs Keaveney, I would be very careful about making an accusation like that.’

‘And Shaun Crowley might be a busy man but I have a lot of time on my hands, and every day Barry is not sitting at his desk I will be sitting outside your office, Master O’Connor, and I’m a patient woman. And I will have James’s full support in this.’

‘Mrs Keaveney, this is none of your or your husband’s business and I’m affronted by the gall—’

‘Oh, affronted, are you? Well, not half as affronted as you’re going to be if you don’t sort this out. What do you do for a living?’

‘What?’ he asked.

‘I’m asking you – what is your job?’

‘I am an educator—’

Izzy laughed. ‘You’re a headmaster in a secondary school in a small town. And what is that?’

‘Izzy, what are you talking about?’

‘I’m asking you, what kind of position is that?’

‘I’d thank you to leave now, Mrs Keaveney.’

‘Well, I’d say being a teacher in a small town is kind of like being a priest or a Guard or one of those jobs – it’s kind of a political appointment. Wouldn’t you say? Or at least there’s a kind of politics attached to it.’

The expression emptied from his face, like the wind leaving a sail.

Izzy continued, ‘And when that’s the case, someone with a bit of influence could make life very difficult for you. Phone calls can be made and letters can be sent – a little campaign could be mounted. And I’d say I’m not the only person in this town you’ve pissed off.’

Master O’Connor rose from his desk and placed his hands on his hips. He turned away from her and took a few steps towards the wall, and stared at it for some time like he was looking through a window. Then suddenly and decisively, he turned around and walked back, lifted his pen, and tapped it a few times against the surface of his desk.

‘I will,’ he said, ‘arrange a meeting with Barry and Mr Crowley for first thing tomorrow morning.’

‘And after that Barry will be back at his desk?’ Izzy said.

‘Based on how the meeting goes and the commitment Barry makes during that meeting to improve his behaviour—’

‘And Barry will be back at his desk,’ she said and rose from her seat. ‘You make that phone call to Shaun now and I’ll explain everything to Barry. Good day to you, Master O’Connor,’ she said.

Barry was in the company of some other boys when she stepped out into the corridor, but when he spotted her, he peeled himself away from the group.

‘Come on,’ she said, ‘I need to talk to you.’ She slung her handbag over her shoulder and descended the stairs.

‘What did he say?’ Barry asked.

‘Walk with me for a bit, Barry,’ she said.

Outside the day had grown brighter and there was a haze of light spreading over the bay. Barry walked alongside her now and she stole glances at him. She saw that he was pale like Colette, but much more fair-skinned, with light freckles dusted all over his face.

‘Haven’t you the lovely freckles,’ she said, because really they were of such neat and particular shapes and spaced so evenly on his skin.