Chapter 30

Father Matthew Mackie walks uphill through the trees toward the Garden of Eternal Rest. Tony Curran’s death had briefly made Father Mackie hope the threat to the cemetery might end without further action from him, but after visiting Ian Ventham, Father Mackie learned that the Woodlands development is still going ahead and the cemetery is still to be removed.

Father Mackie enters the gated burial ground and takes in its quiet order: the central path, the statue of Christ, the surrounding walls, and the rows of graves. He reflects that the place is so peaceful and beautiful that it almost makes him believe in God, despite his own weary, conflicted faith.

Father Mackie walks back through the graves in historical order, from Sister Margaret Bernadette in 1874 through generations of women who lived through social change, wars, technology, and modern life. The cemetery’s continuity contrasts with the outside world’s transformation, emphasizing why its destruction matters to him.

At the final grave, Sister Mary Byrne, dated 14 July 2005, Father Mackie sees that the sisterhood ended there, though space remains for more burials. Unsure what he can do next, Father Mackie leaves the Garden and heads back downhill toward Coopers Chase.

On the way, Father Mackie passes a man in a suit and tie sitting on a bench with a newspaper, also looking out at the unchanging view. The man acknowledges him, and Father Mackie nods without stopping, still considering what his next move should be.