His daddy was faster, was he? That was the second mildly-concerning thing she'd said about his 'father.'

Somehow he doubted that it would be the last.

What kind of man had this poor woman married?

(Perhaps he was assigning too much of the blame on the man in this equation, but it was not often that he met women that drank themselves into a stupor because they were treated well.)

Malachi mirrored her look, but had the gall to look surprised with a lift of dark brows.

"Holding out on you?" he repeated. "No. The other priest made off with it all."

As much as a part of him wanted to see just how far she would go, he could not empty the church of their wine. He had already displeased Father Richards enough with his actual charity. He did not want to find out how venomous he could become if pushed farther, if only to save himself from the bishop's ire.

So what else was he to do?

"But if we find some other clothes for me to put on, I can go out and find more with you."