Nettie had smiled when he spoke kindly to her and she had continued to delicately touch his hand. It ended though when he had called himself an awful man. She lowered her brow and frowned. She held his hand and leaned in just a touch.

"Don't you dare refer to yourself that way, Malachi. You are a wonderful man who just stumbles. And tomorrow is always a new day. You always have a chance to try harder, you don't have to be tethered by mistakes of the past. Think of yourself anew with the sunrise. If you don't want to keep being a priest because of your failings, than don't. You're a brilliant man, I believe you could do anything. I will not let you put yourself down because you have physical wants and struggle trying to overcome it. Many people face this sort of thing, and you're no different. But you punish yourself so much. I want this to change."

Was she being too harsh, was she hurting his feeling speaking such a way? She really hoped not, but she wanted him to love himself as much as she loved him.