Allegiance: A Dublin Novella by Heather Domin

shelving on the nearest wall. He set his apple core on a barrel and leaned forward, reaching between two boxes of baking soda and Dr. Shannon’s Digestive Biscuits, his arm disappearing to the shoulder. A few groping movements, tongue poking between his teeth, and there was a loud click which was abruptly matched in William’s brain. Adam saw it and grinned.
    “Wouldn’t be a secret meeting without a secret room, now would it?”
    He withdrew his arm, gave the shelf a good tug, and the section pulled open to reveal a narrow passage. Adam leaned on the doorway and gestured with his free hand. “After you.”
    William ducked his head and walked through the arch – into utter darkness. He stopped up short as the door closed behind him and cut off all light. He barely had time to tense before a hand on his back made him jump and Adam’s breath touched his ear, voice low and amused.
    “Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Hang on a sec.” Light shone in William’s eyes and now Adam was in front of him, opening a second door. Get it together, Young, William thought, and followed him inside.
    The room was long and narrow, sandwiched as it was between the storeroom and the wine cellar, low-ceilinged and cramped with unfinished walls and a single naked light bulb hanging in the center. Most of the space had been taken up by a long wooden table, around which sat four men William knew and one he had never seen. They looked up as he and Adam entered, their conversations ceasing, and Gerald stood up to greet them.
    “Ah, there you are boys, there you are. Come in and sit. Lads, you all know William, I’m certain.”
    William nodded at each man in turn – Gerald, Andrew, David, a young man with a tanned face and thick black hair, and finally Kelly, who pointed a finger and scowled out his greeting.
    “What the bleedin’ hell is he doing here?”
    “You know exactly what,” snapped Adam, “and exactly why, so shut your
—
”
    “Hold your tongues, both of you, or leave my house,” said Gerald. His glare silenced them both. “I will not have fighting in this room.” He waited until Kelly gave a grudging nod, then turned to William.
    “You already know Andy and Davie,” he said, “and the ever-pleasant Master Kelly. The lad on the end there is Daniel Fisher. It’s his family owns the bakery shop that you’re so fond of.”
    “Well then,” smiled William, as he shook the boy’s hand, “Very good to know you indeed.”
    “Pleasure to meet you, William,” replied Daniel.
    Gerald smiled. “Have a seat, lads,” he said. William and Adam took their places at the nearest chairs, across from Andy and David. Gerald resumed his spot at the head of the table.
    “You’ll know why we’ve asked you here, William,” he said. Turning to the others, Gerald peered at each face in turn.
    “You lads all know William. You know of his story, I’m certain. He may not be Irish, but he’s a fighter sure enough, and his father before him.” He crossed himself quickly, then went on, “He’s as much reason to strike against the English as we, and I mean to give him the chance. Any who oppose that should say so now. That includes you, Kelly – if you can’t be civil, I need to know it now.”
    Beside him, William could see Adam gazing coolly at Kelly from under the shade of his cap. For a moment, no one spoke; then Andy leaned across the table and gave William a slap on the shoulder.
    “Right then, Glasgow,” he said. He and David and Gerald and Adam and even the Fisher lad were all smiling. And so was William.
    “Aye,” Gerald said. “Aye. Right.” He settled back in his chair.
    “You’ll know that Andy runs a cargo barge on the Liffey? Young Danny here has a friend or two, hears a bit of news from time to time. When he gets word of a need for transport on the quiet, he comes to us and we move what we can down river, sometimes through the town, sometimes through this room. Nothing complicated – just get things from one set