foot on the neck of the croppy we'll keep.'" "Croppies Lie Down"—the worst of the latest round of British songs— was about killing "croppies," men who cut their hair short in sympathy with the United Irishmen.
Eliza felt the gathering, so quiet and solemn when the regiment appeared, now growing restive and angry. What was it Will said at the assembly rooms? That they were all dancing on a powder keg, and it took only one match to set it alight
And she grew angry at these people who cared only for their own privilege and not for the suffering and injustice of others.
She took Anna's hand and drew her through the crowd. They pushed their way past until they were out of sight of the regiment, who now set up their maneuvers on the frosty grass. Near the gates, she glimpsed the man who sang that hateful song. He was a beardless youth who would doubtless run and hide at the first sign of any real fight
Even as she considered marching over there to push him to the ground, she knew he was not the real enemy. He had no power. It was that well-trained, relentless regiment they had to beware of.
But Anna had no such restraint She snatched her hand from Eliza's, hurrying toward the singer with fire in her blue eyes. A crowd had gathered, some to cheer him on, some with angry expressions, and she shoved her way past them.
Eliza dashed after her sister, her heart pounding. This was not the moment to call attention to themselves! liming was everything these days, and any trouble could ruin it all. The tiniest misstep could be their last.
"How dare you?" Anna's voice rang out, clear and indignant over the out-of-tune song. "Such vulgarity, and in a public place!"
For an instant, the man's song faltered at the sight of Anna's blond beauty and her fiery anger. Then his face flushed red, and he sang out louder, others joining in.
Anna opened her mouth again, just as Eliza caught the edge of her cloak. Over her sister's head, she glimpsed a familiar face at the edge of the crowd. Mr. Boyle, her go-between to the hidden Northern Star printing press.
Oh, that was all she needed, she thought Double the trouble. How could she tell anyone a British officer stole her pamphlet notes from her desk?
"Anna, this is not the time," Eliza whispered quickly. "Just ignore him."
Anna looked at her with startled eyes. "How can I ignore a song about killing Irishmen?"
Mr. Boyle vanished into the crowd, obviously deciding this was not the moment for any messages.
"The moment will come, sister," Eliza said. "But not now. Not over something so trivial."
'Trivial?" Before Anna could say more, there was a new vibration in the air, a new murmuring as the thick crowds parted.
Still holding on to her sister's cloak, Eliza twisted around to see a flash of red from the corner of her eye as Will made his determined way on foot through the crowd. They all parted before him immediately, a hush falling. He strode directly to the man who led the singing and grabbed him by the front of his coat Eliza saw the flash of an orange badge pinned there, the sign of the Loyalist Orangemen.
"There are ordinances against disturbing the peace here," Will said firmly, giving the man a shake. "I must ask you to depart immediately."
The formerly arrogant man turned pale at the sight of an officer, but he muttered, "I break no laws by singing, surely."
"You incite violence in a public place, which is against the Insurrection Act." Will gave a humorless smile that made even Eliza shiver as he shoved the man toward the gates. "Go sing your drunken ditties in a tavern somewhere, boy. This is not the time or place."
The man backed away. "Perhaps not. But soon enough it will be, yes, Major? Soon you'll make the Liffey run with croppy blood."
Will turned on his heel, not deigning to answer. He didn't even seem to notice the onlookers. His grim stare landed on Eliza, and there was no mercy there.
She felt cold, icy cold, under that pitiless blue-green gaze, and she tugged her
Eliza felt the gathering, so quiet and solemn when the regiment appeared, now growing restive and angry. What was it Will said at the assembly rooms? That they were all dancing on a powder keg, and it took only one match to set it alight
And she grew angry at these people who cared only for their own privilege and not for the suffering and injustice of others.
She took Anna's hand and drew her through the crowd. They pushed their way past until they were out of sight of the regiment, who now set up their maneuvers on the frosty grass. Near the gates, she glimpsed the man who sang that hateful song. He was a beardless youth who would doubtless run and hide at the first sign of any real fight
Even as she considered marching over there to push him to the ground, she knew he was not the real enemy. He had no power. It was that well-trained, relentless regiment they had to beware of.
But Anna had no such restraint She snatched her hand from Eliza's, hurrying toward the singer with fire in her blue eyes. A crowd had gathered, some to cheer him on, some with angry expressions, and she shoved her way past them.
Eliza dashed after her sister, her heart pounding. This was not the moment to call attention to themselves! liming was everything these days, and any trouble could ruin it all. The tiniest misstep could be their last.
"How dare you?" Anna's voice rang out, clear and indignant over the out-of-tune song. "Such vulgarity, and in a public place!"
For an instant, the man's song faltered at the sight of Anna's blond beauty and her fiery anger. Then his face flushed red, and he sang out louder, others joining in.
Anna opened her mouth again, just as Eliza caught the edge of her cloak. Over her sister's head, she glimpsed a familiar face at the edge of the crowd. Mr. Boyle, her go-between to the hidden Northern Star printing press.
Oh, that was all she needed, she thought Double the trouble. How could she tell anyone a British officer stole her pamphlet notes from her desk?
"Anna, this is not the time," Eliza whispered quickly. "Just ignore him."
Anna looked at her with startled eyes. "How can I ignore a song about killing Irishmen?"
Mr. Boyle vanished into the crowd, obviously deciding this was not the moment for any messages.
"The moment will come, sister," Eliza said. "But not now. Not over something so trivial."
'Trivial?" Before Anna could say more, there was a new vibration in the air, a new murmuring as the thick crowds parted.
Still holding on to her sister's cloak, Eliza twisted around to see a flash of red from the corner of her eye as Will made his determined way on foot through the crowd. They all parted before him immediately, a hush falling. He strode directly to the man who led the singing and grabbed him by the front of his coat Eliza saw the flash of an orange badge pinned there, the sign of the Loyalist Orangemen.
"There are ordinances against disturbing the peace here," Will said firmly, giving the man a shake. "I must ask you to depart immediately."
The formerly arrogant man turned pale at the sight of an officer, but he muttered, "I break no laws by singing, surely."
"You incite violence in a public place, which is against the Insurrection Act." Will gave a humorless smile that made even Eliza shiver as he shoved the man toward the gates. "Go sing your drunken ditties in a tavern somewhere, boy. This is not the time or place."
The man backed away. "Perhaps not. But soon enough it will be, yes, Major? Soon you'll make the Liffey run with croppy blood."
Will turned on his heel, not deigning to answer. He didn't even seem to notice the onlookers. His grim stare landed on Eliza, and there was no mercy there.
She felt cold, icy cold, under that pitiless blue-green gaze, and she tugged her
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