Eye of the Law by Cora Harrison Page B

Saoirse and I had been together all the evening and that we had been dancing with my brother, Donogh Óg and your Enda, Brehon. He seemed to be fine then and when Enda and Fachtnan came and invited us to supper, he didn’t mind a bit.’
    ‘Was that the truth – about you and Saoirse being together all the evening?’ asked Mara, suppressing a smile. ‘No dancing with boys, no flirting in dark corners?’
    The two girls exchanged glances. Suddenly Saoirse’s eyes filled with tears. A repressed sob escaped her. She got to her feet and walked over to the bedroom window, opening the wooden shutters and peering out. Mairéad looked at her with exasperation.
    Mara understood her feelings. It was no good Mairéad valiantly lying to protect her friend if Saoirse did not play her part. What was the truth about that evening, she wondered. Saoirse had a heavy, ripe sexuality about her, though she lacked the glamour of Mairéad. As far as Mara knew, there was no involvement with any young man on the Burren, though Donogh Óg would be a good match for her. However, Donogh Óg had been a familiar figure from the days of her childhood, while Iarla from Aran would perhaps have appeared as a romantic figure that night with the story of his relationship to Ardal, the richest man in the kingdom. Looking from one young girl to another, Mara had little doubt that Teige’s suspicions of his daughter had some grounds. There was no need to probe any more now. Most of the kingdom had been present that night at Lemeanah Castle. Sooner or later she would find out the truth.
    ‘Well, I think I’ll get the boys to escort you back now,’ said Mara, getting up from the bed. ‘We must get you home in good time so that he hasn’t time to start being anxious about you.’ She looked at Saoirse’s downcast face and said gently, ‘Don’t worry, Saoirse, there was no justification for what Iarla did, no matter whether you had been friendly with him or not. No one could blame you. But that’s the way with fathers – he was upset, so he became angry. Things will soon be back to normal again.’
    When they got downstairs, Enda and Fachtnan were at the gate of the law school gazing down the road. All four ponies were tied to the rail and ready to go.
    ‘I think Aidan and Moylan are coming now, Brehon,’ said Fachtnan, politely holding Saoirse’s pony while she climbed on to the mounting block. ‘I can hear Aidan’s voice.’
    ‘Good,’ said Mara vaguely. She, too, could hear a loud raucous laugh followed by a joyful bark. Bran would have enjoyed the run to the coast. ‘Goodbye, girls. Come again soon. Get back to Lemeanah as quickly as you can, Fachtnan. Don’t stop to chat with the boys.’
    It was unfortunate that Saoirse should have to meet with Becan, but hopefully Fachtnan would take the hint and quickly pass on. Mara began to walk down the road after them, narrowing her eyes against the setting sun.
    But there were only two ponies coming towards her. She stopped and waited. Yes, it was just Aidan and Moylan on their own.
    ‘Becan didn’t come with you?’ Her voice held a note of query and she waited while they sprang off their ponies with quick lithe movements. She patted Bran who was ecstatic to see her again and looked enquiringly at the two boys. They both looked excited.
    ‘No, Brehon . . .’
    ‘Brehon, we have something very interesting to tell you,’ Aidan interrupted his friend.
    ‘You’ll never guess.’ Moylan’s voice was dramatic.
    ‘Tell me about Becan first,’ said Mara. ‘Is he coming for the funeral?’
    ‘No, he’s not,’ said Moylan. ‘He told us that he would look after himself and that he had enough of the people of the Burren. The ferryman said that he told him that the lad was no blood kin of his.’
    ‘No blood kin,’ repeated Mara.
    ‘But that’s not the interesting bit.’
    ‘Let me tell it, I’m the eldest.’
    ‘No, I’m going to tell it. I was the one that the ferryman told. You