Read Online Verdict of the Court by Cora Harrison - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cora Harrison
Ads: Link
ended.
‘And has there been a marriage fixed up for you?’ Usually fosterage for a girl ended when a marriage contract was drawn up – in fact it was normally the business of the foster-father to arrange this.
Shona faced her courageously. ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘there was talk of a marriage with a nephew of Brehon MacClancy, but I don’t think that will happen now.’ She glanced across at the dead body in the window recess opposite and then gave Mara a challenging look.
‘I see,’ said Mara. This time she did not prevent Shona leaving her, but gazed after her thoughtfully for a moment. Shona’s younger sister was very skilled with the use of a knife – what about Shona herself? Did Brehon MacClancy’s absence from the castle where the MacMahon children were being fostered mean that Shona also ran wild? ‘Send your brother and sister over to me, will you?’ she called after the girl.
Cael and Cian wore determinedly tough expressions when they lounged over. Everything in their bearing seemed to be calculated to warn Mara that they were not impressed by her status and authority. She pointed towards the bench on the other side of the table and allowed a long silence to elapse before she addressed them. A tough pair, she thought. Most children of that age would be starting to look uncomfortable by that stage but Cael and Cian just stared at her appraisingly. She stared back but to her surprise they were the ones who spoke first.
‘How old are you?’ asked Cael.
‘How long have you been a Brehon?’ demanded Cian.
‘Why do you wear your hair like that?’ asked Cael.
‘Do you enjoy your work?’ was Cian’s next contribution.
‘Why do you talk like that and keep ordering everyone about?’ Cael seemed to think that was a good question. A triumphant look shone in her eyes. They had probably forestalled the sort of questions that adults usually asked them.
Mara sat back in amazement. She tried to look stern but then felt her lips pucker. She could not help herself and decided to make the best of matters. She put down her pen and laughed. The twins’ saintly expressions became somewhat uneasy and they looked at her suspiciously.
‘Do you know,’ said Mara confidentially, ‘I think I might have made a mistake about you.’ She allowed a silence to fall before adding with an innocent expression, ‘I thought that you looked clever and I imagined that you would be a great help to me.’
They looked at each other and then Cael looked across at Cormac, who was writing down something said by Turlough’s daughter-in-law, Ellice, and jerked her thumb, saying, ‘Like him?’
‘No, not that sort of work, more like secret spies. The King of England has secret spies so why not a Brehon in Ireland? I thought you might be good at that as you can slip in and out of places quickly without being noticed.’
They exchanged another glance. ‘Would we get paid some silver?’ demanded Cael.
‘You would have to speak to the King about that,’ replied Mara firmly.
There was another silence and then an almost imperceptible nod passed between the twins.
‘All right,’ said Cael. She appeared to be the leader of the two, but Mara addressed herself to Cian. ‘I have to test you first,’ she said solemnly. ‘It’s no good taking you on unless you prove that you will be useful to me.’
‘Try us.’ Cian squared his shoulders and sat up very straight.
‘And then you’ll have to draw up a contract,’ warned Cael.
Mara looked at her with respect. ‘I can see that you’ve studied the law,’ she said admiringly, ‘but first of all the test. Now, you were the last of the dancers to come back up the stairs, I remember; was Brehon MacClancy alive at that stage?’
‘Alive; he farted,’ said Cian without hesitation. He watched Mara for signs of shock.
‘Dead people can fart, birdbrain,’ said Cael. ‘Dead cows do, anyway. What you should have said was that after he farted, he looked at the flagon and
‘And has there been a marriage fixed up for you?’ Usually fosterage for a girl ended when a marriage contract was drawn up – in fact it was normally the business of the foster-father to arrange this.
Shona faced her courageously. ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘there was talk of a marriage with a nephew of Brehon MacClancy, but I don’t think that will happen now.’ She glanced across at the dead body in the window recess opposite and then gave Mara a challenging look.
‘I see,’ said Mara. This time she did not prevent Shona leaving her, but gazed after her thoughtfully for a moment. Shona’s younger sister was very skilled with the use of a knife – what about Shona herself? Did Brehon MacClancy’s absence from the castle where the MacMahon children were being fostered mean that Shona also ran wild? ‘Send your brother and sister over to me, will you?’ she called after the girl.
Cael and Cian wore determinedly tough expressions when they lounged over. Everything in their bearing seemed to be calculated to warn Mara that they were not impressed by her status and authority. She pointed towards the bench on the other side of the table and allowed a long silence to elapse before she addressed them. A tough pair, she thought. Most children of that age would be starting to look uncomfortable by that stage but Cael and Cian just stared at her appraisingly. She stared back but to her surprise they were the ones who spoke first.
‘How old are you?’ asked Cael.
‘How long have you been a Brehon?’ demanded Cian.
‘Why do you wear your hair like that?’ asked Cael.
‘Do you enjoy your work?’ was Cian’s next contribution.
‘Why do you talk like that and keep ordering everyone about?’ Cael seemed to think that was a good question. A triumphant look shone in her eyes. They had probably forestalled the sort of questions that adults usually asked them.
Mara sat back in amazement. She tried to look stern but then felt her lips pucker. She could not help herself and decided to make the best of matters. She put down her pen and laughed. The twins’ saintly expressions became somewhat uneasy and they looked at her suspiciously.
‘Do you know,’ said Mara confidentially, ‘I think I might have made a mistake about you.’ She allowed a silence to fall before adding with an innocent expression, ‘I thought that you looked clever and I imagined that you would be a great help to me.’
They looked at each other and then Cael looked across at Cormac, who was writing down something said by Turlough’s daughter-in-law, Ellice, and jerked her thumb, saying, ‘Like him?’
‘No, not that sort of work, more like secret spies. The King of England has secret spies so why not a Brehon in Ireland? I thought you might be good at that as you can slip in and out of places quickly without being noticed.’
They exchanged another glance. ‘Would we get paid some silver?’ demanded Cael.
‘You would have to speak to the King about that,’ replied Mara firmly.
There was another silence and then an almost imperceptible nod passed between the twins.
‘All right,’ said Cael. She appeared to be the leader of the two, but Mara addressed herself to Cian. ‘I have to test you first,’ she said solemnly. ‘It’s no good taking you on unless you prove that you will be useful to me.’
‘Try us.’ Cian squared his shoulders and sat up very straight.
‘And then you’ll have to draw up a contract,’ warned Cael.
Mara looked at her with respect. ‘I can see that you’ve studied the law,’ she said admiringly, ‘but first of all the test. Now, you were the last of the dancers to come back up the stairs, I remember; was Brehon MacClancy alive at that stage?’
‘Alive; he farted,’ said Cian without hesitation. He watched Mara for signs of shock.
‘Dead people can fart, birdbrain,’ said Cael. ‘Dead cows do, anyway. What you should have said was that after he farted, he looked at the flagon and
Similar Books
