Eye of the Law (29 page)

Malachy was already there at Rathborney. He looked deeply uncomfortable when he saw Mara and his daughter, but said nothing. Mara gave him a quick nod and greeted Ronan, the son of Caireen, gravely inspecting the two horses, the battered medical bag, probably belonging to the boy’s father, she thought, and the plain knife with its blade of steel and its handle of smooth alder wood and directed Fachtnan to make a note of the animals and the articles. There was no sign of Ronan’s mother, of course, she noticed: Caireen was a woman who worked from behind the scenes. She wheeled her horse around and faced Malachy and his future son-in-law, including Cavan and her scholars in her glance.

‘The procedure for
tellach
, legal entry, has been correctly carried out,’ she said. ‘This is classed as
céttellach
, first entry. The claimant must now withdraw and the person who is occupying the land, that is Nuala, through her father Malachy, may now consent to submit to arbitration after five days.’

‘And what if I refuse,’ said Nuala, chin in the air.

‘Then the claimant may make a second entry and then a final entry, twenty days after the first entry, which is today.’ Mara kept her voice neutral but felt annoyed with herself that she had not told Nuala what to do while they were back in Cahermacnaghten. She moved her horse and all eyes followed her. To her pleasure, she saw that Fachtnan took the opportunity to whisper in Nuala’s ear. It didn’t take long, just a minute, but Nuala was quick and clever.

‘I submit to arbitration,’ she said.

‘And so do I,’ said Malachy, earning a scowl from his daughter.

‘Let me fill you all in on the background of this case, then, before we proceed to arbitration,’ Mara said gravely. ‘Toin, the now deceased owner of this property, was the son of the royal harpist. He was apprenticed to a physician at an early age and he received no kin lands from his father or any member of his family. His wealth, which enabled him to buy the property at Rathborney, was acquired solely through his own professional works, through his dedication and his excellence as a physician. Now if he had direct kin, son, grandsons, first cousins, nephews;
derbh-fine
, in other words, he would still have had the right to dispose of two-thirds of the property, but he did not. In any case, as it is, Ronan’s father was not even a first cousin, so not of the
derbh
-fine, therefore Toin had a perfect right to make the will as he did and to leave the entire property at Rathborney to Nuala, daughter of Malachy the physician, in the kingdom of the Burren.’

There was silence when she had finished. Mara purposely did not look at Cavan; he would be humiliated and she was sorry about that. However, this had to be stopped as soon as possible and it was better that he should be humiliated here than in the presence of the king and kingdom at Poulnabrone. She had given him a chance back in Cahermacnaghten and he had not accepted it. In future he would be more circumspect and remember to consult his law texts more thoroughly. She dismissed him from his mind and turned her eyes to Malachy. He had a dark skin, as she did herself, and that skin did not easily show pallor, but now he looked sallow and suddenly older than he normally appeared. He said nothing, did not look at his daughter. He moved towards Ronan and there was something in his bearing that reminded Mara of a dog who knew it had done wrong and that it was going to be scolded. No doubt Caireen would have much to say about this. It would have been a good solution for her large family if they could have seized the farm and house at Rathborney, but it was not going to happen while Mara was Brehon of the Burren.

‘So what do you want to do?’ Mara asked Ronan briskly. ‘Give up this claim or go for arbitration in five days’ time at Poulnabrone? Talk it over with your lawyer but remember it’s your decision. I’ll walk my horse down the lane while you are making up your mind.’

‘No need,’ said Ronan bitterly. ‘I withdraw my claim. There is no point in going to arbitration if that is the case. I was misled.’ He shared a glare impartially between Malachy and the unfortunate Cavan and then hooking the bridle of one horse over his arm, and mounting the other, he rode away without a backward glance.

More brains than his mother, thought Mara and then said aloud, ‘Well, we’d better be getting back. What about you, Nuala? Would you like me to keep her for tonight, Malachy?’

‘You can keep her for as long as you like,’ said Malachy bitterly, ‘and then she can go and stay with her uncle at Lissylisheen. She’s no longer welcome in my house.’

And with that he mounted his horse and followed his future stepson at a slow pace up the hill.

Nuala, to Mara’s surprise, did not seem to be upset by her father’s outburst. Perhaps it wasn’t the first time that she had heard sentiments like that. Mara watched as she rode ahead. She appeared quite normal, joking and laughing with the boys. Mara turned to Cavan.

‘Well, I’m not sure that you are going to get paid for your trouble on that case,’ she said with a friendly grin. ‘If you don’t mind me giving you a little advice, it’s good to check all the facts before you take something on. Did you know the family well?’

‘I just met them a couple of times when I was at Galway.’ Cavan didn’t seem too bothered. His voice was careless and quite cheerful. ‘As a matter of fact,’ he said with a burst of frankness, ‘I only took that case on this morning. I called in at Caherconnell this morning; I half-hoped I would be invited to a meal and Caireen asked me to help.’

‘I see.’ Mara was amused. ‘Well, what about coming and having dinner with us before you go on your way? I wouldn’t waste time demanding a fee. Now why don’t you go ahead and ride with Fachtnan and the others? I’m taking everything at walking pace these days.’

Well, that was just a piece of opportunism to get hold of the young lawyer this morning, thought Mara. No doubt Caireen and her son would have waited for a while before staging the dramatic bid for the Rathborney property if Cavan hadn’t turned up. He seemed cheerful and resigned now, riding ahead with Fachtnan. Nuala had fallen back and was joking with Aidan. Their voices floated back to Mara.

‘Well, I suppose you wanted me to lose my property just so that you had the pleasure of getting out of school,’ she said.

‘You’d have got it back in the end. They had no case,’ said Aidan cheerfully, ‘but it would have been fun seeing him doubling up his horses and his witnesses every time and seeing what sureties he managed to find.’

It wasn’t fun to everyone though, thought Mara, thinking of Malachy’s face. To him it was deadly serious. He was a man of very strong passions; she had known that about him for a long time. It worried her to think what measures this infatuation for that stupid woman, Caireen, might have driven him to. Something would have to be done about Nuala; she had to be safeguarded. Let her enjoy the fun and the teasing for the rest of the short ride back to Cahermacnaghten, but then a serious talk would have to be had.

‘You go in and have your dinner now, all of you,’ said Mara when they reached the gates of Cahermacnaghten. She wondered whether she had the strength left within her to make the effort to ride over to Lissylisheen, but decided reluctantly that all she wanted to do now was to lie on her bed for half an hour before afternoon school. Still, the problem about Nuala would have to be solved immediately. She would have to rely on Ardal’s good nature and understanding of her condition. Slowly she walked her mare into the courtyard of the law school and sat on her mare for a moment. Bran came up, his tail wagging and his eyes inquisitive; he was wondering why she did not dismount. She looked at him affectionately, envying his vigour and good health. I must get this case solved, she thought, I must get it all settled before Easter, and Easter is at the beginning of April. All of the boys were going back to their homes for a week’s break before the start of the Trinity Term. She would have a rest then; hopefully there would be no urgent legal or political matters to deal with; she and Turlough would be together at Ballinalacken Castle. She imagined herself stretched out on the cushions in the big, three-mullioned window seat overlooking the sea and gave a deep sigh.

‘Are you well, Brehon?’ Cumhal sounded startled.

He was standing beside her, patiently waiting for her to dismount. He must have heard her sigh. Quickly she straightened her back and took his outstretched hand and climbed awkwardly from the mare on to the mounting block.

‘I’m fine, Cumhal,’ she lied, sitting on the block for a moment. ‘As well as can be expected,’ she amended. ‘I was just wishing that I had Bran’s energy. I really need to go over to Lissylisheen and at the same time I want to have a rest.’

‘If it’s the O’Lochlainn you want, Brehon, I’ll fetch him for you,’ said Cumhal firmly.

Mara bowed her head in acquiescence.

‘Tell him that there is no hurry, Cumhal. Some time today, if he can manage it.’

Mara had just begun to rise from the mounting block after a last caress of Bran who was anxiously licking her hand when the sound of lightly galloping horse feet rose from the road between Lissylisheen and Cahermacnaghten. Cumhal came back out of the stable.

‘That sounds like the O’Lochlainn,’ he said. ‘He has a new mare. He’s trying out her paces. I’ve seen him go up and down past here a few times this morning.’

Ardal’s new horse was enjoying the ride and its hooves danced on the hard stone road. Mara came to the gate of Cahermacnaghten to admire.

‘What a beautiful mare!’ she exclaimed, admiring the picture of the copper-haired man and the strawberry-blond mare.

‘I came down to find how everything went at Aran.’ Ardal dismounted from the mare in one fluid movement.

‘Very well,’ said Mara firmly.

He nodded, but asked no questions about the reactions from the islanders. Ardal would not push for details. He was a man of very delicate feelings.

‘And you didn’t find the journey too much for you? You are well?’

Mara looked at him affectionately. He looked well himself. He had a glow of happiness about him.

‘Could you spare me a few minutes, Ardal? Cumhal will get one of the men to walk your mare up and down, will that be all right? We’ll just go down to my house; I won’t delay you too long.’

‘Of course, Brehon.’ He handed over the mare to Cumhal instantly and followed her down the road and up the path to the Brehon’s house.

‘You had good weather for your trip,’ he remarked as he held the door open.

‘Perfect for the trip; it was quite misty on the island, but the sea was calm coming and going. The wind even changed direction just to suit us.’ Brigid had a fire burning and the room was warm and comforting. Mara sat on a cushioned seat beside the fireplace, bending down to throw some aromatic pinecones on to the blaze and Ardal sat opposite to her.

‘Yes, I saw the mist over the islands . . . I saw it from Galway . . .’

There was a note of hesitancy in Ardal’s voice and Mara turned to look at him inquiringly. He had a slight smile on his lips and his very blue eyes seemed to sparkle with pleasure at some inner thought.

‘You look very happy today,’ she said impulsively.

His smile broadened. He tugged at the copper curls of his moustache.

‘My child was born early this morning, soon after midnight,’ he said quietly. ‘A little boy.’

‘Ardal, how wonderful!’ Mara beamed a smile of immense delight at him. For years there had been rumours that Ardal had a wife of the fourth degree, a fisherman’s daughter, somewhere on the Atlantic coastline beyond Galway, but Ardal himself had never spoken of the matter to Mara.

‘What have you both decided on as a name for the little fellow?’

‘Marta would like to call him Finn, after my father.’ Ardal’s face bore a tender brooding look. ‘He’s a red-head, like me,’ he added.

‘A good name for him: Finn the golden-haired.’

Mara hesitated. Ardal was a very private man and she was uncertain whether what she was going to say would be welcome, but she felt that it needed to be said. She stretched across, put her hand on his arm and looked intently into his face. ‘Ardal, shouldn’t this little boy, this new Finn, shouldn’t he be brought up in Lissylisheen as your son and your heir?’

She expected him to turn away, but he didn’t. He took her hand in his and squeezed it. With a feeling of shock she realized that he was near to tears. The birth of a son seemed to have pierced his armour. She had known him since her childhood, but had never seen him like this before.

‘It won’t be altogether my decision,’ he said eventually. ‘Marta does not want to leave her family. She can’t bear not to live within sight and sound of the sea.’

‘Then, I shall just pray that together you come to the right decision for you and for your son.’ Mara got to her feet, went to the press in the corner of the room and took down a silver goblet. ‘This is for the baby; give it to him with my love, and my love also to his mother. When my baby is born then you must bring your son and his mother to see me. The children will be of almost the same age.’ She felt very moved by this news of a successful birth and her spirits rose. She blinked the tears from her eyes and saw him pass his hand across his face.

Ardal was the first to recover. ‘You said that you wanted to see me about something, Brehon,’ he said, his tone holding its normal polite, efficient note.

‘I was going to ask a favour of you.’ Mara smiled at him. She hesitated for a moment, rearranging matters in her mind and then decided to tell him the whole story of the morning, finishing with Malachy’s angry words.

It would not be Ardal’s style to break out in a torrent of abuse against his brother-in-law, but Mara expected him, at least, to express a cold disapproval of such conduct. He did not, however, and Mara was intrigued to recognize almost a look of pity on the neat-featured face in front of her.

‘You’re not surprised,’ she commented.

‘No.’ There was such a long gap after the monosyllable that she thought he would say no more. He tugged his moustache and frowned slightly.