The Faithful Heart (7 page)

 

 

The houses which had been placed inside the castle walls for
essential services such as blacksmithing were eerily silent, and the
stables nearly empty. The two good mounts she and Ruairc had come on
from the convent looked sadly out of place, and there was barely
enough for them to eat.

 

 

“The horses, the animals, what has happened?” Morgana exclaimed in
dismay.

 

 

“We all seem to have a wasting sickness, a blight on the land. Ever
since your brother died, if you will forgive my mentioning it,” said
Owen, the head of the stables, bowing as he recognised her under her
hood.

 

 

“But what of Adam?He was meant to oversee things in my absence.”

 

 

“He died a winter back. There has been little money coming in, for
we have barely any more trade. The estates here are starved for
supplies, and your father has taken no interest. He has left most
things to the new steward, Fergus, and your sister, trying to get
her to do her duty for the clan.”

 

 

Morgana shook her head. Her father must have lost his wits, for
Fergus MacGee, a distant cousin, was one of the most corrupt men she
had ever met, and Aofa couldn’t tell the difference between a horse
and a pig.

 

 

“Adam’s son, Sean, is he still about?”

 

 

“You’ll find him outside, in the village, with his mother. He and
she are the last left of the family.”

 

 

“But there were twelve sons!” Morgana gasped. “What has happened?”

 

 

“Those who haven’t died have moved, off to Dublin or Armagh or even
Scotland to find work.”

 

 

Morgana thanked Owen, and hastened to the castle portal.Once
outside, she practically ran away from the scene of devastation the
castle precincts had become.

 

 

But worse was to greet her outside, for the people remaining in the
village were like walking skeletons, and she barely recognised Sean,
so emaciated had he become. The defeat in his eyes was apparent as
he spoke at length, recounting the catalogue of disasters which had
befallen the clan.

 

 

“The prize bull was drown by the river, only weeks before the mating
time for the cows. The sheep suddenly developed a strange murrain,
and those that didn’t die, became bald. Without cattle or wool, the
clan is bound to fail.

 

 

"I know I am ignorant of ships in the family, but we haven’t had any
successful trade runs. Many of the ships have been lost at sea, or
so they say, and those who have managed to come back, have been
stripped of their cargo by pirates.”

 

 

“Who has taken the cargo?” Morgana demanded.

 

 

“People say it is the O’Donnells, but I think we should look closer
to home.”

 

 

“The MacMahons,” Morgana said flatly.

 

 

Sean nodded.

 

 

Morgana paced up and down in the filthy hovel, at a loss as to how
to proceed. So much needed to be done, and she felt so alone.

 

 

“I can do nothing about the ships until Patrick and Finn return, if
they return,” she added uneasily, “but there must be something I can
do now. There is desperate want here, and without people, this
estate will starve.Owen tells me all your brothers are gone?”

 

 

“Two of them died of starvation, before the rest finally agreed to
leave, to seek their fortunes.”

 

 

“Where are they now?Where is the nearest one?”

 

 

“One is in Clones to the south, the other in Ballyshannon to the
north west, with Angus up at Omagh.”

 

 

“In that case, I want you to sent them messages, telling them to
tell the old clansmen that I am back and in charge, and that they
should secretly return, and assemble themselves in the caves. I will
get food and supplies there, never fear. I am trusting you with the
fate of the entire clan here, Sean. I hope you will not let me
down.”

 

 

Sean took her hand and kissed it. “I knew you would come, Morgana.I
waited and waited, and I had almost given up hope. But I knew you
would save us, Morgana. Whatever you wish me to do, I will do it.”

 

 

“The next thing will be to get some stout lads to help. There must
be some food in the castle stores. I want you to distribute it, and
then I want you to go to Armagh, to sell some jewellery and plate,
for gold if you can get it, and for food, supplies, and beasts if
you can’t.”

 

 

“It will cost you dearly, Morgana,” Sean warned.

 

 

“It makes no difference. It will be more dear if we let the rest of
this estate fall into ruin. Get ten men, tell them to come to the
kitchens, contact your brothers, and I will come see you tomorrow
with the jewels.Tell no one of your charge, and try to find a way of
concealing the items about your person.”

 

 

“Robbers have been plying their trade briskly hereabouts, but over
by the convent their is a small pass through to Omagh. I will see
Angus myself, and press on to Armagh from there.”

 

 

“I must go. It’s getting late and I don’t want us to be seen
together, or else they will know I trust you.”

 

 

“There’s someone lurking over in the shadows over there!” Sean
whispered suddenly.

 

 

Morgana reacted promptly.

 

 

“Kiss me, quickly,” she whispered to her childhood playfellow.

 

 

He did as he was bid with only a second’s hesitation.

 

 

The kiss was sweet, not exactly chaste, and Morgana wondered in the
back of her mind why it didn’t compare with the kisses she had once
shared with Ruairc.

 

 

But then, I loved him, while I don’t love Sean,
she reflected
as she glanced around to see the figure moving towards her with
rapid strides, and detected the rust velvet doublet under the cloak.

 

 

“Thank you, Sean, I’ll see you soon,” Morgana said, grasping his
shoulder before running away, pretending she hadn’t seen Ruairc as
she went around the house and over to the baker’s hut.

 

 

The shelves where the golden loaves had once been laid out in
bounteous array were woefully empty. Morgana could see only the
poorest-quality grain in the last remaining meal sack.

 

 

“Michael, how has this happened?”

 

 

“No mill, no grain.The stream dried up, and the mill stone cracked.”

 

 

“Michael, millstones do not just crack!” Morgana said in
exasperation.

 

 

“All right then, it was deliberately destroyed by someone, and the
water was used to flood the fields during harvest time.We could save
nothing,” Michael admitted dejectedly.

 

 

“The stream, what course is it running down now?”

 

 

“We managed to unblock the diversion, so it is back to the old way,
but without a millstone, it's useless.”

 

 

“What about going to the quarry to get a new one?”

 

 

“We haven’t enough men, Morgana.Many have left.”

 

 

“I want you to go around looking for grain supplies, and I need you
to persuade people to come back now that I am in charge again. I
give you a week. At the end of the week we will meet at the caves.
They will need food and water, but all must be done in secret, for I
fear what will happen if the MacMahons find out that the Maguire
clan are not just going to lay down quietly and die.”

 

 

“And you, Morgana, are you staying?” Michael demanded.

 

 

She shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. I am meant to be taking my vows in
two weeks, but Patrick and Finn are coming. If they are here at the
end of a fortnight, they can take over from me.”

 

 

“No one can take over from you, Morgana, and well you know it," the
tall young man asserted impatiently. "Conor would never have been
half the man you are even had he lived, and your father knows it. He
lost you both, and he has had little interest in anything since.”

 

 

“He lost me a long time before that, Michael,” Morgana said
bitterly.

 

 

Her friend patted her on the shoulder. “Nothing worthwhile is gained
without struggle, my dear.If you had been a pampered princess like
your sister, all would have been very different. Given a choice,
would you not rather be the way you are now, independent, strong,
intelligent?” Michael argued.

 

 

She smiled gently at his kind words. “You are right, of course. I
can’t blame Father, not when he is so close to death. Now, I will
come to you tomorrow with money for grain. Go to the midlands, all
the way south if you have to, but we need wheat, barley, rye and
oats.Sean is distributing food, but I want you to keep our meeting a
secret from everyone.”

 

 

“You have no need to fear us here, Morgana.All of us who are left
stayed on because we hoped one day you would return. We would die
for you, Morgana, as well you know.”

 

 

Morgana hugged her old friend, and again, out of the corner of her
eye, she saw Ruairc lurking in the distance. “One last question.Has
Mary stayed on as well?”

 

 

“Aye, she’s in her shop, though few have any call for new clothes
nowadays.”

 

 

“I shall go to see her, and then head back to the castle to organise
food.”

 

 

“Bless you, Morgana,” Michael called.

 

 

“And you, my dear friend.”

 

 

Mary, a dark haired, attractive woman in her mid-thirties, who had
once been Morgana’s housekeeper, before suddenly leaving to start
her own business as a dressmaker, was overjoyed to see her young
mistress.

 

 

She gave her honest opinion of the situation. “It will all fall to
wrack and ruin if we do not act soon. All the ships, the animals,
nearly everything is gone now.”

 

 

“Tell me about your son Seamus. Is he still alive?”

 

 

“He is in Belleek, with the rest of the fleet, in winter quarters.”

 

 

Morgana frowned. “We always sailed throughout the winter in the old
days.”

 

 

“Not with these ship you won’t.” Mary shook her head. “They haven’t
enough men to crew them, and they’re in poor repair.”

 

 

Morgana sighed. “I shall go out tomorrow, if Father is able to be
left on his own. I need to see for myself just how bad it is. And
with any luck I might get word of Patrick and Finn’s homecoming."

 

 

Her companion nodded, and offered her some refreshment.

 

 

Though Morgana was hungry, she refused. After all the deprivation
she had seen that even, she was sure any morsel she partook of would
choke her.

 

 

"Nay, nothing for me, thank you, Mary. But there is something you
can do for me."

 

 

"Aye, if I can, my lady."

 

 

"I know you have your dressmaking busines, but I would count it as a
great favor if you would come work for me again."

 

 

She stared at Morgana. "How can I help?"

 

 

"I want you to come back and take stock of all we have and all we
need. I also want you to audit the family accounts. You could
calculate our wealth down to the last penny in the old days, and
will know what state our affairs were in two years ago. I have never
trusted Fergus, and I will get back all he has stolen, that I
promise you.”

 

 

“Have you seen him yet?” Mary asked, her tone fraught with worry.

 

 

“No, why?” Morgana countered.

 

 

“No reason, really. But I would counsel you to show some
forbearance, for your anger will sometimes get the better of you,”
Mary advised.

 

 

Morgana smiled tightly. “Two years in the convent has taught me the
value of patience.”

 

 

“All the same, tread carefully.Fergus is a MacGee. He has some
friends within his own family and amongst the MacMahons.”

 

 

“I will not harbour thieves and traitors in Lisleavan, as you well
know,” Morgana said with the toss of her head.

 

 

The older woman nodded. "Just be careful of him. The damage he has
done already is nothing compared to what he might try to do now that
you are back and poking your nose into what he deems to be his
affairs."

 

 

"I could say the same for you. If you do as I ask, you'll be putting
yourself at risk as well," Morgana warned her friend.

 

 

"Aye, but risk brings reward, as you know. You used to be the
greatest trader in the region."

 

 

Morgana squared her shoulders at that reminder. "I will be again."

 

 

Mary started to gather her things. "I’ll head up to the castle now
and get started. Fergus certainly won't be in the estate office
now," she said with a smirk.

 

 

"Er, no." Morgana blushed at the recollection of her cousin's
dissolute habits.

 

 

She stepped out into the crisp evening air, and had not gone three
steps when she heard Ruairc bellow, “There you are! Where have you
been!”

 

 

She turned to face him, and knew full well from the anger which
glinted in his eyes that he had seen both of her seemingly romantic
exchanges with her two childhood companions.

 

 

“I’ve been going around surveying the pitiful remains of my domain,
and you've been following me around, spying on me.”

 

 

Ruairc sought to deny her accusation, but she spat, “Please spare me
the protestations of innocence. I saw you following me and
recognised the color of your doublet under your cloak.”