Princes of Ireland - Edward Rutherfurd [201]
“Go to the Fish Shambles, Una,” he instructed. “Find out what’s happening.”
The sloping market street was full of people hurrying in every direction, some towards the quays, others up the slope to Christ Church. She stopped several people, but no one seemed to have a definite view about what was happening; and she was wondering what to do when she saw Father Gilpatrick coming swiftly towards her. They knew each other slightly and he gave her a friendly nod. She asked his advice.
“The archbishop is already riding out to talk to them,” he told her. “He’s determined to avoid any bloodshed. I’m going to join him now myself.”
When she returned with this news, Kevin MacGowan pondered.
It seemed to him that the chances were good. Whatever you thought of him, even King Diarmait was hardly going to ignore his saintly brother-in-law.
“We can wait awhile to see what happens,” he told his family. “Una, you’d better go back to the wall. Let us know at once if anything starts to happen.” It was a shock when she got to the wall this time. She could hardly believe they could have come so close, so soon. The nearest line of men was not three hundred yards away. She could see their faces as they stared sternly towards the walls. Detachments of knights, men-at-arms, and archers were drawn up at intervals and seemed to stretch all the way round the walls.
Straight ahead a quarter mile down the main road, she could see Archbishop O’Toole. He was mounted in the Irish style, without a saddle, on a small grey horse. Behind him were several other churchmen, including Father Gilpatrick’s father. The archbishop was in deep conversation with a bearded man, whom she took to be King Diarmait, and a tall man with long moustaches and an impassive face. That would be Strongbow. All the way along the lines, the men stood motionless. Towards one corner of the wall, some of the mounted men seemed restless, but she supposed that might be their horses. Occasionally one of the knights would wheel out of the line and make a circle before coming back. She saw Father Gilpatrick ride out from the open gate and join his father and the other priests. Still nobody moved. The archbishop was dismounting now. So were King Diarmait and Strongbow. Men were bringing stools for them to sit on. Obviously the negotiations were going to take some time. She looked away from the scene for the moment and glanced down into the lane behind her. And then she stared in shock.
Fionnuala was walking down the lane below the wall. She wasn’t alone either. There were half a dozen boys with her. They were laughing, and she was flirting, too, by the look of it. She’d ruffled the hair of one of the boys and she was just putting her arm round another. They couldn’t possibly be unaware of the danger outside the walls. Perhaps they didn’t imagine the English would get in. But it wasn’t their stupidity, nor even Fionnuala’s flirting, that really shocked her. It was the fact that Fionnuala was supposed to be at the hospital. She had promised. Who was looking after the patients? She felt a surge of indignation.
“Fionnuala!” she cried out. “Fionnuala!”
Fionnuala looked up in surprise.
“Una. What are you doing there?”
“Never mind that. What are you doing? Why aren’t you at the hospital?”
“I was bored.” Fionnuala made a funny face. But it wasn’t funny.
Una only glanced over the wall long enough to see that the archbishop was still deep in his discussions. Then she raced to the steps, flew down them, and, ignoring the boys entirely, made straight for Fionnuala. She was in a fury. She had never been so angry. Fionnuala, seeing that she was serious, started to run, but Una caught up and grabbed her hair.
“You liar!” she screamed. “You stupid, useless bitch!” She slapped Fionnuala’s face as hard as she could. Fionnuala slapped her back, but this time Una hit her with her clenched fist. Fionnuala screamed, broke away, and started running again. Una could hear the boys laughing behind her. She didn’t care. She ran after Fionnuala. She wanted to hurt her and she wanted to hurt her badly. Such