Princes of Ireland - Edward Rutherfurd [264]
The castle sat in the city’s south-eastern corner. Where the old royal hall had once been, there was now a large courtyard separated from the rest of the city by a high curtain wall and a ditch. The entrance, across a drawbridge, was through a big gateway with two round turrets. Inside stood the Great Hall, the mint where coins were issued, and the numerous offices and residences of the royal officials. There was also a small chapel, dedicated to the former English king and saint, Edward the Confessor.
On arrival, Walsh was taken to a large, richly furnished chamber where, standing before the great fireplace, he found half a dozen men he knew, including Doyle and Harold. The Justiciar opened the proceedings.
“Nothing that is said in this meeting must be repeated outside,” he cautioned them. “Otherwise we could lose the essential element of surprise.” He paused. “Today, gentlemen, we face a very serious threat.” He outlined the expected attack on Carrickmines. “We have one week to prepare. That is all.” He turned to Walsh. “Had you any hint of this?”
Walsh was about to say that he had not, but then he remembered the dark-haired little O’Byrne girl. He briefly described the way she had been lurking about near Carrickmines. “I didn’t think it was significant,” he confessed.
“It was,” Harold interrupted. The others looked at him. “I’d prefer not to tell you how I know, but this girl is the message carrier. That is certain.”
“Do we have any idea of the size of this supposed attack?” Walsh asked. “I’m not sure the O’Byrnes would be strong enough to take Carrickmines anyway.”
He heard a grunt of impatience from Harold.
“We must take this threat seriously, Walsh,” the Justiciar reproved him. “That is our responsibility. And yours,” he added with a stern look.
“I can bring ten fully armed and mounted men,” Harold volunteered. “No doubt Walsh can come up with as many.”
Two of the other gentlemen indicated that they could bring small contingents. The Justiciar told them that he was awaiting news of what forces the city could produce. “But the important thing,” he pointed out, “is to collect our forces without being seen. I don’t want word getting out to the O’Byrnes that we’re expecting them. That of course,” he added, “may limit how many men we can pull together.”
“What about the squadron down at Dalkey?” Walsh asked. “That’s a valuable force of fully trained men.”
But to his surprise, the Justiciar looked doubtful and Harold also pursed his lips.
“We can’t be sure,” Harold pointed out, “that O’Byrne won’t strike Dalkey as well. We must also consider,” he glanced at the Justiciar, “that if we move the squadron from Dalkey to Carrickmines before the attack, O’Byrne is sure to hear of it. We don’t want to warn him off.”
There was an awkward pause. Though Harold’s point seemed reasonable enough, Walsh had the feeling that there was something he was not being told about the squadron at Dalkey. He also noticed that so far Doyle had listened, but said nothing. Now, however, the saturnine merchant spoke.
“It always seemed unlikely to me,” he quietly observed, “that O’Byrne would strike at Dalkey. If he wants to plunder the land around Dublin, then he must take Carrickmines first, because he cannot afford to have the fort operating behind him. As for Dalkey, the only thing of value there is my own house where, as it happens, I have few goods stored at the moment. But I would gladly sacrifice my house and a ship’s cargo, in any case, for a more important cause.” He looked around them all grimly. “The Justiciar has said that we face a serious threat. I beg to differ. If this information is correct, then this is not so much a threat as a great opportunity. By attacking Carrickmines, O’Byrne would give us all the provocation that we need. Let him come. Let us be waiting for him. Let him fall into a terrible trap. Then we smash him.” He pounded his fist into his hand. “We destroy him entirely. Kill his men. And let all Ireland hear of it.”
Even