Princes of Ireland - Edward Rutherfurd [85]
It was nearly midday when one of the slaves announced that a chariot was approaching. Larine rose, looked through the gateway of the rath, and went out. A long pause followed. Obviously the two bishops were conferring. Perhaps, Deirdre thought, as she followed Larine to the gateway, Bishop Patrick would go away.
The cortege which had halted a short distance in front of the entrance to the rath consisted of a chariot, a large wagon, and several horsemen. The chariot, which led the way, was magnificent and could have been a king’s. Deirdre had to admit she was impressed. From the wagons, a number of priests were emerging; there seemed to be five of them, along with the several young men on the horses who, by their rich dress and golden ornaments, were clearly sons of princes. They were forming a little procession. The priests were dressed in white. From the chariot she now saw a grey-haired man descending, also in white. He was not especially tall, but he stood very upright. He took his place just behind the priests, with Larine behind him and followed by the rest of the party. The single priest who led the procession now raised a tall staff in the air. It was not a cross, such as Larine had brought, but at the end of the long shaft was a curved head, like a shepherd’s crook, polished so that it shone. When the priest raised it high in the air, it gleamed in the sun.
Slowly the procession came towards the gateway. Deirdre and the family watched silently. She noticed that all the slaves had come out to the side of the track and that they were kneeling. The procession reached the gateway and started to enter the rath. But when the bishop from the north reached the entrance, he stopped, knelt down, and kissed the ground. Then, straightening, he passed inside. They drew up in front of the doorway to the house. There was nothing else, in courtesy, that she or her family could do but welcome him and offer him the usual hospitality. As soon as this was done, the man from Ulster gave her a kindly smile, and in a clear voice announced: “Gratias agamus.”
Deirdre realised that this was Latin, but did not know what it meant.
“Let us give thanks,” Larine called out.
So this, thought Deirdre, was Bishop Patrick.
There was no mistaking his authority. He had a fine, aristocratic face. His eyes were very clear and sharp, but there was something special—she could see it at once—an aura of spirituality that seemed to radiate from him, and which was impressive. With two priests close behind him, he started on a little tour of inspection. First he went over to where two of the female slaves were still kneeling, briefly inspected their hands and their teeth, nodded, apparently satisfied, and proceeded to her brothers. He looked at them only briefly, then he moved on. He came to Morna and looked long and hard at him, while Morna blushed. Then he said something in Latin to Larine. Deirdre had not known the clever druid spoke Latin nowadays.
“What does he say?” she demanded.
“That your son has an honest face.”
Bishop Patrick was coming to her now. She was conscious that before he reached her, she had already been keenly observed. She was aware of his thinning grey hair as he bowed his head courteously before her.
As he moved on to inspect two more of the slaves, Morna was standing at her side. She could see that the bishop had greatly impressed him.
Bishop Patrick had completed his circle. He glanced across to Larine, nodded his head in a way that indicated that Larine should stay where he was, and then returned to Deirdre and Morna.
“I am sorry for your trouble, Deirdre, daughter of Fergus,” he said to her. He was speaking in her own tongue now. His eyes, looking out from under a thatch of grey eyebrows, seemed to see everything. “I hear you were a good daughter.”
“I was.” She couldn’t help it, whether the man was her enemy or not, she was touched.
“And it’s yourself, I should say,” Bishop Patrick continued, “who holds everything together here. Isn’t that so?”
“It is,” she said with feeling.
“Thanks be to God for that.” He smiled