Scales of Retribution

by Cora Harrison

  ‘I’m sorry to interrupt you all, but I am anxious to solve this murder,’ said Mara with false concern, smiling as books were shut and six bright faces turned towards her. She laughed then. It was obvious that her scholars were eagerly awaiting her arrival.

  ‘Let’s plan this well,’ she said perching on the edge of her desk. ‘I can’t do much walking and certainly no riding so you must be my eyes and ears.’

  ‘And carry your knowledge of the law,’ said Enda with a grin.

  ‘And make careful notes,’ said Shane, lifting his dark eyebrows.

  ‘Have you found out any more information, Brehon?’ asked Hugh.

  ‘Well, I found out from Nuala that she thinks the body was discovered at about ten o’clock in the morning. It was just about milking time, anyway, so that’s a valuable piece of information as people tend to remember seeing cows driven along the road towards the milking parlour.’ Mara decided that she would not mention Murrough’s defiant statement for the moment. Other suspects needed to be investigated first.

  ‘What would you like each of us to do, Brehon?’ asked Fachtnan.

  ‘I was thinking, Fachtnan, that you could go over to Caherconnell. See Caireen. Be very polite and respectful – I don’t need to tell you how to behave. You are very good at this sort of thing – probably better than me! Try to find out whether she was alone in the house – except for the servants, of course. I really want to know whether Ronan was present – the other boys are spending the summer in Galway with Caireen’s sister, but, in any case, Ronan is the one that I am interested in. Fachtnan, you will have to be very tactful about your questioning . . .’ she broke off, wondering whether she was expecting too much, but he gave a grin.

  ‘I know what to do,’ he said. ‘I’ve watched you do it again and again – just slip in an extra question. I’ll do my best – I won’t be as good as you at it, though.’

  ‘You might be better, Fachtnan,’ said Mara. ‘Most people like you, and I’m certain that Caireen loathes and detests me. You’ll do well, I’m sure.’

  ‘What about us?’ asked Moylan and Aidan, speaking in unison as usual.

  ‘Well, I was thinking that you, Moylan, and Hugh worked very well as a team during the last case that we dealt with, so perhaps you two could work together again and talk to the people around Caherconnell – find out what they were doing around the time that the cows were being taken for milking. Find out whether they noticed any stranger, or any acquaintance – anyone, in fact, who was around Caherconnell at that time. Could you do that?’

  Moylan gave a crisp nod and Hugh looked pleased.

  ‘And then Aidan and Shane could investigate the farms to see who bought wolfsbane from Malachy. That’s a huge task, of course, so start off looking at the farms near to Caherconnell and then spread out if you have time. Of course, you could always drop a question about whether anything is known of someone who did buy the stuff – or who definitely didn’t – and that could save you quite a bit of journeying. You understand what I mean.’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ said Aidan with a lordly nod. ‘And I’ll explain it to Shane.’

  Mara smiled her thanks, though inwardly she was quite certain that eleven-year-old Shane was far more intelligent and alert than fifteen-year-old Aidan.

  ‘What would you like me to do, Brehon?’ asked Enda respectfully.

  ‘Well, Enda, I wondered whether you would take a note of thanks over to Blár O’Connor, the wheelwright. I want to tell him how much the king admired the cradle . . .’ She stopped because Enda was regarding her with a sceptical smile. He knew quite well that a note like this could easily be sent by one of the lads that worked under Cumhal’s direction, or else by young Nessa.

  Mara returned his smile. ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘there’s more than that to it, of course. You see, Blár O’Connor is in my mind as a likely suspect. Not only was he cheated by Malachy, who deliberately kept a wound in his arm from healing so that he could extract more and more silver for more and more useless jars of that salve made from comfrey, but also, because of his inhumanity in refusing to come to treat Blár’s son who had been gored by a bull, Malachy was responsible for the boy’s death. You yourselves told me that Blár used wolfsbane to get rid of the wolves at Binne Roe, so that would mean he had the means for the murder close to hand.’

  ‘So you want me to nose about and to find out what he was doing on that morning at about ten o’clock,’ said Enda.

  ‘That’s right,’ said Mara. ‘Though, in fact, I’m not sure exactly what I want you to do – probe a bit, I think, go by your instinct, see what he is willing to talk about. It might help if you had a few conversation topics in your head – questions to ask him about types of wood, that sort of thing. He and my son-in-law were deep in a discussion about that yesterday evening. You see, I think that he had the strongest motive really of all of our suspects.’ Her thoughts went to little Cormac. Would she kill someone who killed her son? At the moment, she thought, the answer might be ‘yes’.

  ‘I’ll do my best,’ said Enda.

  ‘And your best is always worth having, Enda,’ returned Mara. ‘Fachtnan, would you have a word with Cumhal about the ponies. You will all definitely need to ride as you have a lot of work ahead of you. Moylan and Aidan, will you ask Brigid to put together some food and something to drink for you all to carry with you. I think Eileen is over there so she will help Brigid to do that. Hugh and Shane, would you collect the satchels from the scholars’ house and bring them over to the kitchen house. You four can help with the food, then, also. I’m sure that Brigid will need all the assistance that she can get. She had a busy day yesterday with all of the excitement. She must be tired. Enda, you and I will sort out the pieces of vellum and the ink horns for everyone to carry with them. My father used to say that a note straight after an interview is worth a hundred notes made two hours later.’

  They had heard it all before, even the quotation from her father, their smiles assured her, but she was not repentant. Things repeated over and over again in youth tended to stay in the memory. These boys had to retain a huge amount of information and almost every hour of her days during the terms of Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity was devoted to ensuring that this information was fed to them in all ways possible.

  ‘Enda,’ said Mara when the other five had departed, ‘I wanted to make an opportunity to talk to you. It has always been the custom at this law school to have a party to celebrate the success of a scholar, or scholars, who have passed the examination to qualify as an aigne (lawyer). You deserve to have this celebration. You are still only sixteen and so you are my youngest pupil ever to become a qualified lawyer. I would love to have a celebration, but I feel bad about Fachtnan. Last year was different. Fachtnan, on my advice, did not take the examination. This year, I was fairly confident that he would pass – but you know what happened. It can’t be helped now, but . . .’ She stopped and looked at him appealingly.

  Enda’s tanned cheeks flushed a deeper shade of rose. ‘The last thing that I want is one of those parties. I remember Colman’s and I thought it was a bore, and an opportunity for him to show off. I wouldn’t do that, but I’d have to listen to people saying things about me . . .’ he fidgeted for a moment and then said, ‘But if you could spare me, Brehon, for an hour or so, perhaps on Saturday, I’d like to ride across to Glenslade and tell Mairéad O’Lochlainn about my good news.’

  ‘Of course,’ said Mara heartily. She busied herself sorting out some scraps of vellum from the cupboard in order to hide her smile. Enda and Mairéad O’Lochlainn, daughter of Donogh O’Lochlainn, Ardal’s brother, had appeared passionately in love last winter, but Enda had taken Mara’s advice and allowed the relationship to cool while he studied hard in order to pass his final examinations. Let him have a little fun, now, she thought. He deserves it. She turned around with a smile.

  ‘I’ve got a good idea,’ she said impulsively. ‘Tomorrow is the twenty-third of June. Why don’t we have a little party h
ere to celebrate midsummer’s eve and then you can all go on to the bonfire at Noughaval? This can be your celebration – but no speeches or fuss. I’ll write a note to invite all of the young O’Lochlainns. Shane and Aidan can deliver it – Glenslade would be a good farm to start their enquiries about wolfsbane. Donogh O’Lochlainn always knows what’s going on in the farms around his land. Who else would you like to ask, Enda?’

  ‘Nuala, of course, for Fachtnan,’ said Enda. ‘And Saoirse O’Brien and her brother, young Gilla, the O’Heynes and then there are the two O’Connors.’

  ‘What about Cuan from Newtown Castle? I don’t think he gets much fun – always tied to his mother’s apron strings. Would that be all right, Enda?’ As she spoke Mara was rapidly penning notes to the young people from farm, castle, dun and lios in the surrounding countryside of the Burren.

  ‘This is wonderful,’ she said with satisfaction. ‘Shane and Aidan can deliver these and ask their questions at the same time. Then there will be no fuss and no unease. This is the way that I like to do things.’

  Enda looked at her for a moment and then said awkwardly, ‘I would like to say now how much I have learned from you. I think that if I went to another law school – down to Cork, for instance, I might have learned the same laws, but I don’t think I would have learned as much of how to be a good Brehon, how to keep the peace in the kingdom . . . I think I will always be grateful to you and remember what you taught me.’ He tailed off, his cheeks now bright red. Neatly, he gathered up the pieces of vellum, quills and ink horns on to a tray and, without looking at her, went outside with them.

  How lucky that Mairéad O’Lochlainn was, thought Mara, looking after him affectionately as he crossed the yard to the kitchen house. He was tall and so handsome with his blue eyes, tanned skin, very white teeth and corn-gold hair. She would miss Enda, she thought with a sigh as she penned the last of her notes and then rapidly sorted them according to district.

  Aidan and Shane were going to have to ride fast in order to be able to deliver all of these and it would mean spending very little time in each place, but that was good. If they did it tactfully, people would remember the invitation and forget the question. Enda was right. Keeping the peace in the kingdom was probably the most important facet of her position as Brehon of the Burren and she hoped that this was something that her scholars had learned from her.

  Ten

  Cáin Lánamna

  (The Law of Marriage)

  There are nine kinds of sexual union under Brehon law:

  A union of joint property where both partners contribute transferable goods.

  A union of woman on man’s property where the woman has little to bring.

  A union of man on woman’s property where the woman is the main partner and the man has little to contribute.

  A union of man visiting where a man visits a woman in her own home with the consent of her kin.

  A union where the woman goes openly with a man without the consent of her kin.

  A union where the woman has been abducted.

  A union where secret visits take place without the consent or the knowledge of either kin group.

  A union by rape.

  A union between two insane persons.

  ‘Could I just have a quick word with you, Brehon, before I go? I just want your advice about something.’

  ‘You startled me, Fachtnan. I thought you had all gone.’ But one glance at Fachtnan’s worried face made her say quickly, ‘Come into the schoolhouse. We can be private there.’

  Once inside, Fachtnan seemed to have difficulty in beginning. Mara looked at him with surprise. He had a deeply troubled look. Perhaps he was worried over his failed examination, but somehow she did not think so. He had seemed quite happy with the offer of a teaching post; he was a humble boy. Unlike others that she had taught, this would not have been a great blow to his pride.

  ‘Is it about your future?’ she asked when the silence had grown to an uncomfortable length.

  He ran his hands through his rough, dark hair and looked at her with a hint of desperation in his eyes.

  ‘In a way, yes,’ he said. ‘At least I thought it might be my future, but it’s all come so quickly. I wasn’t expecting it.’

  Mara could not resist a smile at his puzzled, worried face. ‘Come on, Fachtnan,’ she coaxed. ‘Speak plainly. I’m too old for these riddles.’

  ‘It’s Nuala,’ he said, the words shooting out of him.

  ‘Nuala!’ Mara’s smile vanished. Had Fachtnan some evidence against Nuala, something that he feared might reveal an involvement with Malachy’s death?

  Fachtnan took a deep breath, opened his eyes very widely and said in almost a whisper. ‘She’s asked me to marry her.’

  ‘What!’ Mara felt quite flabbergasted. This was the last thing that she had imagined. ‘What do you mean? She just came up to you and asked you to marry her?’

  Fachtnan nodded. ‘That’s right. Moylan had told her that I had failed my examination and she wanted to tell me that it didn’t matter – that I could marry her and help her to manage the hospital that she wants to build at Rathborney. She said that there would be plenty of money for us both and for . . .’ Fachtnan paused and flushed slightly, ‘and for any children that we might have. I suppose it would be a union of a man on a woman’s property, as the law puts it. She says that I could manage the farm and help her with her hospital, and keep an eye on the children while she was busy with her doctoring.’

  ‘I see,’ said Mara dryly, ‘she seems to have thought of everything.’ A thought occurred to her. ‘And when did this happen?’

  ‘Just now, just a little while ago. She came to the gate and called me. And then we walked down the road together. She said that she had something to ask me, a favour, she said.’ Once again, Fachtnan blushed. ‘Then she talked about the examination and then she said, “I wonder would you think of marrying me, Fachtnan?”’

  ‘I see,’ said Mara again. Nuala, she presumed, had her bath, washed her hair, dressed in a clean léine, perhaps surveyed herself in the looking glass and decided not to waste the effect.

  ‘She’s only fourteen, too young,’ she said aloud, and then watching his downcast face, she asked gently, ‘What do you think yourself? Would this marriage suit you? You’ve always been good friends, you and Nuala?’

  ‘I did think I might marry her in a few years’ time,’ admitted Fachtnan. ‘But this seems to have come a bit suddenly. I—’ He broke off and looked at her. He looked confused and there was an appeal for help in his eyes.

  ‘In a way this is your business, your parents’ business and, of course, the business of Ardal O’Lochlainn, Nuala’s uncle,’ began Mara, but then she thought of her responsibilities. Fachtnan wanted help now. His parents were three days’ ride away. She had to give him her opinion.

  ‘I think if I were you,’ she continued, ‘I would not want, for Nuala’s sake as well as for your own, to take any such important step at the moment. Nuala has just lost her father and her emotional state is not good. I think that she needs time – time to reflect, time to get over her sorrow and, above all, time for this murder to be cleared up and the guilty person found.’

  ‘I said something like that,’ confessed Fachtnan, ‘but then she got very annoyed and she shouted at me that if I didn’t want her, then she would ask Enda, instead.’

  Mara’s lips twitched; she tried hard to control herself, but a laugh burst out despite herself. ‘I think Enda has other fish to fry,’ she said. ‘If I were you, I would say no more about it, Fachtnan. When she thinks it over, she’ll know that you are right. Just meet her as a friend, as usual. Don’t look embarrassed, or anything. Just pretend that it never happened.’

  Fachtnan looked sheepish, then relieved. ‘Thank you, Brehon,’ he said. ‘Well, I’ll be off now.’

  I must go and talk to Brigid, thought Mara as the last set of horse hoofs clattered down the road. She knew a moment’s temptation to tell her of Nuala’s proposal –
Brigid would enjoy that – but she realized reluctantly that she could not betray a confidence.

  However, there were other matters to discuss with her housekeeper. She felt slightly contrite about imposing another party straight after the impromptu celebrations of last evening, but Brigid loved cooking and did enjoy an occasion to display her talents.

  ‘Why don’t you take it easy?’ scolded Brigid when she heard the news. ‘You’re less than two weeks away from having a baby. Most women would still be lying in their beds. Why don’t those lads just go down to the bonfire at the market square in Noughaval? They’ll have a good time there and will leave you in peace. Why a party now? Why not wait until next week when they are leaving? Fachtnan and Enda will want to celebrate, won’t they?’

  ‘I’m afraid,’ said Mara, ‘that poor Fachtnan has nothing to celebrate. Young MacClancy failed him in his final examination. I don’t want to deny Enda of a chance to make merry, though. He did very well – not surprisingly.’

  ‘Oh!’ Brigid was silent after the exclamation. She was very fond of Fachtnan – had mothered him when he arrived as a five-year-old and had watched him grow up, always affable, always sweet-natured and never any trouble. She rubbed her fingers through her sandy hair, disturbing the neatly pinned braids. ‘How is he taking it?’

  ‘Quietly,’ said Mara. ‘I’m going to keep him on as a teacher – he can study in between. I’m sure that he will get through next year. In fact, I think that he would have got through this year if things had been different.’ She could not mention Nuala’s surprising offer to Fachtnan, but it did come into her head that it would be a good match for the boy – possibly once he had passed his final examination, and become an aigne, he would prefer to stay at this basic grade of lawyer rather than embarking on more long years of study in order to become a Brehon. With his wife’s fortune he would have the opportunity to decide and the income to support both.