Chain of Evidence by Cora Harrison Read Free Book Online Page B

an invitation to me.’
    She looked at him with amusement. ‘So the plan is to
ennoble
all of the leaders of the poor
wilde
Irish and to turn our country into a place of civilisation.’
    ‘That’s right,’ he said eagerly, not noticing the irony in her voice. ‘Of course, it will be difficult in the beginning – changing customs. But – well, you’re an intelligent woman. You must see that laws such as you operate – these Brehon laws – these are laws for savages, not for civilised people. No wonder that there is no law and order when no proper penalties are imposed. Look at those cases today! Why, that man who stole some of his neighbour’s land – he would have been hanged in England, and yet he only got a trivial fine. And then that woman wanting to divorce her husband . . . just because she objected to a little bit of rough treatment – what a terrible thing to allow a mere woman power like that! There is no way, in our country, in England, that a woman would be allowed to divorce her husband, no matter what the reason was. I’ve made notes of the cases. They will interest my master, Cardinal Wolsey, because he is preparing a document for the king. It’s called
The State of Ireland and Plan for its Reformation
. I am doing much of the work for him,’ he finished modestly.
    ‘It seems to me,’ said Mara evenly, ‘and I can only speak of my own part of the country, but I think that law and order is well-maintained here.’
    He laughed aloud at that. ‘And in the middle of your festival – rather a pagan festival, you must admit, but let that pass; in the middle of the festivities suddenly there is this cattle raid, and all, from the highest to the lowest in the land, rush off waving knives and swords.’
    ‘Ah,’ said Mara, ‘but this cattle raid was instigated by one who had the privilege of being ennobled by King Henry himself. And I suspect that you had prior knowledge. Now, admit, you came down just to see a cattle raid in progress! You knew what was going to happen, didn’t you? You knew that O’Donnell planned this.’
    He said nothing, but a grin plucked at the corners of his well-cut mouth and his dark-brown eyes glinted with amusement.
    ‘You couldn’t resist the thought of what a great document you could write about the “wild Irish” could you,’ she teased and he laughed good-humouredly as she went on, ‘I can just imagine it – “Neighbour steals from neighbour” Good title, isn’t it?’
    ‘As long as no one is hurt; and they are all enjoying themselves ,’ he said lightly and she looked at him with interest. When he wrote about the cattle raid, he would suppress the information that it was the Earl O’Donnell who had instigated the raid, she guessed. It would not fit with the image of Ireland which would be portrayed in his master’s book about the reformation of Ireland, where there would be a great distinction between the Irish who clung to their native ways and those who were loyal to the English crown and adopted English language, ways of dress and laws – like O’Donnell of Donegal and like the citizens of Galway city.
    ‘Cows are very important to us,’ she said gravely. ‘It’s a serious matter to steal cows – they are the wealth of the kingdom. It’s one of our great laws.’
    ‘Persons who steal cows must be killed,’ called back Cormac in war-like tones and the scholars all laughed and Aidan clapped applause.
    ‘There you are now,’ said Mara sweetly. ‘Three-year-old small boys agree with your English laws. Punish wrongdoers with death, says my little Cormac. You will have to tell Cardinal Wolsey that there is hope for Ireland, after all.’
    She shivered a little in the icy wind and pulled the fur-lined hood of her cloak well over her head. The sun had been once more covered with clouds and rain threatened again. Despite her light tone she felt apprehensive about the future. She had spoken in jest, but would the new generation, would her