My Lady Judge by Cora Harrison Read Free Book Online

She glanced all around the assembly, but no one shifted his position. Most people were looking amused. Lorcan was unpopular and they were enjoying this.
    ‘Is there anyone here who will go up to the dog and test him?’ asked Mara.
    ‘I’ll try,’ offered the king after a long silence.
    ‘Oh, no, my lord,’ said Diarmuid. The sweat broke out on his forehead at the very idea of what might happen if his dog bit the king.
    ‘I won’t go too near,’ said Turlough Donn. He got up from his seat and steadily strode towards the dog, eyeing him carefully. The dog leaped and strained at his chain and barked with rage. The crowd cheered and laughed.
    ‘Well, I think that was convincing,’ said the king, returning to his seat with a grin.
    Mara waited until the echoes of the dog’s frenzied barks died down. ‘We’ll do another test. Colman, my assistant, has been with this dog all the morning. The dog surely knows him by now. Colman, will you approach the dog, please?’
    Shane, Mara noticed, was nudging Hugh and smirking, but Hugh was not smiling; just staring straight ahead, his eyes fixed on Colman. All of the other boys, even eighteen-year-old Fachtnan, were sniggering as Colman walked slowly and reluctantly towards Wolf. The crowd fell very quiet. There were none of the gleeful smiles and cheers that had greeted the king. Colman was not popular, thought Mara. She had noticed that before. The people of the Burren were uneasy with him.
    There was no need for Colman to go too far. The dog immediately lunged at him and broke out into a passion of barking. Colman drew back hastily, licking his lips. There was a slight sheen of sweat on his high white forehead.

    ‘Now we’ll try a last test,’ said Mara. ‘Lorcan,’ she ordered, ‘approach the dog.’
    Slowly and reluctantly, Lorcan began to move. The crowd parted to allow him through, a broad smile appearing on everyone’s face. Even Finn O’Connor himself was laughing at his clansman’s discomfiture. Lorcan, a ferocious scowl on his face, tried looking away from the dog but Wolf was not deceived. His barking was replaced by a soft puppy-like whine and he began to wag his bushy tail.
    ‘Stroke him,’ commanded Mara and Lorcan stretched out his hand and stroked the massive head. The dog’s tail now wagged so hard that it wagged his whole body. A deep sigh of amusement came from the crowd. The case was proven.
    ‘Have you anything to say, Lorcan?’ enquired Mara.
    Lorcan shook his head miserably.
    ‘In that case, I pass sentence,’ said Mara. ‘Fine imposed is one sét, or half an ounce of silver, to be paid within five days. Case dismissed.’
    ‘May I take the dog home now, Brehon?’ asked Diarmuid.
    ‘You may, indeed,’ said the king with a chuckle. ‘That dog has been an excellent witness. He did not fear to speak out and to convict the guilty.’
    The ensuing roar of laughter made the dog bark again and King Turlough Donn smiled with satisfaction.
     
     
    ‘Next case,’ called Colman, regaining his poise and indicating to Gráinne MacNamara to come forward with her son, Feirdin. Garrett MacNamara, taoiseach of the MacNamara clan, strode out and faced them both. He was a tall, aggressive-looking man with a high sloping forehead, a fleshy nose and a heavily swelling lower lip.

    Garrett made his case as convincingly as he could. Mara listened carefully, although she did not look at him as he was speaking. Her eyes were fixed on Feirdin. She felt quite puzzled. There was something strange about him. After all the stories about his fits of rage, she expected him to protest, to get angry, but he said nothing. He did not seem even remotely interested in the proceedings. He was a good-looking boy, she thought, with large blue eyes and brown curly hair.
    ‘I don’t see much wrong with him,’ said the king in an undertone. ‘What does the physician say?’
    Mara beckoned to Malachy and he came over and took his place beside Colman.
    ‘Give your