Chapter 23

 

 

Alister sits beside me in the snug. He has a worried look on his face. “What is it now?” I sigh, getting used to bad news.

“Where’s Sean?”

“Oh, he stabbed himself in the leg to cast suspicion away during the breakout. He’s mending at his ma’s.”

“You’ve got some pretty loyal members there, O’Hanlon. Don’t know if I’d stab myself in the leg for you.”

“I hate to tell you now, but you’re putting your life on the line for me just meeting like this.” He smiles. “So what’s the word now?”

“My troop was invited to guard William St. John’s party two nights back. I was trying to keep my eyes and ears open, when none other than Lieutenant Lucas walked in. St. John went to greet him like an old friend, and the two of them had a long discussion out of earshot.”

I’m quiet.

“It all makes sense. He’s paying you back for what you did to his father. He hired that boy to be his go-between, and now he’s forced to meet with him in person.”

“But he was there with us in the house when we were ambushed. He got shot.”

Alister sits back. “He probably thought they would’ve killed you all quickly, and what better cover than to be there too?”

“I don’t know; it doesn’t sit right.”

“You’re not seeing what’s right in front of you. Here, was William close to this boy?”

I nod.

“And did William know you’d be on that road the day of the roadblock?”

I nod.

“Did William know about meeting at the house?”

“Yeah, but—”

“But nothing, he knew. And didn’t he tell you to take that carriage from the ferry? Plus he met with Lucas that blazing night to confirm that you were after it? This William’s a blue lookout.”

I take it all in. “I better go have a talk with him, then.” I go to slide a pouch over, and he pushes it back toward me.

“No, I did this as your friend, Redmond.”

“I’ll have none of your slack-jaw, soldier. Take this money.”

But he just smiles and walks out.

 

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

 

I gather everyone back at camp that night. I start, “What I am afraid to hear I’d better say first myself. We all know there’s a bad member here among us.” Everyone looks around at each other. “I hate to think it, but it’s plain to see.” I take a breath and stare at William. “I hear Lucas attended your party.”

Everyone makes some sort of noise at the surprise, but William keeps his eyes on mine. “He did come to my party, but I didn’t invite him.”

Cahir speaks. “Did you talk to him?”

He glares at Cahir. “Why, then, I did talk to him.”

Everyone’s in an uproar I put my hands down to quiet them. William starts to speak,

“When I saw him come through the door, I decided it might be a good idea to talk to him, try to find out who might be meeting with him.”

Art shrieks, “Likely story, St. John!”

That’s the first time anyone called him that for a while, and it seems like it struck a nerve.

William turns back to me. “Do you think me a stag? That I’d inform on you?” He looks deep in my eyes. “Why would I be the snitch when I got myself shot and almost killed in that house?” He holds up his tied-up arm.

“I don’t know, maybe you had some kind of deal or something?” I give away my uncertainness by making it a question.

“Look.” William’s getting upset now. “I didn’t need to stay with you all. I could’ve gone back right after you released me to go to Lucas, but I didn’t. I fought with you all. I gave you the best tips for the fattest purses. I’ve risked my life along with you all for years! If I wanted to get some kind of revenge, why would I wait this long?” After he speaks, he puts his thumbnail in between the space in his teeth, deeply anxious.

He’s right; he wouldn’t have waited this long if ’twas revenge from the kidnapping.

William keeps going. “So you all figured out a way that makes this sound like me, but every one of you knew Rory, and many of you had the opportunity to go meet with Lucas after I told you all about the carriage that night.”

He’s right again; they all had access to the boy, and all went out in the day that Captain was taken.

“Redmond, you’re not actually listening to this Gobshite!” says Art. “What would the cat's son do but kill a mouse?”

“Well, then, if you did talk to Lucas, how come you never told any of us about it?” Ned asks.

“Because I didn’t get anything out of him! He talked incessantly about being brought up in rank and could I put a good word in for him. I said, ‘Not until you’ve caught O’Hanlon,’ and he laughed and said, ‘All in good time, all in good time.’ Do any of you think that’s newsworthy? I forgot all about it when I heard that Captain was taken.”

I can tell the others don’t trust him anymore, and I realize I shouldn’t have done this in front of everyone. I look in his green eyes, and I don’t see a touch of guilt or deceit. I know I have to prove to everyone that he can be trusted again.

“If it’s true, why would William have waited so long for revenge? Doesn’t make a bit of sense, not one bit. I believe him when he says he didn’t give information to Lucas, and I trust William.”

Some nod, and some look away.

“Well, on a whole other subject, there’s the fair in Banbridge tomorrow, and we all know the gents and ladies that come back are loaded with money and prize animals.” I give a stern look around and say, “And I won’t be telling anyone which road I’m going to wait on for my health!”

Cahir looks up. “You want me and Art to come, then?”

I almost agree but see William sitting there, deflated. “No, Cahir, I think I’ll bring William to help me, to show good faith.”

William glances up. “I’ll be glad to come help you, Redmond.”

Cahir lets the air whoosh from his mouth in an exaggerated way, causing his whole body to blow back. “You’ve got a death wish, Redmond. We might as well be whistling jigs to a milestone.”

“Don’t take me up till I fall, Cahir.”

“Oh, very well, let you take what you’ll get. Let’s go, then Síofra. It’s like my ma always said, ‘Don’t give cherries to pigs or advice to fools.’”

Síofra gets up to go with him. “God be with you, O’Hanlon.” Then she gives a curious look to William. “Take care of him, William.”

They leave, and Art leans in. “I’ll come with you and keep an eye on things.” He glances at William.

“Fine, then, you and William, come with me, and we’ll leave at dawn.”

 

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

 

’Tis a beautiful spring morning. The dew’s thick, and the birds are already out singing. I lead them to the spot I want in Hilltown, right on the other side of the mountain so we can surprise those coming over. We make such good time even going uphill that we have half a day before the fair’s even finished.

“William, go check to see if that cottage is occupied.”

William hops off and walks down the hill to knock on the door. After a moment, he kicks the door in and yells, “All clear!”

Art and I take our horses down slowly, and William says, “It looks like someone hasn’t been here in a while. The cot’s full of dust and dirt, and there’s no food to be found anywhere.”

“Well, I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I could pass the time with a nice nap.”

Art says, “It’s too dangerous for us all to nap at the same time in these parts, so we should stand guard for each other.”

“True. We’ll go hide our horses behind the house, and we’ll let William take the first watch.”

William agrees, heads outside to hide the horses, and I hear him sit outside with his back to the door. I search around, see a pile of wool blankets, and hand two to Art. I get between the blankets and close my eyes. Something moves, and I open my eyes to see Art staring at me.

“I just can’t close my eyes with him out there.”

“If I can trust him, then so should you.” I roll over and close my eyes again.

I don’t know how long I’d been asleep, but footsteps behind me cause me to wake up. I start to slowly grab for my pistol under the blanket, and once I have it in my hand, I spin around with my pistol up but take a blast to my gut. I look back up in shock and see Art at the end of the carbine.

I can barely breathe, and my whole stomach’s on fire. “Art, you sold me?”

Hearing the gunshot, William bounds through the door and fires but misses. Art runs at William, hitting him in the head with the butt of the gun, knocking William to the ground. Art escapes out the door.

William moves toward me, and his green eyes connect with mine as I try to catch my breath. I laugh and say, “See… I knew it wasn’t you.”

William laughs slightly and tries to look at my wound. His face tells me I have only moments left. He picks my head up and puts it in his lap, and I try to talk through my shallow breaths and pain.

“An oak is often split… by a wedge from its own… branch.”

“I shouldn’t have left you. I should’ve known.”

“Never mind that all.” I wave a hand feebly in the air. “Promise me one thing, William.”

“Anything.”

“As soon as I take… my last breath… I want you to take my head—”

“Take your head?”

“Listen. I’m sure Art’s… on his way right now to Lucas somewhere… close by. Once he… gives him this location… they’ll swarm the place. I don’t want them to get… my head. I don’t want it put… on a spike for my ma… to see.”

He starts crying without noise, just quick tears streaming down his face. “Why don’t I put you over Ghost and bring all of you back?”

“Because… you’re going to have… to fly from here. They might be waiting… all over these roads.”

I have a terrible sharp pain, and my head’s getting dizzy. “Promise me, William…! Take my head… and hide it somewhere… Lucas can’t find it!”

“All right, All right, I’ll hide it.”

“Good, then… as soon as I’m gone… wrap and run… and be sure to… take Ghost with you.” I relax a bit and I seem to be going numb. “You know… I almost shot you… and your father… fishing in the Cusher?”

“What do you mean?”

“You must’ve been… only eight or nine but… I snuck up to shoot… your dad and out… you splashed and… I just didn’t feel like… taking two lives that day.”

“Should I thank you for not murdering me?” He laughs through his tears.

“I… want to say…” I start losing my vision and my voice slows, “Sorry… I… ever… doubted… you… O’Sheil.”

His tears hit my face, and I feel myself fading. My breathing slows and then stops. The world goes dark.