The Silver Stag of Bunratty by Eithne Massey

Author:Eithne Massey [Eithne Massey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781847173911
Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Published: 2012-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

PART II

CHAPTER 13

TUAN

he day after these events, life in Bunratty suddenly changed. Even the air seemed to become harsher, colder. It was no longer a place where people lived ordinary lives, but a barracks preparing for battle. Lady Johanna, thin-lipped and sharp-tongued, gave orders to start gathering in as much food as possible, in case they should be put under siege. There had been sieges at the castle before now, and for once Lady Johanna unbent enough to talk to Maude about them.

‘Sieges are dreadful. The waiting that goes on and on, the hunger, the sickness caused by the lack of fresh water and fresh air. And the boredom. The terrible fights that break out between people who have been cooped up together day after day, sometimes for months. I have seen people go mad during sieges.’

Margaret too looked deeply unhappy, more unhappy than Cliar had ever seen her. She remembered more than one siege at Bunratty; she had lost a husband to one and her parents to another. Her only consolation was that summer was coming.

‘At least the cows have started giving more milk now that there’s more grass, and we can start the cheesemaking. And there have been good catches of fish down in the Shannon. Cliar, you can start salting the load that Marcus brought in this morning.’

Cliar sighed. This was a job she hated, gutting the fish and placing them between layers of salt in big wooden barrels. Her arms would sting from the salt for days and, even worse, she could not get rid of the smell of fish from her skin and clothes. She would even go swimming in the icy Shannon to try to remove the smell, but it didn’t work. Maude had given her some scented soap, and that helped a little. After two hours of gutting and salting, she had more than enough. Tuan, coming to look for her in the kitchen, found her crying as she pulled the slimy red innards into piles and flung them onto the dung heap. Flies had gathered around her and she waved them away angrily.

‘I hate this kitchen,’ she said, and Tuan realised that he had never heard her sound so angry. ‘It’s like being in hell. One day I’ll just run away from here. I don’t care what happens to me, but at least I won’t have to gut another fish or chop another onion.’

‘Dump those and come with me to the roof,’ said Tuan. ‘Quick, before anyone sees. Maude has some news for us.’

Maude indeed had news, and she told her tale with a white, shocked face. The worst had happened.

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