The Faithful Heart

by MacMurrough, Sorcha

  “Morgana, please, it was an innocent mistake. I was so tired I nearly fell out of the chair. Please, forgive me,” Ruairc begged as he pulled on his clothes with his back to her, and ran out into the corridor to speak to Agatha.

  “I’m sorry Aunt, I was only sleeping, I never did her any harm.”

  “Posing here as man and wife! It’s despicable, you taking advantage like this.”

  “I didn’t do it on purpose. And where is the sin? I want to marry her! I always have!” Ruairc bellowed.

  “Not like this, not by tricking her, ruining her good name!” Agatha contended.

  “If you and Anna don’t tell, who will?” Ruairc appealed to his aunt.

  “No, you are not going to be permitted an excuse like that. If you can’t protect the girl, get her to marry you respectably, then stay away from her,” Agatha hissed.

  “I’ll marry her tomorrow, then!” Ruairc shouted in exasperation.

  “That is impossible, as well you know.No weddings are permitted to take place during Lent,” Aunt Agatha flashed back.

  “All right then, as soon as I can, if she is willing!”

  “And if she isn’t, you will leave Lisleavan and her alone, do you hear me?”

  “Yes, yes!” Ruairc gave in, to quell his aunt’s towering anger. His head throbbed with weariness, and he was tired of continually being falsely accused of the worst crimes.

  Agatha sniffed haughtily, but said more gently, “I have brought some cordials and would look at the wound while I am here, and then I must get back.”

  “Thank you for coming,” Ruairc said quietly as he followed his aunt into the sickroom.

  “She is worn out, exhausted. You must keep her here a few days until the wound has knit together well enough to take the long ride home, but she looks as though she will make a full recovery if she has food, rest and warmth.”

  “Should we move her to the convent then?” Ruairc asked.

  Agatha shook her head. “No, you would not be permitted to stay with her, and there are all the preparations and festivities for the nuns taking their vows, and their families have already started filling the convent. No, she is better off here with you, and then back at Lisleavan” She felt her brow once more, then turned to her nephew.

  “Mind her well, son. I must now say goodbye.Remember my warning. Do not let her come to the convent again. You ignored my advice once, and look what has happened. You ignore it again at both your perils.”

  “What ever you say, Aunt,” Ruairc replied meekly.

  But Agatha was already gone, almost as if she had never been there.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Morgana and Ruairc remained at the country inn until the end of the week, by which time Ruairc was convinced that she was well enough to return to Lisleavan to resume her duties.

  Though he longed to keep her there all to himself, pampering her as she deserved to be, perhaps even making love to her one night soon when her leg was more healed, Ruairc knew it would be unfair to everyone in the Maguire clan, including Morgana herself. As much as he longed to protect her and keep her safe, to love her for all time, she had to face up to her responsibilities. And because he loved her, he had to support her.

  As for the attack upon her, it was time they started looking for some answers as to who had initiated it, and how they had known of Morgana’s plans. And above all, they needed to get organised for a new round of hostilities, which were bound to come sooner or later.

  Morgana too was sad to leave the little inn, for her week there had been one of the most tranquil she had spent in years. She had eaten heartily, slept well, and rested for more hours than she could remember, and always she had had Ruairc by her side, in bed and out.

  The fire in her loins still burned for him alone, and Morgana knew once her leg was better, she wanted to become lovers with him in every way. She only wished she had the nerve to tell him of her longings, but he was so careful with her, loving, but distant too, that she knew he would never agree to take advantage of her, as he would term it.

  She marvelled at the fact that he not only loved her, he respected her as well. It was a rare thing for a woman in Ireland to be treated thus, as Anna commented more than once when she was helping her tend to the room.

  "You're so blessed to have a husband like Ruairc," the girl said with a dreamy sign as she helped her pack their things.

  "Oh?" Morgana said, trying not to feel jealous.

  "You're the sun, moon and stars to him. He never even looks at another woman, though all the tavern servers have laid themselves out like trenchers for him. Plus, he actually talks to you. And he even listens. It's a rare thing."

  "Is it?" she said in what she hoped was a neutral tone, her face still flaming over what she had learned about the tavern wenches making a play for her man.

  Anna nodded. "Aye, my mother and father never spoke two words to one another, and my man in the village, well, the best I can get out of him is a grunt before, and maybe a kiss when we're finished. And he certainly wouldn't take pains to nurse me, or not press his manly needs on me even if I was injured. Let alone with child. No, you've got a man in a million there. Just make sure you let him know you feel the same about him."

  "Oh, er, yes."

  Anna's eyes narrowed. "You do, don't you?"

  "Yes!" Morgana insisted.

  "Because if you don't, you're far better letting him go than him torturing himself all his life trying to make you happy, and never succeeding."

  "I know. I do love him. I don’t want to lose him. It's just been so sudden, is the main trouble. I was supposed to be taking my vows as a nun, and now Ruairc's come back into my life and—" She shrugged.

  Anna's clouded expression became clear. "I understand now. That nun who came here the other day. She was upset. You eloped and someone tried to stop you. Oh, how romantic. Star crossed lovers."

  "Er, yes, something like that."

  "And you feel guilty for being happy. You think it's a sin."

  Morgana sighed. "Well, yes."

  Anna patted her on the shoulder. "There's no sin in working for others to make them happy, only in being selfish and thinking only of yourself. You clearly make Ruairc happy, and he wants the same fore you. Where's the sin?"

  Morgana nodded. "I know. He is a good man. There were some, er, family objections, but you're right. He loves and respects me, and no, he is not the kind of man who would smile in my face and do something behind my back. I know other people who would, but he isn't one of them."

  "Good, I'm glad. Your leg will be better soon, and then you can start working on a whole houseful of children."

  Morgana paled. "Houseful?" she squeaked.

  "A lusty man like that, why would you ever want to say no?" Anna giggled, and gathering the last of the linens into a bundle, she left.

  A short time later, as she was dressing herself in the gown Anna had loaned her to replace her ruined tunic and trunk hose, Morgana sighed.

  Ruairc, who had come in from getting the wagon ready for her to ride comfortably stretched out in the back, immediately moved over to her side.

  “Why so pensive, a stor?” he asked, kissing her brow. "Does your leg hurt? Because we can leave tomorrow—"

  “It’s not the leg, but you're right, I don’t want to leave. Out there are nothing but cares and woes,” Morgana admitted in a small voice. "In here, we've had a blissful time, despite the leg wound."

  “The cares and woes are not so burdensome if you ask for help, allow others to shoulder some of your burdens, allow me to share with you, instead of mistrusting me, or trying to be so independent,” Ruairc pointed out gently. "Man is not an island, you know. Woman even less so."

  She bit her lip and nodded. “I will rely upon you from now on, Ruairc. But you must promise me that you’ll be careful. Many in the clan might still mistrust you after what Aofa said,” Morgana warned.

  “Yes, but now that she and Mary are gone, perhaps we have removed the traitor from ou
r midst.”

  She fitted her body more fully to his, revelling in his warmth and strength. “There is still Fergus to deal with, but I think he is fairly safe in his little dungeon for the moment, until I decide what to do with him. I would try to get rid of him by cloistering him in a monastery, only I’m afraid he’d rob the sacred vessels in no time,” Morgana joked.

  He released her from his embrace with a kiss on her brow. “Wait and see. Let him stew for a while until he is willing to tell you what he knows.”

  Morgana sat quietly looking around the room for a few more minutes until Ruairc said, “I’m ready. What about you?”

  Morgana nodded, and took the hand he held out for her.

  "We can always come back, you know. It's quite romantic here in the glen," he said quietly.

  She remained silent, fearful that she might blurt out just how much she wanted him. But Anne's reminder of the consequences of lovemaking had been a timely one. She had enough to contend with regarding her bad leg and her clan's turmoil, without risking her own health and interfering with her skills as a worker or warrior with a pregnancy.

  So they walked out of the inn and into the bright April sunshine together silently. Ruairc lifted Morgana into the cart tenderly. She thanked him with a warm kiss which delighted him, judging from the surprised and pleased look on his face.

  Mayhap Anna was right. They didn't have to become lovers all at once, but nor did she have to hold herself back from him all the time. He had always been a naturally affectionate man. She had forced him to curb his need to love and be loved for so long, she had hurt him even when she had not intended to.

  Anna took up the reins, while the two lovers sat side by side curled up under Ruairc’s cloak for warmth, enjoying the first of the good spring weather, and frequently sharing tender kisses which set both their hearts afire.

  "We'll be there in a few minutes, you two love birds, so you might want to fix your clothing," Anna called down to them at one point when they had grown particularly heated.

  Ruairc lurched upright with a shaky laugh, and started doing up his shirt and doublet with one hand, while trying to smooth down her hair with his other.

  "Ah, young love, nothing like it," Anna said with a giggle.

  Ruairc and Morgana met each other's eyes, and laughed too. He kissed her once more, and then made sure they were decent for their homecoming, though they were sure what they had been doing was written all over their faces.

  Their return to Lisleavan held a few surprises, for Mary was there to greet her, and also Tiarnach O’Connor, all the way from Sligo, who had arrived that morning with a shipload of supplies andanimals.

  They exclaimed over Morgana’s wounded leg, but Morgana brushed it aside as nothing while she listened to their news. Tiarnach, she noted, held back from the conversation, and she could see he wished to be alone with her before he imparted his information.

  Mary’s news, however, demanded immediate attention, for their convoy of carts had been attacked on the their way down to Dublin just as they had entered the Pale, and Aofa had been taken hostage.

  “Has a ransom been requested?” Morgana frowned.

  “No, none. They beat the men, grabbed her, and left, riding into the Pale faster than we could follow.”

  “I don’t wish to appear callous,” Morgana said, “but Aofa is not worth that much to this clan. I will consider paying a ransom if one is requested, but as for considering it to be an insult to my family, she is not worth fighting over, even if we knew who had taken her and where. No, until we hear word, we can just assume that she is happy in her captivity. So long as they feed her and tell her how lovely she is, she’ll have a splendid time.”

  “Morgana!” Mary exclaimed, shocked.

  “I’m sorry, but I refuse to pretend a grief I do not feel. And if you all stop to think about it, why on earth would they attack empty carts?They stole no money, only Aofa, and let the rest of you go, left her baggage as well?

  "It is a deliberate insult on the part of the MacMahons or the O’Reillys to embarrass me, and I am not going to be drawn into an ambush by trying to rescue her. If they want to fight out in the open, fairly, instead of attacking defenceless women and villagers, then they know where to come, and I’ll be waiting for them,” Morgana said firmly.

  “Now, if you will excuse me, Ruairc and Mary, I need to speak to Tiarnach alone. Tiarnach, will you please help me up to my study?”

  Tiarnach O’Connor led the way, with Morgana leaning heavily on his arm as she dragged her stiff leg along behind her.

  “Perhaps you would like me to carry you, old friend,” the middle-aged man offered.

  “No, I have to be up and about now, and need to build up strength in the leg. Just wait a moment until I catch my breath,” Morgana panted.

  At last they were seated in her study, and she said quietly, “All right, Tiarnach, why have you come?”

  He sighed. “I have news. It's not something I think you will want everyone to hear, so I waited."

  "I appreciate your discretion. So what's happened?"

  "I've found your missing men—"

  Her eyes lit up with joy. "That's wonderful—"

  He shook has head. "Hear me out, Morgana. I found them marooned on Inishmurray, nearly twenty ships’ crews, over two thousand sailors, though I am not sure how many of them are still alive. They were marooned there by the pirates to starve and die. I have launched an expedition to rescue them. But the question is where to bring them. Some of them are in desperate condition,” Tiarnach revealed in a whisper.

  Morgana gazed at him silently for several moments. “How many ships have you available?”

  “Only two at the moment, though Ronan O’Donnell knows as well now. I heard you had made peace with one another, and knew he would he glad to help. He has pledged me another two. Your ships in Belleek are nearly ready now, are they not?”

  She nodded. “Yes, but even if we take them off Inishmurray, we still need to find food and provisions, and a roof over their heads,” Morgana declared, chewing her bottom lip as she pulled out her calculations and tried to decide what to do for the best.

  “I have brought all I can spare at the minute, but if any ships come in with anything you can use, I will willingly letyou have it. Some of those men have been out there for months with barely enough to keep going. They were eating nothing but seaweed and birds and fish all that time,” Tiarnach said angrily.

  “It is unthinkable,” Morgana sighed.

  Rising from her chair she commanded, “We need to rescue them, but can we bring them up the lough by night? If the MacMahons are watching us, we don’t want them to know that our strength is increasing every day.”

  “It shall be as you say, but where shall you take them? You can’t fit that many men here at Lisleavan!”

  “We will have to fit as many as we can, and I have also started making plans to use Cullen. If we have six ships, I want five of them to come here, and the other to Ma Niadh, which can still hold another one hundred and fifty men, and they will need more provisions as well. You will tell no one, is that understood?”

  “You can trust me. The men have identified the supposed pirates. It was the MacMahons who stole your ships, Morgana. Are you going to fight?” Tiarnach asked challengingly.

  “If they do not know we have found the castaways, then it is not an offence which I have to answer, is it?” she said with a shake of her head.

  Tiarnach stared. “Have you no fight left in you, Morgana Maguire?”

  “Tiarnach, I've done nothing but fight since I came back. I fought for my father’s life, my lands, my sick villagers, my ships, my right to trade, my own life when eight men ambushed us on the road to Kilgarven. How do you think I nearly got my leg hacked off?” Morgana exclaimed impatiently.

  "I'm sorry, I just don't understand…"

  "And I haven't got the time or inclination to tell you allmy many reasons. I just need you to trust me. Trust that I am acting for the b
est for everyone concerned, not just my family.

  “I will fight the MacMahons, but I will fight on my own terms, If that means watching and waiting carefully, then so be it. I am not going to play into the MacMahons’ hands by overreacting or making any hasty decisions. I thank you for all you have done, and would be grateful if you could secure hay and sheets and blankets enough to help supply all these men, for which I will pay you well. I will make sure they are housed and fed, but they will need clothes, tools, and medicines, and we are already stretched beyond our means.”

  “You shall have it, and the O’Donnells have pledged whatever they can spare also. He also said to tell you the stonemasons and quarry are working day and night.”