The Sea of Love Read online

  Conn got up onto a second horse's back just in time, for the other Burke clan members had managed to break out of the hall, and were thundering out into the courtyard by the score.

  Tomas spurred his horse, and they clattered over the bridge, Conn close behind. Four O'Donnell men lying in wait cut the ropes which held the drawbridge and scrambled after their lord, as the Burkes furiously tried to give chase, only to be pitched headlong down the thirty foot gully which separated the castle from the mainland.

  Aidanna galloped away, overjoyed to feel the sun on her face, the wind in her hair. She turned in Tomas' arms for one last look at the dark tower which had held so much tragedy.

  As she looked up into the bright sunlight, she espied Declan Burke standing at the casement watching her headlong flight to freedom and safety. Though she raised her hand in a salute of farewell and thanks, the dark figure remained as still as a stone.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Aidanna, Conn and Tomas rode on to the coast without pause, and though Aidanna look wistfully over at the towering form of her family home, Kilgeever Castle, they rode on without stopping.

  Her cousin caught her pleading look but shook his head. "I'm sorry, a thaisce, you can't go back. Your father will have none of you at the moment. Come, we'll take you to Uncle Ruairi, to get you cleaned up, and you'll be able to see young Diarmuid."

  Aidanna nodded wordlessly, with a small smile at the endearment Conn had used, ‘my treasure'. She disliked being protected and cosseted by her huge cousin and uncle, but what choice did she have? She had to live somewhere, and all the O'Flaherty doors were now closed to her. Donal Burke had seen to that, damn his conniving ambitions.

  Once they got to the beach nearest her castle, she breathed in the tangy sea air, then took one last look at her beloved home. With a resigned sigh, Aidanna swung down from the horse. She gathered up her filthy gown around her with as much dignity as she could muster and stepped into the small coracle ready to cast off.

  Tomas slapped the horses on the rump. They were well-trained beasts, and would trot back to their own stables obediently.

  Aidanna offered to help row out to the inlet where Tomas' ship lay, but both men insisted she should rest after all she had been through.

  It was only much later in the cool solitude of the cloister that she was able to see just how terrible her appearance was, and wept tears of dismay as she espied her reflection in the basin of water she was leaning over to wash her hands and face. Her bruises were every colour of the rainbow, and as she undressed to bathe, she saw her arms and legs were black and blue all over as well. Even a hand print, no doubt of Donal's, lingered on her upper arm.

  In a large tub in the kitchen by the fire, she scrubbed herself vigorously, desperately trying to remove the stench of her former prison from her body and mind. No wonder Tomas and Conn had kept giving her such pitying looks ever since she had been rescued.

  Finally clean, and clad in a long shirt, hose and tunic, she looked the picture of a young Irish seafarer, though her long auburn hair fell down almost to her knees in riotous cascades of curls. Her cousin inspected her, and then Conn declared she was ready to see her step-son.

  An overjoyed young Diarmuid came charging into her headlong, and Aidanna held the boy close. Though not much younger than herself, fourteen to her eighteen, she had been his mother for four years, and the responsibilities and love ran deep between them. Aidanna shuddered to think what might have happened if Donal had got hold of her youngest boy as well as Malachi, and her heart nearly leapt into her mouth. For the first time since Donal had battered down her door and accused her of murder, she was able to think clearly enough to mourn all her dead.

  "It's just you and me now, isn't it Aidanna?" the young man sighed as Aidanna held him close.

  "Nonsense, Diarmuid, there's Uncle Ruairi, Conn, Tomas, and Aine will be out one of these day, just you wait and see."

  "It's her birthday today, and we aren't even together," the boy sniffed. "Now she's fourteen, like myself. We've shared everything for so many years, Aidanna, even before you and father were married. Now it seems like it's all breaking up. Why has Uncle Donal done this?"

  Aidanna looked into the pleading eyes of the young man, and ran her fingers soothingly over his hair. "Change is all a part of life, Diarmuid. Your uncle Donal wants things to change for himself, and everyone else in the Burke clan. He knows you're too young to be elected leader of the sept. By the time you're sixteen, or an acknowledged warrior, he thinks he can leave his mark on the family."

  "But it's mine by right, no matter what my age. He has no family ties and allegiance such as we have, nor is he a great warrior!"

  "I know, son, but he's clever at using people, and obviously ruthless enough that he will stop at nothing to gain his own ends."

  "He murdered my brother. He gets everything, while we're in exile here as though we're the ones who have committed some crime. It's not fair."

  "I know, love, but –"

  "And you, look at you Aidanna, you've been beaten, and nearly got put to death because of him. What would I have done then?" the boy wailed.

  Aidanna shook him firmly by the shoulders. "You're not to talk like that, do you hear? I'm alive and well, and Donal's misdeeds will all come to light, that I can promise you.

  "Uncle Ruairi will help us, even if my father believes me to be guilty. It's summer now, and there is plenty to do here without feeling as though we're in exile. It's time to help work on the farm, and I still want you to do your lessons with the monks."

  Aidanna paused thoughtfully, before continuing, "I'm not so sure it's worth it trying to become a fabulous warrior, Diarmuid. Your father did nothing all his life apart from fight people who wanted to take his position or cattle away. Perhaps you're better off becoming an ordinary part of the clan.

  "Declan Burke, the man from London who has been awarded the succession, is the son of your other uncle whom you never met. He appears to be in charge now, not Donal. Declan seems a good man, far better than Donal. Certainly he is a clever courtier, can read and write, has elegant manners and dress, and is part of the Duke of Norfolk's household in England, no less. I suspect he's probably a skilled warrior as well.

  "I know the English policy of surrender and regrant sounds like a disaster for our Gaelic law and customs, but only if the land is in the hands of someone greedy like Donal. If Declan Burke holds the title, he may be given bad advice by Donal, but short of killing him, and leaving yet another murder to be accounted for, Donal will have to put up with Declan's changes. I'm sure he will be fair and honest, and might well leave you with an even more valuable inheritance when the time comes," she said calmly, trying to convince her stepson as much as herself.

  Diarmuid nodded, but pointed out astutely, "On the other hand, this Declan Burke might be anxious to leave this complicated situation behind, and go back to England where he belongs. He probably has a wife and family of his own back there, who would not wish to become embroiled in our domestic disputes."

  Aidanna's heart lurched in her breast at these words, and she frowned. "No, I don't think he has a family. If he had, he would have brought them."

  They both looked at each other for a few moments, and then Diarmuid and she both said, "But why is he here?"

  They both giggled at how closely in tune their thoughts were, but Aidanna knew it was no laughing matter. "He must have been summoned months ago," Aidanna breathed.

  Diarmuid voiced her worst fears.

  "So he was sent for by Donal long before Father was even dead."

  "Which means the rank wound your father suffered was mistreated by the physician called in. I wonder if could we find this physician, offer proof to Declan. I must have my good name cleared," Aidanna asserted.

  Just then Conn came in. "Here, Ruairi gave me this unguent for your bruises, and says a lovely cruise in the sea air will do you a world of good."

  There was a merry sparkle in his eyes.

  Aidanna sigh
ed. She had already lost so much. Her husband and eldest step-son were dead, her marriage was over, and remaining step-son nearly a man grown. But there was her clan to think of, keeping them strong, especially since Donal had succeeded in dividing them by accusing her of murder. Perhaps Conn was right, and it was time to go back to her life at sea and rebuild the O'Flaherty fortunes, and show that she was worthy of the name. "All right, where to, Scotland or Spain?"

  "Big English trading flotilla coming this way. We'll go down to the Arans, and relieve them of their cargo, shall we?"

  "What a good idea," Aidanna laughed.

  Diarmuid hugged her to him. "Be careful, Mother, won't you?" he pleaded.

  Aidanna kissed him, and ruffled his thick black hair once more. "Life's an adventure, Diarmuid. Would you have me sit by the fire and tamely grow old?"

  "You'll meet a man who can tame you one day, Aidanna," Conn laughed.

  Just then Tomas came in to look for her, and planted a kiss on her forehead.

  With Conn's words ringing in her ears, she looked up at the tall handsome young sailor by her side, with his dark blond hair and piercing green eyes. Aidanna sighed. Tomas was a good match, certainly, especially with the uncertainty over the O'Flaherty succession now that her husband Angus was dead. But the man to tame her? He was worthy in every way, but she had always loved him as a brother. There was no point in pretending otherwise without hurting both of them.

  In any case, she did not wish to marry again just yet, if ever. Her marriage to Angus Burke had been for the sake of the children and the dynasty. But she had rebelled against her narrow existence as chatelaine of all his castles, and had remained with her father's household. With her sister and step-sons, she had led a joyous existence at school with Uncle Ruairi on the lush island when it suited her, and had conducted exciting expeditions to the continent in one of the many O'Flaherty ships when she felt a yearning for the sea.

  "Come, Aidanna, the coracle awaits, and we have a long journey," Tomas said, holding out his hand, which she managed to avoid taking as she kissed her step-son goodbye.

  "We'll be back soon, I promise. Don't look so worried. As for Donal, he won't get away with murder, I swear to you. Let me think about all that has happened, discuss things with Uncle Ruairi, and see what he suggests we should do with all our evidence against Donal. Your place in the Burke sept restored will be restored, no matter what any of us have to do to bring that about."

  "Thank you, Mother, but really, just be careful, won't you. None of it means anything if I have to gain it at the expense of Father's and Malachi's deaths, now does it."

  "I know, I'm sorry." She hugged him again. "But let's look at it this way. If Donal were in power, you know he would make this region a chaotic Hell in no time. He's been plotting this take-over for months. We've been wrong-footed, but nor can we act hastily. As long as Declan Burke is tanaist, we have time on our side."

  An image of the stunningly handsome courtier rose unbidden. She quashed it at once, hating the way his strength could make her feel so weak and shivery inside, though he had never threatened her in any way.

  "As long as Declan is in power, we'll have peace. We'll go after Donal not in the old Celtic way, with a raid and his head on a pike. That would be all the excuse the English need to raid our rich lands they've been eyeing for centuries.

  "No, Donal wanted to do it by the book, through proper legal channels, so we can do the same. Ruairi is nothing if not well-versed in law, since it was his calling before he became a man of the cloth. We will win, Diarmuid, I swear. We just need Declan to stay here in Ireland, remain in power a bit longer."

  And perhaps I'll get to see him once more…

  Aidanna blushed at the thought, but no one seemed to notice.

  Conn nodded at her words, Tomas beckoned her to the door, and with a last round of hugs for the boy, the three at last took their leave.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Once they rowed out to the galley waiting offshore, a huge cheer went up at the sight of Aidanna. Though it was an O'Donnell rather than an O'Flaherty ship, the two families were close allies, and all had heard of Aidanna's terrible experiences at the hands of Donal Burke.

  Once the anchor was hauled up, Aidanna turned her back on the land. For now, she did not wish to think about all that had happened. Ruairi would know what to do for the best. For the moment,,she needed her spirit cleansed of her terrible ordeal. All she wanted was her freedom, an enjoyment of the present, and the joy of the open seas.

  As they set sail for the Aran Islands, to lie in wait for the English at Inisheer, the only memory of that time which had burnt indelibly into her brain was the handsome face of Declan Burke.

  Aidanna shook her head. Diarmuid was right. Declan would see what Donal was up to, and go home to England sooner rather than later. Exiled on her island as she was at the moment, there would be to opportunity to see him, and now that she was viewed as an enemy of her former clan by marriage, they wouldn't be sitting down to break bread any time soon.

  She just had to face facts, and give up and girlish notions of romance her foolish heart might have secretly begun to cherish. Declan was English-born and bred. A courtier of Henry's, mayhap as ruthless as he. After all, the English court was even more ambitious and back-biting than the Irish if all she had heard were true. She just had to resign herself to the fact that she would never see him again.

  She recalled the burning golden eyes upon her with a shiver of longing, but Tomas' insistence that she take the tiller chased the image from her mind. It's finished, she sighed inwardly, with a sense of deep regret. She had a new life now, one that Declan Burke would never be a part of.

  The Aran raid was remarkably successful, with Tomas' crew sustaining only a few injuries as they seized dozens of barrels of wine, and some incredible bolts of fabric, mainly silk and damask. There were also huge crates of spices, and after taking a little bit out of each to put in small leather pouches for the monks on Inishmuc and her sister at Kilgeever castle, she and Tomas discussed the future of the rest of the cargo.

  "Well, we can row some of it to shore at Kilgeever in the coracle, and I think you should take the fabric for yourself and your sister. But the rest is too luxurious for the likes of our backwater. What about up to the courts in Scotland?" Tomas suggested.

  "Aye, Glasgow seems a good choice, and the lords in Argyll did good business with us last year. They take it on to Edinburgh, and sell it for an even bigger profit than we do," Aidanna said, winking broadly.

  The boat came about, and Aidanna felt the surf surge beneath her powerfully. It was a grand life, but she never for one moment underestimated the dangers of what she was doing. She was also certain that Donal Burke would be all too keen to point the finger at her family for the recent raids on English ships in the past few months, evne though they had by no means been guilty of all of them.

  However, the accusation of piracy was difficult to prove, for the waters around the coast were treacherous, and many vessels were simply lost in high tides and gales. But occasionally if one of their pirate crews was careless, and kept the goods too close to home, they might be traced.

  But, damn it, Aidanna thought, they were not going to apologise for their existence. Her own family and many others in the area had been prevented by the English from trading legally in the main port of Galway. The ban had been put into effect in 1521, and since then, the O'Flahertys could not even walk in the streets without being persecuted or even arrested. And all this because they had refused to pay the extortionate taxes the English demanded of them.

  The risks the O'Flaherty ships took to make the long journeys around Ireland and up to Scotland, as well as south to Spain and France had been forced upon them, so why shouldn't they get some easy pickings while they could? Aidanna's own family had lost enough cargo to Spanish and French pirates in the Bay of Biscay. It was all part of the game.

  But the stakes had gone higher now that Donal Burke had made his move for the chieft
ainship of the Burkes. She knew Declan was still the official tanaist by right of the English rules of succession which he had invoked with the help of Anthony St. Leger. Had Declan been party to the death of her husband Angus? Or was he being used as a pawn in Donal's deadly game?

  But no, he might be guilty of worldly ambition, to have got so far in the English court, but he was not a murderer. If he had been party to Donal's whole plot, he would never have helped her. No, he had been used as a supposed independent and impartial witness to what Donal believed would be Aidanna's irrefutable guilt and resultant execution. But Declan had had far more brains and far less greed than Donal had estimated.

  But what would happen when Declan left? Would Donal overthrow English rule as soon as it suited him to demand the chieftainship for himself?