In Dublin's Fair City (Molly Murphy Mysteries, #6)

“God rest his soul,” I muttered, wondering if I actually felt grief at this news. “And Malachy? What's happened to him?”


“I tried to carry on and look after Malachy,” he said, “but the next thing I know, I’m told that the Hartleys needed our cottage back, and I find that they’ve put Malachy up for sale.”

“For sale?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Like a slave, you mean? I don’t believe it. This is the twentieth century. Such things can’t be allowed.”

“Oh, but they are. They have hiring fairs all over where the farmers come to buy young boys as indentured servants. No better than slaves, really. Just like buying a new farm horse. Well, I went and found Joseph. It turned out that he had already joined the United Irish League and was working with Mr. O’Brien trying to pressure the big landowners to hand over land to their tenants like the law says they should. Well, Joseph was always the one with a temper. He was fighting mad, I can tell you. ‘We’re not letting those bastards sell Malachy into slavery,’ he said. So off he went with a group of lads to rescue him. There was a bit of a fight and men came at them with clubs and guns. Our lads foughtback, and a land agent got beaten up and killed. The Irish League managed to spirit away young Malachy and myself, but Joseph was on the run and he got caught. And he put up a fight then too, and damaged a few members of the constabulary, so I hear. So naturally they threw the book at him. He's sentenced to be hanged.”

Unwittingly my hand went up to make the sign of the cross. My father dead, two brothers on the run and in hiding, and one sentenced to be hanged. It was almost more than I could take in. Grania must have sensed this. She came over to me.

“Sit down, my dear. Cullen, get her a brandy. She looks about ready to pass out.”

“I’m all right,” I said, but for once I welcomed the brandy. The burning liquid did seem to spread warmth into my frozen limbs. “But what's become of Malachy?”

“Don’t worry about him. He's been taken in by one of Mr. O’Brien's supporters who has boys of his own. He’ll be just fine there.”

Cullen shifted in his seat. “So, young man, how do you think your being here is going to be of any help to your brother?”

Liam glanced around again, “I’m not sure if I should be talking in front of these people.”

“They’ve all sworn an oath, except for your sister, and I don’t imagine she’d betray her own family. Go on, let's hear what you’ve got to say.”

“I was told, sir, that there was a plan to break certain men out of Kilmainham Gaol. I wanted to make sure that Joseph was among them.”

“If the plan is such common knowledge that it reaches the far corners of Ireland, then there's no way it will be carried out,” Cullen said. “I’m not risking the very fabric of our organization at this critical stage.”

“But sir, it has to take place,” Liam said. “You can’t let Joseph hang. And it's not the whole of Ireland that knows, just Mr. O’Brien, and he only sent me down here because it was my brother and he thought I might be of help.”

“So you think you’re better at infiltrating a jail that has been called the Irish Bastille than any of the men we have trained, are you?” Cullen demanded.

“No sir. It's just that Joseph and me look alike, almost like twins,wouldn’t you say, Molly? I thought that somehow I might act as a decoy—add to the confusion, you might say—have the guards chase me by mistake.” He stood there with his hands on his hips, staring at Cullen. “I don’t know what kind of plan you’ve got in mind, sir, but I’m ready to do whatever you want to help.”

A weary smile crossed Cullen's face. “You’re a brave lad, Liam. I like that. But I have to warn you that this is going to be no bun-fight. We’re hoping to spring some of our men from jail; but more than anything, we want to send a message to the English that we’re here, and we’re alive and arming ourselves, and we’re making preparations for the big fight that will come one day soon. We want to scare the pants off them, Liam. Maybe we’ll get nobody out and maybe most of us will die trying, but by God it will be a rallying call to our countrymen, won’t it?”

I could see now why I sensed immediately that he was a leader, one that men would follow into battle. I heard myself saying, “If there's anything that I can do to help you, then count me in.”





Twenty-four


At least we appear to have a new supply of weapons, although I can’t think why I wasn’t notified about them sooner.” Cullen still looked perturbed. It was later that evening and the boys,

including Liam, had been sent on their way. I would dearly have liked the chance to talk to him, and to hug him too, but he had gone without much of a backward glance at me when ordered to do so. I got the feeling he was worried about getting emotional in front of the other lads. I was left alone with Grania and Cullen, and not at all sure about what might happen next.