Behind the Walls Read Online Free Page B

words:
    ‘Good my lord, I have written to you to let you know that all our Irishmen through Ireland is sworn that on the ninth day of this month they are to fall on to kill and murder (every Protestant) man, wife and child.’
    The letter was longer than that but nobody wanted to hear anything else after that awful first line. A gasp rapidly became a roar as the alderman’s audience quickly digested its meaning. Daniel saw his mother take his father’s arm and, instinctively, he moved closer too. All around them panic was fluttering. One man called out, ‘What are you saying? What are you telling us?’
    Alderman Tomkins raised his hands to try to settle the crowd while saying, ‘Surely the meaning is obvious – the Irish supporters of King James want to wipe us out!’ He pleaded with them for confirmation. ‘Wouldn’t you agree? That much seems to be clear from what I have read.’
    The next question to surface was chanted from the backof the crowd. ‘What is today’s date?’
    Reverend Gordon felt obliged to step forward and answer, ‘The seventh of December.’
    A few women screamed.
    Daniel heard his father mutter, ‘Ridiculous!’ Mr Sherrard freed his arm from his wife’s grasp and moved forward. Robert looked surprised but followed him.
    ‘Could it not be a hoax?’ Mr Sherrard called out. ‘Is it not strange that the letter is unsigned?’
    Some of his neighbours nodded gratefully; this was a much more attractive explanation. Others, like Henry’s father, Mayor Campsie, refused to be comforted. Instead, he offered his own theory. ‘Perhaps the writer is protecting his own skin. He might well be a Catholic who is risking his life to pass on this warning to his Protestant friend. He could hardly provide his name then.’
    The community took a moment to consider this, allowing Mayor Campsie to underline his point. ‘Either way, do we really have the luxury of not accepting this as a real threat? It’s only us and Enniskillen that are the two main Protestant garrison cities, and that scoundrel Richard Talbot wants us to support his Catholic king … or else!’
    From the moment of his appointment by King James, Lord Lieutenant Talbot had made his presence, that is, his religion, felt. His changes were many and made fast. He rid the Irish army of Protestant soldiers and oustedwell-to-do Protestants from the best of the government jobs. Catholics poured in from everywhere to fill up the vacancies.
    Robert found himself agreeing with the mayor. What he said made perfect sense and didn’t it echo what his father had said himself only a few weeks ago?
    Reverend Gordon spoke. ‘We believe that there is a Catholic army on its way to Derry.’
    Someone shouted, ‘Evacuate the city!’
    The reverend shook his head. ‘No, wait.’ He had more to say, but the noise was tremendous as people voiced their own concerns, no matter who else was speaking.
    However, as his sons noted, once Mr Sherrard started to speak, the crowd quietened down to hear him. ‘Are we really to believe that there is going to be an all-out massacre? From what I hear of James, he is not a man to prompt unnecessary bloodshed.’
    Mayor Campsie shook his head at this. ‘How can we be sure?’ Sensing that more than a few of his neighbours felt he was correct, he declared with pride, ‘I, for one, could never trust a man who gives up his father’s faith. An English king who chooses the Pope over his family and country? I’ll tell you what that it is, it’s an insult to all of us!’
    This was an opinion that he had shared many times since James II took the throne. Daniel heard a whispered groan. ‘Oh don’t get him started or we’ll be here all day!’His mother heard it too but hid her smile behind Alice’s head.
    Alderman Tomkins did his best to take charge again. Clapping his hands, he said, ‘The question is, dear neighbours, do we allow the army in? They’re coming to take up residency here, like any army of the English