Bold Fenian Men

Padraig stood outside, his heart thumping furiously, looking at the young man curled up on the ground at his feet. He crouched down next to him, and as he did so the young man sensed him and looked up.

"I'm not going to shoot you, Lenny." Padraig said softly, and Lenny lifted his head up and looked at the bullet hole in the wall.

"Why?" Lenny whispered. "What makes me any different?" He got up from where he'd instinctively thrown himself to the floor, believing Padraig was about to kill him. Padraig stood up with him, looking him in the eye.

"Because, Lenny. I love your sister, that's why. My love for Roisin is the only thing that is going to save your life. I understand. If they had said that to me, that they'd kill Roisin, I would have informed on anyone they wanted. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt that girl, and that is why I'm not going to shoot you. But I will say this. You have to leave Ireland. If you are found in this country in twenty-four hours, then you will be shot. Go. Now. And don’t look back."

Lenny watched him for a second, barely able to believe his luck, that Padraig Caraher himself was going to spare him. Then he turned and hurried down the street, heading for the next ferry out of Ireland.

"And don't worry." Padraig called after him. "I'll look after Roisin."

Padraig came back into the pub to find Roisin still huddled on the floor sobbing. He went over to her and crouched in front of her, and he predicted correctly her reaction when she first saw him, and caught her hand just as she went to strike him.

"You bastard," she spat at him.

"Roisin, listen to me." he said, and she fell silent. Padraig pulled her to her feet and pulled her away from everyone, so he could speak to her privately. "Roisin, he's not dead."

"What?" Roisin demanded, looking at Padraig properly for the first time.

"Shh!"

"You didn’t kill him?"

"I couldn't kill him."

"Why not?" Roisin asked, lowering her voice again. "You've never had a problem killing people before!"

"Because I love you. I couldn’t do that to you or your family." Roisin watched him for a while. And then she smiled. Not a warm smile, but a cold, sarcastic smile.

"Oh really?" she asked. "I know you, Padraig. I'll bet you have killed him. You have, haven't you? You've shot him and you're just telling me that he'd not dead so I don't realise you've left his body somewhere to rot!"

"Roisin, that's not –" But Roisin had already run outside. Padraig sighed, and then slowly went out after her.

She was standing in the very spot where he and Lenny had been moments before, looking at the ground and holding something in her hands.

"It's his watch." she said softly. "Grandda gave him that before he died. He wouldn’t have left it." she looked at Padraig. "Not voluntarily, anyway."

"I promise you I didn’t kill him." Padraig said. "Look. Do you see any blood anywhere?" Roisin paused, and then looked around.

"No." she said, ever so quietly.

"And where is the bullet mark?" Roisin's eyes flicked to the mark on the wall. She looked slowly back at Padraig.

"Then where is he?" she asked.

"I told him he had to leave Ireland." Roisin gasped.

"Forever?"

"I'm not sure. It depends. I know he didn't enjoy what he did. But he still shouldn't have done it. If I'd have been killed then … well, he doesn't understand what would have happened, I guess. But it doesn’t excuse it. I sent him out of Ireland not just as a punishment but to save him as well. At least they can’t get him themselves when he's out of the country."

"But we're so close," Roisin whispered. "He's the only person I truly trust. I can't live here while he's God knows where." Tears began rolling down Roisin's cheeks again. "I wish I could have said goodbye."

"Perhaps we should see what we could do?" Padraig asked.

"What do you mean?" Roisin asked.

"We'll check the ferry port. He might still be there. Come on."

They screeched to a halt at the port a few minutes later. Roisin had jumped out before Padraig had even turned the engine off. Padraig himself got out more slowly, dragging his feet along the dark car park. Roisin had already disappeared. Padraig soon spotted her around the corner. She'd found Lenny, and he hung back, letting them have a private moment.

Just as Roisin turned to go, Lenny looked up and noticed Padraig for the first time. He and Padraig watched each other for a long moment, and then Lenny gave Padraig a small smile. Padraig didn’t smile back, but nodded in acknowledgement, and Lenny understood this to be the same thing. He knew Padraig couldn’t show weakness in public. He couldn't be seen being merciful for a change.

Padraig turned and walked away, waiting for Roisin at his car. She caught up a few minutes later, and Padraig didn’t quite know what to say. Roisin solved that problem. She walked up the Padraig, put her arms around his waist, and kissed him firmly on the lips.

"Whoah! What's this?" Padraig asked, when he and Roisin pulled apart.

"Thank you, Padraig," Roisin whispered. "Thank you for not killing my brother."

"I couldn't, I told you."

"But you're Padraig Caraher, I know what you were thinking. You spared someone for me, even though you could have been killed. I know what it means to you to appear weak like that." Padraig shrugged, shifting from foot to foot. Roisin had been spot on. That was exactly what had been going through his mind.

"Well." he said eventually. "I guess love makes you do crazy things."