“He won’t peep through windows again in a hurry,” said Ainnle.
“Conachúr has overreached himself,” said Naoise. “We can hold out until the morning, and if Lavarcham sends her messages my people will be baying around Conachúr like wolves, and there will be many another one with them.”
“The people of Fergus mac Roy will be with them,” cried Buinne.
“That king will learn what it is to dare my father’s protection,” Iollann raged.
“Why,” said Naoise joyfully, “we are as safe as if we were in Scotland.”
“If we are only as safe as that!” said Ardan with a giggle. “Buinne, my soul, we used to be running from morning until night. We ate our food on the run. We used to run in our sleep. I tell the world that in six years I have not felt safe for a minute until this minute, for there are stout walls around us, and food to last a week’s siege. The gods be praised,” he said piously, “we cannot run even if we have to.”
The band of young men shouted with laughter, and Deirdre chimed in as joyously as any of them.
CHAPTER XI
“It is as you thought, master,” said Lavarcham. “The girl is ruined.”
“You saw her?”