Behind the Walls by Nicola Pierce

Lundy.’
    His father rushed to assure him, ‘Oh, yes. Yes!’ Then he thought of something. ‘How’s that horse of yours?’
    Used to his father’s meandering conversations, Adam replied, ‘Pegasus is fine. She’ll probably need new shoes in the next month or so but apart from that she’s grand.’
    ‘Aye,’ said his father, ‘you have a good animal there. Take care of her.’
    Adam exhaled before saying, ‘Yes, Father, I know. I do take very good care of her.’
    His father took a mouthful of boiling soup and exclaimed, ‘You probably need a wife!’
    Adam rolled his eyes at the dog who probably agreed with his father.
    Adam returned to the former subject with some determination. ‘Colonel Lundy is talking about breaking up the other Protestant garrisons in Dungannon, Monaghan and Cavan. Why would he do that? These towns are full of men eager to fight the Jacobites. From what I can see, he’spreparing Derry for attack while also getting rid of our valuable allies. I reckon he’s playing a dangerous game.’ When Gabriel said not a word to this, his son continued, ‘Nobody has accused him of anything yet, but I hear there are a lot of complaints behind his back. For instance, he has been told that more Jacobite soldiers are on their way but doesn’t seem to be doing a thing about it. Also, it seems we had a chance of receiving fresh soldiers into the garrison and he turned them away. I cannot prove it yet, but the rumour persists. There was a meeting, but only a select few were present to decide, it would appear, to reject more men. At the very least his behaviour bewilders me.’
    Again there was silence at this.
    ‘Father,’ said Adam, ‘are you listening to me at all?’
    Gabriel stopped slurping his soup long enough to say, ‘Of course I am, son.’
    Adam went to talk again. ‘It’s just that …’
    However, his father interrupted him. ‘I hope you find a girl who is even half as lovely as your mother was.’
    Adam’s smile and tone were tender. ‘Yes, Father. I’ll do my best to.’
    Gabriel waggled a finger in his left ear, trying to clear it so that he could hear better while saying matter-of-factly, ‘It sounds like Lundy doesn’t believe in himself.’
    Ignoring whatever his father had found in his ear, and was now stuck to his finger, Adam asked, ‘Do you reallythink that’s what it is, a lack of self-esteem is causing him to make worrying mistakes?’
    His father grunted, ‘He’s just a man after all. And it’s contagious too.’
    Adam asked, ‘What is?’
    Having scooped up the last of his soup, Gabriel placed the bowl at his feet and stood up to wriggle himself out of his trousers. Next he went searching for needle and thread. When he sat back down again, he said, ‘A few passers-by have told me that Lundy doesn’t believe that Derry can be defended.’
    ‘Really, Father? You never mentioned this.’
    Gabriel was incredulous. ‘But I just have. Lundy doesn’t have faith in himself and, consequently, people don’t have faith in him.’
    Adam put his empty bowl at his feet and pulled the trousers into his lap, taking the needle and thread from his father, saying, ‘That seems to be the point alright. They just don’t trust him.’
    His father gave the old dog a perfunctory rub across his matted spine and sighed. ‘You can never truly know what goes on inside another man’s head.’
    Adam shrugged as he began to sew. ‘But if you accept leadership over a city, I think a great deal should be transparent.’
    His father took out his box of snuff and stuffed athimbleful up his nose before offering it to his son. The old man gave a hearty sniff and asked, ‘Will you be staying here tonight?’
    Adam shook his head. ‘I can’t. I’m on patrol. I’ll do my best to drop in before the end of the week. Is there anything you need?’
    His father, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the tiny snores from the dog, replied, ‘No. Thank God!’

Chapter Twelve
    T here was a new