Peter Tremayne - The Devil's seal

‘They could be here tomorrow,’ Aidan finished for her and, with a quick salute, he turned and hurried on.

Fidelma gazed in concern at Eadulf. ‘Tomorrow,’ she repeated in a tone of dismay. ‘Somehow I don’t think that gives us enough time to resolve anything, before the brother of Pope Vitalian arrives in Cashel.’

Eadulf spotted Dego’s horse outside the tavern of Rumann on the western side of the town square. Dego was inside with Egric enjoying the local ale, which was a product of Rumann’s own brewery at the back of the tavern. They looked up as Eadulf came across to join them. Rumann was already following him with another pottery mug of his ale.

‘It is not often we see you in here, Brother Eadulf,’ the big alehouse-keeper greeted him cheerfully. ‘I suppose this is a special day with the arrival of your brother. How is the lady Fidelma? And your son?’

‘They are both well, Rumann. And your own family?’

‘My son is well and a great help to me.’ With a smile at the company, Rumann turned towards his other customers, a couple of local shepherds seated in a corner.

Eadulf raised his drink towards his companions. Egric was regarding him with an odd expression — something like apprehension. Dego, however, did not seem to notice his companion’s discomfiture.

‘I have shown your brother around our town,’ he reported. ‘Not that it took long so I thought I should introduce him to the most important place.’ He waved a hand to encompass his surroundings. ‘Oh, I saw Della as we passed, and she asked me to pass on a message — that if Fidelma calls by soon, she has some special herbs for her. It seems that now Aibell is living with her, Della is able to spend more time cultivating her land.’

Della was a longtime friend of Fidelma, who had successfully defended her from false accusations of murder. A few months ago, Della had begun to look after the wayward young girl, Aibell. Found near Della’s home, it turned out that she had escaped to Cashel, having been illegally sold as a bondservant and mistreated in the country of the Sliabh Luachra. Fidelma had given the girl her protection.

‘I’ll pass the information on to her,’ Eadulf assured him.

‘Did you come here in search of me?’ Egric wanted to know. He frowned. ‘Is anything wrong?’

‘Nothing is wrong that we did not know already,’ replied Eadulf. ‘I just wanted to ask you a few more questions.’ He glanced at Dego apologetically. ‘Would you give us a few moments?’

Dego rose. ‘Old Nessán is over in the corner. I haven’t seen him for a while. I need a few words with him.’

When they were alone, Egric challenged: ‘What is this about?’

‘The same matter,’ Eadulf said with an easy smile. ‘I just wanted to clarify that the Venerable Victricius gave you absolutely no hint about the purpose of his journey here.’

‘I have told you that he did not.’ There was irritation in his brother’s tone.

‘I just wanted confirmation. You had no idea that you would find Brother Cerdic here?’

There was a slight hesitation before Egric replied. ‘I also told you that I did not know Brother Cerdic.’

‘Very well.’ Eadulf sat back, watching his brother keenly. ‘Tell me again, when did you first meet the Venerable Victricius?’

Egric’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. ‘I met him in Canterbury.’

‘How exactly did you come to meet him? It is important.’

‘How exactly? I arrived there, having taken the sea route from Streonshalh with some other members of the religious.’

‘You did not know him at Streonshalh?’

‘I did not. Was he there?’

‘So where and how in Canterbury did you meet him?’ went on Eadulf without answering.

‘I was going to find a band of religious or merchants heading to a new abbey that I had heard about in the east of the Kingdom of Kent and. . I think I met him in a tavern.’ He saw the expression on Eadulf’s face and grimaced. ‘Where else would one pick up news of a merchant band leaving Canterbury?’ Eadulf was about to point out that there were plenty of religious houses and hostels in Canterbury, but Egric was continuing. ‘I was despairing of finding such a band when I fell into conversation with the Venerable Victricius. He told me that no less a person than Archbishop Theodore had given him a special commission which would take him here. I mentioned that I had been in the land of the Cruthin; I knew something of the common tongue, though I had never been here before. All this I told you earlier.’

‘And so he asked you to accompany him?’

‘He needed my skill; also the fact was that he was old and I was young.’

‘And you agreed without knowing the purpose of the trip, to come on a long and arduous journey into an unknown land? It seems strange.’

‘How so, strange?’ Egric challenged.

‘That you set out from Canterbury to accompany the Venerable Victricius, without knowing him and without any idea of his purpose.’

‘Strange but true, brother. I had no other urgent task to occupy me and the prospect of adventure seemed good. Did you never set out on a journey without knowing where it would lead you?’

Eadulf paused, for his brother had a point. ‘I do not have to be convinced, Egric. But the fact that Brother Cerdic arrived here to tell us that there was a deputation coming from Canterbury and then was murdered. .’

Egric frowned quickly. ‘Are you accusing me?’

‘Don’t be so touchy, Egric. You did not arrive at Cashel until after Brother Cerdic was found murdered. What I am trying to find is some thread that would lead me into untangling this mystery.’

‘You were always trying to resolve riddles when you were a boy.’ Egric sounded disgusted.

Eadulf sighed. ‘Isn’t it curious that Brother Cerdic came here from Canterbury and was killed here? That you and the Venerable Victricius came here from Canterbury and were attacked here, leaving Victricius dead? Surely there is something more you can tell us.’

Egric was shaking his head firmly. ‘All I know is what I have said. It might well have something to do with the Venerable Victricius’ purpose in coming to this kingdom — I don’t know.’

‘Bishop Arwald will soon be here in the company of the Venerable Verax. You said that you had heard of Arwald — but what of Verax?’

Egric was silent and covered the silence by taking a sip of his drink.

‘So you do not know the Venerable Verax?’ pressed Eadulf.

‘Eadulf, I am a lowly cleric — not one who mixes with highly placed members of the Faith.’

‘Yet you were travelling as companion to the Venerable Victricius,’ Eadulf said patiently.

‘That is different.’

‘How different?’

‘When is this deputation due in Cashel?’ asked Egric, without replying.

‘They were reported as being about a day’s ride away.’

Eadulf sat watching his brother for a moment. He knew instinctively that Egric was keeping something back. But what was it? He could hardly accuse him of complicity in the death of Brother Cerdic because, as he pointed out, Brother Cerdic had been murdered before Egric arrived at Cashel. But he was sure that his brother knew far more than he was telling him.

‘I must get back to the palace,’ Eadulf finally said, rising. He tried to conceal his exasperation. ‘I have things to do before the Venerable Verax and his party arrive. I will see you later.’

Egric glanced up at his brother. ‘I am sorry to give you such trouble.’

‘Don’t worry. As soon as this deputation has come and gone, we must get together properly and catch up on all that has happened to each of us. I’ll take you fishing along the Siúr; the river circles to the west of us here and further north there is good fishing. I remember how you liked to fish in the Fromus where it passed by our father’s house. .’