Peter Tremayne - The Devil's seal

‘First I must find Egric and get him to identify the body, if he can,’ Eadulf reminded her.

As they entered the courtyard they found old Brother Conchobhar hurrying towards them.

‘I was coming to find you,’ he murmured, casting an almost conspiratorial look around him. ‘There is something that you must see.’

He turned and led them to his apothecary. They asked no questions, for the physician seemed in a state of some agitation. They followed him to a small room at the back of his workshop — a place where he usually examined and prepared bodies ready for burial. The corpse of Rudgal was stretched out on the table, ready to be washed for the burial. A racholl or winding sheet loosely covered him.

‘I was undressing the body,’ explained Brother Conchobhar, ‘when I found this object tied around the waist.’ He turned, and from beneath a bundle of clothes on a nearby chair he picked up a piece of material and handed it to Fidelma.

It was a narrow band of woven lambswool, once white in colour, but stained and dirty now. It was a curious shape — a band some three fingers thick, made as if to loop through itself. Embroidered on it were six black crosses.

‘In the old days,’ Brother Conchobhar recalled, ‘something like this was a ritual vestment worn by all bishops of the New Faith. Although this seems to be of a slightly different design.’

‘But why would Rudgal be hiding it around his waist?’ asked Fidelma. ‘Was this what he thought was significant?’

‘Do you think that Rudgal stole it from Victricius?’ Eadulf wondered. ‘Maybe Victricius was a bishop and this was his vestment?’ He took the lambswool from her and examined it carefully.

‘If so, he must have known something more about it,’ Fidelma said sensibly.

‘But what would someone like Rudgal know about the vestments of the ecclesiastics?’ Eadulf was frowning. ‘According to Brehon Furudán, Rudgal claimed that someone at Láirge’s harbour had paid him and his thugs to attack and kill the Venerable Victricius and my brother. I suppose that person may have told him something about it.’

‘That doesn’t sound likely.’ Fidelma was dubious. ‘If they were just hired thugs, Rudgal and his gang of cut-throats would not be let into any secret which gave them additional power, surely.’

‘Then if they weren’t told, why did he take it and hide it on his person? Why did he come here confident we would make a bargain with him? And why was he killed?’

Fidelma returned his gaze thoughtfully. ‘You are asking too many good questions, Eadulf. Anyway, I think we can be sure that he kept it as a means of bargaining for his freedom. But now I think we have another question to pursue.’

‘Which is?’ prompted Eadulf.

‘We know that this used to be a symbol that was worn by bishops years ago. Perhaps that symbolism has changed?’

Brother Conchobhar intervened. ‘I can make some discreet enquiries. Our Keeper of the Books is a man of great knowledge, and an enquiry from me would not give rise to any undue attention.’

‘But don’t show him this,’ Fidelma warned, folding the band. ‘Just describe it to him as if it was something you had once seen. In the meantime, I suggest you hide it somewhere safe.’

They emerged from Brother Conchobhar’s apothecary more perplexed than they had entered it. They found Gormán looking for them.

‘I just wanted to tell you that I have spoken to all the members of the bodyguard who were around the Laochtech while the prisoner was held there.’ He sounded frustrated. ‘None of them saw anything. Enda was in charge, since he and Luan secured the prisoner in the storehouse, as Eadulf will have told you. The Déisi warriors never left the brandubh game. Everyone else had their guard duties to perform and have been accounted for.’

‘The trouble is that the storehouse is behind the Laochtech ,’ Fidelma observed. ‘Anyone could have gone round it and entered it without being seen by the warriors in the Laochtech .’

‘Well, there are other matters that I must proceed with,’ Eadulf said. ‘Has my brother returned yet? He needs to identify Rudgal’s body to say whether he was one of the attackers. He can’t still be in Rumman’s tavern, surely?’

Gormán turned to him in surprise. ‘He didn’t tell you?’

Eadulf frowned. ‘Tell me what? I haven’t seen him since I asked you where he was earlier.’

The young warrior nervously cleared his throat at Eadulf’s response. ‘He has left with Dego. They will be gone for a few days.’

Eadulf was staring at Gormán in incomprehension. It was Fidelma who asked the question. ‘Gone where for a few days, Gormán?’ she asked softly.

‘I told friend Eadulf here earlier that they were talking about fishing or hunting.’

‘And?’ snapped Eadulf, his voice dangerous. ‘What are you saying now?’

‘Well, Dego had permission from me to take some days’ rest after our recent trip. He was going to spend a few days fishing and hunting. He has a cabin somewhere in the Sliabh na gCoille.’

Eadulf knew that the Mountains of the Forest was the name of the peaks to the south-west. It was a large area.

‘When did you learn this?’ he asked coldly.

‘When you went to tell the King about the discovery of the body of the prisoner. Dego came back to the fortress at that moment to tell me he was leaving. As he had been in the township, the matter of questioning him about the death of the prisoner did not relate to him. I saw no objection to allowing him to leave.’ The warrior looked embarrassed.

‘That was not the problem.’ Fidelma spoke quietly. ‘This prisoner was supposed to be the man who attacked Egric, so Egric was needed as an official witness. Why did you not keep him here so that he could identify him?’

Gormán raised his arms in a helpless gesture.

‘Egric did not come back with Dego. I presumed that he was waiting for him in Rumann’s tavern. I thought that he had already told Eadulf his intention when Eadulf went to the tavern to see him earlier. In fact, I’ve just seen Beccan, who was asking whether Egric would be feasting with the King this evening. He was worrying about the arrangements as usual. I never saw a steward so worried about details. But. . well, didn’t you say that you were speaking about fishing to your brother?’

Eadulf shook his head in annoyance. ‘He did not mention any intention of leaving immediately with Dego on a fishing or hunting trip.’

The warrior was looking unhappy. ‘I did not realise that he had not told you, and it did not occur to me that you would disapprove.’

‘It’s not that I disapprove,’ muttered Eadulf fiercely. ‘However, the timing and circumstance are. . are odd.’

‘It’s not your fault, Gormán,’ Fidelma intervened. ‘We just needed to ask if Egric could identify this Rudgal as his attacker. But it is no matter, since that was just a formality. We have evidence aplenty. But with this second murder and the fact that the arrival of the deputation from the east is imminent, it would be better had all the trusted members of the King’s bodyguard remained in the palace.’

‘Perhaps if I sent a fast rider after them?’ Gormán offered.

‘Just a moment. Were they both on horseback?’

‘They had the horses they left with this morning. Dego only came back here to collect his belongings for the trip. Your brother had lost all his belongings in the attack on the Siúr, so I presume they would purchase some items in the town before they left.’

‘Which way were they heading?’

‘I am not sure. Dego’s cabin is among the mountains south of the Valley of Eatharlach.’

Fidelma turned to Eadulf. ‘A good rider might eventually be able to overtake them if he were sure of the direction they were taking.’