Peter Tremayne - Chalice of Blood

She smiled at his reference to the falling masonry that had nearly killed them both at the old abbey of Autun earlier in the summer. That masonry had been deliberately set to kill them both.

‘Come on, Eadulf,’ she prompted. ‘Give me the details. What were you doing on the building site at night? You know it is dangerous.’

‘If you must know, I was following up an idea.’

‘Go on.’

‘I was lying here thinking about the long ladders that were being used on the building site. I wanted to check to see if any had the length to reach up to Brother Donnchad’s window.’

‘Didn’t we discount that?’

‘You said only a midget would be able to get through the window.’

Fidelma sighed. ‘You think that small child Gúasach could have entered through the window and killed Donnchad?’

‘I did so and then …’ He stopped and shrugged. ‘I thought about Glassán’s story. What if Brother Donnchad had discovered Glassán’s background secret and threatened to tell the abbot? Glassán would have a good motive-’

Fidelma stopped him with a shake of her head. ‘I don’t think it is much of a secret. I am sure Brother Lugna knows about it, judging by his reaction when I mentioned Laighin the other evening. I’ll grant you that the abbot has not been kept fully informed but I don’t think Brother Donnchad would be bothered about the master builder. His behaviour suggests that he had something else on his mind.’

Eadulf looked disappointed.

Fidelma continued. ‘However, I’ll grant you that Glassán is not beyond suspicion and the fact that young Gúasach is his foster-son makes it all the more essential that we should not forget them. However, are you telling me that, seized by this idea, you set off into the night?’

A corner of Eadulf’s mouth turned down and he sighed. ‘It seemed a good idea at the time.’

‘So you arrived at the building site. Then what happened?’

‘I found the spot where they had left their ladders and I had a candle with me. I was going towards it when I heard a rasping noise.’

‘Rasping? Like stone on stone?’

‘Exactly.’

‘And where did the sound come from?’

‘I wasn’t sure. Overhead, I thought. I raised the candle to see then …’ he hesitated, frowning. ‘I think I heard someone gasp. Suddenly I was flying forward.’

‘Did you trip?’

‘I did not. Something, or someone, pushed me hard in the small of my back. It sent the candle from my hand and I pitched forward. The next thing I knew I was in Brother Seachlann’s hospital.’

‘Well, if you were pushed, whoever pushed you saved your life.’

‘Saved my life? How?’

‘You just missed having a heavy lintel stone come down on top of your head.’

‘You think that was the rasping sound I heard?’ asked Eadulf.

‘Yes, I do. The lintel was on the ground when I went to look at the spot where you were found.’

‘Then whoever knocked me out of the way must have seen the person who was pushing the stone so that it would fall on me.’

‘A logical conclusion. Yet why?’

‘Because they knew that I was going to discover Donnchad’s murderer?’

‘Perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe they did not even know who you were. I have heard from Brother Donnán that there have been several so-called accidents on the building site in recent weeks.’

‘Isn’t that usual? You cannot have several workmen building these large constructions of stone without accidents, can you?’

‘Did you see anything else before you were pushed?’

‘I only had the candle. When I heard the rasping, I raised it in order to ascertain where the sound came from. But I saw nothing at all.’

‘You raised the candle when you heard the rasping?’

‘As I said, I was trying to identify the sound. But before I could focus on anything, the push came and blackness.’

‘The candlelight would have fallen on your face. Perhaps you were not the person they wanted to kill,’ she speculated.

‘If it wasn’t me they wanted to kill, who was it?’

‘If we knew the answer to that question, we might have an answer to the whole conundrum.’

‘Perhaps it was Glassán and his foster-son who pushed me?’

‘I doubt the boy is strong enough to either push you over or move the lintel. We can rule them out, I think. Or the boy, at least.’

Eadulf realised she was right.

‘Maybe we should have a talk with the child?’ he suggested. ‘He might know something even if he isn’t directly involved.’

‘I agree that he might be able to tell us something more. However, I would rather do it when he is on his own. We especially don’t want Glassán or Brother Lugna about.’

‘There is one question I would like answered,’ said Eadulf. ‘What was the physician doing on the building site last night? How did he come to see me lying there and carry me back to his hospital?’

‘That is more than one question,’ Fidelma pointed out with humour. ‘But you are right. They are questions that need to be answered. I think I shall go and ask them now.’ She rose. ‘Is everything all right with you? Do you want for anything? You are taking the potion that Brother Seachlann gave you?’

Eadulf nodded at the jug by his bedside. ‘Brother Seachlannhas provided me with a noxious brew and a salve. I just hope they work.’

Fidelma picked up the jug and sniffed cautiously. ‘I smell mint. Do you know what is in it?’

‘Don’t worry. I do not think he is trying to poison me,’ replied Eadulf. ‘From what I know of the contents, it is the sort of mixture that most apothecaries would mix up in the circumstances. I’ll try to sleep off this headache, though. I know there is much to do.’

‘I’ll ask Gormán to stay near in case you want anything.’

When she glanced back from the door, Eadulf was already lying back, exhausted, his eyes closed.

Fidelma found Brother Seachlann in the bróinbherg treating a member of the brethren who glanced up shame-faced as she entered.

‘Am I disturbing you, Brother Seachlann?’

The physician shrugged. ‘I am just finished with this one,’ he replied. Turning to the obviously embarrassed man, he gave him a small earthenware jug. ‘Take this mixture and drink a small cupful at frequent intervals and if there is no relief you must come back to me.’

The man nodded quickly, rose and left the chamber.

Brother Seachlann grimaced. ‘A case of food poisoning, I think. He is suffering the buinnech . When he first came yesterday I treated him with meadowsweet but it was not strong enough, so I have made an infusion of agrimony which is stronger and should work within three days.’

‘ Buinnech ?’ Fidelma queried. ‘That’s … flux.’

‘Diarrhoea,’ agreed the physician. ‘Since no one else has succumbed, I suspect the Brother has been eating something that he should not have been. Some of the brethren do tend to cheat on the meals as laid down in the rules drawn up by our resolute steward Brother Lugna. He believes in frugality.’

‘Agrimony has a bitter taste,’ commented Fidelma. ‘I much prefer boiled sorrel with red wine.’

‘Fine for those who can afford red wine,’ the physician retorted. ‘Now what can I do for you? I hope Brother Eadulf has not taken a turn for the worse.’

Fidelma offered him a reassuring smile. ‘I came to thank you for all that you have done for Eadulf.’

‘It was no more than my profession calls on me to do.’

‘But it was lucky that you were passing by where he lay.’ When he did not respond, she went on, ‘How did you come to be there so late at night?’