Peter Tremayne - Chalice of Blood

‘Druidical books! Pagan idolatry!’ hissed Brother Lugna again.

‘Books that would have helped us understand our past, without which we are condemned to live in ignorance,’ observed Fidelma quietly.

‘Heresy!’ replied the steward. ‘I will not listen to such conversation.’

‘Indeed, there is no need for you to remain,’ Fidelma told him. ‘The abbot and I will reach a conclusion as to what is to be done in this matter.’

It was a direct challenge to the steward. He stood for a moment, undecided. His chin was raised belligerently as he stared at her. He saw the sparkle of fire in her eyes, hesitated a moment more, then turned and left the room without another word.

Cumscrad grimaced in satisfaction. ‘An unpleasant fellow, Iarnla. What possessed you to appoint him as your steward?’

Abbot Iarnla glanced at Fidelma and made a hopeless gesture with his hands. He was far from happy.

‘You said that the books that were stolen were copies of originals? ’ Eadulf asked to distract the chief’s attention.

‘It took our scribes over a year to make them and in that lies their value.’

Fidelma turned back to Cumscrad. ‘It will be my brother’s wish to avoid the unnecessary spilling of blood, so I warn you not to raise your clan against Uallachán of the Uí Liatháin before I have had time to properly investigate the matter. We must then place the evidence before Uallachán and allow him to submit his rebuttal. Do you agree with that, Cumscrad?’

The chief thought for a moment and then gave a quick smile of agreement. ‘I do, for I favour things being done in accordance with the law.’

‘Then what I suggest is, after the midday meal, we set out for your township of Fhear Maighe so that I can question the bargemen and librarian. Then I shall ride to Uallachán of the Uí Liatháin and put the matter to him.’

Abbot Iarnla was frowning. ‘But what of your inquiry here? This means you may be gone two days or so.’

‘There are some things I must consider before making my report on the death of Brother Donnchad. But have no fear. I should be able to announce my findings soon.’

‘Then you have come to a decision on the death of Brother Donnchad?’ demanded the abbot in surprise.

‘I will let you know soon.’

Cumscrad was shaking his head sadly. ‘Ah, Brother Donnchad. He did not look a happy man when I saw him.’

‘Did you know Brother Donnchad then?’ Fidelma asked with interest.

‘Who did not?’ replied Cumscrad. ‘He was well known even before he went off on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It wasonly a few days after he came to Fhear Maighe that I heard he was dead.’

‘After he came to Fhear Maighe? Are you saying that you met him there a few days before his death?’ demanded Fidelma.

‘That is what I said. He spent the day at Fhear Maighe and only a few days later we heard of his death. It was a shock that …’ He paused as he noticed the expressions of surprise on the faces of his audience. ‘But you must have known of his visit, Iarnla. Brother Donnchad would have sought permission to leave the abbey to ride to Fhear Maighe, isn’t that the rule?’

Abbot Iarnla nodded uneasily.

‘It was noted that Brother Donnchad had disappeared for a day without telling anyone where he was going,’ Fidelma told Cumscrad before the abbot could reply. ‘That was four days before he was found murdered. So now we know. What was the purpose of his visit to you?’

‘He did not come to visit me,’ replied Cumscrad.

‘But you said-’

‘He came to Fhear Maighe but he went to visit our tech-screptra .’

‘Your library?’

‘Brother Donnchad came to examine some of the texts that we hold in our library.’

‘Which ones?’ Eadulf could not disguise the hint of excitement in his voice.

‘I don’t know. You would have to ask Dubhagan our leabhar coimedach .’

‘How long did he spend at the library?’ Fidelma pressed.

‘I met him when he was departing in the evening,’ admitted Cumscrud. ‘But I was told that he had arrived early that morning.’

‘So he spent the entire day in the library? He went nowhere else when he was at Fhear Maighe?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Was his visit unusual? I mean, had he ever visited the library before?’

Cumscrad smiled and shook his head. ‘I had encountered Brother Donnchad only twice previously, when I visited this abbey. However, he did employ my son to make copies at our library. My son, Cunán, is assistant at the library and has a reputation for the fairness of his copies. Not that Brother Donnchad approved of many of the books the library holds. He was somewhat like our friend the steward.’

‘Like Brother Lugna?’

‘He claimed that our library was full of profane and heretical works. He had never expressed a wish to visit us before he arrived on that day.’

‘Didn’t that arouse your curiosity?’ Fidelma asked. ‘The fact that he suddenly turned up at a place abhorrent to his thinking?’

‘I gave it a passing thought, no more. I knew he was an intelligent man and thought that perhaps he had reconsidered his attitude.’

‘And within a few days of his returning from your library, he is found murdered,’ muttered Eadulf and immediately received another warning glance from Fidelma.

‘What are you implying, Brother Eadulf?’ demanded the chief quickly.

‘Eadulf meant that it would be of benefit to know the reason why he visited your library. We may learn the answer by speaking to your librarian this afternoon.’ She rose determinedly from her chair. ‘As it is now well past the hour for the etar-shod , the midday meal, I suggest that we partake of refreshment before we set out with you, Cumscrad.’

‘I have no objection to that.’

The refectorium was deserted and so the meal was a frugal one with just the four of them being served cold meats and cheeses with cold water from the abbey fountain. As they rose to leave, Cumscrad lingered a moment.

‘I will see you at the gate shortly. I have one other small matter to speak to Abbot Iarnla about,’ he said.

‘We have some things to pick up from the guesthouse so we will meet in the courtyard in a little while.’

As they left, Fidelma caught sight of Gormán in the quadrangle. He was obviously waiting for them. She felt a tinge of guilt in case he had not eaten but he assured her that he had gone into the refectorium when the bell for the midday meal had sounded.

‘Ask Brother Echen to saddle our horses and be ready to join Cumscrad and his men. We may be away for a day or two.’

Gormán was surprised. ‘Are we going to Fhear Maighe, lady?’

‘We are.’

‘I thought there was something in the wind because the steward came hurrying into the courtyard some time ago. He looked angry. He seized Glassán, spoke swiftly to him. Glassán took a horse from the stable and rode rapidly away.’

Fidelma frowned. She had forgotten about Brother Lugna.

‘Did you notice which way Glassán went?’

Gormán shook his head. ‘Only that he rode through the abbey gates as quickly as I have ever seen a man move on a horse. Whether he turned east or west, I did not see.’

‘Well, no matter,’ replied Fidelma. ‘It may not be relevant. Get the horses ready.’

She and Eadulf went to the tech-oíged to pack a few things in case they were obliged to spend more time away than Fidelma expected. On their return to the quadrangle, they found Gormán and Brother Echen waiting in front of the stables with her white horse Aonbharr and Eadulf’s cob already saddled.

Fidelma took the opportunity to ask Brother Echen about what he had told Gormán. ‘You mentioned to Gormán the other day that your cousin told you that a building Glassán was working on in Laighin had fallen down and killed several people.’