Peter Tremayne - The Dove of Death

A pained expression crossed the King’s features.

‘You are well informed, lady. Budic is my only offspring. His mother was my great companion and partner. I thought that I would never survive the grief when she died of the Yellow Plague. Thanks be to God, I found solace with Riwanon. It is beyond man’s expectation to find two great loves in one lifetime. But I have been truly blessed.’

‘With your permission, father, I will join Bleidbara,’ the young warrior requested.

King Alain shook his head. ‘I need you here, Budic. Bleidbara and his men are capable enough. I must have my guard commander at my side.’

Budic looked unhappy, but then acknowledged his father’s wish. King Alain spoke to Fidelma’s escort and the warrior saluted and left. The King turned back to her with a smile.

‘I have told him not to interfere with the Morvran .’

‘So, tell us, Fidelma, what is the plan of Bleidbara?’ Budic wanted to know.

Until her suspicions were confirmed, Fidelma felt it was best to say as little as possible. She chose her words carefully.

‘Bleidbara believes he knows where the raider, the Koulm ar Maro , might be. I am not sure where, as I do not know these waters you call the Morbihan. I believe it might be some eastern islet.’ She was deliberately misleading them.

‘Well, let us provide you with refreshments,’ announced King Alain. ‘And you may give us an account of your adventures. It sounds as if this will be a story told by our bards for many years.’

‘I would do so with pleasure, Alain. But the saga is not ended and I would advise you not to relax your guard too much.’ Fidelma spoke in a serious tone. ‘It is my belief that this mystery is quickly coming to its planned conclusion.’

‘Its planned conclusion ?’ King Alain looked perplexed. ‘What do you mean?’

‘All I can say is that I will be able to tell you more tomorrow.’

‘The lady is being dramatic,’ Budic observed cynically. ‘What mystery are we talking of?’

The King held her eyes in a thoughtful gaze.

‘I have no need to ask if you are jesting, Fidelma. The gravity of what you say is in your expression. You suspect some conspiracy here?’

‘I do. I suggest that you should continue to take a special care. As I said, I am hoping that by the end of tomorrow, we shall know enough to present you with all the facts. But tonight, with Lord Canao’s permission — for I know of the proscription against weapons in this house — we should sleep arrectis auribus , with our bedchamber doors locked, and with trustworthy guards outside.’

‘Fidelma!’ At that moment, Riwanon came down the stairs and moved quickly towards her with a smile and both hands held out in welcome.

‘I was so worried for you when you disappeared earlier today. After Ceingar’s death and the disappearance of Trifina and Iuna, why, I was in great agitation. It is good to see you alive and safe. And now that Alain is here, all is well, is that not so?’ Riwanon turned round as if searching for someone. ‘But where are Eadulf and Bleidbara? Did you have any success in finding Trifina and the girl Iuna?’

Fidelma shook her head with a sad expression.

‘No — but we have not given up,’ she replied. ‘We hope to have some news soon. Bleidbara is continuing the search. All we can do is get some rest tonight and await the coming of tomorrow.’

Lord Canao was looking glum.

‘This is a strange homecoming for me. My son, Macliau, is accused of murder. My daughter, Trifina, and my foster-daughter, Iuna, are both missing. Abbot Maelcar and the queen’s maid have been murdered under my roof. My people are now accusing me and mine of untold crimes. God alone knows what conspiracy is underway. I even find that a bretat from Bro-Gernev named Kaourentin has arrived here to judge my son.’

Fidelma was surprised at the news.

‘Brother Metellus told me that it took at least four days to travel to Bro-Gernev and back,’ she said. ‘You mean the bretat is here already?’

‘Apparently, Kaourentin was travelling from Bro-Gernev to Naoned and had arrived by chance at the Abbey of Gildas seeking hospitality,’ replied Canao. ‘Brother Metellus told me that it had been suggested a judge from Bro-Gernev should sit to hear my son’s defence rather than my own bretat . Apparently, the people would not respect a judgement given by the bretat of Brilhag.’

‘Is Brother Metellus here?’ asked Fidelma.

‘He came in company of this man Kaourentin. I would have preferred my bretat , Iarnbud, to be here to advise me.’

Fidelma looked at him levelly for a moment.

‘I regret that Iarnbud is also dead,’ she said. ‘I will explain in a moment.’

‘More deaths? Are we threatened in any way, Fidelma?’ asked King Alain in a shocked voice.

Fidelma could not resist answering with dry humour.

‘I think that we are threatened in every way,’ she replied solemnly. ‘As I said, we must be alert tonight.’

‘But no one would dare break into this fortress.’ Budic’s chuckle was dismissive. ‘We have guards enough.’

‘Perhaps they don’t have to break in,’ replied Fidelma softly.

Riwanon shivered slightly, saying, ‘You frighten me, Fidelma. What do you mean?’

‘I simply mean that we all need to be vigilant, for tomorrow will be an important day.’

‘Tomorrow?’ queried King Alain. ‘You keep saying that. Why tomorrow?’

‘Because that is when this mystery will finally be unravelled.’

Like a swan gliding across the dark waters, the Morvran slid forward, her sails stirring at the first breaths of the pre-dawn breeze. Her rigging began to shake and whisper like the soft movement of fingers over the taut strings of a lyre. Bleidbara seemed relaxed as he instructed the man at the tiller, guiding the vessel into the westerly darkness with the first glimmerings of the light heralding a new day behind them. Not for the first time Eadulf reminded himself that these people were essentially a seagoing community whose ancestors, with their large ships and maritime dexterity, had nearly brought disaster to Julius Caesar’s fleet centuries before.

Eadulf and Heraclius stood to one side of the raised deck at the stern of the vessel, near the tiller, where Bleidbara had planted himself, feet wide apart and hands before him, thumbs stuck into his belt. He glanced up at the moon that was still low in the western sky but so pale that it was almost indiscernible. The dawn atmosphere was chill.

‘Do you think we will catch them?’ Eadulf asked quietly, breaking the silence that had descended since the order had been given to hoist sail. ‘There are so many islands for them to hide behind in order to evade us, and once they are through the channel into the great sea beyond…’

‘You forget, Eadulf,’ replied Bleidbara, ‘the tide is now flowing into Morbihan with a powerful surge. No ship can move against that current in the channel. They are stuck here until the tide turns and that will be well after dawn. It’s a very dangerous tide to face: the sea can rise up to four metres here.’

Eadulf remembered what old Aourken had told them about the passage into the Morbihan. As little as he knew the sea and ships, he could still appreciate the dextrous way that Bleidbara’s crew handled the large vessel.

‘What do you intend?’ Heraclius asked Bleidbara.

‘I intend to go to Er Lannig, an island called the Little Heath, which guards the entrance to the channel. We won’t feel the strong pull of the incoming tide there. That would be the closest point where the Koulm ar Maro can wait for the turn of the tide. If they are not there, I’ll start to weather up to Gavrinis, the Isle of Goats, and then move up the channel, keeping the Isle of Monks to our starboard. Unless I am a bad sailor, we’ll find our sea-raider somewhere in those waters.’