Peter Tremayne - The Council of the Cursed

‘We realise that you do things differently here, Bishop Leodegar,’ he said hastily. ‘However, in our lands we have a legal system which allows our advocates certain freedoms when they investigate.’

Bishop Leodegar regarded him thoughtfully for a few moments.

‘I have already said that I am prepared to waive the Rule of this abbey to allow Fidelma access to where no women are allowed.’

‘And I have agreed to be circumspect,’ replied Fidelma firmly, ‘but it is the authority to investigate as I would do in my own country under my own law system that I need. I know no other way of undertaking this task.’

‘I have heard of your laws and methods from travelling religious from your lands,’ the bishop said after some thought. Then, as if making up his mind, he squared his shoulders and said, ‘Very well. I see no reason to restrain you in this matter. I give you those freedoms.’

‘ And to Brother Eadulf,’ added Fidelma brightly. ‘Remember, Eadulf is a gerefa of his own people, a magistrate of the Saxon laws.’

‘That I understand, which is why I said that Eadulf will be seen as unbiased in the matter of Bishop Ordgar. These facts should be made known to the community because it will enforce the authority of your findings. I give you full and free permission to question whom you wish on this matter. I will announce this at evening prayers. I only ask that your resolution be quick so that the delegates may be satisfied. Clotaire, who is our King, will be arriving here soon to give this council his royal approval. It would benefit all of us if the matter were resolved by the time of his arrival.’

‘There are no guarantees in life, save only one-that we are all going to die at some time,’ responded Fidelma. ‘We will do our best to solve this matter, but we cannot guarantee a resolution by a certain time. Is it agreed?’

Bishop Leodegar raised his hands as if the matter were now beyond him.

‘Very well,’ Fidelma rejoined. ‘Let us begin with a few questions to you.’

The bishop looked at her in surprise. ‘Questions to me ?’

‘Of course,’ went on Fidelma, unperturbed at his astonishment. The Frankish bishop was obviously not used to being questioned. ‘Who was it who discovered the body and the state of affairs that existed in Bishop Ordgar’s chamber?’

‘It was Brother Sigeric,’ volunteered the steward Brother Chilperic, who had sat in silence until that moment.

‘Ah, Brother Sigeric. And who is he?’

‘One of the scribes.’

‘We shall need to speak with him, of course. Is he available?’

Brother Chilperic nodded briefly.

‘Excellent. What was the name of the physician who examined the body-and was it the same person who checked the wound of Abbot Cadfan and also examined Bishop Ordgar?’

‘Brother Gebicca is the physician,’ replied Brother Chilperic.

‘And now,’ Fidelma turned back to Bishop Leodegar, ‘tell us about your role in this matter?’

‘ My role?’ Bishop Leodegar was puzzled.

‘Perhaps I have chosen the wrong word. I am told that Abbot Ségdae was awoken by a request to attend in Ordgar’s chamber. When he arrived, he found that you were already there. How did that come to be?’

‘Brother Sigeric roused me first,’ explained the bishop. ‘He told me there had been an accident and I was to come immediately.’

‘In what circumstances did this Brother Sigeric rouse you?’

‘It would be best to tell the story as fully as you can,’ intervened Eadulf. ‘Presumably, you were asleep in your quarters?’

‘I had meant to retire after the midnight prayers,’ Bishop Leodegar began. ‘That is my custom. I was particularly tired that night as I had dined with a local nobleman who was visiting the abbey and he had been much the worse for our local wine. However, just as I was retiring, Bishop Ordgar came to my chambers. He wished to complain further about Abbot Cadfan. He was with me some time before I could get rid of him. He was very angry about the behaviour of the Briton that evening. I told him that this was a council in which all representatives must be treated with latitude. After he left me, I fell asleep until I became aware of Brother Sigeric shaking me. It was not then dawn. However, it was that point of darkness just before dawn when you can hear the birds stirring and crying to one another as they sense the approach of light.’

He paused and Eadulf prompted: ‘Go on.’

‘It is as I said. Brother Sigeric urged me to put on my robe and come to Bishop Ordgar’s chamber. He said there had been a bad accident.’

‘Did he describe what sort of accident or how he had discovered it?’

‘Not at that time, but later he said…’

Fidelma raised a hand. ‘We will speak to Brother Sigeric himself on that matter. Let us concentrate on what you did at the time.’

Bishop Leodegar hesitated a moment and then continued, ‘I followed him as he asked me to. Brother Sigeric was in an agitated state and so I did not pursue him with questions at that time. I entered Ordgar’s chamber…’

‘Was there a light it in?’ Fidelma asked quickly.

Bishop Leodegar nodded. ‘A candle was burning.’

‘So you could see the interior quite plainly?’

‘I could see that there appeared to be two bodies there and that Bishop Ordgar was slumped on his bed, groaning.’

‘Did he say anything as you entered?

‘He seemed to be in pain, and mumbling. He was clearly not himself.’

‘And you saw the body?’

‘I immediately noticed Abbot Cadfan who lay stretched on the floor beside the bed. There was light enough to see blood on the back of his skull.’

‘You could see blood by the candlelight?’ queried Eadulf.

Brother Leodegar frowned. ‘Yes…’ He realised what Eadulf was asking. ‘Well, I could see some dark, sticky stuff-and, of course, it turned out to be blood.’

Eadulf smiled in approval. ‘Was he conscious?’

‘No, and he did not revive until he was carried back to his own chamber.’ He paused, then realising that more was expected of him, went on, ‘I was about to bend down to him when I saw the body of Abbot Dabhóc. I called to Brother Sigeric to rouse my steward. I also told Sigeric to fetch our physician, Brother Gebicca. I went to Bishop Ordgar to see if I could administer to him, but it was as if he was intoxicated. He was mumbling nonsensical things.’

‘Did he smell of wine or beer?’ asked Fidelma.

‘There was an aura of stale wine about him,’ admitted the bishop.

‘And then?’

‘Then Brother Gebicca arrived and soon after, Brother Chilperic. When Gebicca pronounced that Abbot Dabhóc was dead, that a blow from behind had crushed his skull, I knew that I should advise Abbot Ségdae, as the senior cleric from your land. I sent Brother Sigeric to rouse him.’

‘And all the time Cadfan lay unconscious while Ordgar was in a state of intoxication?’ put in Fidelma.

‘We did not neglect Cadfan,’ he replied. ‘Brother Gebicca examined him and it was decided to take him back to his chamber where it took a day or so for him to recover fully. We also removed Ordgar to a nearby chamber. When I finally questioned Ordgar, he said he had taken wine as was his custom before retiring and knew no more until he awoke sick and dizzy. He was aware of the people in his chamber but could not say what was happening until he recovered. He thought, at first, that he had been made ill by bad wine-but when I told him what had occurred in his chamber, he believed that Cadfan had tried to poison him.’

‘So, according to Ordgar, why had Dabhóc been killed by Cadfan?’ asked Eadulf.

‘Ordgar claimed that Dabhóc must have interrupted Cadfan’s attempt to kill him and paid with his life.’