Peter Tremayne - Dancing With Demons

‘Accepting this then, you say that Dubh Duin believed that Sechnussach’s death would help him in his quest to bring back this evil worship. But how?’ Brehon Sedna asked. ‘I do not understand it.’

‘Because he had been led to believe that the successor would return the five kingdoms to such worship,’ Fidelma answered simply.

At once Cenn Faelad leaped to his feet, his face angry. ‘This is a lie! As the holy cross is my banner and witness, I would not do such a thing!’

Fidelma held up a hand to quench the tumult that had broken out. ‘I did not say it was you, Cenn Faelad,’ she rebuked mildly.

‘You said Sechnussach’s successor.’ Cenn Faelad was not mollified. ‘I am the tánaiste, the heir apparent. Who else would you mean?’

‘Your succession was not going to last long,’ she replied starkly. ‘The plot, in essence, was simple but its mechanics were complicated. Indeed, in all the cases that I have been involved in, this one has shocked me by the depth of intrigue and the convolution of its workings.’

Taken aback, Cenn Faelad sat down abruptly.

‘This case has many layers of culpability,’ Fidelma said. ‘I will beg the forgiveness of this Great Assembly for taking them on a long journey through these layers of intrigue. The simplest layer was Dubh Duin, who was part of this sect devoted to bringing back the worship of Crom. Very well. Dubh Duin had tried to get some recognition for the Old Faith in this Great Assembly. When that failed, he turned to other methods. He was supported by the bands of brigands raiding the Christian centres. They were fanatics. But it was like the pricking of pins on a great bear. It did not even harm the body. So there had to be another way.

‘Dubh Duin did not dream up the plot himself. Who persuaded himthat the way forward lay in the assassination of Sechnussach? Someone in the royal household? There was one fanatic already who served in the royal enclosure … ’

‘Cuan!’ declared Lugna loudly. ‘Because he acted as the decoy that took me from my post at the doorway of the royal house that night.’

Surprisingly, Fidelma shook her head.

‘Not Cuan. He did not have the intelligence to think out this complicated plot. He was subverted later, and was ambivalent about religious beliefs anyway.’

‘So how was he subverted? By what means?’ demanded Brehon Sedna.

‘By means of sexual favours,’ Fidelma said. ‘His recruitment to the scheme was later on in the advancement of the plot after it had been thought out.’

Gormflaith suddenly stood up. ‘I wish to make a statement to the Great Assembly,’ she said.

Faces turned expectantly towards her.

Brehon Sedna glanced at Fidelma.

‘I have no objection,’ she said.

‘You will doubtless hear from Fidelma that Dubh Duin was my lover,’ declared Gormflaith. ‘I shall not deny it … ’

Once more they had to wait until the tumult died down.

‘ … But I deny that I was part of this so-called plot. I am a Christian. Dubh Duin never ever spoke to me, either of his faith or his lack of it. We did not discuss religion. Nor did Dubh Duin kill my husband to gain favour with me. I can present evidence that Sechnussach and I were estranged for three years from the royal servants, but I also can present a witness that I had agreed a divorce with Sechnussach and it was to be sealed on the day after I was due to return from Cluain Ioraird. But by then … ’She shrugged. ‘That witness is Brehon Barrán.

Fidelma saw that Brehon Barrán was shaking his head, and she turned back to Gormflaith with a sad smile.

‘I am afraid that the Chief Brehon will not be your witness to this matter of the divorce agreement,’ she said softly.

‘Dubh Duin had no reason to kill Sechnussach on my account,’ Gormflaith repeated stubbornly. ‘We were going to be married and leave Tara.’

In the shocked silence that followed, as Gormflaith reseated herself, Fidelma spoke clearly.

‘Regretfully, lady, Dubh Duin had no intention of marrying you. You were merely a means by which he could reach Sechnussach. As your lover, he could gain access to the royal enclosure almost at will, as the warrior Erc will state. Dubh Duin’s purpose was always the slaughter of Sechnussach. You were misled, lady, an innocent victim of the conspiracy.’

Abbot Colmán cleared his throat. ‘But it has been pointed out that even with Sechnussach dead, Cenn Faelad would have succeeded. Cenn Faelad is known for his Christian piety and largesse to the Church. As he has already stated, he would not tolerate a return to idolatry and he has said so before this Assembly.’

‘And as I have said, he would not have lasted long in office even had he made it to his inauguration,’ replied Fidelma. ‘It was not Cenn Faelad who conspired with Dubh Duin. Indeed, as I have also said, it was the chief conspirator who suggested this plot to Dubh Duin. After Sechnussach was assassinated, Cenn Faelad would also be eliminated. That would lead to this chief conspirator taking control and returning the country to the Old Faith.’

Brehon Sedna frowned. ‘So Dubh Duin was guided by another?’

‘Exactly. One person introduced Dubh Duin to Gormflaith, knowing Gormflaith’s emotional situation,’ Fidelma explained. ‘Sechnussach and she had already parted. The reasons why are not pertinent but they are known to me. Gormflaith was alone, unhappy and vulnerable. At the time of the birth of her last daughter, probably during her confinement, Sechnussach had taken a mistress. Dubh Duin was handsome and personable. He was told that he could make himself even more personable to Gormflaith and did so with inevitable results.

‘But the chief conspirator was not concerned with Gormflaith’s emotional happiness. While he had told Dubh Duin that such a relationship was a means of reaching Sechnussach, this chief conspirator had another reason. He wanted to deflect suspicion from himself and another conspirator so that no blame would fall on them … ’

‘ Another conspirator?’ repeated Brehon Sedna with a helpless sigh. ‘How many conspirators were there in this plot?’

‘It is a very complicated plot,’ admitted Fidelma. ‘I apologise to the Great Assembly. It is like peeling away the skins of an onion. The person who involved Dubh Duin had a motive, which was purely power. His ambition was to be High King. But he was, in turn, motivated by a woman who also wanted power. She would share power with him if he weresuccessful. Together, they worked on Dubh Duin, knowing his fanaticism for the old religion. He would, therefore, be the means of clearing the way to their taking power.

‘Dubh Duin knew that there were some in Tara who would help him — people who still worshipped the old gods and goddesses. People so placed that they could even steal the key of the High King’s chambers and make a copy in readiness for the attack.’

‘We have heard many assertions so far, Fidelma,’ Abbot Colman said, becoming impatient. ‘Perhaps you had better start stating facts and naming names of these conspirators.’

Fidelma pouted in annoyance. ‘The assertions I have made, Abbot Colmán, are facts. The trouble is, as I have said repeatedly, this is a many-layered plot. I will try to make it all simple.

‘Knowing of Dubh Duin’s fanaticism, the chief conspirator and his lover introduced him into a plot where he was to assassinate the High King but in such a way that if he were caught, it would bring suspicion only on Dubh Duin and his lover, Gormflaith. What the chief conspirator and his lover had not realised was that Dubh Duin had his own band of followers in Tara, and when he struck it was, I think, at the wrong moment — and this has led to a loose skein with which this tangled ball can be unravelled. I will start this process of unravelling.