Peter Tremayne - A Prayer for the Damned

‘I told you that Brother Berrihert uttered a threat against Ultán’s life in front of Brother Conchobhar and me?’

‘I have not forgotten. But do not forget that the murder happened after the gates of the fortress were closed for the night. That much Caol told me. Your Saxon friends have accommodation in one of the hostels in the town, so they would not have been admitted here after the gates were closed.’

There was another awkward pause.

‘So everything is put into abeyance until the matter is resolved?’

Fidelma nodded, moving to the window and glancing down in the direction of the few lanterns and lights that could be seen in the town below.

‘I feel sorry for the people who have gathered down there for the aenach,’ she remarked.

‘Surely the fair can go ahead?’ Eadulf said. ‘It could amuse people and will not interfere with us in the fortress.’

Fidelma shook her head. ‘Abbot Ségdae would doubtless say that it would not be seemly while an abbot and bishop of the Faith lies murdered and that death remains unexplained.’

Eadulf pulled a face. ‘I suppose so. Although it is not as if many here will mourn his passing. Everyone seemed to hate him.’

‘Well, though I shall not hurry this matter, the sooner we begin the sooner we can come to an end,’ she said.

Eadulf had finished dressing and asked: ‘What do you mean to do first?’

‘As always, we will start with the body and the cause of death. Brother Conchobhar was called to examine it. After that, we shall see what Muirchertach Nár has to say.’ She paused at the door and frowned, glancing back to Eadulf. ‘As Muirchertach Nár is a king. .’

Eadulf interrupted, as if reading her thoughts.

‘It would be better if you saw him alone. It might not be. .’ He spent a few moments trying to think of the right word and settled on cubaid . ‘It might not be seemly if I were to be present unless he wished it.’

Fidelma cast him a smile of thanks for his perception and diplomacy.

It was still dark but there was a light burning in the apothecary shop as they crossed the cobbled courtyard. Fidelma tapped softly on the door before reaching to the handle and swinging it open. At once the pungent smell of herbs and dried flowers assailed her nostrils and she was hard pressed not to sneeze.

In the gloom, Brother Conchobhar glanced up from his workbench where he had been mixing something in a bowl by the light of a lantern and smiled a welcome.

‘I was expecting you,’ he said simply, as they entered. ‘Do you prosecute or do you judge, lady?’

‘Neither,’ Fidelma responded. ‘The Chief Brehon of the Five Kingdoms, Barrán himself, will be judge. But the accused has requested that I should defend him.’

‘It is a difficult path, lady.’ Brother Conchobhar pulled a comical face. ‘Thank God I do not have to be involved in such deliberations. Surely it is hard to defend someone when there are eyewitnesses to the deed?’

‘My mentor Brehon Morann once said, do not give your judgement on hearing the first story until the other side is brought before you,’ she replied.

‘A good philosophy,’ agreed the apothecary. He glanced at Eadulf. ‘So, are you both working on this matter?’

‘We are,’ Eadulf replied. ‘We are told that you were asked to examine the body of Abbot Ultán?’

Brother Conchobhar nodded absently. ‘To play the dálaigh , I should strictly say that I was called upon to examine a body. I recognised it to be Abbot Ultán only when I saw it. I was not told who it was before then.’

Fidelma smiled faintly. ‘You are developing a legal mind, my old friend. Where is the body now?’

‘The body is still in the chamber where it happened. Brehon Baithen ordered it to remain so until you came to conduct your examination. Baithen is a careful judge, unlike. .’ Brother Conchobhar stopped short and glanced at Eadulf in embarrassment. No need to remind Eadulf how Baithen’s predecessor was so careless that he had accused the Saxon of murder. ‘And you doubtless want me to come and point out the salient features?’ the apothecary went on hurriedly.

‘Even so,’ agreed Fidelma.

Brother Conchobhar put aside the mixture that he had been working on and wiped his hands on a linen cloth. ‘Then come with me. I shall show you what I can.’

They followed him to the main guests’ quarters of the palace. Enda, another of Caol’s warriors, was standing outside the chamber that had been allotted to Abbot Ultán. He let them pass inside with a deferential nod of his head.

Inside the room, which was still lit by tallow candles, the body of the abbot lay sprawled on its back on the bed. The blood had soaked his clothing and the surrounding bedclothes, staining them. Fidelma glanced quickly round. Apart from the way the corpse lay, the bedchamber was fairly tidy. There were no signs of any disorder.

‘Has anything been moved?’ she asked.

Brother Conchobhar shook his head.

‘The abbot was obviously an orderly man,’ he said. ‘The room was perfectly tidy when I came here. Baithen told me to leave everything exactly as I found it.’

‘So, there was no indication of a struggle,’ observed Fidelma.

‘None,’ agreed Brother Conchobhar.

‘That means that he probably knew his killer,’ Eadulf pointed out softly.

‘And the body was found as we see it now?’ Fidelma pressed the apothecary.

‘Exactly as I have said. I had no cause to touch or move it. It was obvious what the cause of death was.’

Fidelma peered down distastefully at the congealing blood. ‘Which appears to have been a sharp dagger.’

‘Just so,’ agreed the old man.

‘Then we can also be assured that the abbot had no suspicion of the impending attack.’ Eadulf was examining the position of the body.

‘How so?’ demanded Fidelma.

‘From the way the body has fallen back on the bed. He was sitting on it at the time. The legs still dangle over the side of the bed touching the floor and one foot is bare. . the sandal came off as he fell or was pushed backwards by the force of the attack. That means that the straps were loose. He was sitting on the edge of the bed with unloosed sandals, in a relaxed state. He did not seem the type of man, especially in his office of abbot, who would relax in such a manner in front of a stranger.’

Fidelma smiled approvingly. ‘Excellently observed, Eadulf.’

She bent down and examined the man’s feet. Then she glanced round and with a grunt of satisfaction reached forward under a side table. Indeed, one sandal had been hidden under it, reinforcing the idea that it had been kicked off while the other was still on the foot. Fidelma rose satisfied.

Eadulf was now looking at the wounds on the man’s chest.

‘I presume that you agree that he was stabbed to death?’ he asked Brother Conchobhar.

The old apothecary nodded. ‘I am reminded, Brother Eadulf, that you studied for a while in one of our great schools of medicine. . Tuam Brecain, wasn’t it?’

‘It was.’

‘Examining the stab wounds, can you deduce anything else?’

Eadulf peered at the wounds, frowning before straightening up. ‘The abbot was stabbed half a dozen times.’

Fidelma raised her eyebrows momentarily in surprise. She moved to Eadulf’s shoulder and glanced down at the body once more.

‘Half a dozen?’ There was so much blood staining the clothes and surrounding areas that she had not counted the wounds.

‘You remark on that?’ Brother Conchobhar’s tone was approving. ‘It is not my place to draw conclusions but, nevertheless, there is a conclusion to be drawn.’

‘The conclusion that here is a killing that was filled with emotion?’ Fidelma said at once.