Peter Tremayne - Master of Souls

Suddenly, the girl gave a sob. For some time her shoulders heaved and Fidelma felt a little awkward until the girl seemed to catch herself and wiped her eyes quickly.

‘Forgive me. I thought I had overcome that. Now and then it creeps up on me unaware. I miss Cinaed deeply.’

‘You were crying when we arrived yesterday. For his memory?’

She nodded nervously.

‘That is all I can tell you,’ she said. ‘He went off in a good humour. I watched him from the door of the washing room as he vanished into the darkness.’

Fidelma examined her sternly. ‘And are you sure that you did not see him again… before his death?’

The girl shook her head.

‘You did not meet him later in the oratory?’

Sister Sinnchene flushed and started to protest. Fidelma once more took out the burnt paper and laid it before her.

‘You did not write this?’

The girl grimaced.

‘I cannot write,’ she answered simply. ‘You can ask anyone. I was never taught. So whoever wrote this note was not I.’

Fidelma asked: ‘Was there anyone in the abbey who did not know you could not write?’

The girl thought for a moment.

‘Perhaps,’ she said vaguely. ‘Mac Faosma knew I couldn’t write and so did Brother Cu Mara. Anyway, I did not see Cinaed after he left the washing room…’

She paused for a moment and then her eyes widened a little. Fidelma noticed the reaction immediately.

‘You have remembered something else?’

‘He was nearly out of sight in the darkness when he was joined by another figure. He paused for a moment and then they vanished together. It’s just… just that I thought I heard a raised voice. A voice raised in anger.’

‘Did you recognise who it was who had joined him?’

She shook her head.

‘And the next day… how did you learn of his death?’

‘I awoke late, when it was getting light. There was no one in the hospitium to make me rise early. No cleaning to be done, or preparations to be made. But I became aware of activity outside and raised voices. I put on my robe, neglecting to wash, and went immediately to see what the excitement was. At first I thought it was the return of Conri who had gone to Cashel about the matter of Abbess Faife. We had been expecting his return.’

She paused a moment

‘But you found out that it was not the arrival of Conri. What then?’

The young woman pulled a face.

‘People had gathered round the chapel. I saw the Abbot Erc there with Brother Cu Mara and some others. Sister Buan was also there, with tears flooding down her cheeks… I went towards them and as I approached Sister Buan swung round, saw me, and raised a finger towards me. She cried out something like, “There she is! There is the bitch that did it!” Or words to that effect. The word “bitch” was frequently used as she cried out in some incoherent ramble. Sister Uallann managed to restrain her and she and another sister calmed her and led her away.

‘I asked Abbot Erc what had happened. He looked at me and asked whether I really did not know. Whereupon I was indignant. Why would I ask, if I knew? He told me that that morning he had found Cinaed with his head smashed in, lying behind the altar in the oratory. I was stunned. I could not move. I think I went rigid, moving as if in a dream. I think I asked if I could see the body there and then but they refused. It was only later after the body had been prepared for burial that I was allowed to see

Fidelma folded her hands together and examined Sister Sinnchene’s features carefully. She realised that it was a beautiful and expressive face. No wonder Cinaed could lust — she hastily corrected her thought — could fall in love with the young girl. There seemed no guile in those features. The eyes were wide and clear although they were now lined with red where tears gave an appearance of frailty and vulnerability.

‘So, was anything else said to you after that outburst by Sister Buan?’

‘Brother Cu Mara came to see me. He was nice. He asked me what Sister Buan had meant by her claim.’

‘And you replied?’

‘I told him that such a question was best answered by Sister Buan. So far as I was concerned my conscience was clear.’

Fidelma rose slowly to her feet.

‘One other matter before I leave. Did you have much to do with Abbess Faife?’

The girl suddenly smiled warmly.

‘Of course. She brought me into this community and was my mentor.’

‘How did you come to meet her?’

‘She was passing through the village where I lived. It was a week after my mother died of the Yellow Plague. There was no one left to care for me. Many of my family had died in the Yellow Plague, you understand.’

‘Including your father?’

The girl hesitated, then shook her head.

‘He had left our home some years before. He was a warrior who followed Eoganan. My father was probably killed in some battle or other. We never heard from him after he left. I was on my own when Abbess Faife invited me to join her in this abbey.’

‘I understand that the abbess worked very closely with the Venerable Cinaed?’

‘She did,’ agreed Sister Sinnchene. ‘She helped him with some researches he was doing and in the preparation of his work.’

‘Do you think there might be a connection between Abbess Faife’s death and that of the Venerable Cinaed?’

Sister Sinnchene looked astounded at the question.

‘Do you think there is?’ she countered.

‘I merely ask the question. For example,’ Fidelma went on, looking

Fidelma knew that her repetition of the words that Sister Buan claimed to have overheard was a gamble. The expression on Sister Sinnchene’s face showed that they meant something. She looked confused and did not appear to know how to answer.

‘They are the words that you exchanged with Brother Cu Mara, aren’t they?’ Fidelma pressed.

Once again the girl’s chin came up defiantly.

‘I will not confirm or deny them until I have spoken to Brother Cu Mara,’ she said sullenly.

‘So I can deduce from that that the words spoken are reported accurately?’ Fidelma asked confidently.

‘I do not believe that they have any relevance to Cinaed’s death,’ Sister Sinnchene responded determinedly.

‘But you do believe that something Cinaed might have told Faife was connected with her death. Why?’

‘I have told you as much as I can, Sister. I must speak to Brother Cu Mara.’

Fidelma sighed impatiently.

‘You realise that, as a dalaigh, I can impose a heavy penalty on you for not answering my questions when you have been told to?’

The girl was still defiant.

‘I cannot help you and your stupid rules. I will not answer until I have spoken to-’

Fidelma raised her hand to silence her.

‘I have heard you. Very well. We shall send for Brother Cu Mara. But perhaps you could tell me why you are so adamant that these words have no relevance to Cinaed’s murder?’

Sister Sinnchene raised her eyes to Fidelma and gazed into them for some seconds before she replied in a tight voice.

‘It is because I know who killed Cinaed.’

This time Fidelma could not disguise her surprise.

‘And will you name that person?’

The girl was emphatic.

‘Of course. It was Sister Buan.’

E adulf and Conri arrived in search of Fidelma just as Sister Sinnchene had made her accusation. They stood hesitantly at the door. Eadulf knew better than to react at the words and he caught the warlord’s eye and shook his head to indicate that he should not enter the conversation either.

Fidelma was examining the girl thoughtfully and ignored their entry.

‘And what is the basis of your claim?’ she asked quietly.