Peter Tremayne - Master of Souls

Conri. looked surprised at the question.

‘Why, is it not clear? Uaman and his followers are to blame for all this. He is back to his old ways of trying to gain riches and build up a power base again.’

‘As simple as that?’ said Fidelma.

‘It is hardly a simple matter,’ protested Conri.

‘In that I can agree with Conri,’ Eadulf observed.

‘You might have to admit that Uaman is still alive,’ Fidelma suggested. ‘Are you certain that you saw him die?’

Eadulf shrugged. ‘I was. But I cannot go against so many people who claim to have seen him.’ His voice was not emphatic.

‘Believe me, this mystery is far from solved,’ she said. ‘We have learned only a few more details to add to our fund of knowledge, that is all. There is much to discover yet.’

‘But we know that the religieuse from Ard Fhearta were abducted

‘And why were we not informed of their expertise at the abbey?’ Fidelma demanded.

‘That is a question I cannot answer,’ replied Conri. ‘Anyway, we know who killed Abbess Faife and abducted them. This man Olcan.’

‘But who is Olcan and whom does he work for?’

‘We must accept that Uaman the Leper is alive. He is this mysterious “master”. Also Slebene is in his pay.’

‘Uaman has miraculously returned from the dead?’ smiled Fidelma. ‘Remember that no one has yet positively identified the man except Ganicca. I have enough trust in Eadulf to accept that when he claims to have seen something, he has seen it. No one has gazed upon the man’s face clearly enough to identify him. They have seen a shadow and that is all.’

She looked from one to another.

‘Certainly, whoever is behind all this, they have found rich seams of the lec-logmar, and have abducted those who know how to work the stone to make it saleable to merchants. We know this man Olcan is ruthless. So is the person he works for — whoever he is. I agree that they probably pay a bribe to Slebene in order that he will not interfere in what they are doing. But there is another question that preoccupies me. Why did Sister Sinnchene want to accompany Abbess Faife and the others when she was not a stone cutter and polisher? And was that why Abbess Faife refused to take her?’

They waited in uncomfortable silence for her to continue.

‘What can we do now, lady?’ muttered Conri.

Fidelma glanced towards the sky. The short winter day was darkening yet again.

‘Little enough today.’ She sighed. ‘We will have to impose on Gaeth and Gaimredan for another night of hospitality. But at first light, we must set out for Ard Fhearta again. I believe that it is there that these strands will intertwine.’

Conri could not control his expression of surprise.

‘Why at Ard Fhearta?’ he demanded.

She shook her head sorrowfully at him.

‘Have you forgotten about the murder of the Venerable Cinaed?’

There was a soft gasp of horror from Sister Easdan who had not, of course, heard the news.

Fidelma turned to her with a quick look of apology.

‘Ah, I had forgotten that you did not know of his death. Did you know him well?’

The girl shook her head sorrowfully.

‘Not well. He was a friend of our mentor, Abbess Faife. Some time ago he spent a little while in our workshop talking about what we did. He was writing some tract about it.’

‘About the working of stones?’

‘About the lec-logmar,’ confirmed the girl. ‘He was a nice old man. A wise old man. He was not arrogant, like the Venerable Mac Faosma. He would speak to anyone on equal terms no matter what rank they were. How was he murdered, Sister?’

Briefly, Fidelma told her the facts.

‘Who could have done such a thing?’

‘I cannot tell you yet. But I think, finally, I might see a light on the path ahead.’

Conri. gave her a curious look.

‘So we start back to the abbey tomorrow?’ he asked after a moment or two.

‘Indeed we do,’ she replied. ‘But you, Conri, do not. Eadulf and I will go to the abbey with Sister Easdan and our friend Esumaro here. You, Conri, will have to raise a band of warriors and warships to go back to Seanach’s Island and rescue the others there. Try to take the man called Olcan captive; take him alive. We need him to unravel the thread that will lead us to this man “the master”.’

‘And then? If we succeed?’

‘You will succeed,’ she said with emphasis. ‘You will bring all the prisoners back to the abbey. By which time I hope I shall have sorted out this conundrum.’

‘What about Uaman?’ demanded Conri. ‘If it is Uaman he will have gone back to his fortress on the south side of the peninsula. Even if he has not, then he will be in hiding somewhere. We need to search for him.’

Fidelma smiled with calm assurance.

‘You will be wasting your time, Conri. All the strands of this mystery will entwine with one another at the abbey of Ard Fhearta.’

The journey back to Ard Fhearta took the best part of a day but seemed very rapid. The day was still cold and the pale sun hung in a limpid blue sky but the winds had apparently died away. Fidelma, Eadulf and their companions took the coast road. Sister Easdan and Esumaro were mounted behind Socht and the other warrior as Gaeth was unable to supply them with extra horses. They came to the end of the Corco Duibhne peninsula in hardly any time at all before turning north to take the ford across the River Lithe. Then it was a short ride north-west towards Ard Fhearta. Within sight of the abbey buildings, with the sun resting on the western horizon far out to sea, Conri. and one of his warriors parted company from the rest. It had been agreed that Fidelma and Eadulf would take Esumaro and Sister Easdan back to Ard Fhearta and Conri. insisted that they be accompanied by his warrior Socht.

‘I shall go on to Tadcan’s fortress at the north end of the bay,’ Conri. said. ‘Tadcan is loyal to me, one of our best chieftains, and he has three good warships. We could sail tonight and be able to raid Seanach’s Island at dawn tomorrow. You can expect word of the outcome by tomorrow evening at the earliest. We could sail directly back to An Bhearbha.’

‘May God go with you, Conri,’ Fidelma replied softly. ‘Remember, we need Olcan to be captured alive.’

‘If I fail it will not be for want of trying,’ returned the warlord of the Ui Fidgente with a grim smile.

He raised his hand in farewell and disappeared swiftly, with his companion, along the road that led northwards. Fidelma led the rest of the party towards the abbey on the hilltop.

Someone must have seen their approach long before they arrived for rechtaire, Brother Cu Mara, was at the open gates and waiting impatiently to greet them.

He immediately recognised Sister Easdan, staring at her in amazement before his eyes swept round the rest of the company.

‘What has happened?’ he demanded excitedly. ‘Where is the lord Conri? Is he dead? How did you find Sister Easdan? Are the others dead?’

His questions came out in a nervous tumble.

Fidelma slid from her horse and bade him calm himself.

‘There will be plenty of time for explanations later.’

Undeterred, Brother Cu Mara turned to Sister Easdan.

‘You must tell me what happened, Sister,’ he demanded. ‘The abbot will want to know at once. Come, I shall take you to him.’

Fidelma frowned at his attempt to override her instructions.

‘You have not listened to me. The abbot will know everything in good time. Sister Easdan and Esumaro are here as witnesses and will not be questioned until I say so. They are now under a prohibition forbidding them to speak about what has happened these past few weeks. I will give them such permission when I am ready to do so.’