Peter Tremayne - Master of Souls

‘I don’t see how?’ At once the young steward was defensive again.

Sister Fidelma answered with a smile.

‘That is my job,’ she pointed out softly. ‘But I can only make deductions from information when it is provided. At least I have that information now.’

She left the workshop with Eadulf and the young Sister Easdan trailing in their wake, leaving the steward of the abbey looking thoughtfully after them.

Late in the afternoon they heard a commotion at the main gates of the abbey. It was Socht who came to report to them, quiet and unemotional as ever. A member of the community had arrived in a breathless condition from the port of An Bhearbha with news that two warships were entering the harbour. They belonged to Tadcan, lord of Baile Tadc, and Conri had been spotted on board. News swiftly spread that he was coming to Ard Fhearta with prisoners and the other missing members of the community. There was an excited movement to the main gates to await the arrival of the Ui Fidgente warlord. Fidelma and Eadulf, accompanied by Socht, joined the others and saw that most of the major figures of the abbey were already assembled there.

Fidelma noticed that only the Venerable Mac Faosma and Abbot Erc were absent. Sister Uallann, the physician, stood with folded arms next to Sister Buan. Nearby was Brother Cillin. Even Brother Eolas had been enticed from his library with the nervous young Brother Faolchair.

When Conri. and half a dozen warriors arrived they were escorting only one prisoner but behind them came the five missing young women of the community. Sister Easdan raced forward to greet them, laughing. They all threw their arms about each other, laughing, crying and making a considerable noise, much to the disapproval of some of the senior members of the abbey,

The prisoner was a dark, brooding man whose coarse features maintained an impassive expression. His hands were bound before him with rope.

Conri. grinned as he saw Fidelma and Eadulf, raising his hand in salute.

‘It was easy,’ he reported immediately. ‘Our two warships came upon Seanach’s Island at first light and when they saw our overwhelming force they laid down their arms immediately… all except this man.’ He prodded the man with his sword tip. ‘Allow me to present our friend Olcan. He wanted his band to fight to the death but was finally persuaded not to do so himself.’

Fidelma regarded him with a keen scrutiny. Olcan tried to meet her gaze arrogantly. She turned to Conri.

‘Where are the other prisoners?’

‘Have no fear, lady. I have left them in the capable hands of Tadcan at the harbour. They are still shackled on one of his warships and await your word as to what should be done with them. A curious bunch. Most of them are northerners, men from the Ui Maine and some of the Ui Briuin Ai. They claim to follow Olcan purely for payment. The hermits refused

‘You have done well, Conri,’ Fidelma said approvingly. ‘Very well.’ She looked for Sister Sinnchene and waved her forward. ‘The young religieuse can bathe and be fed before I examine them.’ She glanced at Eadulf and confessed quietly, ‘I do not think they will add anything to what our friend Sister Easdan has already told us.’

Sister Sinnchene came forward. Suddenly she stopped dead, staring at Conri, and then she stumbled and collapsed on the ground.

Eadulf was at her side immediately. A moment later she was stirring.

‘She seems to have passed out,’ Eadulf said. Two of the community came forward and volunteered to help the girl back to her quarters while someone else was found to take the young women under her charge.

Abbot Erc had now arrived, glaring at the gathering.

‘What happened?’ he demanded, looking at the disappearing women.

‘Sister Sinnchene seems to have fainted, that’s all,’ Fidelma replied.

‘Since you are here you may tell me whether you have a secure chamber in the abbey where we can hold this man?’ She gestured towards Olcan.

‘There is such a chamber below the tech-screptra,’ replied the abbot stiffly. ‘There is a good lock upon the door.’ He glanced at Olcan. ‘Who is he?’

Fidelma’s features were grim.

‘This is the man who slew Abbess Faife and imprisoned her companions. Let us make sure he is locked up safely and treated well, so that he may have no complaints when he comes before the Brehon.’

Abbot Erc motioned Brother Cu Mara forward. The steward had been hanging back but now the abbot repeated Fidelma’s instructions.

The man, Olcan, did not speak or even glance at his captors. He remained gazing woodenly before him, head unbowed.

Brother Cu Mara led the way through the buildings to the stone edifice of the library. They passed through groups of curious bystanders. The physician, Sister Uallann, whose apothecary stood near the library building, was staring at Olcan with narrowed eyes. The songmaster, Brother Cillin, had retreated to the library door with Brother Eolas the librarian and his young assistant, Brother Faolchair. They appeared interested in the proceedings. Fidelma noticed that Sister Buan had disappeared among

The steward unlocked one of the thick wooden doors with an iron key and pushed the still bound Olcan into a cell.

Fidelma glanced in by the light of a lantern. There was a wooden cot, a table and a chair but, being below ground, no window, and no entrance or exit except by the single door.

‘I think he can have the freedom of his hands and arms,’ she decided, speaking to Conri. ‘He can have food and drink later and I shall question him then.’

Conri was indifferent.

‘I doubt if you will get anything out of him, lady. I tried to question him and he has remained as silent as if he were mute.’

Nevertheless, the warlord severed the dark man’s bonds in accordance with her instructions. They left him alone in the cell and Brother Cu Mara locked the door and hung the key on a nearby hook.

Fidelma was looking around at the musty smelling cellars.

‘To what use are such rooms put?’ she asked with curiosity.

The steward seemed to have overcome his animosity of the previous evening. He was polite, even helpful.

‘Originally, they were storage rooms,’ he explained. ‘When it became the custom for a visiting Brehon to hold court in the abbey, we used a couple of these chambers to detain those who were due to face serious charges before the Brehon.’

Fidelma made no comment but led the way back up into the light and the fresher air. She noticed that the onlookers had dispersed.

She glanced at Eadulf with a satisfied smile.

‘And now our course is set,’ she said mysteriously. ‘We will soon have our prey in the snare.’

It was after the main meal when Fidelma, Eadulf, Conri and Brother Cu Mara returned to the subterranean cell of Olcan. The steward had brought a tray of food. He handed this to Eadulf while he took down the key and opened the door. He did it warily but the lamp beyond showed the big warrior sitting immobile on the bed staring as if at some distant object before him.

The steward put down the tray of food and, at Fidelma’s signal, withdrew, while Fidelma sat in the only chair and Eadulf and Conri. took up positions just inside the door.

Fidelma examined the man carefully. She summed him up as a man without feeling. A killer who obeyed orders without question. His cruel features were not possessed of sensitivity or much intelligence.

‘Do you know who I am?’

Olcan made a slight movement with one shoulder which expressed either affirmation or disinterest.

‘That your name is Olcan I know. Of what clan are you?’

The man continued in silence.

‘You have a choice of two paths before you, Olcan. You may make things hard on yourself or easy. It is up to you.’