Peter Tremayne - Badger's Moon

‘Doubtless, there is truth in that,’ acknowledged Brother Túan solemnly.

‘Speaking of paths, I am glad, however, that our paths have crossed again. You remember what we were speaking of last time we met?’

The round-faced man nodded mournfully.

‘Remembrance does not make the facts better,’ he said. ‘Death before its time is a bad visitor.’

‘You implied that it was Accobrán who encouraged the three strangers to leave the house of Molaga and come to the abbey of Finnbarr.’

Brother Túan nodded. ‘I am glad that you said I implied it for it is true that I could not swear it as a fact. Accobrán left shortly after the feast of Lughnasa and returned here. The three strangers came here soon afterwards.’

‘But you say that Accobrán did talk with them while he was visiting your abbey?’

‘He did.’

‘Do you know what their conversation was about?’

Brother Túan smiled wanly. ‘I was not privy to all their conversations and the only one that I overheard was innocuous enough. That was why I could only suggest that it might have had something to do with their removing themselves from Molaga to come here.’

‘What was it that you did overhear?’

‘It was innocuous, as I have said. One of the strangers was telling Accobrán about the country that they came from and what he had done before joining the religious, that sort of thing.’

‘Accobrán speaks some Greek, as I understand? And the conversation was carried on in Greek?’

Brother Túan confirmed it. ‘Accobrán studied at the house of Molaga and has a rudimentary grasp of the language. Indeed, it was the only language that we initially had in common with the strangers. I am sure I have mentioned that fact. I tried to teach them a little of our own tongue.’

‘Do you remember what Accobrán was doing in the seaport at that time?’

The steward rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘I think he was conducting some trade on behalf of the Cinél na Áeda. He was looking for a ship to transport some goods. Hides, I think.’

‘So he spent some time down on the quays among the merchants?’

‘I suppose he did.’

‘Sea trading is essential to the life of the house of Molaga. I don’t suppose you remember what sort of ships put into the port at that time?’

Brother Túan chuckled ruefully. ‘It would be a miracle if I did. There is quite a lot of trade that goes through the port at that time of year. In the summer months, especially at Lughnasa, sometimes ships have to wait outside the harbour until there is space to come in and unload or take on cargo. As steward I do make a note of ships that trade with us.’

Fidelma sighed softly. She had realised that it would not be easy but she had been hoping. Brother Túan regarded her disappointment with amusement.

‘I am sorry if I cannot help. Truth to tell, of all those ships in and out of the port at that time I can only be sure of one. It was taking a cargo for the house of Molaga up to the abbey at Eas Geiphtine.’

Fidelma suddenly stiffened. ‘To the abbey at Geiphtine’s Waterfall? That’s on a narrow creek of the River Sionnain. That is in Uí Fidgente country, isn’t it?’

The steward seemed surprised that she knew the whereabouts of the abbey.

‘The Uí Fidgente are not without religion,’ he admonished her, misunderstanding her emphasis. ‘We often communicate with the abbey there. I know Brother Coccán, who is head of the community, very well.’

‘I am especially interested in the fact that this trading ship might have left Molaga for a port in Uí Fidgente country at the time when Accobrán was there. Are you absolutely sure?’ she pressed.

Brother Túan was frowning, trying to understand her sudden interest.

‘I know for certain that we sent a cargo to Brother Coccán. It was, indeed, at the time when the tanist of the Cinél na Áeda was there. He was looking for a ship to transport a cargo of hides to Ard Mhór. It was the same time that he was talking to the strangers.’

‘Would you know if he spoke with the captain of this ship, the ship transporting a cargo to the abbey at Geiphtine?’

‘It is possible.’ Brother Túan examined her curiously. ‘But Geiphtine is in the opposite direction to Ard Mhóir. What is this about?’

Fidelma smiled and shook her head.

‘It is not for you to understand. It is for me to gather information and so long as you answer my questions honestly then there is nothing to worry about, Brother Túan,’ she said softly.

The steward gave an irritated sniff. ‘I am sure that I have no wish to pry into the affairs of a dálaigh .’

‘I am sure you do not.’ replied Fidelma gravely. ‘We do not have to hold you from your journey any longer. Thank you. Brother, for all the help you have given us.’

Brother Túan looked disconcerted for a moment and then shrugged. ‘ Deus vobiscum .’ he muttered with a glance at them both and smacked his horse’s flanks with his heels. He rode away without waiting for them to reply.

Brother Eadulf was regarding his disappearing figure with an air of bewilderment.

‘Are you now trying to discover whether Accobrán was responsible for bringing the Uí Fidgente raiders into this territory?’ he asked Fidelma after a moment or two.

‘I already know that Accobrán was responsible, directly or indirectly,’ Fidelma assured him. ‘What I did not know until just now was the manner in which information reached the Uí Fidgente.’

‘What information?’

Fidelma heaved a short sigh of impatience. ‘The information about the Thicket of Pigs, of course.’

‘You don’t mean that the raid was something to do with the gold, do you?’

‘I believe it had everything to do with the gold. But we must not let ourselves run before we walk. Ah, here is Brother Solam,’ she said, spying the approaching fair-headed young steward. ‘Now we will find Brother Dangila.’

A short time passed before the tall, dark figure of Brother Dangila joined them in the abbey garden and bowed gravely to each of them before accepting the invitation to seat himself on a bench before them. They had already taken seats beneath the apple tree in the courtyard for it was a warm day of late October and the sun shone out of a cloudless sky.

‘I am told that you wish to speak to me again, Sister,’ Brother Dangila said in his musical Greek.

‘I do. How do you know Liag the apothecary?’

The man’s face was impassive. He hesitated before responding.

‘He is an old soul. I am sure his lives on this earth have been many,’ the Aksumite finally replied. ‘Perhaps we have encountered one another in a past life and past age.’

Fidelma made a quick, impatient gesture with her hand. ‘Stick to this life, this time and this place.’

Brother Dangila looked steadily at her. ‘Then in this life, at this time and in this place, I met Liag when I was out contemplating the great work of the heavens. It was an interest that we both shared. I have already told you that my comrades and I are fascinated by star lore. That is the reason why we came here, as I told you. We came to see the manuscripts of Aibhistin.’

‘The only reason why you came here?’ Fidelma said with emphasis.

For the first time a slight look of uncertainty crossed the man’s bland features. He did not reply immediately.

‘You told me that you had worked in the mines of your country before you became a religieux,’ Fidelma pointed out. ‘The gold mines.’

Brother Dangila gave a long sigh. ‘You are very astute, Sister.’

‘Leaving mining aside for the moment,’ Fidelma went on, much to the bewilderment of Eadulf, who was trying to follow her line of questions, ‘let me turn to another matter.’