Peter Tremayne - Smoke in the Wind

‘It’ll be clear by morning,’ muttered Fidelma as she nestled into the crook of Eadulf’s arm.

Eadulf was silent for a moment. ‘If we head due west in the morning we ought to reach the coast. But perhaps we might find a southerly road before that.’

‘Why southerly?’ she asked, momentarily perplexed.

‘So that we can find our way back to the abbey of Dewi Sant.’ He felt Fidelma stiffen a little.

‘We have not fulfilled our commission from Gwlyddien.’

‘Surely we have? We know that Llanpadern was attacked by sea-raiders. We found the body of the Hwicce warrior. I think it is obvious what happened to the community and to the king’s son.’

‘I don’t think it is obvious at all. I want to go to Llanferran to see Dewi, and hear more about the bodies he found.’

Eadulf’s facial muscles tightened in dismay. ‘How can we remain here with this madman Clydog in the vicinity?’ he demanded. ‘There is no way that we can move about seeking information, not with this band of maniacal killers on our heels.’

‘I cannot retreat now, Eadulf,’ she answered quietly. ‘That would be to deny my oath as a dálaigh , not to mention my acceptance of Gwlyddien’s commission.’

‘But surely. .’ protested Eadulf helplessly. He realised that he would not win against the remorseless logic of her decision.

‘You may return to the abbey if you wish,’ Fidelma interrupted without rancour. ‘You can await me there. But there is too much evil here to allow me to admit such a defeat without trying to resolve the questions that spring to mind.’

Eadulf was quiet for a moment. ‘Do you plan also to go back to Llanpadern?’

‘Not to Llanpadern. Clydog would doubtless think of following us there. For the time being we have learnt all we can from that sad, desolate place. As I have said, we must see what information we can pick up at Llanferran.’

‘And after that, where then?’

‘Back to Llanwnda. I must inform Brother Meurig and Gwnda of the presence of Clydog and his men. Doubtless Gwnda is equipped to protect his people against them and I will also seek that protection. Brother Meurig and Gwnda might know something about this Clydog and his outlaws.’

‘What more do you want to know other than he is a thief, a rapist and a would-be murderer?’

‘I want to know much more,’ Fidelma assured him. ‘Both Clydog and Corryn are educated. They have the bearing of men born to authority and used to rule. That intrigues me.’

‘Yet what has that to do with Llanpadern? That is surely what we must concentrate on if you are determined that we must remain here to solve this mystery.’ He felt Fidelma relax a little at his quiet acceptance of her decision.

‘You’ll stay with me, then?’ she asked.

Eadulf sniffed uncomfortably. ‘Did you have any doubt?’

He heard her sigh. ‘Of course I didn’t,’ she confessed. ‘Anyway, I am going to prove you wrong.’

He frowned in the darkness. ‘Wrong? What do you mean?’

‘You said that Clydog had nothing to do with the disappearance at Llanpadern. I think he knew more than he said, which, admittedly, was not much.’

‘You forget that Saxon sea-raiders were seen. That some of the brethren’s bodies were found, and the body of the Hwicce at Llanpadern. What more evidence do you want as to what happened there? What connection would a thief like Clydog have with Saxon raiders?’

‘Remember that I said that he must have been there before, or been forewarned that we were there, hence the silent approach he made with his men?’

‘There is another explanation for it.’

‘Which is?’ Fidelma was surprised that Eadulf had been giving the riddle some thought.

‘He could have seen our approach to Llanpadern, watched our entry and then waited until we were inside before slinking up on us.’

‘As I recall, we were inside for well over an hour before going to the barn. That is a long time for him to wait, if he had been watching before deciding to entrap us there.’

‘You obviously have a theory,’ Eadulf said in resignation.

To his surprise she gave a negative shake of her head. ‘At this stage, I have only questions.’

‘But what makes you think there is some connection? The fact that he surprised us in the barn is hardly reason to think he was connected with the Saxon raid.’

‘You said that he did not know about the Saxon in the crypt.’

‘Yes. Otherwise he would have made some remark when he knew I was a Saxon.’

‘He did.’

Eadulf stared at her in the darkness, although he could see nothing but the deeper blackness of her head against his chest. ‘Well, I did not hear it,’ he said defensively.

‘His first words when I told him who we were. Don’t you remember?’

‘He simply made some remark like “A Gwyddel and a Saxon.” ’

‘He did not. What he said was “A Gwyddel and another Saxon.” Who was the other Saxon if not-’

‘The Hwicce?’ supplied Eadulf quickly.

‘Who-wicca.’ Fidelma struggled again with the pronunciation. ‘Why do you Saxons have such unpronounceable names?’

‘Because,’ Eadulf snapped testily, ‘we are a different people. Every language is easy to pronounce to those who speak it. Every language is phonetic once you know the phonetics!’

‘ Absit invidia ,’ Fidelma murmured pacifyingly. ‘There is no offence intended. I simply make a statement as it appears from my own viewpoint.’

‘I’m sorry,’ muttered Eadulf. ‘A curse on languages, anyway. They are twisty things, words upon words, with sly meaning and never any precision.’

‘On the contrary, Eadulf, the only thing that creates an enemy of language is insincerity. Language can only be our friend if it is in accordance with the truth of the speaker.’

Eadulf groaned softly. ‘Is this the time and place for philosophy?’

‘All times and all places are conducive. Language has betrayed Clydog’s knowledge. Clydog knew the Hwicce was in the tomb. When he heard that you were a Saxon, unconsciously it slipped out — another Saxon.’

Eadulf was silent as he considered the matter. Then he said: ‘So he must have known that the body was in the tomb?’ Suddenly he gave an audible groan. ‘What a fool I am. Sualda!’

‘Exactly. I think that the Hwicce was cornered by Sualda in the refectory. He picked up that meat knife and stabbed Sualda, who in turn killed him.’

‘But why hide the body in the sarcophagus?’

‘That is a question that we cannot answer yet.’ Eadulf clicked his tongue in annoyance. ‘I would place a wager that Clydog knows something about this mystery. If only I had tried to make sense of Sualda’s ramblings.’

He heard Fidelma yawn sleepily, and glanced towards the cave mouth. It was still dark and raining outside.

‘We’d better try to sleep a while,’ he advised. ‘At first light we must try to pick up the road to Llanferran and hope we don’t encounter our friend Clydog again.’

There was no sound except the regular rise and fall of his companion’s breathing. Fidelma was already asleep.

The noisy chorus of birds woke Eadulf. It was still dark but one could feel the onset of the dawn. He was surprised that he had even fallen asleep. It seemed only a few moments ago that he had been thinking that sleep would be impossible as he half lay, uncomfortable in his damp clothes, against the hard rock on the cave floor with Fidelma nestled in the crook of his left arm.

He tried not to make too sudden a movement but turned his head slightly and looked down at her still sleeping form. She seemed so vulnerable, so unlike the Fidelma he was used to seeing; the face so confident and, perhaps, a little arrogant.