Peter Tremayne - Smoke in the Wind

‘Across the bridge.’

‘So Idwal must have passed her?’

‘The track, as you know, lies through the forest in which she was found. It leads to the west and also to the south.’

‘But this was early in the morning and not long after you had seen her set off on the path to Cilau?’

Iorwerth nodded.

‘And Idwal came running into the township?’

‘I think that he went straight to Gwnda’s hall.’

‘Do you know what caused him to run to Gwnda?’

‘Gwnda later said that it was Idwal who first reported that the community at Llanpadern had vanished.’

‘What then?’

‘About half an hour later, I saw Idwal returning across the bridge and vanishing into the forest. I simply carried on with my work.’

‘It was, so far as you were aware, a morning in which nothing was out of the ordinary apart from Idwal’s strange entrance into the township?’

‘That is so. I had worked for an hour or perhaps a little more when my friend Iestyn came to the forge. He was very agitated. He told me that he had seen Mair and Idwal in the forest and they were having a fierce argument. He had hurried directly to inform me.’

Fidelma changed her position in the chair. ‘Why didn’t Iestyn intervene?’

Iorwerth was dismissive. ‘Iestyn knew my daughter. If he had tried to intervene it would not be thanks that he would be getting from her.’

‘So he came directly to you? And you were angry at this news?’

‘Of course I was angry. I was furious that Idwal should disobey me. I meant to teach him a lesson. There were a few friends in the forge and they offered to come with me. I set off with Iestyn to the place where he had seen Idwal with my daughter.

‘We hurried on until. . until we found the body of my daughter. A short distance away was Gwnda who had captured Idwal. He would not let us harm the boy but sent for a barnwr to judge him. Everyone was angry and finally the people broke into Gwnda’s barn and took the boy. Gwnda was told to remain in the house if he had no stomach for justice. We were about to hang the murderer when. .’

‘When we arrived with Brother Meurig and saved you from your folly,’ finished Eadulf.

‘Knowing you were going to kill Idwal, did Gwnda try to stop you?’

‘Of course not. .’ Iorwerth hesitated. ‘I mean, we were too many for him. Didn’t you see that we had guards at his hall to watch over him?’

‘There is one thing I am uncertain of,’ Fidelma said reflectively, ignoring his question.

‘Which is?’ demanded Iorwerth.

‘Where was Gwnda when you left the township to go in search of Idwal and Mair? He must have been in the forest already?’

The smith gave a shrug. ‘It was good that he was there to capture Idwal.’

The door suddenly burst open unceremoniously. The lord of Pen Caer stood framed in the opening. Behind him stood two men with swords brandished in their hands. He scowled angrily at Fidelma.

‘So I have been informed correctly. I was told that you were here at Iorwerth’s forge.’

‘As you see.’ Fidelma smiled, with irony.

‘Did I not say that you had no authority to ask questions, Gwyddel? I am lord of Pen Caer and I am the law here. Now you and your Saxon friend will pay the price for ignoring me.’

Fidelma rose slowly and faced Gwnda. She did not flinch from his angry, threatening stare.

‘Ignoring you, lord of Pen Caer?’ she asked with feigned innocence. ‘But the last words you said to me were that you had no objection to my investigating the affair at Llanpadern. Did you not mean what you said?’

A puzzled frown creased Gwnda’s forehead.

‘I am sure that you would not go against the wishes of King Gwlyddien,’ she added.

‘What tricks are you trying to play with me, Gwyddel?’ Gwnda demanded, but the certainty had left his voice.

‘I am investigating the matter of Llanpadern,’ she said. ‘Idwal was at Llanpadern and he brought the first news of the disappearance of the community here. That is what I was investigating.’

Iorwerth tried to correct her. ‘But you were talking about Idwal and my daughter.’

Gwnda turned triumphantly to Fidelma. ‘I did not expect a religieuse to lie. Perhaps that is the fashion among the Gwyddel?’

‘On the contrary, Gwnda,’ replied Fidelma, an iciness making her eyes glisten. ‘It is not my fault that the matter of Mair’s death overlaps the return of Idwal from Llanpadern. Are you Solomon of the Hebrews that you propose to precisely sever along the border of the two parts?’

Gwnda’s jaw clamped shut, a muscle twitched in his face. He realised the point that she was making. Finally, he said: ‘You are very clever, dálaigh of Éireann.’

‘ Utcumque placuerit deo , lord of Pen Caer,’ intoned Fidelma with bowed head. ‘However it shall please God.’

Gwnda sniffed in annoyance. ‘Do not place all your trust in God,’ he replied sourly.

‘Do you still continue to raise objections to my investigation? ’

Gwnda abruptly turned to his companions and dismissed them in disgust. ‘My objections continue as ever,’ he said as the armed men left. ‘You have no authority in the matter of the deaths of Mair and Meurig.’

‘Nor of Idwal’s murder, I presume?’ she added, glancing at Iorwerth, who flushed angrily. ‘But I am investigating what Idwal saw at Llanpadern and what he told people about it on the morning that he returned here.’

Gwnda compressed his lips for a moment as he realised the dilemma. ‘If you keep to that subject, then I shall have no objections.’

‘Then let me ask you some questions,’ Fidelma went on. Her voice rose a little as Gwnda made to leave, compelling the lord of Pen Caer to pause and turn to face her.

‘Idwal was seen running to your hall that morning by Iorwerth.’ She indicated the bewildered smith, who had not really understood much of their exchange. ‘What did Idwal tell you that morning?’

‘Nothing. I was not there. He spoke to Buddog. You will have to see her.’

‘When did Buddog inform you that Idwal had come to the hall?’

‘When?’ Gwnda seemed to have trouble with the question.

‘I was wondering why you did not order a search party to go to Llanpadern.’

Gwnda blinked for a moment. ‘We were busy with the affair of Mair’s death,’ he said defensively.

Grim amusement edged Fidelma’s mouth. ‘You will note that I did not bring up the matter of Mair’s death?’

Gwnda’s expression was sullen. ‘It was not until much later in the afternoon that Buddog remembered to tell me about Idwal’s visit.’

‘So,’ said Fidelma, ‘Buddog did not tell you what Idwal had said until after the boy had been brought back to your hall. Having then heard the news, why did you not send a party down to Llanpadern?’

The lord of Pen Caer shrugged. ‘By that time, I had sent a messenger to the abbey of Dewi Sant asking for a barnwr to come here, so I decided to wait and seek his advice on both matters. Then the morning of the day you arrived, Dewi, the son of Goff, came from Llanferran with news of a Saxon raiding ship and the bodies. It would have been dangerous to go to Llanpadern in case of an attack here on the township.’

‘Can you remember what Buddog told you?’

‘Why not ask her?’

‘I shall, but I would like to know what you recall.’

‘Idwal had arrived asking for me. Then he told Buddog that he had been passing Llanpadern. It was early that morning. He thought he saw one of the brethren leaving on the road south. .’

‘That must have been Brother Cyngar,’ interrupted Eadulf and was silenced by a sharp look from Fidelma.