Peter Tremayne - Smoke in the Wind

Clydog blinked rapidly as he absorbed this news, and Prince Cathen leaned forward in his chair.

‘Do you still deny this, Clydog?’

The Ceredigion prince raised his chin disdainfully. ‘It is war, that’s all,’ he suddenly said, as if dismissing any wrongdoing.

Cathen’s face was working with anger. ‘War? The brothers of the community of Llanpadern have been murdered! My own brother Rhun, old Father Clidro, whom I knew well, and others sacrificed by those involved in this devilish plot! Blood must answer for blood! Did you and your father Artglys really think that this twisted plan would work? Even had Ceredigion marched into Dyfed, do you think that no one in the kingdom would have fought back against them once Artglys declared himself ruler of Dyfed?’

‘It was even more subtle than that,’ Sister Fidelma said in a quiet voice.

‘More subtle?’ queried Cathen. ‘How so?’

‘The plot needed someone inside Dyfed to rally the people in support. There are several minor traitors ready to sell themselves to Ceredigion. Iestyn, for example.’

‘I was no traitor!’ cried Iestyn from the seat where one of Cathen’s men still had him confined. ‘Gwlyddien was weak. It was time we had a new ruler.’

Fidelma ignored him but signalled Cadell.

A moment later, Cadell ushered in the tall figure of Corryn, still wearing his war helmet.

‘Remove your helmet,’ she ordered.

When Corryn hesitated, Cadell reached forward and did so for him.

Cathen started up from his chair, a hand to his breast, staring at Corryn. The outlaw, now displaying a tonsure, his bright violet eyes defiant, smiled cynically back.

Fidelma glanced at Eadulf in satisfaction before returning her gaze to Corryn.

‘And how would you like to be known in this court?’ she asked. ‘As Corryn the Spider, as Brother Rhun of Llanpadern or as the Prince Rhun of Dyfed?’

Corryn shrugged indifferently. ‘It makes no matter. It would seem that we have reached a checkmate. . for the time being.’

Fidelma turned to Prince Cathen. ‘The final mystery is solved,’ she announced. ‘Why was there no confusion amongst the brethren when Clydog arrived? Why no sign of attack? Because Brother Rhun was able to exert his authority over his fellow monks to persuade them to submit passively to Clydog and his men. Their blood is on his hands.’

Cathen sat back heavily in his chair, regarding his brother with a shocked and anguished expression. ‘Is this true, Rhun? Have you plotted with Ceredigion, the enemies of this kingdom, to overthrow our father and seize power? Even now I cannot believe it. Did you really support this terrible plot?’

Corryn smiled crookedly. ‘You were always gullible, little brother. He that does not bear adversity for a while does not deserve prosperity. I was able to bear my adversity in the attempt to gain the prize that I desired. I spent many months in the preparation of this plan. That was why I left court and pretended to become a religious. God, how bored I was with the passing months in that close confinement of Llanpadern. The moment when I was at last summoned to meet Clydog and his father’s messenger in the woods of Ffynnon Druidion was one of the happiest of my life.’

Cathen shook his head in disbelief. Then his face hardened. ‘They say that there is no action more malicious than treachery, Rhun. You have set yourself up as a fox in lamb’s clothing. I must bring you before our father so that he may see your spite and deceit. Only that will keep you alive for a little while longer. If it were left to myself, you would be thrown over the nearest cliff.’

Corryn seemed unperturbed. ‘It might be better for you if you do so. This feeble kingdom cannot last indefinitely against the ambition of Ceredigion. Non semper erit aestas! ’

Brother glowered at brother for a moment and then Cathen motioned to his men, pointing at Corryn.

‘Take. . that from my sight.’

As they propelled the erstwhile religious to the door, Cathen suddenly called: ‘Perhaps it is you, Rhun, who should consider well that line of Seneca which you throw about so freely. Truly, it will not always be summer. The day of reckoning will come shortly for you. Let your friends, the Ceredigion, attempt to invade now. . we will be ready for them. They will be driven away, as we have driven them away in the past; driven away like smoke in the wind.’

‘I think that you made a splendid presentation, Eadulf,’ Fidelma said approvingly.

The coast of Dyfed was disappearing in the distance as they stood resting against the taffrail of the Frankish trading ship beating its way southwards across St Bride’s Bay. It was a satisfying feeling to sense the bounce of the hull against the waves; see the rise and dip of the vanishing coastline; hear the crack of the thin leather sails, as they filled with the changeable winds which were now set fair for their passage. The captain had promised them that their next landfall would be at Tanatos, the island off the coast of the kingdom of Kent. They now had a few days to do nothing but enjoy the voyage. They felt relaxed and happy.

‘I was guided by you,’ admitted Eadulf. ‘You were the one who spotted the similarity of facial features between Corryn and Cathen. What made you suspect Corryn of being Brother Rhun? Just the resemblance?’

‘Not only that. I was sure that I had seen Corryn’s features before. Those blue eyes of his should have made me realise sooner. But why did he always wear that war helmet? Obviously to hide his tonsure.

‘And there was his attitude. You remember that he was supposed to be Clydog’s lieutenant and yet many times he seemed to be in charge? He was certainly Clydog’s equal. However, what clinched my suspicions was when you reported the words of the dying religious on the beach.’

Eadulf shook his head, trying to recall. ‘I thought that the man was raving, poor fellow.’

‘He was telling you something in among his dying thoughts. He said that evil had been in their midst. The evil spider. Brother Rhun was the evil in their midst. He had taken the nickname Corryn, and what does that mean?’

Eadulf groaned inwardly. ‘Spider.’

‘Just so,’ smiled Fidelma. ‘Anyway, you were the one who healed Sualda. Sualda proved to be the weak link, for without him we might never have known what happened to the Hwicce warrior.’

‘Ah, Thaec. At least he did meet his end with a blade in his hand, believing he was being dispatched to the Hall of Heroes. I suppose you are right. Without Sualda, Clydog could have kept his mouth shut or denied everything. How did you guess that Clydog was the son of Artglys?’

‘He was not an ordinary outlaw, that was for sure. Like Corryn, he was well read, educated. Then I remembered that Cathen had mentioned that Artglys had a son. It was guesswork, but guesses are often a short cut to the truth.’

‘What will happen to Clydog? He is an evil man.’

‘He is also a prince of Ceredigion. I suppose he will be held as a hostage against King Artglys’s future good behaviour. Perhaps Artglys might offer the remaining missing brethren of Llanpadern in exchange for the return of his son; perhaps even the missing valuables from the chapel.’

‘And what of the fate of Rhun, the renegade?’

‘I have no doubt what Cathen would like to do with his ambitious sibling. But the decision will be Gwlyddien’s. Although while Rhun remains alive, he will be a constant threat to his father and brother.’

Eadulf pursed his lips. ‘It was amazing that he had no compunction about slaughtering his own religious companions at Llanpadern.’

‘He was more evil in many ways than Clydog,’ Fidelma mused.