Peter Tremayne - The Spider's Web

‘I see …’ murmured Fidelma.

‘No, I do not think you do. I mean … any deer of the herd. Even within his own family,’ muttered Dubán.

‘You mean that he sexually abused members of his own family?’ Fidelma said quietly. She knew the allegation but wanted to hear Dubán’s version.

‘I cannot prove it. Neither can I prove the other thing that I know within my bones … that Eber was a murderer.’

Fidelma was surprised at this assertion.

‘You may speak in confidence with me, Dubán. You must tell me why you suspect Eber of murder.’

‘Very well. I was in love once with Eber’s young sister.’

‘With Teafa?’

‘No. Not Teafa. She was a year older than Eber. Tomnát was the younger sister. She was fearful of her brother. When I tried to persuade her to accompany me to Cashel as my wife, she said she could not for the shameful thing that was on her.’

‘Did she explain what she meant by that?’

‘No, neither did I understand at the time. But within a day or so Tomnat had disappeared from the rath, indeed, from the very valley of Araglin, and was heard of no more. It was my belief that Eber had her killed lest she reveal the evil of his mind and soul.’

‘How can you say this? You must have something which makes you suspicious.’

‘I knew that the night before Tomnat disappeared, she and Eber had a terrible row.’

‘You witnessed this row?’

‘I heard their voices raised. I was on guard and could not enter Eber’s private chambers. After a while there was silence and the next morning Tomnat had vanished. I loved Tomnat. She was as attractive as Crón is today.’

‘And you said that there was a widespread search made for the missing girl?’

‘For months everyone made inquiries for Tomnat. Teafa eventually came to me and told me that it was best for me toforget her sister. Teafa was the only other person who knew my feelings for Tomnat. She told me that ever since Tomnat was a little girl, Eber had forced her to sleep with him. She was never found and eventually I went off to Cashel and pledged myself in the bodyguard of the king, Máenach.’

‘Did Teafa claim that Eber had killed her sister Tomnat?’

‘No, she did not.’

‘When did this happen?’

‘Over twenty years ago. No, I can be more precise. It was a few months before Teafa adopted Móen.’

‘Did you not challenge Eber, or report your suspicion that Eber had murdered Tomnat?’

‘I? What could I have done alone without proof?’

‘What of Teafa, who told you of this sexual abuse?’

‘Teafa felt she could not betray her brother nor bring shame on her sister. I could not bring any accusation unless I had proof. I left Araglin, as I said, hoping to search out a new life. It is true what the ancient bards say — if you destroy your life in one small corner of the world, you have destroyed it in every small corner. I did not realise it until I found myself aging in the service of Cashel. I had not been able to get this place out of my mind. I dreamt of one day finding Tomnat. And though over twenty years have passed, I finally returned.’

‘You have returned, Dubán, but for what purpose?’

‘Easy to say; I returned for vengeance.’

Fidelma tried to examine his features in the dark but gave up.

‘Vengeance is an ugly thing, Dubán. Did you seek vengeance or justice?’

‘It is true that I have been seeking some evidence of what I know in my heart to be the truth. But I will be honest — I wanted vengeance. An eye for an eye, a tooth for tooth, a burning for burning. Exactly as Father Gormán teaches in his chapel.’

Fidelma held her head to one side.

‘You realise what you have told me, Dubán? You have saidthat you had every reason to kill Eber. And, being on guard that night, you also had the opportunity.’

Dubán nodded gravely.

‘This is true, sister. There is no man I would have rather killed. The motivation for returning here and seeking service with the chieftain of Araglin was to eventually find out what happened to Tomnat and punish him if I could. If that makes me suspect, Fidelma, then I am suspect and willingly so. Treat me as you will. Though I would prefer that you discover the truth.’

‘Do you deny that you killed Eber?’

‘As much as I admit to seeking vengeance and weeping no tears of remorse when I heard the news of Eber’s death, I confess that mine was not the hand that struck down that foul man. Nor had I reason to kill Teafa, who had been an honourable lady.’

‘Could Eber not have reformed his personality? Especially after Tomnat disappeared?’

Dubán almost spat.

‘Reformed? Once a wolf always a wolf. They cannot change their natures.’

‘You have changed your nature,’ Fidelma pointed out.

‘I do not understand.’ Dubán was bewildered.

‘You have transferred your love for the long lost Tomnat to Eber’s daughter Crón.’

‘I do not deny that either.’ The warrior was defensive. ‘One cannot love a memory forever. It is true that when I came here, I came to seek vengeance for a lost love but I discovered another.’

‘So are you telling me that twenty years and more has assuaged your hatred for Eber?’

‘No. I do not tell you that. I merely say that in Eber’s daughter I have found a new love. I can assure you that I did not kill Eber. And if I did not, and that poor deaf, dumb and blind idiot did not, then someone else did. And that someone might be one who also knew the truth about Eber’s real character. Find the person whohid in the gloom of the cave with Menma and I think you will find the murderer.’

Fidelma was silent for a while and then she finally said: ‘Perhaps you are right, Dubán. Eber has paid the price for his evil deeds and God forgive him.’

‘God may forgive him, but I shall not,’ declared Dubán in an uncompromising tone.

‘But you truly thought that Móen was guilty when the murder was discovered?’

‘I had no reason to believe otherwise. God moves in mysterious ways, sister. I truly believed that God used the unfortunate creature as an instrument of His greater vengeance.’

‘It has become obvious that Menma was also somehow involved in this. Do you agree that he was an instrument of someone more powerful than he was?’

Dubán nodded agreement immediately.

‘Menma was ambitious but he was a simple man. He took orders; he did not give them. So it was the person in the cave who was giving Menma orders. It was that person who wrote the vellum and is manipulating the evil that spreads in this valley.’

‘That is the truth of it,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘On no account tell anyone yet at the rath of how you dealt with Menma nor of what we have discussed.’

They were getting quite close to the rath now. The guard dogs began to howl as they sensed the approach of Fidelma and her companion.

Fidelma left Dubán at the stables having unsaddled and seen to her horse’s wants before making her way as quickly as she could to the guests’ hostel.

Gadra was waiting by the door. She tried to guess whether the news was good or bad from his solemn expression.

‘I think he is over the worst of it,’ he greeted her.

Fidelma shut her eyes, swaying a moment, and then let out a deep sigh.

Gadra went on impervious to her reaction: ‘He is asleep now. He has passed through the sickness and fever. I believe that your God guided you to seek my cure at an early stage. We have been able to purge the poison from him.’

‘Will he be all right?’ she demanded.

‘I believe so. But he needs rest now.’

‘Can I see him?’

‘Do not wake him. Sleep is always a great healer.’