Peter Tremayne - Suffer Little Children

‘Do you accept or deny this, Assíd?’ she demanded.

Assíd hung his head.

‘I accept that I came here to pick up a message from Dacán to take to his brother Noé. After the evening meal, I met with Dacán and he gave me the letter. We exchanged some heated words when he refused to reveal what was in it and made me swear an oath not to open it. I still have no idea of what the letter contained. I went to bed. In the morning, I heard, that Dacán had been slain. Brother Rumann, who was the steward of the abbey, questioned me as to my whereabouts. Satisfied that I knew nothing, he gave me permission to leave. I left the abbey and sailed directly for Laigin, taking the letter. I reported what had happened to the Abbot Noé. That is all I have to do with this matter.’

‘A few more questions. When did you last see Dacán alive?’

‘Just after the completa, the last service of the day. A little after midnight, I should say.’

‘Where did you see him?’

‘In his chamber. It was when he handed over the letter to me.’

‘And where was your chamber?’

‘On the floor above Dacán’s.’

‘And so you heard nothing after you had left him? At what time was that?’

Assíd drew his brows together, trying to recall.

‘After midnight. I only heard one thing more, as I went up the stairs. I heard Dacán ringing the bell for the young novice who attended to our wants in the hostel. I heard his voice demanding that she fetch him water.’

‘You may stand down, unless Forbassach wishes to question you.’

Forbassach had been talking rapidly with the grim-faced Abbot Noé. He replied that he had no questions for Assíd.

Fidelma now addressed the Chief Brehon.

‘We have heard that Dacán had been successful in locating Illan’s heir. He told his brother Noé that he was about to set off for Sceilig Mhichil to identify him the next day.’

‘Are you telling us that he was killed to prevent him doing so?’ asked Barrán.

‘He was killed because it was feared he would bring harm to Illan’s heir.’

‘But you said that the sons of Illan had already been removed from the monastery and placed in Sister Eisten’s charge. Is this not correct?’

‘The story grows complicated. When Illan was killed, his sons had been placed in the care of a cousin who would foster them.’

Dramatically, Fidelma swung round and pointed at the abbey benches.

‘It was Brother Midach of this abbey who was the foster-father of the two boys who were known at Sceilig Mhichil as Primus and Victor.’

Midach sat unblinking. His face was fixed in a thin smile. He said nothing. Fidelma continued:

‘Dacán thought that it was Illan’s cousin, Father Mel ofSceilig Mhichil who was the fosterer. In that he did not read the will carefully enough. The will of Illan states clearly “let the resolve of the honourable one determine the fosterage of my children”. Is there anyone here who does not know that the meaning of the name Midach is “honourable”? Midach was appointed the aite or foster-father of the sons of Illan.

‘Midach, either by suspicion or accident, read the notes of Dacán in the library and realised that the old scholar was searching for Illan’s children. Dacán discovered Midach reading his notes and an argument ensued. Brother Martan was a witness to this. Anxious to protect his charges, on that same evening, Midach left this abbey and sailed to Sceilig Mhichil. He removed the boys and took them to Sister Eisten, who was a former pupil of his. He was able to visit them a few times afterwards on the pretext of visiting the village and helping them with medicine again the plague. He was seen and described to me. The real names of the children of Illan, known at Sceilig Mhichil as Primus and Victor, were Cétach and Cosrach. If one attempted to put Latin names on these they would translate in such a fashion.

‘Midach was shocked when he heard that Intat had raided Rae na Scríne. He believed that Dacán was working for Salbach and through him for Scandlán of Osraige. Alas, he did not realise that Grella was part of the conspiracy and was Eisten’s soul-friend. However, after the attack, he found that his two wards were safe. He decided to get the two boys away from this kingdom and asked Sister Eisten to arrange passage for them.

‘Cétach, the elder boy, at least, had been warned that Salbach was looking for them so when Salbach came here, Cétach pleaded with me not to mention him or his brother to the chieftain. Then they both disappeared.

‘While Midach now hid the children, Eisten went to book passage for them on a merchant ship in the bay. At first she chose the wrong ship — she asked a sailor who was from the Laigin warship captained by Mugrón. Unfortunately, Intatthen spotted Eisten. The rest of that tale we know. In spite of torture, Eisten would not tell where the children were and finally, in anger, Intat killed her. The children had to remain in hiding until Midach could get them safely away.’

Fidelma paused for her throat was now dry.

Barrán took the opportunity to address Midach.

‘Do you deny this story or any part of it?’

Midach sat, his arms folded, without expression.

‘I neither confirm nor deny it.’

The Chief Brehon turned back to Fidelma.

‘There is one point in your explanation that I do not follow. You have not dealt with Dacán’s death, which, as important as these events are, is the main cause of this action brought by Laigin.’

‘I will come to it, Barran,’ Fidelma assured him, coughing slightly as she attempted to clear her drying throat.

‘Midach was hiding the boys, Cétach and Cosrach, here in the abbey where he continues to hide them. I think that we can now bring them safely forth from the sepulchre of the Blessed Fachtna, for they will be under the protection of the High King. Is this not so?’

The question was directed to Sechnassach.

The High King returned Fidelma’s interrogative look with a brief smile.

‘They are so protected, Fidelma of Kildare.’

‘Midach, will you bring them forth?’

The physician rose unsteadily. He found difficulty speaking.

Fidelma decided to prompt him.

‘If you go to the statue of the cherub behind the High Altar and twist it one half turn to the left it will release the spring which pivots a flagstone.’ Midach’s mouth slackened in surprise.

‘How did you discover this?’ he demanded in consternation.

‘The steps beneath lead down to the secret sepulchre of the Blessed Fachtna, the founder of this abbey,’ went on Fidelma.‘It is there, since the death of Sister Eisten, that Cétach and Cosrach have been in hiding. Is that not so, Midach?’

Midach’s shoulders slumped in resignation.

‘It is even as she has said,’ he mumbled. ‘She seems to know everything.’

A couple of the High King’s guards moved at a gesture from Sechnassach and followed Fidelma’s instructions. A few moments later the two young black-haired lads were brought blinking from the underground tomb to stare in fear at the mighty assembly.

The Chief Brehon immediately sought to reassure them of their safety.

Forbassach was on his feet.

‘I must point out that we, of Laigin, have no wish to harm these boys … if they, indeed, are the sons of Illan.’

‘They are the sons of Illan,’ confirmed Fidelma. ‘And if their hair is washed clean of that black dye you will find two thatches of copper-coloured hair. Midach dyed their hair as an extra precaution when he took them to Sister Eisten. Isn’t that so?’

Midach seemed too dispirited to answer.

Forbassach was on his feet repeating himself.

‘We sought the heirs of Illan simply to identify them. To discover their whereabouts. The purpose of this was to offer our support for their claims and restore them to the kingship of Osraige. There is only one power here that would oppose that purpose — Cashel. As we have claimed all along, Cashel’s interest would be to destroy them. It was in Cashel’s interests to kill Dacán. We repeat our original claim, that Osraige be forfeit for the honour price of Dacán.’ He smiled towards the two young boys. ‘But as neither boy is anywhere near the age of choice, whereby he might be affirm as king, then the right of the kingship must devolve in the gift of Fearna.’