Peter Tremayne - Penance of the Damned

‘I believe that you succeeded Brother Madagan as steward after he was disgraced?’

Brother Tuaman was eager to explain his position. ‘That is so. I have now agreed to continue to act as steward to Prior Cuan during these difficult days, as it is felt that continuity is essential.’

Prince Donennach interrupted impatiently. ‘There will be plenty of time later for getting to know one another better. However, I was hoping that before we sit down to the evening meal, we could engage in a short discussion in order to outline the problem that brings us all together. I feel that we should take the opportunity to state our respective viewpoints as this will prepare us for a more informed debate on the matter tomorrow.’

‘Our respective viewpoints?’ queried Fidelma.

‘There is a suggested difference in the application of law.’ It was Brehon Faolchair who explained. ‘Brehon Law or these new rules of the Faith.’

Fidelma glanced at the empty seat by Prince Donennach. ‘Is your tanaise , your heir-apparent, not in attendance?’ she asked. ‘In a discussion of problems arising about the law, then your heir-apparent should also have a voice.’

Donennach shook his head. ‘My tanaise is my sister, my banchombarba , and she has been called to attend on an urgent matter. I apologise for her absence.’

Eadulf knew that a banchombarba , a female heir, was not unknown. However, it was not often one found a female elected to the rigours of chieftainship. The derbhfine , the members of a family, usually elected the person best suited to be head of the family from the male line – unless there was no suitable male candidate.

They were directed to seats at the long table. Fidelma noted that most of those present were merely advisers and onlookers. Only the principal participants sat at the table. Prince Donennach took his official chair. Standing behind the chair, slightly to his left, was Conri who, as warlord of the Ui Fidgente, was the only warrior officially allowed to wear his weapons in the great hall of the prince. Just below the prince sat Brehon Faolchair as the prince’s legal adviser. Fidelma and Eadulf were placed immediately below him on the right side of the long table.

Next to them, a little further down the table, Prior Cuan sat with the tall steward, Brother Tuaman, and another religious equipped with a wax-covered tablet and stylus. He was of average height with straw-coloured hair and deep-set light eyes that seemed almost colourless. His features were pallid and gaunt, as if he did not eat well. His brows were drawn together in what they discovered was a permanent frown. The man had been briefly introduced as Brother Mac Raith, a scribe of Imleach.

Almost opposite them, on the left side of the table, sat Abbot Nannid. At his side was a familiar-looking cleric. The latter also had a wax-covered tablet called a ceraculum on which to make notes with a graib or stylus. The bald pate, fleshy features and unfriendly expression reminded them of someone … but it took a moment or two for both Fidelma and Eadulf to recognise another old antagonist, Brother Cuineain, Abbot Nannid’s steward. Fidelma noticed that the cleric still had the curious habit of rubbing his right wrist with his left hand.

Prince Donennach sat back, nodding to his Brehon with a signal to begin.

Brehon Faolchair cleared his throat. ‘Abbot Segdae of Imleach had come to this place to discuss with our leading cleric, the Abbot Nannid of Mungairit, how the churches of our two peoples could better work together in view of the peace that has been agreed between the Ui Fidgente and the King of Cashel. Abbot Segdae was murdered. I shall go into the details as Fidelma of Cashel was not present at the hearing which investigated that murder.’

The Brehon went on without waiting for approval. He listed the details – which were the same that Ciarnat and then Conri had given – of how Brother Tuaman and the warrior named Lachtna had discovered the body and found Gorman with the murder weapon in his hand. There being no other means of entering or leaving the chamber, which had been locked from the inside, the Brehon had to come to the inevitable conclusion that Gorman was responsible for the crime.

At this point, Fidelma interrupted. ‘Did Gorman admit to the crime?’ she asked.

‘He did not,’ replied the Brehon at once.

‘What explanation did he offer?’

‘None that could be believed,’ Abbot Nannid sneered.

‘I am not asking for an opinion but fact from the judge who heard this matter,’ Fidelma hissed, with a sharpness that caused the abbot to blink rapidly.

‘He said,’ Brehon Faolchar went on in a slightly louder voice, ‘he said that he had been talking to Abbot Segdae when he was struck from behind and fell unconscious. When he came to, Brother Tuaman and the warrior, Lachtna, were standing over him. The abbot was dead and the murder weapon lay close to Gorman’s hands. That is all he could tell us.’

‘And this was investigated by you?’

‘Of course. I examined the chamber and found there was nowhere that any assailant could possibly have hidden. Brother Tuaman told me that he was outside the chamber the whole time until he heard the commotion, tried to enter and discovered that the door had been locked from the inside.’

‘This is true, lady.’ Brother Tuaman felt he should say something at this point.

‘A waste of time checking,’ grunted Abbot Nannid. ‘It was a pathetic defence which no one could believe,’

Fidelma did not bother to look at him as she hit back with: ‘So pathetic that no intelligent man, such as the commander of the warriors of the Golden Collar, would have used it and expect it to be believed.’

‘I offered him every means to amend his story,’ Brehon Faolchair replied sadly.

‘I am sure you did,’ Fidelma said. ‘I am not questioning your thoroughness in the matter. Yet he could only amend it if it was not true in the first instance. I wondered if you made any deduction as to why Gorman would have killed the Abbot of Imleach and in circumstances that left no other suspect.’

‘Because he is not as clever as you think,’ came Abbot Nannid’s spiteful comment.

‘Again I have to point out that I am asking a question of the learned Brehon!’ Fidelma rapped out.

Brehon Faolchair spread his arms. ‘Are you asking whether I found a motive for the killing?’

‘Exactly that,’ she confirmed.

‘I have to admit that I did not, and even when Gorman was judged guilty of the crime and given an opportunity to state his motive in case some means of justification might be found in it, he refused to offer any reason.’

‘Do you mean he refused or could not offer a reason.’

Brehon Faolchair sighed. ‘He could not offer one.’

‘While still maintaining his innocence?’ Fidelma pressed.

‘While still maintaining his innocence,’ conceded the Brehon.

‘This is just time-wasting!’ denounced Abbot Nannid, anger now replacing his sarcasm. ‘We did not come here to listen to the sister of the King of Cashel try to mislead us by displaying her legal aptitude.’

‘I have seen no sign that Fidelma of Cashel is trying to mislead us.’ It was the Prior of Imleach who spoke up. ‘I can understand the questions that have been asked because those questions needed to be asked and I, whose knowledge of law is probably the equal to my learned brother, the Abbot of Mungairit …’ he paused to let the words sink in ‘… I would have wanted those questions to be put and to be answered.’

Eadulf glanced at Fidelma to see whether she acknowledged that they seemed to have an ally in the prior, but her face was impassive.