Peter Tremayne - Absolution by Murder

Canna spat angrily.

‘I have told you what I said and why I said it. I am not afraid of these Saxons and their punishments, for my name will go down to posterity as the greatest seer of my age by reason of this prophecy from the stars.’

Sister Fidelma raised an eyebrow disdainfully.

‘Is that what you want, Canna? To be martyred so that you may have your place in history?’

Canna chuckled wheezily.

‘I am content to let posterity judge me.’

Sister Fidelma motioned Eadulf towards the cell door and then turned back abruptly.

‘Why did you visit the Abbess Étain today?’

Canna started. ‘Why … to warn her, of course.’

‘To warn her against her own murder?’

‘No …’ Canna’s chin came up. ‘Yes. Why else?’

Outside the cell Eadulf turned to Fidelma.

‘It could be that this man killed Étain to fulfil his prophecy?’ he suggested. ‘He admits going to warn her and Sister Athelswith was a witness to it.’

In fact, Eadulf had forgotten Sister Athelswith’s mention of a beggar visiting the abbess before her death. It was clever of Fidelma to spot the connection.

‘I doubt it. I have respect for this art which he practises for it is an ancient and honourable profession in my land. No one could so perfectly form the stars to his own bidding. No, I have a feeling that Canna saw what he saw in the stars but the real question is, was he so specific about who was to be killed? Remember that the Abbess Hilda said that he was not specific at all when he warned her that blood would flow at the time of the eclipse?’

‘But if Canna did not know who was to be the victim why did he specifically warn Abbess Étain?’

‘The hour grows late. But if Alhfrith is intent on burning this man tomorrow at dawn we have little time. Let us seek out and question these witnesses and discover what they have to say about Canna’s actual words. You pursue the three Saxons and the thane of Frihop and get their testimony and I will have another word with Sister Athelswith about Canna’s visit to Étain. We will meet back in the domus hospitale at midnight.’

Sister Fidelma led the way back into the abbey from the hypogeum. She was convinced that Canna was presenting himself as a willing victim to the flames of the Saxons. She was sure he was not guilty of the murder of Étain. His guilt lay in his colossal vanity, for she was sure that he sought immortality by one great prediction which would be talked of by the chroniclers for generations to come.

She felt an anger against him for, impressive as his prophecy was, he was delaying them from tracking down the real culprit, the genuine murderer of her friend and mother abbess, Étain of Kildare. He was an unnecessary distraction in her task.

One thing she realised, that there were many at the great assembly who apparently feared the oratorical skills of the Abbess Étain of Kildare. Could they have feared those skills enough to attempt to silence her, silence her permanently? She had seen enough displays of temper between the Roman and Columban factions to know that the dislikes and hatreds ran deep. Perhaps they ran deep enough to cause Étain’s death.

Chapter Nine

When Sister Fidelma reached the cloisters leading to the domus hospitale, the bell had started to chime for the midnight prayers. Brother Eadulf was already in Sister Athelswith’s officium, his head bent over his prayer beads, intoning the Angelus in the Roman fashion.

Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.

The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary.

Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.

And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.

Sister Fidelma waited quietly until Eadulf had finished his office and replaced his beads.

‘Well?’ she demanded without preamble.

Brother Eadulf pursed his lips.

‘It seems that you were right. Only Wulfric claims he heard Canna pronounce the name of the abbess and the exact manner of her death. Of the other three, one says it was Wulfric who told him what Canna had said. He had not even heard Canna speak. The other two say that Canna spoke only in general terms, as he did to the Abbess Hilda. In other words, we have only Wulfric’s testimony against Canna.’

Fidelma sighed softly.

‘And Sister Athelswith says that Canna was warning Abbess Abbe and others that there would be a death here. He did not single out Étain at all. This was confirmed by two of the brethren here whom Sister Athelswith called to have Canna ejected from Étain’s cubiculum. Canna seems hell-bent on sacrificing his life for immortal fame. A stupid, vain man.’

‘What should we do?’

‘I believe that Canna has committed no crime save that of vanity. The idea of him being killed for that is abhorrent. We must release Canna at once. He should put distance between himself and this place before dawn.’

Eadulf’s eyes widened.

‘But what of Alhfrith? He is the son of Oswy and ruler of Deira.’

‘And I am a dálaigh of the Brehon courts,’ replied Fidelma spiritedly, ‘acting under the commission of Oswy, King of Northumbria. I will assume full responsibility. We have been allowed to waste too much time on the cause of Canna as it is – time when we could have been tracking down Étain’s true killer.’

Eadulf bit his lip.

‘This is true, but to release Canna … ?’

But Fidelma had turned and was already leading the way to the hypogeum of the abbey. Her mind was already trying to figure out a way to release Canna in spite of the two guards outside. Hurrying along with her, Eadulf was beginning to realise that Fidelma was a determined woman. He had been misled by her youth and attractive softness at the start. He realised just how decisive she could be.

As it was, luck was with them for the two guards were both fast asleep. The nearness of the abbey’s apotheca had proved too much of a temptation and they had helped themselves to a liberal quantity of wine. They were snoring in a drunken sleep, sprawled over the table outside the cell, empty flagons by their nerveless hands. Fidelma grinned triumphantly as she removed the key from one of the sleeping guards without any trouble.

She turned to a worried-looking Eadulf.

‘If you do not want to be party to what I am about to do, you had best leave now.’

Eadulf shook his head, although with some reluctance.

‘We are in this together.’

‘The sorcerer, Canna, has gone,’ announced Alhfrith. ‘He has escaped from custody.’

Sister Fidelma and Brother Eadulf had been summoned yet again to the chambers of the Abbess Hilda following the serving of the jentaculum, the morning breaking of the fast. Abbess Hilda was sitting with pinched features, while Alhfrith paced agitatedly by the window. Oswy himself was sprawled in a chair by the smouldering fire. He was frowning moodily into the smoky turf.

Alhfrith had levelled his implied accusation immediately Fidelma and Eadulf had entered.

Sister Fidelma remained outwardly unperturbed.

‘He did not escape. I dismissed him. He had committed no crime.’

The petty king of Deira’s jaw dropped in astonishment. Whatever response he had been prepared for, it was not this. Even Oswy’s eyes widened as his face was drawn from the fire to gaze in astonishment at Sister Fidelma.

‘You dared to release him?’ Alhfrith’s voice was like the rumble of distant thunder before the storm erupts in its true savagery.

‘Dared? I am a dálaigh, qualified to the level of anruth. If I believe a person innocent then I am entitled to set him at liberty.’

The king of Deira’s mouth was working.

Oswy slapped his thigh and suddenly gave forth a laugh, a loud burst of genuine mirth.