Peter Tremayne - Absolution by Murder

The girl seemed disinterested.

‘The conflict was none of my seeking. Alhfrith is a bitter young man by his own nature and is at odds with his world. Making enemies is more easy to him than making friends.’

‘Nevertheless,’ Eadulf said, ‘you had best have a care. Wulfric is his man and does whatever Alhfrith tells him. He probably lied about Canna on Alhfrith’s instruction. Could Alhfrith have killed Étain to create a problem in the synod?’

Fidelma had not ruled that possibility out and said so as they turned into the cloisters.

‘What next?’ asked Eadulf.

‘Seven people are known to have visited Étain in her cell before she was found murdered. We have spoken with one of them – Canna the astrologer. Now we must speak with the other six.’

Eadulf agreed.

‘Sister Gwid, Brother Taran, Abbess Hilda, Bishop Colmán, Brother Seaxwulf and Agatho the priest from Icanho,’ he counted.

Fidelma grinned lightheartedly.

‘You have a good memory, brother. That is good. We will learn nothing from Colmán and Hilda other than what we have already. They merely accompanied Étain to the midday meal and talked about the debate.’

‘Shall we see Sister Gwid first?’ he suggested. ‘As she was the abbess’s secretary she may well know something which could be of help.’

Sister Fidelma sceptically shook her head.

‘I doubt it. I journeyed with her from Iona. She is a gawky but well-meaning girl. I do not think she was a close confidant of the abbess but simply followed her about with a sheep-like devotion. The abbess was once her tutor in Ireland.’

‘Even so, we should speak with her. According to Sister Athelswith, the abbess was arguing with her on the morning of her death. What could that have been about?’

Fidelma had forgotten mention of an argument.

They had reached the officium of the guest quarters and found Sister Athelswith bending over some ledgers.

‘We wish to speak with several brethren in private, sister,’ Fidelma told her. ‘With your permission, we will use your officium as the most convenient place to conduct our questioning. I am sure that you will have no objection?’

From her facial expression, Sister Athelswith had many objections but she knew that Fidelma and Eadulf had the full support of the Abbess Hilda and so she simply exhaled and removed her ledgers.

‘And may we ask you to serve us by summoning these people as we want them?’ pressed Eadulf with a winning smile.

The elderly sister sniffed, trying to hide her displeasure at this interruption to her routine.

‘It will be as you request, brother. I will serve you in whatever way I can.’

‘Good,’ smiled Fidelma brightly. ‘Then bring us Sister Gwid. She should be in her dormitorium.’

It was a short time later when the gawky Sister Gwid entered. She was more in control of her emotions now, although her eyes were still red from crying. She looked from Fidelma to Eadulf with an air of a child lost and bewildered.

‘How are you feeling this morning, sister?’ asked Fidelma, motioning her to take a seat.

Gwid bowed her head and seated herself on a wooden stool before the table that served as Sister Athelswith’s desk.

‘I apologise for my display of emotion,’ she replied. ‘Étain was a good friend to me. The news of her death unnerved me for a while.’

‘But you will do your best to help us?’ Fidelma’s tone was almost cajoling.

Sister Gwid shrugged indifferently and Eadulf felt he had to explain their task and their authority.

‘There is little I can say,’ Sister Gwid became a little more accommodating. ‘You will recall that I was in the sacrarium with you, Sister Fidelma, waiting for the opening of the debate when news came of the Abbess Étain’s death.’

‘Indeed,’ Fidelma acknowledged. ‘Yet you held the office of her secretary and met with her in her cubiculum yesterday morning.’

Gwid inclined her head in agreement.

‘I did. Can you track down the foul thing that killed her?’ she asked, her voice suddenly fierce.

‘That is what we are here to discover, Gwid,’ Brother Eadulf intervened. ‘Firstly, we must ask some questions.’

Gwid made an inviting gesture with her hand. It made her seem even more awkward, drawing attention to her large bony hands.

‘Ask away.’

Fidelma glanced at Eadulf and indicated that he should continue. The Saxon leant forward across the table.

‘You were seen to be arguing with Étain outside her cubiculum yesterday,’ he said abruptly.

‘Étain was my friend,’ Gwid replied abashed.

‘Did you argue with her?’ Eadulf demanded.

‘No!’ The reply came immediately. ‘Étain was … was simply annoyed with me because I had forgotten to collate some facts for her in the preparation of her argument for the debate. That is all.’

It was logical enough that Étain, in preparing to meet with Wilfrid, would be highly strung and quick to temper.

‘Are you from the land of the Picts?’

Fidelma frowned at Eadulf’s abrupt change of tack.

The dark face of Sister Gwid became bewildered.

‘From the land of the Cruthin whom you call “Picts” which is but a corruption of a Latin nickname meaning “painted ones”,’ she said pedantically. ‘It was a custom of our warriors in ancient times to paint themselves when they went into battle – a custom that has long since ceased. I was born when Garnait son of Foth ruled the Cruthin and extended his rule over the kings of Strath-Clòta.’

Fidelma could not help smiling at the fierce pride in the girl’s voice.

‘But not all Picts are Christian,’ Eadulf observed slyly.

‘And certainly not all Saxons are Christian,’ responded Gwid sharply.

‘True. But you were trained in Ireland, weren’t you?’

‘I studied firstly in the abbey of Iona but then crossed to Ireland to study at Emly before finally returning to Iona. It was at Emly that I studied under Sister Étain, as she then was.’

‘So?’ Fidelma leant forward now. ‘How long did you study with Étain?’

‘Only three months. She was teaching philosophy in the faculty of Rodan the Wise. Then she heard from her own mother house of Kildare that the Abbess Ita had died and on hastening back to Kildare she was elected as head of the house. After Étain became Mother Abbess of Kildare, I saw her only once.’

‘When was that?’ Eadulf asked.

‘When I had finished my studies with Rodan and was passing on my way back to Bangor, to get ship to Iona. I sought hospitality at Kildare.’

‘How were you chosen to become secretary to Abbess Étain during this debate?’ demanded Eadulf.

‘I was chosen because Abbess Étain knew of my skills as an interpreter, for I was a prisoner of the Northumbrians for five years, until Finán of Lindisfarne had me freed and sent back to my homeland. Also I am able to construe the Greek of the writings of the Gospels without difficulty. For these reasons, Étain chose me.’

‘I did not ask why, I asked how.’

‘I have no idea. I was waiting for the ship at Bangor when a message reached me asking me to attend the assembly here and serve in the capacity of secretary to Étain. This I agreed to do most willingly. I sailed for Iona the day after and there, of course, I met with you, Sister Fidelma. Brother Taran was organising a mission to Northumbria and, as you know, we both found ourselves, with others of the brethren of Columba, journeying to this place together.’

Sister Fidelma inclined her head in agreement at Gwid’s interpretation of events.

‘And when was the last time you saw the Abbess Etain alive?’ she asked.

Sister Gwid frowned thoughtfully as she considered the answer to the question.