Our Lady of Darkness (6 page)
Read Our Lady of Darkness Online
Authors: Peter Tremayne
Tags: #_NB_Fixed, #_rt_yes, #blt, #Clerical Sleuth, #Fiction, #Historical, #Mystery, #Suspense, #Medieval Ireland
Sister Étromma did not reply.
‘As
rechtaire
at the abbey for ten years it might be considered that you had a better claim to the office?’ Fidelma pressed.
rechtaire
at the abbey for ten years it might be considered that you had a better claim to the office?’ Fidelma pressed.
‘She was a protégée of Abbot Noé in Rome.’
‘I did not know that Noé had ever been a religious in Rome.’
‘He only went there on a pilgrimage and did not remain for any
length of time. He met the abbess there, I believe, and brought her back to be his successor. It was when he returned that he announced his retirement from the abbey.’
length of time. He met the abbess there, I believe, and brought her back to be his successor. It was when he returned that he announced his retirement from the abbey.’
‘That is unusual,’ remarked Fidelma. Then she realised another possibility. ‘Is Fainder related to Noé, perhaps?’
Nepotism was not unknown in the religious houses and often abbots and abbesses and even bishops took office following the same successional system as kings and their nobles. As well as being of blood descent they were elected by their
derbhfine
which usually comprised three generations of the family descending from a common great-grandfather. Often sons, grandsons, nephews and cousins, were appointed to be abbots in place of a previous abbot or abbess in much the same way as kings were appointed or other chiefly heads.
derbhfine
which usually comprised three generations of the family descending from a common great-grandfather. Often sons, grandsons, nephews and cousins, were appointed to be abbots in place of a previous abbot or abbess in much the same way as kings were appointed or other chiefly heads.
When Étromma did not respond, Fidelma posed another question.
‘Are you happy with the way the abbess runs this community? I mean, are you happy with Fainder’s commitment to govern by the Penitentials and the Roman form of administration? I am surprised that Abbot Noé blessed this new departure for I always thought that he was an adherent of the Rule of Colmcille.’
Sister Étromma halted a moment, causing Fidelma to halt also, and the stewardess looked round as if in search of eavesdroppers before replying.
‘Sister,’ she dropped her voice to a whisper, ‘it is wise not to mention such conflicts in this place. The differences between the Irish Church and that of Rome are not a subject for discussion here. Since Fainder has become our abbess she has grown powerful and rich. It does not do to voice criticism.’
‘Rich?’ queried Fidelma.
Sister Étromma shrugged. ‘The abbess does not dismiss material wealth, even though she expounds the austerity of the Penitentials to others. She seems to have acquired much wealth since her arrival. Perhaps one should look towards the rich and powerful who patronise her. But it is not for me to voice criticism.’
It was clear to Fidelma that the stewardess was resentful of the abbess.
However, Fidelma did not wish to pursue the matter of sister Étromma’s prejudices. She was more concerned about hearing how Eadulf was faring.
Sister Étromma moved quickly on along the corridor.
‘Do you know what happened concerning Brother Eadulf?’ Fidelma allowed a short silence before raising the subject.
‘He is to be executed tomorrow.’
‘I mean the facts leading to his trial.’
‘I know that when he first arrived here, he seemed pleasant enough and spoke our language well.’
‘So you met him when he arrive here?’
‘Am I not the
rechtaire
of the abbey? It is my duty to greet all travellers, especially those wishing for hospitality within our walls.’
rechtaire
of the abbey? It is my duty to greet all travellers, especially those wishing for hospitality within our walls.’
‘So when did he arrived here?’
‘About three weeks ago. He came to the gate and asked for a night’s lodging. He said that he was planning to take a boat downriver to Loch Garman. He was going to look for a ship to take him back to the land of the Saxons. There are plenty of Saxon ships putting into Loch Garman these days.’
‘So what happened?’
‘There is little I know. He arrived late one afternoon, as I, say, and I gave him a bed in the guests’ hostel. He attended devotions and ate a meal. During that night I was awakened by the abbess. It seemed that the body of a young novitiate had been found on the quay outside the abbey. The girl had been discovered by a captain of the watch. There is frequent theft from the boats that tie up there. A lot of trade passes through the township. That’s why a permanent watch is employed on the quays.
‘It seems that the young girl had been assaulted and then strangled. An alarm was raised. I was asked by the abbess to lead the way to where the Saxon was sleeping.’
Fidelma frowned. ‘Why the Saxon? What made the abbess single him out?’
Sister Étromma was dispassionate. ‘Simple enough. He was identified.’
‘Identified? By whom and how?’ Fidelma tried not to show her dismay.
‘The captain of the watch had informed the abbess that the Saxon was responsible. I led the abbess, the captain of the watch and some others into the guests’ hostel. The Saxon was in bed, pretending to be asleep. When he was forced from the bed he was found with blood on him and a torn piece of the dead novitiate’s robe.’
Fidelma suppressed a groan. This was becoming worse than she had imagined.
‘That’s bad enough, but you have not told me how he was identified.
I am puzzled to know how the captain of the watch was able to claim the Saxon was responsible when, as you tell me, he was not caught on the spot but was asleep in his bed in the guests’ hostel. What is the name of this captain, by the way? I shall want to see him.’
I am puzzled to know how the captain of the watch was able to claim the Saxon was responsible when, as you tell me, he was not caught on the spot but was asleep in his bed in the guests’ hostel. What is the name of this captain, by the way? I shall want to see him.’
‘His name is Mel.’
Fidelma’s eyes widened at the information.
‘The same Mel who is commander of the guard at the palace of Fianamail? The brother of Lassar, the innkeeper at the Inn of the Yellow Mountain?’
Sister Étromma looked surprised. ‘You know of him then?’
‘I am staying at the Inn of the Yellow Mountain.’
‘His success in capturing the Saxon caused the King to appoint him one of his commanders. He used to be a captain of the watch on the quays.’
‘A good promotion then,’ Fidelma commented drily.
‘Fianamail can be generous to those who serve him well,’ agreed the stewardess. Did Fidelma detect a slight note of cynicism in her voice?
‘Let me ask the question again; what led the captain of the watch so unerringly to the bed of Brother Eadulf, who just happened to have the incriminating evidence still on him?’
Sister Étromma grimaced. ‘It was reported that a religieux had been seen running from the quay to the abbey just before the body was discovered.’
‘How many religieux does the abbey of Fearna hold? One hundred? Two hundred?’ Fidelma could not keep the note of scepticism from her voice.
‘Closer to two hundred, Sister,’ agreed Sister Étromma evenly.
‘Two hundred? Yet the trail led straight to the Saxon. It seems a fine piece of detection on the part of the captain of the watch.’
‘Not really. Were you not told?’
Fidelma steeled herself for another revelation. ‘There are many things that I have not been told. To what do you now refer exactly?’
‘Why, there was a witness to the actual attack.’
Fidelma was silent for a moment or two. ‘A witness?’ she asked slowly. ‘An eye-witness to the rape and murder?’
‘Indeed. There was another novitiate who was down on the quay with the one who was killed.’
‘Are you saying,’ Fidelma said, ‘that this novitiate … what is her name?’
‘The girl who was witness?’
‘Yes.’
‘Fial.’
‘And the name of the girl who was killed?’
‘Gormgilla.’
‘Are you saying, then, that Fial actually saw the rape and murder of her friend Gormgilla and identified Brother Eadulf as the man responsible?’
‘She did.’
‘And she clearly identified the attacker? There was no doubt as to who she identified?’
‘She was absolutely clear. It was the Saxon.’
Fidelma felt an overwhelming sense of despair. Until now she had been thinking that this matter must be some silly mistake. Even when she heard the extent of the charges against Eadulf, of rape and murder, especially of a young girl of twelve – a girl under the age of choice – she had not changed her mind for she had an implicit belief in Eadulf. It was just not in his character to do such a thing. It had to be a silly mistake in identification or wrong interpretation.
Now she was confronted with overwhelming evidence. Not just the physical evidence of bloodstains and torn clothing but, above everything, the evidence of an eye-witness. The case against Eadulf now appeared devastating. What would Barrán, the Chief Brehon, say when he came to Fearna at her demand only to find that she had no case to offer him? Could it be, in spite of her faith in him, that Eadulf was guilty after all? No! Surely she knew Eadulf too well?
Sister Étromma took her through an arched door into a large quadrangle. Following, Fidelma caught sight of a wooden platform. She did not need to ask what the gruesome apparatus was. The body of a young monk hung inert from the rope suspended from the gibbet. There was no one about.
For one awesome moment, during which her blood seemed to turn to ice, Fidelma thought that the body was that of Eadulf; that, in spite of the assurances she had been given, she was too late. She halted abruptly and stared, her senses numb.
Sister Étromma, seeing that she was not following, stopped and turned back. She wore an unhappy expression and did her best to avoid looking at the corpse.
‘Who is that?’ demanded Fidelma, having registered that the corpse
wore the tonsure of St John and not the tonsure of St Peter as Eadulf did.
wore the tonsure of St John and not the tonsure of St Peter as Eadulf did.
‘That was Brother Ibar,’ the stewardess replied quietly.
‘For what reason has he been executed?’
‘Murder and theft.’
Fidelma’s mouth compressed for a moment. ‘Is this punishment by the Penitentials going to be the fashion now in this abbey?’ she asked bitterly. ‘Do you know the details of his crime?’
‘I attended the trial, Sister. The entire community were ordered to do so by Abbess Fainder. It was the first trial that led to execution under the new Penitential laws and he was a member of our community.’
‘You spoke of murder and theft?’
‘Brother Ibar was found guilty of killing a boatman and robbing him down on the abbey quay.’
‘When was this?’
‘A few weeks ago.’
Fidelma was studying the gently swinging corpse.
‘There seems much death on the abbey quay,’ she reflected. An idea occurred to her. ‘You say that Ibar killed a boatman on the quay and robbed him a few weeks ago? Was it before or after the crime of which Brother Eadulf was accused?’
‘Oh, after. The very day after.’
‘Unusual, isn’t it? Two murders on the same small quay within two days and now two Brothers of the Faith condemned to die, one dead already.’
Sister Étromma frowned. ‘But there was no connection between the two events.’
Fidelma gestured distastefully towards the corpse.
‘How long does he have to hang there?’
‘Until sunset. Then he will be cut down and taken out to be buried in unconsecrated ground.’
‘How well did you know him?’
‘Not well. He was a newcomer to the community. I believe he came from Rathdangan, to the north of here. He was a blacksmith by trade. He worked in that capacity in the community.’
‘Why did he kill the boatman and rob him?’
‘It was judged that he was spurred on by greed. It was a purse of gold coin and a gold chain that he took, having stabbed the man.’
‘Why would a blacksmith who works in this abbey need money? A
blacksmith is respected enough that he can name his own price for his art. Why, his honour price is ten
seds;
the equivalent of an
aire-echta,
a Brehon of lower qualification.’
blacksmith is respected enough that he can name his own price for his art. Why, his honour price is ten
seds;
the equivalent of an
aire-echta,
a Brehon of lower qualification.’
Sister Étromma shrugged expressively. ‘The air is chill here, Sister,’ she said. ‘Let us move on.’
Fidelma turned after her and they continued across the quadrangle, with the buildings towering on all sides, and through another small door. Sister Étromma went up the stone steps which rose two storeys to an upper floor. The building was dank and musty. Fidelma felt an overwhelming sense of despondency. The gloom and foreboding which hung depressingly about the place in no way gave her a sense that she was in the house of a community devoted to the Christian life. There was an atmosphere of impending menace which she found hard to explain.
Sister Étromma led her along the dingy corridor, after she had allowed Fidelma time to pause and let her eyes grow accustomed to the gloom. Along this corridor stood a small oak door with iron bolts.
A huge shadow suddenly appeared in the darkness from the end of the corridor.
‘Who is it?’ demanded a guttural voice. ‘Is it you, Étromma?’
‘It is,’ replied the stewardess. ‘This is Sister Fidelma, a
dálaigh
who has permission from the abbess to question the prisoner.’
dálaigh
who has permission from the abbess to question the prisoner.’
Fidelma caught a smell of onions on the breath of the burly figure as he came forward and peered closely at her.
‘Very well,’ came the harsh tones. ‘If it is all right with Étromma, you may enter.’ The figure seemed to recede back into the darkness.
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