The Council of the Cursed (14 page)

‘As I say, we will do our best to resolve the matters that have created a postponement to the coming together of that council. Tell me, Nuntius, did you inform Bishop Leodegar that you knew me?’

‘No. I wanted to see you first, to make sure that you were the same Fidelma whom I saw in Rome. Would you prefer I did mention you?’

‘You may do so freely,’ she replied.

‘Well, if there is ever help required, you may count on it that you have an influential friend at the Lateran Palace, Sister,’ the Nuntius assured her.
‘And if there is anything I can do here, let me know. Perhaps we can meet later and talk about the passing of the years. The Venerable Gelasius will be eager to hear all that has befallen you.’

‘Then let us meet in the
calefactorium
before the evening meal,’ suggested Fidelma.

‘Excellent. I shall be there.’

With a wave of his hand, Nuntius Peregrinus turned and hurried away. Behind him, his silent shadow, an armed member of the
custodes
of the Lateran Palace, reinforcing Peregrinus’ rank as envoy of Vitalian, emerged from a corner and followed him.

‘A small world,’ muttered Eadulf as they continued on to the door.

‘It might be beneficial that the Nuntius remembers us,’ Fidelma remarked. ‘I have a feeling that we might need his help in dealing with Bishop Leodegar.’

Fidelma and Eadulf emerged into the great square before the abbey. They walked slowly along the flags to the broad wagonway that led up to the large central courtyard. On one side was the huge wooden door that was the entrance to the
Domus Femini
. The courtyard itself was pretty enough. There was the inevitable fountain in the centre. It was a marble statue of a strange beast from whose mouth the water gushed. The entrance opposite to that of the
Domus Femini
had been blocked up, as this obviously led into the male quarters of the abbey. There was one dark arched recess further down off the wagonway, which Eadulf initially thought might lead to a doorway providing a shortcut into the abbey, but he saw that even that was blocked.

They approached the large oak door, which was studded with iron. A rope hung to one side and Fidelma tugged on it. They heard the distant clang of the bell and waited. After a short while, a small hatch in the centre of the door was drawn aside and two pale eyes stared out.

‘I am Sister Fidelma and this is Brother Eadulf. We are here to see the
abbatissa
, Abbess Audofleda. She is expecting us.’

This received a curt response: ‘Wait!’ Then the hatch was slammed shut.

Fidelma turned and smiled wryly at Eadulf.

‘Not overly welcoming,’ he muttered in response.

Suddenly bolts were drawn noisily back and the big door swung slowly inwards.

A religieuse stood framed in the doorway. She gave the impression of
tallness, of an austere face, a large nose, dark, almost black eyebrows and bright blue eyes. Her hands were folded in front of her, hidden within the folds of her black robe.

‘Enter,’ she commanded, taking a step backward to allow them to do so.

They became aware of another religieuse, who was obviously the doorkeeper, pushing shut the heavy door behind them. Once again, the sound of the bolts being pushed home was like the blow of a hammer falling on an anvil.

‘Are you Abbess Audofleda?’ asked Fidelma.

The woman sniffed in disapproval. ‘I am Sister Radegund,’ she replied curtly. ‘I serve the
abbatissa
. You will follow me.’ Her manner was as sharp as her features.

Without further ado, she turned and walked swiftly along an arched corridor into a small quadrangle, veered right and followed another short corridor to a circular stone stairwell. Taking the stairs with surprising speed, without once glancing behind to see if they were following, she then set off along another passageway. Eadulf had seen many religious houses but none with such an air of gloom. The male section of the abbey was grey and brooding enough, but the
Domus Femini
was infinitely worse. He felt quite depressed as he looked around the grey stone walls hoping for some relief–some flowers, icons, wall paintings–anything to relieve the drabness that reminded him of a fortress rather than a house devoted to the worship of God.

Sister Radegund halted abruptly outside a door.

She finally turned and glanced at Fidelma and Eadulf for a moment, almost as if ensuring that they were presentable enough to be shown into the presence. Then she rapped upon the door. A voice came faintly bidding them enter.

They were shown into the study of Abbess Audofleda. Although the
abbatissa
and her sisters had attended the morning and evening services, they had been invisible to Fidelma and Eadulf because they entered the chapel by a separate route and were shielded from the brethren by wooden screens. Abbess Audofleda was seated behind her table and wore a head-dress which was drawn back so that her face was fully visible, but covering her hair. A woman of middle age, she could never have been described
as attractive, thanks to the bony forehead, jutting jawline and large nose with a prominent bump that could almost be described as hooked. The eyes were pale and without compassion. The lips were thin, and the skin ashen where it was not blotched upon the cheeks.

‘This is Sister Fidelma and Brother Eadulf,
abbatissa
,’ intoned Sister Radegund, who stood deferentially before them with hands still folded and eyes downcast.

Abbess Audofleda sat back, her own hands placed firmly on the table in front of her. She stared in disapproval, firstly at Eadulf and then at Fidelma.

‘I am asked by Bishop Leodegar to see you. He says that you have requested to speak with me. For what purpose?’ Her voice was harsh and she spoke Latin badly.

‘We are…’ began Fidelma. She was waved to silence by an imperious gesture of a pale thin hand.

‘I know who you are, Sister. That much was explained when Bishop Leodegar addressed the community in the chapel the other night. You have been allowed to investigate the death of one of the delegates to the council. I disapprove. That is not a woman’s place, especially one who purports to be a religious. However, the bishop has made this curious decision. I was not consulted. My question is, why do you come here?’

Fidelma exchanged a quick glance with Eadulf. Abbess Audofleda was as unfriendly as her looks portended.

‘We have come to address a few questions to you,’ she replied coolly.

‘I see no reason why,’ replied Abbess Audofleda. ‘Our sisterhood is separate from the brothers of the abbey and there is no connection between us and the deaths that have occurred. We know nothing of them nor do we wish to know anything of them.’

Eadulf saw the warning sign as Fidelma’s eyes narrowed.

‘You’ll forgive our impertinence,
abbatissa
,’ he said hastily, in a conciliatory voice. ‘We have not come here without a good reason, for we believe there is a connection between your sisterhood and the events that took place surrounding the death of Abbot Dabhóc.’

The thin eyebrows of Abbess Audofleda arched.

‘Do you call me a liar?’ she snapped. ‘I said that there are none.’

Eadulf was dismayed by the overt antagonism of the woman.

This time Fidelma had recovered herself sufficiently to attempt to follow Eadulf’s displomatic path.

‘We would not suggest that you have spoken anything but the truth, as you know it. We would only point out that perhaps we have some information that you might not know about.’

‘Which is?’ There was a sneer in Abbess Audofleda’s tone.

‘Sister Valretrade.’

They heard the audible gasp from Sister Radegund. Fidelma saw the warning glance that Abbess Audofleda gave her.

‘What do you know of Sister Valretrade?’ The
abbatissa
’s eyes were glinting suspiciously.

‘We know that on the night of the killing, she had sent a signal to one of the brethren to meet her, and it was that action which set off the events leading to the discovery of the scene in Bishop Ordgar’s chambers. We need to question her about this as being pertinent to our investigation.’

For a moment Abbess Audofleda looked uncertain.

‘Contact between the sisterhood and the brethren is forbidden,’ she said woodenly.

‘Nevertheless, it happened,’ Fidelma assured her. ‘By the way, when did this Rule of segregation of the sexes and the ideas of celibacy come into force in this abbey?’

The
abbatissa
looked surprised at the sudden change of subject. She answered defensively.

‘One year ago, not long after Leodegar became bishop and brought his teachings here.’

‘And you were already abbess here?’

‘I was invited to take charge here by the bishop after the decision had been made. He could not find a suitable superior among the sisterhood, so he asked me to come from Divio to take over. It is the duty of the community to obey their bishop and the Rule was made clear. Our people should not question the Rule. But these questions are irrelevant to…’

‘To the matter of Sister Valretrade,’ Fidelma said brightly. ‘I am sorry. I have let natural curiosity overcome me. Now, I would like to speak with her.’

Abbess Audofleda’s thin lips twitched. ‘That is impossible.’

‘I have been assured by Bishop Leodegar that the entire community will co-operate with my enquiry,’ Fidelma cautioned.

‘It is neither a matter of co-operation nor lack of it. Sister Valretrade is no longer part of this community. She is not here.’

‘Not here?’

‘Not here,’ affirmed the abbess.

‘Then perhaps you can inform us where she is?’

‘I cannot be specific.’

‘Try,’ Fidelma pressed a little sarcastically.

‘Then she might well be anywhere. A week ago she left here, saying that she could no longer accept the Rule.’

Fidelma tried to hide her disappointment. ‘When did you say she left?’

‘A week ago.’

‘Was she sent away in punishment for contacting Brother Sigeric?’

‘Punishment? I do not know this Brother Sigeric.’

Fidelma raised an eyebrow slightly. ‘You did not know that she was in love with a young man in the abbey?’

‘I only knew that she was distracted from her duties here. Had I known, I would have reported the matter to the bishop so that he could discipline the young man for enticing Valretrade from her bond to the Faith.’

‘You say you do not know Brother Sigeric. Are you denying that he came to the
Domus Femini
a few days ago to find out where Sister Valretrade was?’

A crimson hue spread over Abbess Audofleda’s features.

‘Excuse me,
abbatissa
.’ It was Sister Radegund who spoke nervously from the door before she could say anything. ‘I did not wish to bring the matter to your attention, as you have been so busy, but a young man did come to our door–a young religieux. He demanded to know where Sister Valretrade was. When I told him to go away, he grew insistent, and I informed him that she had left the
Domus Femini
and was no longer in our charge. He was very insistent and I had to close the door on him. I was reluctant to bother you at the time, and until the matter was mentioned just now I had forgotten all about it.’

‘Did the young man mention his name to you?’ demanded the abbess of her steward.

‘I do not think so,
abbatissa
.’

The woman turned back to Fidelma with a triumphant expression. ‘So, you see, we have
not
heard of this Brother Sigeric.’

‘Why do you think Valretrade left the
Domus Femini
?’ Fidelma asked coldly. ‘And given that she was so “distracted”, in your words, by this young man, did she not tell him that she was leaving?’

‘I am not here to speculate about the workings of a young girl’s mind. Perhaps she is with this young man of whom you speak. Find him and you may find her.’

‘If he was with her, he would hardly have come to the abbey seeking her,’ Fidelma pointed out.

‘So maybe she had come to her senses and realised she should leave him,’ the other woman retorted.

‘So you offer no reason why she left?’

‘Reason? I am afraid that you do not understand the Rule by which I govern this community. She left because she could not abide that Rule.’

‘So she left, and did not even tell the person who seemed to matter most to her that she was leaving.’ Eadulf’s tone was reflective.

‘The person who mattered most?’ The pale face that turned to him was full of disdain. ‘
I
am the person who matters most in this community.’

Fidelma pointed to the crucifix that hung on the wall behind the Abbess Audofleda.

‘I thought that there was a more important Being in a religious house before Whom everyone was equal,’ she said.

Abbess Audofleda’s cheeks coloured again, this time with anger.

‘The girl disobeyed the Rule! Had she remained here, she would have been chastised for her transgressions. It was her self-interest that caused her flight!’

‘“Whatever you do to the least of My brethren, you do to Me”,’ Eadulf muttered audibly.

‘I have wasted enough time.’ Abbess Audofleda rose and looked across to Sister Radegund. ‘Show these…these visitors out. We have finished.’

Eadulf followed Fidelma who had said nothing further but turned to leave. He had reached the door when the abbess, unable to restrain herself,
shouted after them: ‘And I will see that Bishop Leodegar knows of your insults. He has had men flogged for less.’

Fidelma hesitated, and then shook her head quickly in Eadulf’s direction, indicating that he should say nothing further.

Once outside the oak doors of the women’s community, the couple breathed deeply to release their sense of frustration. They then began to walk slowly across the courtyard towards the wagonway.

‘And this woman is the
abbatissa
of the community?’ Eadulf marvelled. ‘I pity the poor girls in her charge.’

‘I pity Sister Valretrade. With such a superior, I think I too would also leave,’ Fidelma replied. ‘By the way, we must tread carefully. I don’t think we should take her threats lightly.’

‘Threats? About my being flogged?’ Eadulf was unconvinced.

‘Remember that we are in a different country with different customs,’ urged Fidelma. ‘While we have dispensation to conduct this investigation, it is only because it is of a political use to Bishop Leodegar. We are without real authority and we are vulnerable.’

‘Leodegar would not dare,’ asserted Eadulf.

‘He might well. By throwing that threat at us, Audofleda has revealed that Bishop Leodegar has used this power before.’

‘But to take a religious and have them flogged for no reason…’

‘Oh, they would find a reason. I think we should make sure that Brother Sigeric is warned as well. I would not put it past Audofleda to report the matter to Leodegar.’

They halted by the blocked-up entrance halfway down the wagonway and Eadulf glanced up at the grey walls behind them.

‘I have never known a place that exudes such deep melancholy. I was thinking about what Brother Gillucán told you that he heard.’

‘What made you think of that?’

‘The fact that he was in the
necessarium
, one wall of which backs on to this
Domus Femini
. That was where he claimed he heard the sound of souls in torment. I can well believe that he heard sounds of lamentation from the poor women enclosed in that place.’