‘Very well. I’ll come immediately,’ she told the innkeeper.
Downstairs, seated by the fire and enjoying some of Lassar’s hospitality was not only the Brehon of Laigin, Bishop Forbassach, but the elderly, white-haired man called Coba the
bó-aire
of Cam Eolaing.
She tried to disguise her astonishment at his appearance at the inn that morning. Immediately she became aware of a third man seated before the fire, an austere, elderly fellow with pinched features and a prominent nose. He was dressed in rich robes, the robes of a religieux with an ornate golden crucifix on a chain around his neck. He greeted Fidelma coldly and without approval.
‘Abbot Noé.’ Fidelma inclined her head towards him. ‘I was wondering only last night whether I would meet you during my stay in Fearna.’
‘It was, alas, an inevitable meeting, Fidelma.’
‘I am sure it was,’ she replied dryly and then, turning to Forbassach, ‘Do you wish to search my room again for Brother Eadulf? I can assure you that he is not there.’
Bishop Forbassach cleared his throat as if in embarrassment.
‘I have actually come to offer you an apology, Sister Fidelma.’
‘An apology?’ Her voice rose incredulously.
‘I am afraid that I leapt to the wrong conclusion the other night. I now know that you did not help the Saxon to escape.’
‘Really?’ Fidelma did not know whether to be amused or concerned.
‘I am afraid that it was I who aided that escape, Sister Fidelma.’
Fidelma swung round to Coba who had spoken slowly and with a note of regret.
‘Why should you help Brother Eadulf?’ she demanded in astonishment.
‘I have just arrived from Cam Eolaing this morning to confess my deed. I found Abbot Noé had arrived back at the abbey and was in conference with Bishop Forbassach. We spoke of the matter and came here to support Forbassach in his apology to you.’
Fidelma raised her arms in a helpless gesture. ‘I do not understand.’
‘Alas, it was simple enough. You know already where I stand on the infliction of punishment under the Penitentials. I could not stand by and see another of these punishments carried out when I claim that they are opposed to the basis of our legal system.’
‘I agree with your concerns,’ Fidelma acknowledged. ‘But how did that lead you to take the law into your own hands and help Eadulf escape?’
‘If I am at fault, I shall be punished.’
Bishop Forbassach scowled at the man. ‘You will have to pay compensation for this action, Coba, and you will lose your honour
price. No more can you claim to exercise magisterial powers in this kingdom.’
Fidelma was impatient to know if her suspicion that Coba had given Eadulf shelter was correct.
‘What has happened to Brother Eadulf?’
Coba glanced nervously at Abbot Noé.
‘It would be wise if you tell Sister Fidelma all,’ the abbot advised brusquely.
‘Well, being against the punishment, I decided that I would offer the Saxon sanctuary – the
maighin digona
of my fortress …’
‘Sanctuary does not involve helping someone escape from incarceration,’ muttered Forbassach.
‘Once in the confines of my fortress, the sanctuary applies nevertheless,’ snapped Coba.
Fidelma considered the argument.
‘That is true. However, the person seeking sanctuary usually finds the territory of the
maighin digona
by themselves before requesting sanctuary. Nevertheless, the sanctuary rule applies once inside the boundaries of the chieftain willing to provide it. Are you confirming my suspicion that Brother Eadulf is now receiving shelter and sanctuary in your fortress?’
She had been feeling confident, having assumed that Eadulf was safe in Coba’s fortress and could remain there until Barrán arrived. Her spirits began to drop however as she realised how sombre Coba’s features were.
‘I informed the Saxon of the conditions of the sanctuary. I thought he had understood them.’
‘The conditions being that he remain within the confines of the fortress and make no attempt at further escape,’ Bishop Forbassach intervened pedantically, for Fidelma knew well what the restrictions were. ‘If he attempts to escape then the owner of the sanctuary has the right to strike him down to prevent that escape.’
A cold feeling crept through Fidelma’s veins. ‘What are you saying?’
‘Early this morning, when I awoke, I found the Saxon was not in his room,’ Coba stated quietly. ‘The gates of the fortress were unbarred and he was gone. One of my men was found near the gate. He was dead. Struck down from behind. I only have two watchmen there at night for no one has ever attacked the fortress of Cam Eolaing before. The other guard, Dau, was later found by the river, unconscious. He had been
robbed of his cloak, boots and weapons. When he recovered, he told my men that he had attempted to pursue the Saxon and recapture him. He had been on the bank when he had been hit from behind. It is clear that the Saxon is trying to make good his escape into the countryside.’
Bishop Forbassach was nodding impatiently. He had heard the story before from Coba.
‘Coba has done a foolish thing in believing that the Saxon had any morals and would obey the rules of the sanctuary. He will be heading east towards the sea and a ship for the Saxon lands.’
He turned to Fidelma, suddenly looking awkward again.
‘I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry that I thought you were involved in his initial escape. I want to make clear to your brother, the King of Cashel, that I have apologised for any insult to you. I also wanted to let you know, however, that the Saxon has tied the noose about his own neck now.’
Fidelma was preoccupied with her thoughts and only caught the last part of his sentence.
‘What?’
‘It is clear that he fled from Cam Eolaing because he was guilty.’
‘You said that when you claimed that he had fled from the abbey. It was not so then. It may not be so now.’
‘Why flee from the safety of the sanctuary of Cam Eolaing if he were not guilty? He could have remained there indefinitely.’
‘He could only have remained there for as long as sanctuary was granted, not indefinitely,’ she corrected pedantically.
“The fact remains that he fled. Now he can be hunted down and killed without further ado. Anyone can kill him and do so in accordance with the law.’
At that moment Mel entered the room. He started to apologise and was about to leave when Bishop Forbassach, in irritation, waved him to remain.
‘I might need you, Mel. It is a matter of the King’s business.’
Meanwhile Fidelma had lowered herself wearily into a seat as she realised that what Forbassach had said was true. A convicted murderer who broke the rules of
maighin digona
and fled from the sanctuary could be treated as one already dead. She found herself clenching her teeth together to contain her anguish for a moment.
Bishop Forbassach was moving to the door. ‘I must alert the warriors of the King. Come with me, Mel.’
‘Wait!’
The Brehon turned back at Fidelma’s call.
‘Since you are here, I have a complaint to lodge against Gabrán. He and his men attacked me last night.’
‘The river-boat man?’ Bishop Forbassach seemed bewildered. ‘What has this to do with the matter we are discussing?’
‘Perhaps nothing, perhaps a lot.’
‘Gabrán comes from Cam Eolaing, of which I am chieftain,’ Coba a intervened. ‘What did he do?’
‘Last night, one of my companions and I were returning to Fearna. Gabrán and some of his men attacked us. They used swords.’
There was a silence.
‘Gabrán?’ Coba’s voice was hollow. ‘How would you know that it was Gabrán who attacked you? It was a dark night.’
Fidelma swung round to him with narrowed eyes.
‘You forget that even on a dark night, the moon still hangs in the sky, and sometimes even the heaviest clouds are obliging.’
‘But why would he attack you?’
‘That is my question. Do you know anything more about his personal life, his allegiances and values?’
Coba gestured indifferently.
‘He lives outside of the settlement, across the river from it, in fact, on the east side of the valley. I do not think that he has any special allegiances except to that of his trade. So far as I know, he lives alone. He has no wife.’
Bishop Forbassach was following the conversation though with suspicion on his face.
‘Are you sure about this, Sister?’ demanded Abbot Noé, entering the conversation. ‘Gabrán has had a long trading association with the abbey here and is considered most trustworthy.’
‘I am sure it was Gabrán who attacked us,’ affirmed Fidelma.
‘Where do you say that this attack took place?’ asked Bishop Forbassach.
Fidelma looked carefully at him and held his gaze.
‘We were returning from a place which I think you know well. We were on the way back from a cabin at a settlement called Raheen. The attack took place on the road just above Cam Eolaing. My companion Enda and I were lucky to escape with our lives.’
Fidelma was not disappointed by Forbassach’s reaction at the mention
of the name Raheen. The Brehon’s face went pale and it took him some time before he found his voice.
‘Often there are robbers on the highways around Fearna, catching unwary travellers,’ he offered, his voice nervous.
‘It was Gabrán,’ repeated Fidelma.
Coba was rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
‘I would have thought that Gabrán made enough money from his boat. He is often transporting goods up and down the river as far south as Loch Garman, taking cargoes to the ocean-going ships that sail to Britain and to Gaul.’
‘What sort of cargoes does he run?’ asked Fidelma curiously.
‘What does that matter?’ Bishop Forbassach replied impatiently. ‘Are we here to talk about Gabrán and his business or the escape of the Saxon?’
‘At the moment I would like to know why Gabrán attacked me.’
The Brehon seemed concerned in spite of his attitude. He knew the serious implications which might result from an attack on a
dálaigh,
let alone a King’s sister. That was the very reason he had come to apologise to Fidelma for his previous behaviour.
‘Are you charging this man, Gabrán, with an attack on you, Sister Fidelma?’ he demanded.
‘I am.’
‘Then I shall order that he be arrested to answer this charge. Do you hear this, Mel?’
The commander of the guard nodded thoughtfully.
‘Then you and I will go in search of Gabrán when we leave here,’ Forbassach announced. ‘We can be making enquiries about the Saxon at the same time. The search for the Saxon absconder must be uppermost in our minds. In that matter, Fidelma of Cashel, I must warn you that you also stand in danger if you have helped him evade the justice of this kingdom.’
Fidelma’s eyes flashed momentarily.
‘I am aware of the law, Forbassach! I did not help Brother Eadulf to escape, nor did I offer him sanctuary. In the meantime, I intend to continue to investigate the mysteries which surround this matter … mysteries which have led me along the road to Raheen.’
Coba was not aware of the sharpness in her tone and the pale look on Bishop Forbassach’s face.
‘I regret the Saxon played me false by escaping,’ he said, ‘but I do
not regret my action in seeking to prevent his execution under the Penitentials. He should be punished under the native laws of our land.’
Bishop Forbassach had recovered something of his old self and scowled at the
bó-aire.
‘You are in a minority in the council of the King of Laigin, Coba. You made your views known when the King and I made our decision on the validity of the punishments asked for by Abbess Fainder. That should have been an end to it.’
‘That could not have been an end to it,’ Coba replied spiritedly. ‘The matter should have been held over until the next great festival of Tara when it could have been raised in the convocation on the law of the five kingdoms. The decision should have been left to the kings, lawyers and laymen of all five kingdoms as every other major law is laid before them and debated before being enacted.’
Abbot Noé intervened quietly. ‘My brothers in Christ, calm yourselves. It will not benefit anyone to waste time in debate. Surely you both have business to attend to? If you do not, then I surely do.’
Bishop Forbassach glowered for a moment before giving them a curt farewell, hurrying from the inn followed by the warrior Mel, who managed to give Fidelma an apologetic glance as he left.
Coba regarded Fidelma sadly.
‘I thought I was doing the right thing, Sister Fidelma.’ He sounded sheepish.
‘Are you sure that Brother Eadulf knew the limitations of the
maighin digona?’
she asked. ‘Although he has spent much time in our land, he is still a stranger and our ways may be confusing to him.’