‘Come, Brother,’ Brother Martan rose to his feet. ‘I have kept you long enough from food and mulled wine. Then you must rest. You look completely exhausted.’
‘I am,’ agreed Eadulf. ‘I nearly chose the wrong path when we came out of the woods. If I had made the wrong choice and wandered any
longer on these slopes, I doubt whether I would have kept awake much longer.’
Brother Martan smiled uncertainly. ‘Did you not see our lantern which we always keep burning outside the gates of our community?’
‘Oh yes,’ Eadulf agreed. ‘However, I thought that the other light might mark your community.’
‘The other light?’ Brother Martan raised an eyebrow slightly and then smiled as understanding came to him. ‘Ah! Down the mountain, a few kilometers from here, is one of the King’s hunting lodges. When he or his huntsmen are resting there, there is often a fire and lights to be seen. Fianamail or one of his family are doubtless resting there now.’
Eadulf nearly groaned aloud in relief. Had he made the wrong choice, he knew how this day would have ended. Thankful, in more ways than one, Eadulf followed the kindly Father Superior to the refectory of the community.
In the hall of the fortress of Cam Eolaing, Fidelma had quietly taken charge again.
‘Since Bishop Forbassach has fled from here,’ she told her audience with a note of sarcasm, ‘it might be interpreted – as he and others have interpreted similar actions in other people – as a sign of guilt.’ She gazed in challenge at Abbess Fainder who coloured hotly but did not comment. ‘However, we have much work to do with or without him.’
‘I do not think you have time to do anything, Sister Fidelma. The bishop will return with the King’s warriors soon,’ Mel said provokingly.
Coba ignored his threat. ‘Why were you and Bishop Forbassach trying to kill the young girl?’ he demanded brusquely, without waiting for Fidelma to begin.
‘We were doing nothing of the kind!’ Mel responded coldly.
‘The girl herself accuses you.’
‘It is not so.’
‘It is! It is!’ Fial insisted, less hysterical now, and staring around at the company. ‘You are all trying to kill me.’
Fidelma glanced at Coba before intervening, being technically a guest in his hall. The
bó-aire
gave silent consent.
‘Let us put this another way, Mel. Why were you and Bishop Forbassach in pursuit of the girl?’
‘It was well known that Sister Fial had gone missing from the abbey. All we were doing was trying to bring her back.’
‘But how did you know where she was?’ demanded Fidelma.
‘I did not know where she was. I don’t think Bishop Forbassach knew either until we came on her by accident.’
‘You say that you came on her by accident? I think that I have missed something. How did you come here in pursuit of Sister Fial?’
‘Why do you insist on calling me Sister?’ the girl intervened in a petulant cry. She started to sob again.
Fidelma moved across and patted her on the arm.
‘Be patient a little longer, my dear. We shall not be long in approaching the truth.’ She glanced at Mel. ‘Proceed with your story, Mel. How did you come here?’
‘You must remember,’ Mel said. ‘You were there. I came down into the main room of my sister’s inn. You were there with Coba, Bishop Forbassach and the Abbot Noé. You accused Gabrán of attacking you. Bishop Forbassach told you that he would investigate and instructed me to go with him.’
‘That is why you were making enquiries about Gabrán at Cam Eolaing earlier?’ intervened Fidelma.
Mel nodded affirmatively.
‘Bishop Forbassach and I went first to the abbey. And when he had seen Abbess Fainder we rode out in search of Gabrán to see if there was any truth in your claim. The bishop could not believe that you had made up the story.’
Fidelma glanced towards Abbess Fainder. ‘Did you tell Forbassach where Fial was?’
‘I did not know where she was,’ she protested.
‘But you did see Bishop Forbassach this morning?’
‘He came early, after he had spoken with you at the inn. He told me of your claim about Gabrán but did not tell me that he was going in search of him. That’s why I went to find him myself.’
Fidelma turned back to Mel. ‘And you tell me that you both left immediately in search of Gabrán? Are you claiming that you had only just arrived when we found you were chasing Fial?’
‘That is when we arrived at Gabrán’s boat, yes.’
Fidelma shook her head reprovingly. ‘If you left the abbey when you claim that you did, and that seems to be confirmed by your early arrival at Cam Eolaing enquiring for Gabrán, how did you only just reach Gabrán’s boat when we encountered you? We could not have passed so far ahead of you.’
‘We were misled.’ Mel was unabashed by the apparent inconsistency. ‘We went up the wrong branch of the river and by the time we realised that it had become too narrow for Gabrán’s boat to be anywhere along it, we had fallen some hours behind you. We had to come all the way back almost to Cam Eolaing again before setting off along the right path. Had we not made that mistake, we would have reached Gabrán’s boat some hours ago, before you or the abbess.’
‘Forbassach and you are local men. You must have known how the river divides.’
‘Fearna is six or seven kilometres from here. Yes, I am a Fearna man, but I don’t know every nook and cranny in the kingdom.’
Fidelma considered the explanation. While she found it questionable it was just possible. She decided that she could not pursue it without further information.
‘Having been side-tracked and returned to find Gabrán’s boat, what then?’
‘That was when we encountered Sister Fial,’ Mel explained. ‘We were riding along the river path when, totally without warning, the girl leapt out of the bushes in front of us and skidded to a halt. I think she recognised us but she started to scream and run off. Bishop Forbassach and I gave chase. The next thing we knew was when we came on you …’ He shrugged and gave a lopsided grin. ‘Well, the rest you know, Sister.’
Fidelma pondered on his evidence for a while and then sighed deeply. She turned to the young girl, Fial. She had ceased sobbing but appeared ill and woebegone.
‘Fial, I want you to know that I mean you no harm. If you are honest with me, I shall be honest with you. Do you understand?’
The girl did not reply but her eyes reminded Fidelma of a frightened animal. They had the same stark expression that an animal has when a predator closes in. Impulsively she went to place an arm around the girl’s gaunt shoulders.
‘There is nothing to be frightened of any more. I am not your enemy and I shall protect you from those who are your enemies. Do you believe me?’
There was still no response. Fidelma tried some direct questions.
‘How long were you a prisoner on Gabrán’s boat?’
The girl’s silence continued.
‘I know that you were there. You were held in a small cabin below and manacled.’
It was not a question but a statement. Finally, Fial shuddered and responded.
‘I do not know how long I was there. This last time, I think it was two or three days. It was dark and I had no way of knowing.’
‘You are putting words into the girl’s mouth,’ protested Abbess Fainder.
Fidelma took Fial’s hands in both of hers and held them out for the rest of the company to inspect.
‘Have I also made these marks on her wrists, Abbess Fainder?’ she asked quietly. There were sores around the girl’s wrists which showed where they had been constrained. ‘I think Fial could also show you the sores around her ankles as well.’
Coba had already ascertained their existence.
‘Were you bound, child, on the boat?’ he demanded gruffly.
When the girl did not respond, Fidelma gently encouraged her by repeating the question. Fial dropped her head a little.
‘I was.’
‘How could anyone do this to a novitiate?’ demanded Abbess Fainder, finally accepting the evidence of her eyes. ‘Whoever did it, they have a lot to answer for.’
Fidelma shot her a look of cynicism.
‘Gabrán has answered for it, Abbess, if you will recall. The same manacle marks were present on Gormgilla, according to your physician, Brother Miach.’ Then she turned back to the girl. ‘However, Fial was never a novitiate at Fearna nor any other abbey. Isn’t that so?’
Fial shook her head.
‘You told me—’ Abbess Fainder burst out, but was silenced by a gesture from Fidelma.
‘Let us hear your story, child. You and your friend Gormgilla were brought to Fearna on Gabrán’s boat some weeks ago, weren’t you?’
‘We were not friends until we came to know each other after Gabrán took us as prisoners on his boat,’ the girl replied.
Abbess Fainder stared angrily at her. ‘This is not the story that you told the court during the trial of the Saxon.’
‘There are many tales that were told to that court which need to be changed,’ Fidelma replied waspishly. ‘Let the girl continue. Where did you come from?’
‘Our fathers both were
daer-fudir
and being only daughters it was our shame that they were enticed by Gabrán’s gold to part with us.
Gormgilla and I spoke of this in the long dark periods we were together.’
‘Are you claiming that Gabrán was buying young girls and selling them along the river –
to the abbey
?’ cried Abbess Fainder aghast.
‘Not to the abbey,’ corrected Fidelma. ‘Gabrán probably took the girls downriver to Loch Garman and sold them to slaver ships who took them God knows where.’
‘But Gormgilla and this girl were supposed to be novitiates at the abbey,’ protested the abbess. ‘This girl herself claimed that she was a novitiate.’
‘Fial has just told you that they were not. Tell us, Fial, about that night when Gabrán’s boat arrived at the abbey while you were being taken downriver.’
The girl blinked rapidly but she had exhausted her tears now.
‘Gormgilla was younger than me, only twelve. When we were brought aboard Gabrán’s boat he singled her out and …’ She let her voice trail off.
‘We understand,’ Fidelma assured her.
‘We did not know where we were going because we were kept in the dark cabin and shackled all the time. I knew the boat had halted, and that it had lasted for some time. Gormgilla and I were nervous as to how long we would be shut up in that filthy-smelling place. Then the door opened and Gabrán came squeezing in. We could smell alcohol on him. He unlocked Gormgilla’s shackles and she asked him where he was taking her.’ Fial paused for a moment, remembering the scene.
‘What did Gabrán say?’ prompted Fidelma.
‘He said that he was taking her to share some pleasure to help pass away the night. Then he dragged her struggling into the other, bigger, cabin and I was locked in darkness on my own. It was not long before I heard Gormgilla screaming. There were other sounds too – sounds like a struggle. Then all was silent.’
She paused again as if trying to come to terms with her memories before continuing.
‘I do not know how much time passed. The hatchway opened suddenly. At first I thought it was Gabrán returning for me but it was another member of his crew – the same man who had brought us on board the boat. I do not know his name. He told me to be absolutely quiet and said that I would be free and rewarded if I did what I was told without question.
‘He took me into the adjacent cabin where the other boatmen slept,
although Gormgilla and I never saw them; we saw only Gabrán and this particular crewman. I don’t think the others even knew that we were on board. In this cabin I saw Gabrán; he was stretched out on the deck and I thought he was in a drunken stupor — I had often seen my father in a similar way. I realised soon afterwards that there was blood on his clothes and he grasped a piece of bloody cloth in his hand. By him sat a man in the robes of the religious but with a heavy cowl over his face; in the darkness I could not see his features. He seemed nervous and one hand fumbled with his crucifix which hung around his neck beneath his robe.’
‘Is this another tale to discredit my abbey?’ Abbess Fainder’s tone was one of disbelief at the entire story.
‘I speak the truth,’ the girl protested with some spirit. ‘I can only say what I saw.’
Fidelma patted the girl gently on the arm in encouragement.
‘You are doing well. What did he say to you, this religieux?’
‘He said nothing. The sailor did all the talking. I was told that there had been an accident. That Gormgilla had been killed and it was essential that the right man should be punished. At first I thought that he was referring to Gabrán for I had no doubt then that it was he who had killed my poor companion.’
‘But he did not mean Gabrán?’
‘No. He told me that Gormgilla had left the boat to go onto the quay. He said that there was a Saxon staying at the abbey. He had raped and strangled Gormgilla. The Saxon would not be caught unless I testified that I had seen him kill her.’