Dancing With Demons

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Eadulf had left the guesthouse and was walking towards the stable buildings when no less a person than Cenn Faelad emerged from them. The commander of his guard, Irél, was at his side and another warrior walked two paces behind, eyes watchful and hand on his sword. Cenn Faelad beckoned in friendly fashion to Eadulf to join him.

‘How are things going with your investigations?’ Cenn Faelad asked. It was the greeting of an equal, with no differentiation of rank or of nationality, and Eadulf felt slightly flattered, although he had heard that Cenn Faelad, in his role as tánaiste, the heir apparent, had earned popularity by being accessible to all his people.

‘We are making some progress,’ Eadulf replied. ‘Fidelma is even now conducting an interview with-’

‘With my brother’s widow,’ intervened Cenn Faelad with a grim smile. ‘I saw the lady Fidelma going into her residence a moment ago. She is very thorough, that wife of yours.’

Eadulf smiled with pride. ‘There is little that escapes her attention in these matters.’

‘But I see that you do not attend all her interrogations?’

‘In this instance it was thought more circumspect for me to stay away. Diplomacy … ’

‘We do not stand on ceremony here, Eadulf,’ Cenn Faelad said immediately. ‘Or should not. You have been in our country long enough to know that. After all, there is a saying here that we are all kings’ sons.’

‘Alas, Cenn Faelad, not all of us can prove it,’ replied Eadulf wryly.

The High King elect’s features broadened and he burst out laughing.

‘That was well and truly said, my friend. Well done! You show a ready wit. But it is true, in our system we say that a people is strongerthan a lord, for they have the final vote at the clan assemblies.’

Irél coughed pointedly at his side.

‘My commander reminds me not to delay,’ Cenn Faelad said. ‘We are on our way to the marketplace below,’ he motioned down the hill outside the walls of Tara. ‘A foreign merchant ship has arrived and we wish to see what goods it brings. It is one of the privileges of my rank that I can see his goods first before he opens his stall in the market. Thus I can make first choice of anything new and interesting.’

Eadulf asked slyly: ‘And does that fit in with your people being stronger than a lord?’

Again Cenn Faelad laughed.

‘I can see that you have the same quality of humour as Fidelma,’ he beamed. ‘But I will answer — I said it was a privilege, not a right. Anyway, perhaps you’ll walk with us and see? It will not take long and I doubt whether Fidelma will be brief in talking with my sister-in-law.’

Again, Eadulf stifled a feeling of being flattered.

‘I would be delighted. Is it known where this merchant ship comes from?’

‘It’s from Gaul, I think. From the port of An Naoned.’

They fell in step and began to move towards the gates of the palace complex.

‘Merchant ships from Gaul are large,’ observed Eadulf. ‘Do they anchor at some coastal port and bring their goods on overland or by smaller vessels?’

‘Some ships can negotiate along the main river, which we call the Bóinn. There is an island in the river just north of here, beyond which it is dangerous to proceed. But a good local river man can pilot a fairly big vessel to the island there and that is where goods are offloaded at a place we call An Uaimh and then brought here overland. We have a good trade with Britain and Gaul.’

Eadulf noticed that Irél had now moved ahead and that both he and the guard behind were looking round cautiously.

Cenn Faelad observed his interest. ‘I am told,’ he said in a low voice, ‘that it is wise for me to be closely guarded until we know the reason for the slaughter of my brother.’

‘I presume that you have some theories?’ Eadulf replied.

The young High King elect gave him a searching glance. Then he said quietly, ‘I suppose that we all speculate.’

‘As Sechnussach was your brother, your speculation would be interesting.’

‘My brother was High King. In that office one is never universally loved. What is justice for one can be construed as injustice for another. Dubh Duin was a man of fixed ideas and he was known for these ideas in the Great Assembly. They were ideas that were not shared by my brother. But that should be no motive for assassination. The place to really change matters is in the assembly, not with the High King — for you can change a High King but the decision of the assembly can only be changed because it is the will of the majority of its members. As I said before, it is the assembly who constrains the High King.’

Eadulf nodded slowly. ‘So you dismiss the motivation of a disagreement of ideas?’

‘Not as such. Dubh Duin might have been consumed by madness. Killing is the ultimate madness, whether done in hot or cold blood.’

They had walked out of the gates and through respectful groups of people, beyond the dwellings that arose around the walls of Tara. Eadulf was aware of great crowds of people, horses, carts, tents pitched wherever there was space. Of course, Tara was the principal city of the five kingdoms of Éireann, its biggest centre, to which all manner of people would be attracted. Having dwelled in Cashel, which was less turbulent, and become used to quieter ways, he had forgotten the hustle and bustle of great towns.

Irél led the way through the maze of people who crowded around the tents and more permanent buildings into a great railed-off enclosure.

‘This is where the foreign merchants are allowed to ply their trade,’ Cenn Faelad explained.

Several stalls had been set up and Eadulf saw all manner of people. There were men in bright colours and styles of dress that he associated with the peoples of southern Gaul or Rome. He could see a few merchants who were unmistakably from the Saxon lands. Then he could hear the rolling accents of the Britons who had for centuries had a constant interchange with their neighbours in Éireann.

‘Where is the new merchant, Irél?’ asked Cenn Faelad.

‘Over here.’ The bodyguard pointed to one corner, where a large tent had been erected.

A tall man was standing at the entrance, clad in fairly rich clothes. He was swarthy but cleanshaven. At his side was a boy about fourteen yearsold. The boy had a metal collar around his neck, fastened at one side with a padlock.

Irél halted before the man and addressed him. ‘Identify yourself, merchant. You are in the presence of the High King elect, lord of all the five kingdoms of this land.’

To Eadulf’s surprise, it was the boy who began to address the tall man in a tongue that he could not identify. It was he who was obviously the merchant’s translator.

The man smiled thinly, raised a hand to his forehead in salutation and bowed low. He uttered a few words.

‘I am Verbas of Peqini, Majesty,’ interpreted the boy in a hesitant but obvious accent of Éireann.

Cenn Faelad looked at the lad with a frown. ‘And who are you?’

The boy grimaced. ‘I am the property of my lord Verbas.’

Eadulf knew that slavery was uncommon among the people of Éireann but his own people had always practised slavery like the Romans. However, Cenn Faelad was disapproving.

‘I was told that you were a merchant from Gaul,’ he said through the boy.

Verbas of Peqini smiled. It was the insincere smile of a merchant.

‘My ship has sailed here from the port of An Naoned in Armorica, Majesty, but I am from a land far to the east, plying my trade throughout the great lands of the world.’

‘And this boy is your interpreter?’

‘He is my voice, Majesty, in these far western lands.’

‘Know then, Verbas of Peqini, that in this land we do not accept that one man may hold another in bondage.’ When the boy seemed scared to translate this, Cenn Faelad sharply ordered him to do so. ‘Only if such a person has stood before the law and forfeited his right to freedom by some crime, or has been taken hostage in war, does he lose the right to conduct his life freely and must work under the jurisdiction of the clan to regain such freedoms.’

Fury was gathering on the merchant’s face and the false smile was rapidly disappearing as his slave translated haltingly.

‘Keep translating, boy,’ instructed Cenn Faelad. ‘Tell your master this, that we will respect his customs as a visitor to our shores. But in turn he must respect our laws. Should you escape him, out of the confines of this foreign merchants’ quarter, or from his ship, and seek sanctuary in our land, then that sanctuary will be granted and you will be free.’

The boy was staring at him, wide-eyed.

‘Tell him,’ insisted Cenn Faelad.

Verbas was also staring as the boy translated and it was a sullen, almost malignant stare. Through his slave, he replied slowly.

‘Majesty, I am an honest merchant and visitor to your land. I do not know your customs. I will try not to cause you anger by keeping to mine. I come to trade and not impose myself. As soon as my business is conducted, I shall return to my ship with my property intact and leave your shores.’

The High King elected nodded absently. He turned to the boy, asking, ‘How do you speak our tongue so well, eh? What is your name?’

‘Assíd, lord.’

‘Assíd? But that is a name of Éireann,’ replied Cenn Faelad in astonishment. ‘Where are you from and how came you in this state?’

‘I do not remember where I am from, lord. I recall being on a boat with those I was later told were probably followers of the god Christ. Then there was fighting. I was taken from the ship and many of those on it were killed. I remember another ship. Then I was taken to a land where I was put in a cage. I think that was when this was placed on me.’ He raised a hand to touch his iron collar. ‘And I was given to this man, Verbas.’

Verbas interrupted sharply and was obviously asking Assíd what he was saying.

‘Tell him,’ Cenn Faelad instructed quickly, ‘that I am asking about the goods you have.’

The boy did so and this seemed to appease the merchant.

‘You remember nothing else before being on the ship?’

The boy shook his head.

‘But was this the language you spoke? Are you of this country?’

‘I seemed to know the language, lord,’ the boy said hesitantly. ‘There was a woman who was in Verbas’s house. She was older than me and spoke it as her native tongue. I learned more from her. She said she had been a pilgrim on her way to the holy land of Christ when her ship was seized and she was sold to Verbas, our master.’

Cenn Faelad sighed deeply. ‘It is a sad tale, Assid. I will consult the Brehons and see what they advise. But it is true that if you are able to get away and seek sanctuary, it will be given you. But this man is becoming suspicious. Now show me the goods.’

Assid muttered something to Verbas and he stood aside from the tent entrance and motioned them in.

Cenn Faelad entered, followed by Eadulf and Irél, and looked round. There were many amphorae in one corner and cloths of various bright colours, shimmering, were hanging up.

‘There is red wine from Gaul,’ Verbas said through Assid.

Cenn Faelad barely glanced at the amphorae.

‘If the wine tastes good, I’ll get Brother Rogallach to select a few of the amphorae for the kitchens,’ he observed. ‘But first, let me look at these garments.’

‘These are the finest of their kind from the East, lord,’ Verbas said through the boy. ‘You have a discerning eye, Majesty.’

Cenn Faelad let his hand slide lightly over the material. ‘It is beautiful, is it not, Eadulf my friend?’

Eadulf joined him and examined the cloth. ‘It is what you call sídna or siriac,’ he said, feeling it.

‘Indeed, it is silk, and good for cloaks or undershirts,’ agreed Cenn Faelad. ‘The other is sróll, satin. It is usually expensive.’ He addressed the boy. ‘I shall want to buy enough for some cloaks and other garments. Later this day, I will send my bollscari to make the purchases — sell them to no other. He will also come to taste some of the wine and purchase several amphorae. Sell that to no other.’

Surprisingly, the merchant did not look happy.

‘I was hoping to make the deal quickly, Majesty, and be on my way back to my ship.’

‘Tell him,’ Cenn Faelad said to the boy Assid, ‘we cannot let you depart so quickly as your journey has brought you such a long way. As soon as my steward has conducted my purchases with you, you may open your stall to others, but not before. Then you must remain and feast with us before returning to your ship.’

Eadulf understood what Cenn Faelad was about. He was giving the opportunity for the boy to escape and seek sanctuary from his slave master.

‘Assíd, I hope you understand what has been said here,’ Cenn Faelad stated, looking with a smile directly at Verbas as if he were addressing him. ‘Assure your master, Verbas, that he will get a fair price. And if you escape, you will be treated fairly too.’

The boy translated the necessary part of the sentence to the man, whoraised a hand again to his forehead and bowed — but his features bore a sullen look.

Cenn Faelad turned to Irél. ‘Let your man stay here and keep an eye on Verbas just in case he intends to remove himself back to his ship before I am ready.’

‘It shall be done,’ Irél said.

To Assid, Cenn Faelad said: ‘Explain to Verbas that I am leaving a warrior here for his own protection to make sure that others do not try to get his goods unfairly. Now,’ the young man grinned at Eadulf, ‘enough of these intrigues. I shall return to the royal enclosure.’

‘In that case, with your indulgence,’ Eadulf said, ‘I’ll look round the market for a while before I return.’

‘As you will,’ Cenn Faelad replied, turning away with Irél at his side.

Eadulf stood a moment, gazing after him. One thing worried him about Cenn Faelad. The heir apparent had shown himself capable of some duplicitous dealings and Eadulf was unsure whether to approve of his intentions or be suspicious of what this behaviour said about his character.

For a while Eadulf wandered through the noisy market, looking at the bright stalls and boisterous side-shows. All of a sudden, he came upon a smithy’s forge. It was situated at the end of the market stalls but was clearly not a temporary affair. A burly man was beating metal on an anvil; with tongs in one hand and his hammer in the other, he was striking at it with ringing tones. Eadulf was about to pass on when he noticed some of the smith’s work hanging up for passers-by to admire and purchase.

Among the items was a collection of keys.

An idea suddenly occurred to Eadulf.

‘Are you the only blacksmith in Tara?’ he asked the man.

The smith paused and put down his hammer.

‘I am not, Brother Saxon,’ he replied, showing his recognition of Eadulf’s clothes and accent. ‘But this is my forge. Why do you ask?’

‘How many smiths would there be here?’

The man laughed uproariously. ‘In the royal enclosure alone there may be half a dozen serving not only the nobles but the Fianna as well. Outside,’ he waved his arm around, ‘well, my friend, Tara is a large settlement.’

Eadulf nodded, slightly disappointed. Then: ‘But you are nearest the main gates of the royal enclosure,’ he observed.

‘I’ll not deny it and that, I grant, does help with my business. I get agood trade. Now, why are you asking such questions? You don’t want to set up as a smith, surely?’

Eadulf grinned and shook his head. ‘If I wanted a key made, would I come to you?’

‘A key, is it? I do make keys, but not often. Only the nobles want them. What sort of key do you want made?’

‘I do not want a key made myself, but within the last few weeks someone from the royal enclosure did — and probably they did not want anyone to know.’

The smith looked surprised and then he frowned in recollection. After a moment’s thought he asked: ‘Would the man have been a member of the Fianna?’

A thrill of excitement went through Eadulf. ‘You know of such a person?’

‘A matter of fact, not so many weeks ago, a warrior from the Fianna did ask me to copy a key for him. He said it was a key to a lady’s chamber — a lady who was jealously guarded by a husband …’ He smiled and winked. ‘You know how these things go, my friend, for you look like a man of the world.’

‘Tell me, did the key have a nick on it, as if it had been struck by something sharp — and did the warrior ask you to copy even that mark?’

The smith suddenly looked apprehensive. ‘You are not the husband, surely? I have done nothing wrong … ’

‘You have done nothing wrong,’ Eadulf immediately reassured the man, ‘and if you give me a description of the warrior, there is a screpal in it for you.’ He produced the coin and held it up.

The smith scratched his head for a moment and said: ‘He had dark hair, bony features and close-set eyes. Oh, and he had a scar over the right eye. I gave him the key and the copy of it and he paid and went away happy enough.’

Eadulf smiled broadly and handed the man the coin. He returned to the royal enclosure with a light step.

Fidelma had met Gormflaith only once before and that was less than a year ago when the latter had accompanied her husband Sechnussach, the High King, to the festivities of Fidelma’s own wedding at Cashel. She was a handsome woman and no more than thirty-two or three. She must have married young, only a year or so after the age of choice, Fidelmathought, for her daughter, Muirgel, being sixteen, must have been born soon after. Gormflaith bore a striking resemblance to her daughter so that they could have been sisters. She had black hair, dark eyes and a pale skin, and the same arrogance about her features. She carried herself with that regal bearing that suited the meaning of her name — ‘illustrious sovereignty’. At the same time, she wore an air of extreme melancholia. It was as if tears were glistening on her eyes which, Fidelma reasoned, was to be expected of someone whose husband or lover had met their death.

Unlike her daughter, Gormflaith rose and welcomed Fidelma as an equal, recognising her position as sister of the King of Muman, and acknowledging her with courtesy. She ordered refreshing drinks to be brought and bade her be seated.

‘It is a sad business that brings you hither, Fidelma.’

‘Sad indeed, lady. I presume that you know why I am here?’

‘Cenn Faelad …’ She paused. ‘Cenn Faelad has told me that the Great Assembly had sent for you. A logical decision and one with which I agree. While I have great respect and friendship for Barrán, it is best if the people see that someone outside of the Uí Néill has investigated this matter. Have you made progress?’

‘We can say that we are making steady progress,’ replied Fidelma in a neutral way.

‘That is good. How may I help you?’

Fidelma leaned forward confidentially. ‘I hope you will bear with me, lady, when I ask you under which law you were married to Sechnussach?’

Gormflaith stared in surprise for a moment.

‘Which law? Why, our marriage was under the lánamnas comthinchuir — the marriage of equals, of course.’

There were three main types of marriage in the five kingdoms: a marriage of equals, those of equal social and financial position; then there was the marriage where the man was of higher social and financial position, and the marriage where the woman was of higher social and financial position. Each type of marriage had particular rights and responsibilities.

Fidelma smiled gently. ‘So you stood in equal position before the law?’

‘I married Sechnussach before he was High King and when he was merely a noble of the Sil nÁedo of Brega. His being High King did not change our status under law.’

‘Exactly so, lady,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘And, forgive me not knowing, what was your lineage?’

Gormflaith smiled thinly. ‘I am a banchormba. My father was Airmetach Cáech, chieftain of Clan Cholmáin.’

‘Clan Cholmáin, who dwell around the sacred Hill of Uisnech and by the shores of Loch Ainninne?’

‘For someone from Muman, you are well-informed of the geography of Midhe, lady.’

‘For eight years I studied at the college of Brehon Morann of Tara, not more than a short walk away from where we now sit,’ pointed out Fidelma.

Gormflaith raised an eyebrow slightly. ‘Ah, is it so? I must have forgotten, if I was ever told.’

‘No matter. So, you and Sechnussach stood on equal terms?’

‘Even as I have said.’

‘I am told that you and he were estranged?’ The question came quickly and without preamble.

Gormflaith coloured a little and blinked, but that was all the emotion she showed.

‘It seems that your enquiries are indeed making progress.’

‘Do you confirm it?’ Fidelma asked.

‘Does it need confirmation?’

‘It needs explanation.’

‘Then it is easy to explain. Soon after Bé Bhail was born, perhaps there was a change in me or perhaps there was a change in Sechnussach. I cannot apportion blame as to who changed first. All I know is that we began to grow apart. He became arrogant towards me. Once he told me that he preferred a woman who made no demands on him and came and went like a maid when bidden to his bed. Our arguments grew strident and he struck me on three occasions. I demanded my own apartments and we no longer were man and wife. For the sake of the five kingdoms, we appeared together at feasting and other occasions when it was required.’

‘Do I understand,’ Fidelma asked softly, ‘that there was no relationship between you other than your duty as wife of the High King?’

Gormflaith bowed her head. ‘None.’

‘And what was your relationship to Dubh Duin?’

The question was asked in the same soft voice so that for a moment it seemed that it had not registered with Gormflaith. Then her head came up sharply.

‘What did you say?’ she almost whispered.

‘Dubh Duin,’ repeated Fidelma. ‘Your husband’s assassin. What was the nature of your relationship with him?’

Several expressions crossed Gormflaith’s features as she tried to form an answer.

‘Perhaps,’ Fidelma continued in her soft tone, ‘it would save time if I tell you that we have questioned the guard who let him into the royal enclosure several times after midnight. He did so on the authority of your daughter, Muirgel. We have already spoken to her.’

Gormflaith’s shoulders slumped noticeably. ‘Then you must know that he was my lover,’ she said simply.

Fidelma was nodding gently. ‘You realise that there are implications to what you say, lady?’

‘Implications?’ Gormflaith was puzzled.

‘It provides a motive as to why Dubh Duin killed your husband, and furthermore, it also casts suspicion on you as having some role in a conspiracy to kill him.’

Gormflaith stared at her for a moment and then, to Fidelma’s surprise, she gave a wistful smile.

‘I regret that Sechnussach’s murder is not so easily solved, lady,’ she replied.

‘How so?’

‘I believe you are suggesting that Dubh Duin killed my husband to release me from wedlock, so that he and I could go away and get married. Is that so?’

‘It seems a logical thought,’ agreed Fidelma.

‘Logical for one not fully acquainted with the facts,’ rebuked Gormflaith.

Fidelma looked carefully at her. ‘It is my task to try to gather the facts.’

‘The facts are that Dubh Duin was, indeed, my lover and that we planned to marry. That is why I do not believe that he assassinated Sechnussach.’

Fidelma started in surprise. ‘But the evidence, the eyewitnesses to the killing …?’ she began.

‘He had no reason to kill Sechnussach,’ insisted Gormflaith.

‘You have given me one, lady,’ replied Fidelma. ‘So explain why it is not valid.’

‘Because there are the laws of imscarad — of divorce.’

Fidelma smiled tightly. She had already pointed this aspect out to Eadulf.

‘Indeed there are,’ she said. ‘And, from what you say, being married ina union of equals and with claims that Sechnussach struck you and repudiated you for another, if you could convince a Brehon of this, then you could simply have divorced him without loss of your wealth or honour. But, lady, you did not and there is the reason why we come back to Dubh Duin’s motive.’

Gormflaith was already disagreeing. ‘But I did begin the process of imscarad, two weeks before Sechnussach was killed. I would have started the proceedings earlier but my mother was ill, was dying, and she had a naive faith and pride in the fact that her daughter was wife of the High King. I did not want her to feel shame that I had been treated so ill.’

There was a silence while Fidelma considered the implications of this.

‘You can, of course, prove this? That you began the act of imscarad?’ she asked slowly.

‘I would not say it otherwise.’

‘And Duin Dubh was fully acquainted with this?’

‘He was.’

Fidelma sat back, gazing thoughtfully at the woman and realising that, if nothing else, Gormflaith believed the truth of what she was saying.

‘So two weeks before Sechnussach was slain, you went to him and proposed a divorce, as is custom.’

‘I did. He agreed that it would be a divorce without contest, with no fault on either side. I would therefore remain the owner of all I had brought into the marriage and take away half of all the wealth that had accrued during the period of the marriage which is right and proper according to the laws of equal marriage.’

‘And Sechnussach agreed to this?’ pressed Fidelma.

‘Not only agreed,’ said Gormflaith, ‘but I think he was pleased by it.’

‘But was this merely a verbal agreement between you?’

‘Not at all. As custom has it, we first discussed it and agreed. Then we called the Brehon to transcribe it. While he was doing so, I went to the abbey of Cluain Ioraird where my mother — indeed, all the chieftains of Clann Cholmáin — are interred. I went there with my young daughters to pray for her soul and to ask her forgiveness as she waited for me in the Otherworld. The idea was, that by the time I returned, the Brehon would have the document ready and could pronounce the divorce. Then Dubh Duin and I would return to my father’s lands in Clann Cholmáin.’

‘If this were so,’ Fidelma said quickly, ‘why did Dubh Duin come to Tara, knowing you were at Cluain Ioraird?’

Gormflaith blinked. ‘That is the one thing I do not understand,’ she acknowledged. ‘There was no reason for him to be here at all until my return.’

‘And you still claim that he did not kill your husband?’

‘He had no reason to. The divorce was ready.’

‘Why was this story not told to us immediately? In fact, we were informed that you had dutifully remained at Tara as the grieving widow with your children. That does not fit with the image of someone who was about to divorce,’ Fidelma observed.

Gormflaith shrugged. ‘You must think what you like, lady. I have told you the truth. And the fact is that when I returned and found Sechnussach dead, and my poor lover dead too, I did not think it politic to admit to what had happened.’

‘But surely the Brehon who drew up the divorce settlement for you would know the real story?’

‘He knew of my estrangement with Sechnussach and, of course, he knew that we had agreed a divorce as he had drawn up the agreement. In fact, he knew well my situation because it was he who had introduced me to Dubh Duin. He advised me that I should forget the matter for, as widow of the High King, I would inherit more than just the divorce settlement. Also, Sechnussach’s name and reputation would then be untarnished in death. There was no need to besmirch his name as a cruel husband now that he was dead. So he was buried and I played the grieving widow, as you put it.’

‘You surely realised that the truth must come out eventually?’

‘The truth? I do not know the truth and I think that you are only guessing so that Dubh Duin becomes a scapegoat.’

Fidelma shook her head sadly. ‘Then, lady, perhaps you had better let me start down the road to the truth. Let us begin by identifying this sowise Brehon who gave you what appears to be such bad advice and to whom you entrusted the divorce proceedings.’

Gormflaith hesitated a moment.

‘We must have that name, lady,’ Fidelma advised her sharply, ‘otherwise there is nothing said that does not refute our original thoughts of the motive for killing Sechnussach.’

Gormflaith bowed before the inevitable.

‘Very well, Fidelma of Cashel. If you need to know the name — it was the Chief Brehon, Barrán.’

Fidelma stared at her in surprise. ‘Well, that can be easily verified.’

‘I have no objection to you doing so,’ Gormflaith said confidently.

There was a silence and Fidelma said softly: ‘I am confused. In spite of the evidence, the eyewitnesses, the fact that Dubh Duin took his own life and, in his dying breath, gasped a word to Lugna, apparently accepting the blame, you still maintain that you believe he was not the person who killed your husband?’

‘I do.’ Gormflaith met her gaze evenly. ‘As I say, he had no reason to kill the King on my behalf. Once I was divorced then we would have married.’

‘Then perhaps there was another motive?’

‘Such as?’ snapped Gormflaith. ‘What other motive could there be?’

‘There are many reasons why one man kills another but of those, if what you say is true, we can only speculate until we know more about the character of Dubh Duin.’

The other woman glowered at her.

‘I am Gormflaith of the Clann Cholmáin and do not lie,’ she said quietly and firmly.

‘Even so, lady, with respect, I must confirm what you have said,’ Fidelma replied suavely. ‘And, as I say, so far we are lacking in any description of Dubh Duin’s character.’

Gormflaith sniffed. ‘Are you asking me for an opinion? If so, surely you will claim that I am biased in that regard since we were lovers?’

‘That may be so, lady, but any opinion is better than none. Is that not so?’

‘Then, leaving aside my personal emotions, I would say that Dubh Duin was a man of courage, not a coward who sneaks about in the night to murder people in their beds.’

‘We’ll accept that for the time being,’ Fidelma assured her. ‘Tell us more of his courage, his personality. How long had he been chieftain of the Cairpre Gabra — do you know?’

‘Four or five years. I only met him when he was attending the Great Assembly here in Tara.’

‘Have you met others of the Cinél Cairpre Gabra? Do you know how his people regarded him?’

‘I know he was modest,’ Gormflaith said. ‘When he came to the Great Assembly only one companion attended him.’

‘How would you assess him?’

‘He was of strong physique and an attractive man in appearance … ’

‘Let us speak of personality.’

‘I felt he possessed excellent judgement and he gave good counsel. He was very level-headed and congenial. He also had a good sense of humour. I suspect he was an idealist for he often spoke of how certain members of the New Faith were dragging the five kingdoms into new ways that rejected our culture and the values of our past. With the new fashion of committing all our histories and stories to the Latin form of writing, he would often deplore it when the scribes sought to change our history to blend it with the teachings of the New Faith. I’ve seen him argue that before the Assembly. He had a great deal of pride in his ancestry.’

‘I understand he was an Uí Néill,’ Fidelma said.

‘As was Sechnussach. But Dubh Duin traced his descent back from Niall’s son Cairpre while Sechnussach traced his back to Niall’s son Conall and the line of Sil nÁedo Sláine.’

‘Did Dubh Duin then resent Sechnussach being High King?’ asked Fidelma. ‘I mean, descending from that same family himself, did he think he should be High King?’

Gormflaith smiled sadly. ‘The last High King of Dubh Duin’s direct ancestry was some hundred years or so ago when Tuathal Máelgarb was chosen. I don’t believe Dubh Duin was interested in kingship. Anyway, Sechnussach’s brother had long been chosen as his tánaiste, his heir apparent.’

‘You say that Dubh Duin was always level-headed. Was he never angry? Did you never see him, with that pride you speak of, angered-even if he curbed it or exercised control?’

‘Never in my presence,’ Gormflaith assured her.

‘He was never impulsive?’

‘Impulsive? I suppose he was, but that was due to his romantic nature. During the time we were falling in love, he would make impulsive gestures, give me gifts that a more circumspect person would not have done … certainly not while my husband was close by.’

‘And you told no one of your affair except Muirgel?’

‘No one except Muirgel and Brehon Barrán,’ she confirmed.

‘So your husband knew nothing of Dubh Duin?’

‘Nothing. He knew nothing. Even when I went to him and demanded a divorce he agreed almost readily and did not even ask me why or, indeed,whether another had caught my attention. He was apparently content with whatever woman he was taking to his bed.’

Fidelma sighed deeply. ‘Very well, lady. I may wish to question you again. What is your plan, now that both your husband and your prospective husband are dead?’

‘Muirgel is of marrying age,’ the woman said. ‘I have a feeling that she is seeing someone with that prospect in mind, but she has not admitted it. So she will probably remain here in Tara. As for my other daughters, I shall take them back to my father’s fortress by Loch Ainninne. There was nothing at Tara for me even when Sechnussach was alive and now … now there is even less and nowhere to go except to my father’s house. That is my plan.’

Fidelma rose to go, then hesitated and asked: ‘One last thing. Do you know Cuan?’

Gormflaith frowned. ‘Cuan?’

‘A member of the Fianna. One of the guards at the royal residence.’

‘Apart from the commander of the Fianna, I am not in the habit of interesting myself in the names of the members of his companies,’ Gormflaith said, but not crossly. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Did Dubh Duin ever mention the Ui Beccon to you?’

Gormflaith looked uncertain. ‘You ask the most odd questions, Fidelma of Cashel. The Uí Beccon? Why should he mention those people?’

‘You know of them?’

‘I know most of the clans of Midhe as you doubtless know the clans of Muman. They are a small clan and unremarkable.’

‘But you knew that they paid tribute to Dubh Duin’s own clan?’

‘I did not, but I suppose it is logical as they dwell in the same area of the kingdom. Why are you interested?’

‘No matter,’ Fidelma assured her. ‘It was just a thought.’

‘Well.’ Gormflaith rose and took her hand, speaking with a sudden earnestness. ‘I wish you luck in your enquiry, lady. I have not only to mourn Sechnussach for my daughters’ sakes but also to mourn Dubh Duin for my own sake. Whatever you can do in order to bring the truth to light as to who was responsible for their deaths and why, I will support it. Find out though the seas rise to engulf us, or the sky falls to crush us: only the truth is sacred.’