The Devil's seal

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Fidelma now had their complete attention. ‘The first person to break in’, she told them, ‘was Brother Bosa.’

When the ensuing hubbub had died down, Bishop Arwald was on his feet, his face contorted in anger.

‘Are you claiming that Brother Bosa is guilty of these crimes? I have known him as a loyal servant of the custodia of Canterbury for these last five years. Why, he was not even here when-’

‘Sit down!’ Brehon Fíthel ordered sharply. ‘Brother Bosa, did you break into the apothecary of Brother Conchobhar last night?’

Brother Bosa rose. ‘I do not deny it.’

‘For what purpose?’

‘To retrieve the items exactly as has been claimed.’

‘You need to explain the motive,’ Fidelma told him above the loud exclamations.

‘I am a member of the custodia of Canterbury. As a custodes it was my duty to retrieve these stolen items and return them to the rightful owner once I discovered where they were.’

‘I would ask you another question, Brother Bosa. Bishop Arwald has mentioned that Brother Cerdic was a newcomer to the custodes. Is that correct?’

‘It is.’

‘Can you also confirm that it was Brother Cerdic who was sent to the place where the custodes learned that Victricius and his confederate were hiding?’

‘That is so.’

‘He reported that he reached there too late to apprehend them, for they had conveniently fled?’

‘What are you implying?’ Bishop Arwald intervened, catching the intonation in Fidelma’s voice.

‘I never imply,’ returned Fidelma solemnly. ‘But now some questions for you. Did Brother Cerdic specifically ask to accompany you on this pursuit of the thieves?’

‘He was not my first choice, but he was very eager to be a member of our party,’ the bishop agreed.

‘When you arrived in Laighin and heard that Victricius and Egric had landed at Láirge, it was reported that they had started upriver, along the Siúr, making for this kingdom. Whose idea was it to send Brother Cerdic to advise us of the coming of your party? He did not speak our language, whereas Brother Bosa did. Surely Bosa would have been a better choice as emissary?’

‘Brother Cerdic was also keen to fulfil that task,’ the bishop replied quietly.

Fidelma paused for a moment. ‘There are two possibilities for what happened. Firstly, that Brother Cerdic was part of Victricius and Egric’s plan from the first, or secondly, that having discovered them in Canterbury, they persuaded him to let them escape in return for a share in the proceeds.’

The Venerable Verax looked shocked. ‘How do you know this?’

‘By deduction. Muiredach, one of the warriors who escorted you here, escorted Brother Cerdic and Brother Rónán to the Abbey of Sléibhte. Whether by coincidence or design, Sister Dianaimh was at the abbey.’

Abbess Líoch, who had not spoken during the hearing, gave a gasping sob.

‘Brother Cerdic went first to the Abbey of Sléibhte because we were told that it was one of the earliest abbeys,’ Bishop Arwald explained. ‘We thought it might be interested in claiming the primacy.’

‘What you did not know was that Abbot Aéd had, for political reasons, decided to support the claim of Ard Macha. We all know that the abbot is a descendant from the ancient royal princes of Uí Bairrche, and they resent King Fianamail’s family. So Aéd, by supporting Ard Macha as primacy, would be defending himself against any ambitions of the current King of Laighin. However, there was a twist.’

Brehon Fíthel shifted his weight in his chair. ‘A twist? Explain.’

‘Sister Dianaimh had lived in the Kingdom of Oswy, at Laestingau, and so spoke Brother Cerdic’s language well,’ went on Fidelma. ‘He did not need an interpreter to speak with her. In fact, he managed to talk to her privately outside of Brother Rónán’s hearing, and suggest a transaction. Dianaimh felt a loyalty to Abbot Aéd and told him what Cerdic was planning. I suggest the abbot decided to give his new protector Ard Macha a gift. He gave Sister Dianaimh coins to purchase those sacred items. She would, of course, have to come with that money to Cashel, where Brother Cerdic expected Victricius and Egric would meet.’

‘But Sister Dianaimh only came here because she was my female steward,’ protested Abbess Lioch. ‘I knew she had a fondness for the Sléibhte, where she had trained, but she was my bann-mhaor.’

‘One of the matters we could not understand was why Brother Cerdic arrived at your abbey requesting your presence to attend this deputation. You had no interest in their purpose. But Brother Cerdic knew very well that you, as abbess, would not attend alone but insist on bringing your bann-mhaor with you. Thus he and Sister Dianaimh could ensure her presence here with the money when the items were ready to be purchased.’

‘So this Brother Cerdic was working with Victricius and Egric?’ Brehon Fíthel asked.

‘I suspect that he was doing so from the very beginning,’ replied Fidelma. ‘Though that cannot be proved now.’

‘You said two people broke into Brother Conchobhar’s apothecary last night,’ Brehon Fíthel reminded her.

‘Let us return to last night when Brother Bosa broke into the apothecary to get those items he had been informed were there. You entered, Brother Bosa: what then?’

‘You and your companions were there, having laid a trap,’ confirmed the custodes. ‘You told me to remain quiet and we waited until-’

‘Until the second intruder came,’ Fidelma finished. She turned to where Brother Madagan had been sitting with a face of stone. It was only now that the others gathered in the chamber realised that Gormán and Aidan had positioned themselves very near to the steward of Imleach. Brother Madagan raised his head and a sneer formed on his features.

‘I cannot deny that I came to Brother Conchobhar’s shop last night. But as to the rest, you have no evidence, no witnesses, only your theory. I might well have come to Brother Conchobhar’s to collect the items to safeguard them for the abbey.’

‘Which would mean you knew what they were and their value,’ Fidelma smiled.

‘Or perhaps I had a toothache and sought a remedy from old Conchobhar.’

‘By breaking in through a locked door?’

‘Anyway, you have failed to present evidence,’ he went on. ‘You argue that I was in Láirge, that I am a Déisi from Míodán — but of the rest, where is your proof?’

‘If you are to accuse him, you must present something substantial,’ Brehon Fíthel pointed out.

‘Remember how Abbot Ségdae told us that Brother Madagan had just arrived back at the abbey from Láirge’s harbour? He was there when Victricius and Egric landed, and somehow they confided in him what they had for sale. Maybe because he boasted that he was steward of one of the oldest abbeys in the Five Kingdoms.

‘He told Victricius and Egric to hire a boat and go upriver to Cluain Meala, the Field of Honey, where a contact named Brother Docgan would meet them with the money they were asking. But Brother Madagan, of course had no intention of paying. He simply arranged for members of his clan, the Déisi, who dwelled at Míodán, to attack them on the river and steal the items.

‘But when he returned to Imleach, there were complications. Brother Cerdic had arrived and identified himself as part of the group of thieves. More importantly, he revealed that he had another buyer for the items. That was Sister Dianaimh. Brother Madagan had to get rid of Cerdic. Then Sister Dianaimh had to be eliminated, although he did not manage to discover where she kept the money that she was going to pay for the items. Don’t forget, Brother Madagan could not and had no intention of buying them.

‘Brother Madagan was horrified when he heard that Egric had survived the attack on the river. I wondered why he seemed to be avoiding Egric. He had to be at the funeral of Cerdic that night, but wore a cowl which hid his face, since Egric would have been able to identify him. Once Egric knew that his confederate Cerdic was also dead and members of the Canterbury custodia were about to arrive, he contrived to leave Cashel, using a fishing trip with Dego as an excuse.

‘The question Madagan now had to ask was — where were the items? When he confronted Rudgal in the barn, Rudgal was intent on using the pallium to buy his own freedom, so refused to tell him. He did tell Madagan that, once he was free, he would be rejoining Maon, who was waiting at a hut in the woods. Madagan killed Rudgal, not realising he had the pallium concealed on his body. Madagan thought Egric still had the items. That led to the convoluted method of getting Beccan to pass that information on to Maon while, at the same time, thinking to distract us by placing the blame on Deogaire for a silly attack on us. As I say, that attempted distraction was the biggest mistake he made.’

‘But who was this other conspirator?’ Brehon Frithel asked. ‘Brother Docgan, I think you said?’

‘Brother Docgan is a Saxon name. That was quite a wry touch. It means “little dog”. Brother Madagan, would you like to tell our visitors what the name Madagan means?’ Brother Madagan simply glowered at her. ‘No? Well, it means. .’

‘It means “little dog”,’ interrupted Brother Conchobhar in a triumphant voice.

As she sat down, having finished her summation, Abbot Ségdae stared horror-struck at his steward.

‘Can all this be true?’ he uttered in a strangled voice. ‘Madagan had often said that Imleach should be recognised as a great abbey but. .’

Brother Madagan turned an angry expression on him mingled with something else; something akin to pity. ‘Imleach is older than Ard Macha. Ailbhe converted this kingdom long before Patricius set foot on Sliabh Mís to preach the New Faith. You should have claimed what is rightfully yours many years ago. To Imleach belongs the primacy of all the Five Kingdoms. Respect and power would be given to it through all the Five Kingdoms, and Imleach would be recognised even as far as Rome. That is what you have lost.’

Brehon Fíthel sat back in his seat, nodding slowly in satisfaction. ‘There is your bibamnacht — the expression of the guilty.’

The Venerable Verax shook his head sadly. ‘I cannot see how you came to suspect this man in the first place, Fidelma. It could not have been the similarity of the meanings of the names. It is such a complicated plot that he seemed to have blocked all possibilities of discovery.’

‘When all the possibilities have been eliminated, that which remains must be the solution,’ she replied gravely. ‘But I was subconsciously alerted when Deogaire foretold doom and gloom coming from the East at the funeral of Brother Cerdic. Abbot Ségdae turned and made a curious remark to Brother Madagan about prophets not being respected. I wondered what this referred to. Some time later, when I asked the abbot, he told me that Brother Madagan had started to recount a dream whereby he had dug up the Blessed Ailbhe’s tomb and in it found some items which would indicate that Imleach would be chosen as the principal abbey in all the Five Kingdoms.’

‘A silly dream,’ added Abbot Ségdae in a bitter tone.

‘Not so silly,’ she replied. ‘Brother Madagan was preparing you for the stage when he had the pallium and seal in his hands. He doubtless planned to bury them in Ailbhe’s tomb and then, acting on his dream, have them dug up and a miracle proclaimed.’

There was no need to confront Brother Madagan to verify whether this was the truth or not.

‘But this man was only my steward,’ objected Abbot Ségdae. ‘What profit would the elevation of the abbey be to him?’

‘He would become steward in a powerful abbey,’ replied Eadulf. ‘So he, too, would be reflected in its power. He might even have thought that he would eventually replace you as abbot.’

‘Why?’ demanded Abbot Ségdae, shaking his head sadly as he stared at his steward. ‘Why?’

Brother Madagan merely smiled with an air of disdain. ‘It is better to be the object of envy than of one of pity.’

Some days had passed when Fidelma and Eadulf sat before the fire in their chambers, warming themselves for the day was cold and there had been a light dusting of snow earlier that morning.

‘It seems so peaceful now that the Venerable Verax and his companions have set off east again,’ Fidelma sighed.

‘I think my compatriots were all astonished that Brother Madagan was not immediately put to death,’ Eadulf remarked. ‘Sometimes I do find it hard to accept the different concepts of law and punishment between our people.’

‘What does it benefit society to kill someone in vengeance? Instead, they should be made to compensate those whom they have wronged and through that work, rehabilitate themselves.’

‘So what will happen to Brother Madagan?’

‘Because his crimes were heinous, I am told that he is being escorted by Prince Finguine to one of the islands off the lands of the Corco Loígde. There are hundreds of islands and islets there. One will be chosen; then he will be left there with a few tools and his own devices. In a year or so, the island will be revisited to see if he had been able to survive. In that way, we will leave it to God to judge his fate.’

‘Yet he still has a life,’ Eadulf objected. ‘He did not personally kill Egric and, of course, my brother was a thief but. . Ah, maybe I was in the wrong? Maybe I should have kept a closer watch on Egric when he was growing up. I did leave him to pursue my own ambition.’

‘You cannot be blamed for the path Egric chose,’ Fidelma replied firmly. ‘And who knows what other influences he encountered along the way.’ There was a brief silence between them. Then she said: ‘I hear that Dego has arrived back in Cashel this morning. I must visit him.’

‘I saw Gormán a short while ago,’ Eadulf told her. ‘He tells me that Dego appeared in good spirits. His arm is healing nicely and he can already ride a horse. He rode all the way back from Eatharlach, albeit with some help from Brother Berrihert.’

Fidelma smiled, for Eadulf was not the best of horsemen. ‘You don’t need two hands to ride a horse. A good warrior can ride into battle with his sword in one hand and buckler in the other, guiding the animal by the squeeze of his thighs.’

‘I wish Dego well. I did try to put cheer into him by telling him about the one-armed warrior of the Fomorii.’

Fidelma was not impressed. ‘The Fomorii? Better that you should have reminded him of Nuada of the Silver Arm.’

Eadulf frowned. ‘I haven’t heard of him.’

‘He was an ancient king, so it is said, and much associated with my own family, the Eóghanacht. Eóghan Mór, the progenitor of our house, was often called Mug Nuadat, the servant of Nuada. Nuada lost his arm in battle.’

‘So what happened after he lost his arm? I thought that having a physical impairment excluded a person from kingship?’

‘The story goes that the physician to the gods, Dian Cécht, made him a hand and arm of silver. That is how he became known as Nuada of the Silver Arm. But as time went on, Miach, the son of Dian Cécht, proved himself an even greater physician than his father. He made Nuada a hand and arm of flesh and blood again.’

Eadulf grimaced sceptically. ‘Ah, the tales of gods and heroes of yesteryear. Well, no god or physician will appear to create a hand and arm of flesh and blood for poor Dego. Such stories must be confined to the fantasies of the mind.’

‘But it is from the fantasies of our minds that the will to achieve is born. I am sure Dego will not be content to retire to a corner of an alehouse and simply bemoan his lot. I have no worries about his future. .’

‘But. .?’ prompted Eadulf, hearing the unfinished thought in her speech.

‘There is one matter I am very worried about.’

‘Only one?’ Eadulf teased.

‘An important one,’ she confirmed seriously.

‘Ah, you mean Aibell,’ he said.

‘Have you already noticed?’

‘How could I not notice?’

‘I have been wondering whether to advise Deogaire that he should set out for Sliabh Luachra immediately. Have you seen the way Gormán is glowering at him the whole time?’

‘He has a right to glower,’ Eadulf replied. ‘Aibell has been constantly in Deogaire’s company ever since he was released. Knowing the way Gormán feels about the young girl, I would not be surprised if there was some bloodshed before long.’

‘Isn’t that precisely what I was trying to tell you?’ Fidelma frowned. ‘That is why Deogaire should be told to leave here. I suppose I must be the one to tell him.’

Eadulf shook his head. ‘For someone who is supposed to be replete in wisdom, now and then you show an appalling lapse in understanding human behaviour.’

Fidelma bridled. ‘Why so?’ she demanded.

‘Because if he is sent away, the girl will instantly know why. She will immediately blame Gormán — and therefore there will be no hope of redeveloping his relationship with her in the future. Secondly, she may well follow Deogaire, and the same result will ensue.’

‘Then what is to be done?’

‘As the Venerable Verax might say — res in cardine est — the matter is on a door-hinge. At the moment, things might swing in either direction. But I believe this crisis will eventually resolve itself. If we interfere now, then it will go badly for the result I think we want. Torn flesh may be mended, Fidelma, but not torn hearts.’