‘The conceiver of the murderous plot could not allow that. There was a crude attempt to make Rudgal’s death look like suicide, but what his killer did not realise was that Rudgal actually had the pallium wrapped around his waist. It was found when the body was prepared for burial and has been hidden in Brother Conchobhar’s apothecary ever since.’

  ‘But what of the other deaths?’ Brehon Fíthel asked. ‘Are you saying the same person – one person – was responsible for all of them? If so, I have been told that some of them took place while Deogaire was being held as a prisoner. If he was not responsible for the attempt on your lives, who was?’

  ‘Deogaire is most assuredly innocent – but I had to hold him to allay the suspicions of the killer and later to protect his life in case he too was attacked. For I have to say, this killer has no compunction about sacrificing the innocent.’

  Brother Conchobhar leaned towards his nephew and clapped him on the shoulder in congratulation. Deogaire was looking relieved.

  ‘But then it means that Beccan was the guilty person,’ Colgú concluded. ‘But how…? He was also murdered, and so was Sister Dianaimh.’

  ‘We have a saying that whether it is black, dun or white, it is its own kid that the goat loves,’ Fidelma suddenly said.

  ‘And so?’ Brehon Fíthel was clearly puzzled and he was not alone.

  ‘I think everyone will recall that Beccan was of the Déisi. They are the people who live south of the River Siúr,’ she added for the benefit of the Venerable Verax and his companions. ‘When Beccan spun the false story about seeing a woman named Maon – who actually turned out to be a man called Maon who was one of Rudgal’s outlaws – he let slip that his home was at Míodán. Prince Cummasach, when he brought Rudgal as prisoner here, told us that Rudgal and his band had been caught near their home at Míodán.’

  ‘Are you saying that Beccan was one of them?’ demanded Brehon Fíthel.

  ‘Beccan did not have that capability,’ Fidelma responded. ‘It was his inability even to remember names that almost caused his downfall but has led to another confirmation of the plot. Beccan was afraid of forgetting a fictitious name. It had been observed here that whenever my brother had guests, Beccan had to write them down. So he decided to stick to the real name of the person he was to meet because he knew him well from his own village. Beccan was forced into this conspiracy by his very own family and was used to draw a false trail when the person concerned mistakenly thought I was getting too close to them. Sadly I was not, otherwise…’ She shrugged.

  ‘How was he persuaded?’ questioned Colgú. ‘I still don’t see.’

  ‘Because I think we will discover that he was related to the main deviser of this murderous conspiracy and also to Rudgal and his outlaws at Míodán.’

  ‘You said Beccan was told to lead a false trail,’ Brehon Fíthel frowned. ‘By whom and how?’

  ‘Beccan was told to implicate Deogaire in this matter. Unfortunately, honesty of thought often leads to a bad reputation. Deogaire made no secret that he did not share the Faith and so we, in our prejudice, could believe anything about him. So if Deogaire was made to appear guilty – guilty of something – it could direct us away from the truly guilty. It was a complicated plot.

  ‘Someone knew about Deogaire’s argument with his uncle. There had been a witness. That person instructed Beccan to do the following: he suggested to Deogaire that he could stay in the guest quarters that night. The idea of it being done in exchange of some medicines was firstly to allay any suspicion that Deogaire might have as to why Beccan had suddenly become friendly enough to make the offer, and secondly to give Beccan an excuse to leave the palace that night. You see, Maon and his companion had to be alerted to the news that Eadulf’s brother Egric had survived the attack on the Siúr and that he had gone to Eatharlach with Dego. The murderer had come to the wrong conclusion – that Egric must have saved the pallium and the bullae and hidden them. He had to instruct Maon to chase Egric. Why didn’t the murderer go himself? Because there was no way he could leave the palace without being missed and giving rise to questions.

  ‘All went as it was meant to. The real killer levered one of the statues so that it would fall. I don’t think it was meant to kill us because there was no guarantee that it would do so. I believe it was simply part of a general plan of distraction. We were meant to find Deogaire in the guest quarters and jump to the conclusion that he was responsible. In retrospect, it was a foolish idea because, while we imprisoned Deogaire, once Beccan reappeared, his story would clearly be contradictory. Did the killer think we would simply believe Beccan instead of Deogaire and that would be an end to it? Did this person think that we would not check out Beccan’s story about Maon – the so-called ill woman? Or did they think that we might then place the entire blame on Beccan? I confess that I did so, at first.’

  ‘Was it Beccan’s death that caused you to change your mind?’ asked Colgú.

  ‘I had found out that anyone could exit and gain entrance by way of the scaffolding without being seen at the gates. So at first I was convinced that Beccan had probably done so.’ Fidelma sighed. ‘The biggest mistake of all was when the initiator of the plot killed Beccan. I can only conclude that he feared that Beccan, when confronted, would immediately reveal all under questioning.’

  ‘So how did you proceed?’ Brehon Fíthel asked.

  ‘As I said, there were no witnesses to any of the murders so there was nothing to do but concentrate on the facts as I knew them. It was by a process of elimination that I came to my suspicion. There was now only one person around at the times of all the murders; this same person also had a connection with the village of Míodán and had been in Láirge’s harbour when Victricius and Egric landed there.’

  She paused for a moment and the gathering leaned forward on the edge of their seats. If anything, Fidelma in her career as dálaigh had acquired the use of a dramatic pause in the courts.

  ‘What I did, therefore, was set a trap – a ruse by which the guilty person would reveal themselves. A ruse to obtain the coibsena or confession, as I have explained before. Certain people here were told that Egric had, indeed, been keeping in his possession a box which he had been hiding. A rumour was spread that Eadulf had brought that box back to Cashel and placed it for safekeeping in Brother Conchobhar’s apothecary. On hearing this, the guilty person would, we hoped, break in and try to steal it.’

  She paused again and looked at their expectant faces.

  ‘Our trap worked. Last night, two people broke into the apothecary of Brother Conchobhar.’

  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.