Fidelma regarded him with interest. It meant that Dubán was a warrior of the ancient order of the Golden Collar. It was said that a thousand years before the birth of Christ, Cashel sent a High King to rule over the five kingdoms of Eireann. He was Muinheamhoin Mac Fiardea, the eighth king to rule after Eber the son of Mile. And it was this High King from Cashel who instituted the order of the Golden Collar among his warriors.
‘I did not know that you were a warrior of the order of Cashel,’ Fidelma said quietly.
‘I do not often wear my golden chain of office,’ he confessed. ‘I returned to Araglin only a few years ago when I felt I was no longer young and virile enough to serve the kings there. Eber had need of an experienced man to be his commander of the guard.’ He sighed. ‘It was not an onerous position. But maybe I should have stayed in Cashel.’
Fidelma frowned at the inflection in his voice.
‘I understand that you did not like Eber?’
‘Eber the kind and generous?’
Dubán’s tone was cynical.
‘You doubt it?’
‘Someone should tell you the truth about Eber, sister.’
‘Perhaps you should tell me.’
‘I am not ready to prove my accusations. And if I cannot then I may lose what security I have made here to last me into old age.’
Fidelma was studied.
‘I have no wish to harm your prospects of a peaceful life, Dubán. But if it is security you wish, I am sure my brother, as king of Cashel, and therefore hereditary head of the order which you have taken an oath in, would not see you suffer for fulfilling your oath to tell the truth. I have already warned you that I know that the truth has been distorted. Why did you kill Menma?’
Her question came sharply, like an arrow from a bow. She heard his sharp intake of breath.
‘You know … that?’
He was silent for a moment. Then he replied.
‘I followed Menma to that cave. I had been out searching for Dignait when I came across Menma with some other men and a heavy wagon at Muadnat’s farm. They did not see me. I recognised the men as some of those who had passed us on the trail. The cattle raiders. Menma was giving them orders and left them to ride alone into the hills along the track that Agdae told us led nowhere. Naturally I followed.’
‘Where did the other men go?’
‘They headed south. I followed Menma to the cave. There was someone already at the cave.’
‘Who was it?’
‘I couldn’t see. Menma and this other person were inside the cave talking as I arrived. The other person was giving Menma instructions to kill someone in order to silence them.’
‘You did not see who this other person, the person giving instructions, was?’
‘I did not. But a battle fury descended on me when I heard. Forgetting I had only my bow in my hand, I pushed into the cave and challenged them. Menma fought back fiercely while the other person, no more than a dark shadow in the gloom of the cave, fled by me. I heard them gallop away while I was struggling with Menma. He broke loose and managed to flee to his horse. I could not let him escape. You saw what happened.’
‘I did. And I can confirm that someone else fled from the glade.’
‘Who?’
‘That I did not see. But you heard their voice.’
‘I did not recognise it.’
‘Was it male or a female?’
‘It was a whisper but deep. I think it was male.’
‘Tell me why you hated Eber? The truth, on your honour.’
In the gloom she saw Dubán’s hand go to his neck as if expecting to find the golden chain of the order of warriors there.
She saw his lips compress a moment.
‘You do well to remind me of honour, Fidelma,’ he said. ‘Maybe these last few years in Araglin I have forgotten what honour really means.’
‘Because you have spent too long mixing with young ruffians who think they are warriors? Thugs like Crítán?’
In the gloom ahead they could see lights across the valley.
‘There is the rath. We shall soon be there,’ muttered Dubán.
‘Then it is best you tell me what is on your mind, Dubán, before we reach it.’
‘Eber was not what he claimed himself to be. He was a chieftain without honour.’
‘In what way?’
‘He was morally corrupt.’
‘Moral corruption may take many forms. Can you be more specific.’
‘Have you asked why his wife quit the bed of her husband? It is rumoured that he was like a stag on heat and any deer of the herd which crossed his path was subject to his abuse.’
‘I see …’ murmured Fidelma.
‘No, I do not think you do. I mean … any deer of the herd. Even within his own family,’ muttered Dubán.
‘You mean that he sexually abused members of his own family?’ Fidelma said quietly. She knew the allegation but wanted to hear Dubán’s version.
‘I cannot prove it. Neither can I prove the other thing that I know within my bones … that Eber was a murderer.’
Fidelma was surprised at this assertion.
‘You may speak in confidence with me, Dubán. You must tell me why you suspect Eber of murder.’
‘Very well. I was in love once with Eber’s young sister.’
‘With Teafa?’
‘No. Not Teafa. She was a year older than Eber. Tomnát was the younger sister. She was fearful of her brother. When I tried to persuade her to accompany me to Cashel as my wife, she said she could not for the shameful thing that was on her.’
‘Did she explain what she meant by that?’
‘No, neither did I understand at the time. But within a day or so Tomnat had disappeared from the rath, indeed, from the very valley of Araglin, and was heard of no more. It was my belief that Eber had her killed lest she reveal the evil of his mind and soul.’
‘How can you say this? You must have something which makes you suspicious.’
‘I knew that the night before Tomnat disappeared, she and Eber had a terrible row.’
‘You witnessed this row?’
‘I heard their voices raised. I was on guard and could not enter Eber’s private chambers. After a while there was silence and the next morning Tomnat had vanished. I loved Tomnat. She was as attractive as Crón is today.’
‘And you said that there was a widespread search made for the missing girl?’
‘For months everyone made inquiries for Tomnat. Teafa eventually came to me and told me that it was best for me to forget her sister. Teafa was the only other person who knew my feelings for Tomnat. She told me that ever since Tomnat was a little girl, Eber had forced her to sleep with him. She was never found and eventually I went off to Cashel and pledged myself in the bodyguard of the king, Máenach.’
‘Did Teafa claim that Eber had killed her sister Tomnat?’
‘No, she did not.’
‘When did this happen?’
‘Over twenty years ago. No, I can be more precise. It was a few months before Teafa adopted Móen.’
‘Did you not challenge Eber, or report your suspicion that Eber had murdered Tomnat?’
‘I? What could I have done alone without proof?’
‘What of Teafa, who told you of this sexual abuse?’
‘Teafa felt she could not betray her brother nor bring shame on her sister. I could not bring any accusation unless I had proof. I left Araglin, as I said, hoping to search out a new life. It is true what the ancient bards say – if you destroy your life in one small corner of the world, you have destroyed it in every small corner. I did not realise it until I found myself aging in the service of Cashel. I had not been able to get this place out of my mind. I dreamt of one day finding Tomnat. And though over twenty years have passed, I finally returned.’
‘You have returned, Dubán, but for what purpose?’
‘Easy to say; I returned for vengeance.’
Fidelma tried to examine his features i
n the dark but gave up.
‘Vengeance is an ugly thing, Dubán. Did you seek vengeance or justice?’
‘It is true that I have been seeking some evidence of what I know in my heart to be the truth. But I will be honest – I wanted vengeance. An eye for an eye, a tooth for tooth, a burning for burning. Exactly as Father Gormán teaches in his chapel.’
Fidelma held her head to one side.
‘You realise what you have told me, Dubán? You have said that you had every reason to kill Eber. And, being on guard that night, you also had the opportunity.’
Dubán nodded gravely.
‘This is true, sister. There is no man I would have rather killed. The motivation for returning here and seeking service with the chieftain of Araglin was to eventually find out what happened to Tomnat and punish him if I could. If that makes me suspect, Fidelma, then I am suspect and willingly so. Treat me as you will. Though I would prefer that you discover the truth.’
‘Do you deny that you killed Eber?’
‘As much as I admit to seeking vengeance and weeping no tears of remorse when I heard the news of Eber’s death, I confess that mine was not the hand that struck down that foul man. Nor had I reason to kill Teafa, who had been an honourable lady.’
‘Could Eber not have reformed his personality? Especially after Tomnat disappeared?’
Dubán almost spat.
‘Reformed? Once a wolf always a wolf. They cannot change their natures.’
‘You have changed your nature,’ Fidelma pointed out.
‘I do not understand.’ Dubán was bewildered.
‘You have transferred your love for the long lost Tomnat to Eber’s daughter Crón.’
‘I do not deny that either.’ The warrior was defensive. ‘One cannot love a memory forever. It is true that when I came here, I came to seek vengeance for a lost love but I discovered another.’
‘So are you telling me that twenty years and more has assuaged your hatred for Eber?’
‘No. I do not tell you that. I merely say that in Eber’s daughter I have found a new love. I can assure you that I did not kill Eber. And if I did not, and that poor deaf, dumb and blind idiot did not, then someone else did. And that someone might be one who also knew the truth about Eber’s real character. Find the person who hid in the gloom of the cave with Menma and I think you will find the murderer.’
Fidelma was silent for a while and then she finally said: ‘Perhaps you are right, Dubán. Eber has paid the price for his evil deeds and God forgive him.’
‘God may forgive him, but I shall not,’ declared Dubán in an uncompromising tone.
‘But you truly thought that Móen was guilty when the murder was discovered?’
‘I had no reason to believe otherwise. God moves in mysterious ways, sister. I truly believed that God used the unfortunate creature as an instrument of His greater vengeance.’
‘It has become obvious that Menma was also somehow involved in this. Do you agree that he was an instrument of someone more powerful than he was?’
Dubán nodded agreement immediately.
‘Menma was ambitious but he was a simple man. He took orders; he did not give them. So it was the person in the cave who was giving Menma orders. It was that person who wrote the vellum and is manipulating the evil that spreads in this valley.’
‘That is the truth of it,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘On no account tell anyone yet at the rath of how you dealt with Menma nor of what we have discussed.’
They were getting quite close to the rath now. The guard dogs began to howl as they sensed the approach of Fidelma and her companion.
Chapter Nineteen
Fidelma left Dubán at the stables having unsaddled and seen to her horse’s wants before making her way as quickly as she could to the guests’ hostel.
Gadra was waiting by the door. She tried to guess whether the news was good or bad from his solemn expression.
‘I think he is over the worst of it,’ he greeted her.
Fidelma shut her eyes, swaying a moment, and then let out a deep sigh.
Gadra went on impervious to her reaction: ‘He is asleep now. He has passed through the sickness and fever. I believe that your God guided you to seek my cure at an early stage. We have been able to purge the poison from him.’
‘Will he be all right?’ she demanded.
‘I believe so. But he needs rest now.’
‘Can I see him?’
‘Do not wake him. Sleep is always a great healer.’
‘I shall not.’
Gadra stood aside and she went into the guests’ hostel. Eadulf was lying on his back on his mattress, his features pale but relaxed in a natural sleep of exhaustion. Fidelma moved forward and knelt beside his bed, raising her slim hand to gently touch his brow. It was still fairly warm; doubtless the fever had only just subsided. She felt a sudden tender feeling for the Saxon which she could not define. She had come near to losing him. She closed her eyes and uttered a silent prayer of gratitude.
A moment or so later she rose and found Gadra in the main room of the hostel.
‘How can I ever thank you?’
The old man examined her with his ancient pale eyes.
‘The young girl, Grella, helped a lot. I have only just sent her to her bed. Give your thanks to her.’
‘But without you …’ protested Fidelma.
‘If you would give me thanks, make sure that the truth prevails in this place.’
Fidelma inclined her head slightly.
‘I am near to the truth, old one. One question to bring me nearer. Was Tomnat the mother of Móen?’
Gadra’s expression remained inscrutable.
‘Truly, you have a perceptive mind, child.’
Fidelma allowed herself to smile.
‘Then the truth shall prevail.’
When Gadra had gone, Fidelma went into the fialtech to wash and prepare herself for a night’s repose.
Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.
Fidelma was alone in the forest.
Alone and afraid.
Around her mysterious shapes slunk through the woods on either side, the undergrowth rustled and quivered. Everything was dark.
She was calling. She was not sure to whom she was calling. Her father? Yes, she must be calling to her father. He had brought her to the forest and now he had deserted her. She was only a child. Alone and lost in the forest.
Somehow, somehow in her reasoning mind, she realised that this could not be so. Her father had died when she was a baby. Why should he have brought her here and left her?
She stumbled on through the threatening darkness of the forest. Pushing her way forward. But the forest trees seemed to grow closer and closer the more she moved forward. Finally, she could not move at all and she paused and peered up.
It was strange how the trees resembled the stems of mushrooms, giant mushrooms, great fungi towering above her.
The threatening shapes were pressing closer and closer.
She called out.
It was then she realised that it was not her father who had brought her here and deserted her.
It was Eadulf to whom she was calling.
Eadulf!
She started forward, stretching out a hand …
She groaned as bright flickering sunlight greeted her open eyes.
She found herself stretching forward on her bed, one hand held out before her.
She blinked rapidly and gathered her thoughts.
It was well past dawn and she was in her bed in the guests’ hostel.
She heard a movement in the adjacent cubicle.
She swung out of her bed and drew on her robe.
Gadra was seated outside. He smiled as she joined him.
‘A good morning, sister.’
‘Is it so?’ she queried, glancing toward’s Eadulf’s cubicle.
The old man nodded solemnly.
‘It is so.’
Fidelma immediately went inside. Eadulf was still lying do
wn but his eyes were open. He remained pale, and there were little wrinkles of pain around the corners of his mouth. But the dark eyes were clear and untroubled.
‘Fidelma!’ he greeted in a croaking voice that was weak with exhaustion. ‘I thought that I might not see another dawn.’
She knelt beside the bed, smiling reassuringly.
‘You should not give up so easily on life, Eadulf.’
‘It was a struggle,’ he admitted. ‘One I have no wish to repeat.’
‘Dignait is dead,’ she announced.
Eadulf shut his eyes for a moment.
‘Dignait? Was she responsible?’
‘It would appear that Dignait knew who prepared the poisonous dish.’
‘Then who killed Dignait?’
‘I believe I know. But I need to discover the answers to a few more questions first.’
‘Where was Dignait found? I thought she had disappeared from the rath?’
‘In an underground chamber on Archú’s farmstead.’
Eadulf showed his surprise.
‘I don’t understand.’
‘I am calling everyone who is concerned into the hall of assembly at midday when I will reveal who the killer is.’
Eadulf smiled grimly.
‘I will make myself strong enough to attend,’ he averred.
She shook her head.
‘You will remain here with Grella until you are well.’
The fact that Eadulf did not bother to argue showed that he was still very weak.
‘Are you suggesting that there is one killer for all the deaths which have happened?’
‘I suspect that there is one person responsible,’ she replied enigmatically.
‘Who?’
Fidelma gave a small laugh.
‘Get yourself well, Eadulf. I’ll come to you as soon as I am sure.’
She reached forward, took his hand and squeezed it.
Outside Gadra was checking some pungent broth for Eadulf. The odour was powerful. The young girl Grella had brought it from the kitchen. She looked nervous in Fidelma’s presence but Fidelma smiled encouragement, thanking her for all she had done.
Grella bobbed nervously.
‘I will bring your breakfast now, sister.’
While Fidelma washed the food was bought so that she was able to dress and finish eating by the time Gadra had finished giving an unappreciative Eadulf the herbal soup. By the sound of it, he was not a particularly good patient for his protests at the taste echoed through the hostel. Fidelma put her head into the cubicle.
The Spider's Web Page 28