They approached the large oak door, which was studded with iron. A rope hung to one side and Fidelma tugged on it. They heard the distant clang of the bell and waited. After a short while, a small hatch in the centre of the door was drawn aside and two pale eyes stared out.
‘I am Sister Fidelma and this is Brother Eadulf. We are here to see the abbatissa, Abbess Audofleda. She is expecting us.’
This received a curt response: ‘Wait!’ Then the hatch was slammed shut.
Fidelma turned and smiled wryly at Eadulf.
‘Not overly welcoming,’ he muttered in response.
Suddenly bolts were drawn noisily back and the big door swung slowly inwards.
A religieuse stood framed in the doorway. She gave the impression of tallness, of an austere face, a large nose, dark, almost black eyebrows and bright blue eyes. Her hands were folded in front of her, hidden within the folds of her black robe.
‘Enter,’ she commanded, taking a step backward to allow them to do so.
They became aware of another religieuse, who was obviously the doorkeeper, pushing shut the heavy door behind them. Once again, the sound of the bolts being pushed home was like the blow of a hammer falling on an anvil.
‘Are you Abbess Audofleda?’ asked Fidelma.
The woman sniffed in disapproval. ‘I am Sister Radegund,’ she replied curtly. ‘I serve the abbatissa. You will follow me.’ Her manner was as sharp as her features.
Without further ado, she turned and walked swiftly along an arched corridor into a small quadrangle, veered right and followed another short corridor to a circular stone stairwell. Taking the stairs with surprising speed, without once glancing behind to see if they were following, she then set off along another passageway. Eadulf had seen many religious houses but none with such an air of gloom. The male section of the abbey was grey and brooding enough, but the Domus Femini was infinitely worse. He felt quite depressed as he looked around the grey stone walls hoping for some relief–some flowers, icons, wall paintings–anything to relieve the drabness that reminded him of a fortress rather than a house devoted to the worship of God.
Sister Radegund halted abruptly outside a door.
She finally turned and glanced at Fidelma and Eadulf for a moment, almost as if ensuring that they were presentable enough to be shown into the presence. Then she rapped upon the door. A voice came faintly bidding them enter.
They were shown into the study of Abbess Audofleda. Although the abbatissa and her sisters had attended the morning and evening services, they had been invisible to Fidelma and Eadulf because they entered the chapel by a separate route and were shielded from the brethren by wooden screens. Abbess Audofleda was seated behind her table and wore a head-dress which was drawn back so that her face was fully visible, but covering her hair. A woman of middle age, she could never have been described as attractive, thanks to the bony forehead, jutting jawline and large nose with a prominent bump that could almost be described as hooked. The eyes were pale and without compassion. The lips were thin, and the skin ashen where it was not blotched upon the cheeks.
‘This is Sister Fidelma and Brother Eadulf, abbatissa,’ intoned Sister Radegund, who stood deferentially before them with hands still folded and eyes downcast.
Abbess Audofleda sat back, her own hands placed firmly on the table in front of her. She stared in disapproval, firstly at Eadulf and then at Fidelma.
‘I am asked by Bishop Leodegar to see you. He says that you have requested to speak with me. For what purpose?’ Her voice was harsh and she spoke Latin badly.
‘We are…’ began Fidelma. She was waved to silence by an imperious gesture of a pale thin hand.
‘I know who you are, Sister. That much was explained when Bishop Leodegar addressed the community in the chapel the other night. You have been allowed to investigate the death of one of the delegates to the council. I disapprove. That is not a woman’s place, especially one who purports to be a religious. However, the bishop has made this curious decision. I was not consulted. My question is, why do you come here?’
Fidelma exchanged a quick glance with Eadulf. Abbess Audofleda was as unfriendly as her looks portended.
‘We have come to address a few questions to you,’ she replied coolly.
‘I see no reason why,’ replied Abbess Audofleda. ‘Our sisterhood is separate from the brothers of the abbey and there is no connection between us and the deaths that have occurred. We know nothing of them nor do we wish to know anything of them.’
Eadulf saw the warning sign as Fidelma’s eyes narrowed.
‘You’ll forgive our impertinence, abbatissa,’ he said hastily, in a conciliatory voice. ‘We have not come here without a good reason, for we believe there is a connection between your sisterhood and the events that took place surrounding the death of Abbot Dabhóc.’
The thin eyebrows of Abbess Audofleda arched.
‘Do you call me a liar?’ she snapped. ‘I said that there are none.’
Eadulf was dismayed by the overt antagonism of the woman.
This time Fidelma had recovered herself sufficiently to attempt to follow Eadulf’s displomatic path.
‘We would not suggest that you have spoken anything but the truth, as you know it. We would only point out that perhaps we have some information that you might not know about.’
‘Which is?’ There was a sneer in Abbess Audofleda’s tone.
‘Sister Valretrade.’
They heard the audible gasp from Sister Radegund. Fidelma saw the warning glance that Abbess Audofleda gave her.
‘What do you know of Sister Valretrade?’ The abbatissa’s eyes were glinting suspiciously.
‘We know that on the night of the killing, she had sent a signal to one of the brethren to meet her, and it was that action which set off the events leading to the discovery of the scene in Bishop Ordgar’s chambers. We need to question her about this as being pertinent to our investigation.’
For a moment Abbess Audofleda looked uncertain.
‘Contact between the sisterhood and the brethren is forbidden,’ she said woodenly.
‘Nevertheless, it happened,’ Fidelma assured her. ‘By the way, when did this Rule of segregation of the sexes and the ideas of celibacy come into force in this abbey?’
The abbatissa looked surprised at the sudden change of subject. She answered defensively.
‘One year ago, not long after Leodegar became bishop and brought his teachings here.’
‘And you were already abbess here?’
‘I was invited to take charge here by the bishop after the decision had been made. He could not find a suitable superior among the sisterhood, so he asked me to come from Divio to take over. It is the duty of the community to obey their bishop and the Rule was made clear. Our people should not question the Rule. But these questions are irrelevant to…’
‘To the matter of Sister Valretrade,’ Fidelma said brightly. ‘I am sorry. I have let natural curiosity overcome me. Now, I would like to speak with her.’
Abbess Audofleda’s thin lips twitched. ‘That is impossible.’
‘I have been assured by Bishop Leodegar that the entire community will co-operate with my enquiry,’ Fidelma cautioned.
‘It is neither a matter of co-operation nor lack of it. Sister Valretrade is no longer part of this community. She is not here.’
‘Not here?’
‘Not here,’ affirmed the abbess.
‘Then perhaps you can inform us where she is?’
‘I cannot be specific.’
‘Try,’ Fidelma pressed a little sarcastically.
‘Then she might well be anywhere. A week ago she left here, saying that she could no longer accept the Rule.’
Fidelma tried to hide her disappointment. ‘When did you say she left?’
‘A week ago.’
‘Was she sent away in punishment for contacting Brother Sigeric?’
‘Punishment? I do not know this Brother Sigeric.’
F
idelma raised an eyebrow slightly. ‘You did not know that she was in love with a young man in the abbey?’
‘I only knew that she was distracted from her duties here. Had I known, I would have reported the matter to the bishop so that he could discipline the young man for enticing Valretrade from her bond to the Faith.’
‘You say you do not know Brother Sigeric. Are you denying that he came to the Domus Femini a few days ago to find out where Sister Valretrade was?’
A crimson hue spread over Abbess Audofleda’s features.
‘Excuse me, abbatissa.’ It was Sister Radegund who spoke nervously from the door before she could say anything. ‘I did not wish to bring the matter to your attention, as you have been so busy, but a young man did come to our door–a young religieux. He demanded to know where Sister Valretrade was. When I told him to go away, he grew insistent, and I informed him that she had left the Domus Femini and was no longer in our charge. He was very insistent and I had to close the door on him. I was reluctant to bother you at the time, and until the matter was mentioned just now I had forgotten all about it.’
‘Did the young man mention his name to you?’ demanded the abbess of her steward.
‘I do not think so, abbatissa.’
The woman turned back to Fidelma with a triumphant expression. ‘So, you see, we have not heard of this Brother Sigeric.’
‘Why do you think Valretrade left the Domus Femini?’ Fidelma asked coldly. ‘And given that she was so “distracted”, in your words, by this young man, did she not tell him that she was leaving?’
‘I am not here to speculate about the workings of a young girl’s mind. Perhaps she is with this young man of whom you speak. Find him and you may find her.’
‘If he was with her, he would hardly have come to the abbey seeking her,’ Fidelma pointed out.
‘So maybe she had come to her senses and realised she should leave him,’ the other woman retorted.
‘So you offer no reason why she left?’
‘Reason? I am afraid that you do not understand the Rule by which I govern this community. She left because she could not abide that Rule.’
‘So she left, and did not even tell the person who seemed to matter most to her that she was leaving.’ Eadulf’s tone was reflective.
‘The person who mattered most?’ The pale face that turned to him was full of disdain. ‘I am the person who matters most in this community.’
Fidelma pointed to the crucifix that hung on the wall behind the Abbess Audofleda.
‘I thought that there was a more important Being in a religious house before Whom everyone was equal,’ she said.
Abbess Audofleda’s cheeks coloured again, this time with anger.
‘The girl disobeyed the Rule! Had she remained here, she would have been chastised for her transgressions. It was her self-interest that caused her flight!’
‘“Whatever you do to the least of My brethren, you do to Me”,’ Eadulf muttered audibly.
‘I have wasted enough time.’ Abbess Audofleda rose and looked across to Sister Radegund. ‘Show these…these visitors out. We have finished.’
Eadulf followed Fidelma who had said nothing further but turned to leave. He had reached the door when the abbess, unable to restrain herself, shouted after them: ‘And I will see that Bishop Leodegar knows of your insults. He has had men flogged for less.’
Fidelma hesitated, and then shook her head quickly in Eadulf’s direction, indicating that he should say nothing further.
Once outside the oak doors of the women’s community, the couple breathed deeply to release their sense of frustration. They then began to walk slowly across the courtyard towards the wagonway.
‘And this woman is the abbatissa of the community?’ Eadulf marvelled. ‘I pity the poor girls in her charge.’
‘I pity Sister Valretrade. With such a superior, I think I too would also leave,’ Fidelma replied. ‘By the way, we must tread carefully. I don’t think we should take her threats lightly.’
‘Threats? About my being flogged?’ Eadulf was unconvinced.
‘Remember that we are in a different country with different customs,’ urged Fidelma. ‘While we have dispensation to conduct this investigation, it is only because it is of a political use to Bishop Leodegar. We are without real authority and we are vulnerable.’
‘Leodegar would not dare,’ asserted Eadulf.
‘He might well. By throwing that threat at us, Audofleda has revealed that Bishop Leodegar has used this power before.’
‘But to take a religious and have them flogged for no reason…’
‘Oh, they would find a reason. I think we should make sure that Brother Sigeric is warned as well. I would not put it past Audofleda to report the matter to Leodegar.’
They halted by the blocked-up entrance halfway down the wagonway and Eadulf glanced up at the grey walls behind them.
‘I have never known a place that exudes such deep melancholy. I was thinking about what Brother Gillucán told you that he heard.’
‘What made you think of that?’
‘The fact that he was in the necessarium, one wall of which backs on to this Domus Femini. That was where he claimed he heard the sound of souls in torment. I can well believe that he heard sounds of lamentation from the poor women enclosed in that place.’
Fidelma realised that Eadulf was being darkly humourous, but her eyes suddenly widened.
‘Children!’ she exclaimed. ‘Of course!’
Eadulf looked at her in surprise.
‘Were we not told that the wives of the brethren here, and their children, were taken to live in the Domus Femini? Wives and children that the brethren were forced to put from them–that was the phrase.’
Eadulf nodded slowly.
‘Don’t you see?’ Fidelma went on. ‘If Audofleda governs so badly, perhaps Gillucán did hear those children wailing in anguish.’
‘You mean she is ill treating the children?’
Under the law of the Brehons, ill treatment of children was not merely condemned but punishable. Until the age of their maturity, the honour price of children was placed, under the laws, as the honour price of a chieftain or a bishop no matter who their parents were–that was seven cumals, the value of twenty-one cows. So such a thing seemed impossible.
‘As I have said, Eadulf, we are in a different culture here, but nonetheless I indeed to pursue this and discover the truth, even though I have recourse to no local law or authority.’
‘I can’t see how you are going to do that,’ he rejoined. ‘There is no returning through that door.’
‘Then I will have to find another way inside,’ Fidelma replied calmly.
‘You are not going back on your own.’
Fidelma was amused. ‘I hardly think you will be able to fade into the background in a house of women, Eadulf.’
He suddenly stiffened and drew her back into the shadow of the arched recess.
‘What…?’ she began to protest.
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, ‘Sister Radegund has just left the Domus Femini. Look…but carefully!’
The tall woman was moving rapidly across the courtyard, heading towards the main square. In fact, she was moving so quickly that she was almost running, with her head-dress and robes flowing out behind her. The two watchers pressed back in the shadows, waiting until she had passed them. She had already crossed the square by the time they had emerged, and they saw her disappearing down a street towards the city buildings.
‘Where is she off to in such a hurry?’ murmured Eadulf.
‘Let’s find out,’ replied Fidelma. ‘Come on. We must not lose her.’
Before he could protest, she had set off across the square, almost trotting to keep up with the woman. There were plenty of people about, but no one seemed interested in them, so Fidelma and Eadulf hurried on down the darkened streets without challenge.
Sister Radegund seemed so intent upon her errand that she did not pause or glance
backward once. That was just as well for her followers. She moved through several streets, each one a little more narrow than the last, and soon the odours that had assailed them when they first arrived in the city began to rise around them. Sewerage ran here and there, and thin feral cats and slavering dogs fought over the refuse in the gutters.
Sister Radegund suddenly ducked into a broad street. Along this street were several premises of traders. It was clearly a major thoroughfare. They saw her enter a building where clothes were hanging outside as if on display, as well as a number of animal skins.
‘It looks like a…’ Fidelma paused, trying to find the right word ‘…a place where a seamstress does her work.’
They moved cautiously towards the building and Fidelma took a quick glance through the open door. Sister Radegund was standing with her back to the door and an elderly woman was bending over a bundle of cloth. The old woman’s eyes luckily were not focused on the door. Fidelma gestured to Eadulf to follow her back a few yards to where there was a dark space between the buildings; here they could pause without being seen in the open street.
‘It seems that Sister Radegund is simply on a mission to buy some cloth,’ Fidelma said in disappointment. ‘I have obviously become too suspicious.’ Just then, she heard someone saying something along the street and then the clatter of wooden-soled shoes followed. She chanced another quick look round the corner of the building.
‘Radegund is off again. Her journey is not yet over,’ she said to Eadulf. ‘Let us stay with her.’
Head still slightly downward, Sister Radegund was continuing her journey with the same intensity as when she had left the Domus Femini. They followed at a reasonable distance but there seemed little chance of the stewardess looking back towards them. When she disappeared around the next corner, they followed and found that the broad thoroughfare had opened into a large square. In the centre was yet another ornate fountain, gushing and splashing. A few dogs were lapping around the base.
The Council of the Cursed Page 14