‘Sister Radegund gave me the note.’
Eadulf was turning to the stewardess when he suddenly paused as he realised what the abbess had said.
‘They all left notes?’
‘The women who departed all left notes telling me that they were leaving, rather than confronting me in person.’
‘And did they all hand these notes to Sister Radegund?’
Sister Radegund answered the question.
‘They did not hand them to me,’ she said sourly. ‘The notes were always left in my chamber where I carry out the administration of the Domus Femini.’
‘And you are saying that you had no discussions with any of those who chose to leave?’ he pressed. ‘Tell me, how many have left?’
‘About twenty or so. They all preferred to leave the abbey before dawn without announcing their intentions to anyone. Like the cowards they were, they simply slipped out into the darkness…’
Eadulf turned back to the abbess. ‘Did you not think this was strange behaviour?’ he asked.
‘I merely thought it cowardly behaviour and in keeping with their attitudes,’ snapped Abbess Audofleda. ‘They disagreed with the Rule.’
‘I would like to see this note from Sister Valretrade.’
A frown crossed the abbess’s features. ‘You question its existence?’ Her tone was challenging.
‘I said, I would like to see it,’ repeated Eadulf calmly.
The abbess opened a cupboard and took out a thin veneer-like tablet. Eadulf thought it was probably birch bark, which many still used to write upon. She handed it to him without a word. He took it and examined it. It was written in Latin. The characters were certainly well formed but he was looking for the cross lines on the stems of the b’s and d’s–the peculiarity of Valretrade’s hand as Brother Sigeric had described it. There were none. He read the note quickly.
Abbatissa Audofleda–I can no longer agree with the Rule of the abbey. I am leaving to search for a community to which I will feel able to contribute and where I will be at ease. I have heard of such a community in the southern mountains founded by the Blessed Gall of Hibernia. In sorrow, Valretrade.
‘You see?’ Sister Radegund’s voice showed her annoyance. ‘You had no need to doubt our word.’
Eadulf did not reply; instead he put the piece of birchwood in the marsupium that he carried.
‘With your permission, abbatissa, I will keep this for the time being.’ His tone made it clear that he would keep it whether she gave permission or not. ‘And the other notes, do you have them?’
This time she handed him a small bundle without protest. They were mostly the same, written on bitch bark, some bearing three or four names. All ascribed their leaving to their disagreement with the Rule of the Domus Femini. Only Valretrade’s note mentioned the intention to go to the abbey of Gall.
‘They all seem remarkably similar,’ Eadulf pointed out. ‘As if they were written by the same hand.’
‘It is my belief that Valretrade wrote them all. She had been a scribe; her fellows doubtless paid her to write the notes.’
‘And all these women objected to the segregation of the sexes in the abbey?’
‘The Rule is clear,’ the abbess said distantly. ‘If they did not like it, then they were free to go.’
‘Most of them were married. Some of them even had children. Separation must have been hard for them.’
‘They had been given the choice by the bishop a year ago. That was to leave or accept the Rule.’
‘Many felt they had to stay as this was the only place they knew. They had been born here and lived here all their lives.’
‘The choice was their own,’ replied the woman stubbornly.
‘How many of your community are wives of the brethren?’
‘None.’
The answer came back quickly from Sister Radegund and took Eadulf by surprise. His look prompted Abbess Audofleda to add: ‘My stewardess means that Bishop Leodegar declared all the marriages of those who chose to stay invalid under the Rule.’
‘But some had children?’
‘The children were taken care of.’
‘So how many of these women and children are now in the care of the abbey?’
Abbess Audofleda glanced at her stewardess.
‘It has only been in the past few days that the last of them have departed from the Domus Femini,’ Sister Radegund replied firmly. ‘Most of these departures have happened in the last two weeks.’
This time Eadulf was unable control his surprise. ‘In the last two weeks?’
‘That is so.’
‘Where did they go?’
‘After they leave here, it is not our responsibility to know where they go. I presume one encouraged another and, like sheep, they all flocked together–eager to leave here for a more indolent life.’
Eadulf examined her keenly. ‘Did their husbands…did their former husbands,’ he emphasised as he saw the frown gather on her brow, ‘know of their departure? Were they informed that their wives and children were leaving?’
‘It is not our task to inform them or ensure that these women, who reject the religious life, inform those with whom they formerly consorted,’ Abbess Audofleda said irritably.
Eadulf was thoughtful for a moment. ‘How many women now pursue the religious life here under your Rule?’
It was Sister Radegund who answered.
‘There are fifty in the Domus Femini.’
‘And before?’
‘Perhaps a hundred.’
‘A sad decrease,’ he commented.
‘The chaff sometimes has to be blown away from the wheat,’ replied Abbess Audofleda unctuously.
‘That is true,’ agreed Eadulf, sounding amiable. ‘So those who are now left display the true vocation, according to your Rule?’
‘I believe so.’
‘Well, that is good. You must be proud of the good work you have done here. I believe you said that Bishop Leodegar invited you here especially for that purpose?’
‘He did.’
‘From Divio, I think you said.’
‘I did not say.’
‘Then I must have heard it from someone else. But you did come from Divio, didn’t you?’ Eadulf went on. ‘You must have done good work there for the bishop to ask you to come here.’
‘Bishop Leodegar has not complained of my work here,’ the abbatissa said coldly.
‘Of course,’ agreed Eadulf easily. Then: ‘Does this house have a good relationship with Lady Beretrude?’
The abbatissa glanced quickly at Sister Radegund before returning her gaze to him.
‘Lady Beretrude? She is the mother of Lord Guntram who governs this province and is a benefactor to this house.’
‘I am told that you Burgunds consider her a generous patron?’
Abbess Audofleda looked annoyed. ‘I am a Frank. But it is true we have cause to thank her.’
‘I apologise–but a Frank from Divio?’ said Eadulf. ‘I thought that it is a Burgund city.’
‘I did not say that I was born or raised there, but that I was in charge of—’
‘Another Domus Femini. I understand. But do you get on well with the Lady Beretrude? Does she approve of the changes made to this abbey?’
‘Of course,’ Abbess Audofleda replied at once.
‘You frequently meet to discuss matters?’
‘Not frequently. Sometimes my stewardess acts as my deputy in certain transactions.’
‘Transactions?’ Eadulf stared directly Sister Radegund.
The stewardess was staring at the floor.
‘My stewardess and I discuss matters with the bishop and if there is anything of consequence that needs to be drawn immediately to the attention of Lady Beretrude or Lord Guntram, then my stewardess does so on my behalf.’
‘So apart from Sister Radegund, none of your community should have cause to venture out to Lady Beretrude’s villa?’
‘Only in exceptional cases does anyone f
rom the Domus Femini venture out from here,’ replied the abbess crossly.
‘What would constitute such an exceptional case?’
The abbatissa exhaled in impatience. ‘Really, Brother Eadulf! I see no point to these questions.’
‘You will oblige me, abbatissa,’ Brother Eadulf stated firmly. ‘I am trying to clarify something in my own mind.’
The woman went to protest again but then shrugged.
‘For example, then, some of the delegates to the conference that the bishop is holding, not realising the Rule and custom here, brought wives and women with them. They were placed in a local inn for they could not stay in either part of the abbey–unlike the dispensation the bishop has now given to the Hibernian woman.’ There was bitterness in her voice.
‘And how did this constitute an exceptional case for members of your community to venture out?’
‘The bishop asked if selected members of my community could advise and guide these foreign women during their stay in the city. There was a visit to the Roman amphitheatre that needed several of our Sisters to attend, in order to escort the visitors.’
‘Was Sister Valretrade one of those?’ asked Eadulf as the thought occurred to him.
‘If we had realised then that she could not be trusted, we would…’ cut in Sister Radegund and fell silent as Abbess Audofleda cast her a withering glance.
‘Had we realised that she had commenced this…this affair,’ the abbatissa went on, ‘she would not have been given the task of escorting the wives of the foreigners.’
‘When did you find out about this affair? Was it before she disappeared?’
Abbess Audofleda stamped her foot. ‘This is too much! We have been patient. The questions are now ended.’
‘Why do you not allow your stewardess to reply?’ Eadulf demanded.
‘Because I choose not to,’ replied Abbess Audofleda. ‘Now remove yourself from this place.’ Her jaw was thrust out and her lips set in a thin line.
There were so many more questions Eadulf wanted to ask, but he saw that it was useless. He looked coldly at her.
‘It is your choice, Abbess. Of course, we will mention your lack of co-operation in our report to the Venerable Gelasius in Rome.’
He turned to see Sister Radegund look anxiously at the abbess, who merely tossed her head.
He walked to the door.
‘I am sure you will find your own way out,’ called the abbess rudely.
Outside, Eadulf paused. He felt frustrated at having learned little more than what he had already suspected–that Sister Valretrade had not written the note and that she had not left of her own free will.
Striding off along the corridor to the stairs that led to the main doors of the building, he heard a soft voice call on him to wait a moment. Eadulf turned. An attractive young girl in religious robes stood in the shadows of a deep alcove. She gestured quickly towards him in a conspiratorial way.
‘Stay a moment, Brother. I need to speak to you.’
Chapter Fifteen
The girl reached out a hand and pulled him into the alcove. Her expression was anxious.
‘I saw you go to the abbatissa’s room. Are you the Saxon who is the companion of the Hibernian woman who is investigating the deaths in the abbey?’
‘I am. Who are you?’
‘My name is Inginde.’
‘Ah, of course.’ Eadulf glanced quickly round. ‘Perhaps now is not a good time to speak. Sister Radegund might come after me at any moment to ensure I have left the building.’
‘I just wanted to know if you had any news of Valretrade yet?’
‘We are still looking,’ he told her, ‘but you can be assured that she did not leave this place of her own free will. The note she left was certainly not in her own hand.’
The girl’s eyes widened. ‘How could you know that?’
‘A scribe will tell you that each person has their own style of forming letters. I have ascertained that she did not form the letters in her note.’ He paused as a thought struck him. ‘Is there any place in this building where she could be kept out of the sight of the community here?’
‘You mean as a prisoner?’ breathed Sister Inginde.
‘As a prisoner,’ confirmed Eadulf.
The girl shook her head immediately. ‘There is nowhere that one can hide in this place. I know every corner of it. No, you must accept that poor Valretrade has left this abbey–and who knows where she has been taken.’
‘I understand that other women and their children have also disappeared from this community recently.’
‘It is so,’ Sister Inginde conceded. ‘We were told they no longer wished to live by the Rule of the abbatissa.’
‘Has anyone mentioned the villa of Lady Beretrude in this connection?’
The girl looked shocked. ‘Lady Beretrude? I don’t understand.’
‘Could those who have disappeared from here have been taken there?’
Sister Inginde regarded him curiously for a moment. ‘Do you know that Sister Radegund is related to…’ she began.
There was the noise of a chamber door opening.
‘Don’t worry. We are near a solution, I promise.’ Eadulf felt reckless, trying to reassure this sweet-faced, anxious girl. ‘We think the answer might lie at Beretrude’s villa. I promise all will be revealed soon.’
The girl did not answer but sank back into the shadows as Eadulf turned and hurried off along the corridor.
The voice of Sister Radegund called suspiciously from behind him. ‘You are slow in making your departure.’
‘I think I took a wrong turning.’ Eadulf turned and tried to look apologetic.
‘Then I will show you the way.’ Sister Radegund brushed by him with a purposeful stride. He followed her meekly.
‘I was surprised that you and Abbess Audofleda were not at the reception given by Lady Beretrude yesterday,’ he said, trying to open a conversation.
‘It was only for the delegates to the council and their advisers,’ Sister Radegund snapped.
Eadulf felt he could chance some boldness, remembering what Brother Budnouen had told them.
‘I wondered whether Lady Beretrude had not invited the abbess because she had an objection to her previous life in Divio.’
Sister Radegund stopped and gasped. A red hue had come to her cheeks.
‘My…Lady Beretrude is…’ she began, and suddenly became confused.
‘You were about to say…is your mother? You bear a close resemblance to her.’ Eadulf felt he had nothing to lose by making the guess.
Sister Radegund recovered quickly.
‘Lady Beretrude is my aunt. I am not ashamed of it. And you seem to know a great deal.’
‘I need to know more,’ Eadulf pressed, but she had turned swiftly and did not answer him. They came to the main door and Sister Radegund bent to draw back the bolts. Eadulf opened his mouth to speak again but she simply pointed through the open door.
‘Vade in pace,’ she said in dismissal.
Eadulf had no recourse but to leave.
Fidelma was dozing when Eadulf arrived back at the hospitia of the abbey. Outside the door sat a muscular young religieux from Imleach who had been placed on watch by Abbot Ségdae. Eadulf exchanged a few whispered words with him and decided to let Fidelma continue to sleep. Sleep was always a good healer. He would go instead to the library in search of Brother Sigeric.
Brother Sigeric was not in the scriptorium but he found the steward, Brother Chilperic, seated there looking over some columns of figures on a clay board. The steward glanced up with a rueful smile.
‘The accounting of the abbey,’ he said, laying down his stylus. ‘It is a job I dislike. Running the affairs of the abbey is much like being a trader. The bishop is very particular that we do not enter into debt.’ He paused. ‘Can I help you, Brother?’
Eadulf was about to say, ‘No,’ when a thought occurred to him. ‘Do you know Brother Andica?’
‘Of course,’ came t
he immediate response. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘I met him a short while ago.’
‘He is one of our stonemasons. An excellent artisan.’
‘Is he from these parts?’
‘A Burgund? Yes, he is. Why?’
‘I would have thought that a stonemason could demand good fees in a city like this and never be out of work. But I suppose he wanted to serve the Faith, a man with religious zeal?’
‘Not really. He is not very devout. He is more concerned with pride in his city and his people. I fear that pride will one day get the better of him.’
Eadulf raised an eyebrow in silent question, and the steward grew confidential.
‘Our bishop, as I have told you before, is a Frank and well connected with the ruling house. Brother Andica sometimes has difficulty in keeping his pride in check. Once or twice the bishop has had to remonstrate with him on his disrespectful tone towards our Frankish rulers.’
‘Is Andica something of a fanatic in these matters?’
Brother Chilperic shook his head.
‘We can all be proud of our peoples, but when serving in the religious we are supposed to serve the wider humanity. Christendom becomes our nation.’
‘And yet overcoming a pride in one’s people can be a hard aspiration as, indeed, Cadfan and Ordgar have already discovered.’
The steward was thoughtful.
‘Now that they have been allowed freedom outside of their chambers, they pace the abbey like restless beasts. I was once in Rome and saw the caged lions–big cats–which had been brought there from some corner of the earth. That is how I see the abbot and bishop. However, they have avoided one another so far. I do hope that you and Sister Fidelma will make a decision as to which one is guilty before there is another killing.’
‘Another killing?’
‘I am sure that if they do meet, one of them will kill the other.’
‘I am afraid it is not so easy as making a choice,’ Eadulf sighed. ‘It is a question of finding the truth.’
‘Are you near that truth?’
‘It takes time.’
‘Ah, tempus omnia revelat,’ intoned Brother Chilperic piously. ‘Time reveals all things. It is a good thought, Brother Eadulf, but sometimes events as well as people cannot wait. I have advised you, Brother. There may come a moment when the bishop will say, “Take the advice that Horace gave in his Epistles”.’
The Council of the Cursed Page 23