Dancing With Demons

by Peter Tremayne

  Fidelma leaned forward. ‘Had the High King been alone in his chamber?’ she asked.

  Irél frowned. ‘Alone? Well, there was the body of Dubh Duin.’

  Fidelma smiled without humour. ‘What I meant to say was, was there anyone else present? I want to find out who raised the alarm that alerted the guards, Lugna and his comrade. They tell me that they heard a scream. But who screamed?’

  ‘I am a warrior, lady – and when I saw Sechnussach’s wounds I asked myself the same question. I ordered a search of the adjacent rooms in case someone else was hiding there who had seen the murder, but there was no one. There are three rooms in the High King’s apartment. All were empty. Only Sechnussach and his assassin were in the bedchamber.’

  ‘No one else could have hidden in the other rooms? You are sure that the door of the privy that leads outside was firmly bolted on the inside?’

  ‘Yes, I am certain. Dubh Duin was alone and did not have any accomplices. Lugna told me that when he and his comrade entered the bedchamber, Dubh Duin was in the act of collapsing to the ground, having stabbed himself. There was no one else. I had to conclude that the cry did come from the High King.’

  Fidelma sighed softly. ‘Then we will let the mystery remain for the time being. Let us move on to other matters. You have served in the Fianna for a long time, I presume?’

  ‘Since the age of choice. I joined at seventeen.’

  ‘You must be an accomplished warrior, to have risen to command a battalion, one of the three permanent battalions of the Fianna, in so short a time. And, indeed, the premier battalion to guard Tara.’

  ‘It was Sechnussach who promoted me to the command,’ replied Irél.

  ‘So he placed great trust in you?’

  ‘That would have been for him to say, lady. I served him faithfully, if that is what you mean.’

  ‘Not exactly. What I mean is that Sechnussach entrusted you to carry out missions on his behalf that required your loyalty.’

  Irél frowned, not understanding what she was getting at. Then he said, ‘As his commander and tréin-fher, his appointed champion, that was my job – to carry out whatever task he entrusted to me.’

  ‘And now Sechnussach is dead. The Great Assembly has appointed me to investigate his assassination and therefore has given me authority to question all who might help in that task.’

  Irél nodded slowly. ‘That is understood, lady. That is why, when I heard you wished to speak with me, I came seeking you.’

  ‘Just so. So now I want you to tell me what task Sechnussach asked you to undertake in the matter of Bishop Luachan of Delbna Mór.’

  Irél’s face showed his surprise at the question. ‘That was supposed to be a secret matter,’ he said.

  ‘Supposed to be,’ she replied with emphasis. ‘But now it is part of my investigation.’

  Irél hesitated a moment and then shrugged. ‘It happened several days before the assassination. Sechnussach called me to him and asked me to take a journey to Delbna Mór and seek out the bishop. I was to escort Bishop Luachan to Tara, bringing him surreptitiously to the High King’s house by night. Sechnussach said he would ensure that his personal steward …’

  ‘Brother Rogallach?’

  ‘Yes, that Brother Rogallach would be waiting at the gates at midnight to escort us directly to the High King.’

  ‘And so you went to Delbna Mór?’

  ‘Even as Sechnussach requested.’

  ‘Was Bishop Luachan surprised to see you?’

  Irél shook his head. ‘He apparently knew in advance why I had come and that I was to escort him to Tara.’

  ‘And what was the reason for this visit?’

  ‘I do not know.’

  Fidelma frowned irritably. ‘You do not know?’ she repeated in a tone of disbelief.

  ‘I tell you the truth, lady. Sechnussach never told me anything more than I have told you. Luachan came willingly with no word spoken on the journey about its cause nor intention. As I say, he seemed to know the reason already.’

  ‘It is a long ride from Delbna Mór to Tara. Did he really say nothing?’

  ‘He seemed content with his own thoughts, although several times he appeared to be very nervous.’

  ‘Nervous? In what way?’

  ‘He would shy at shadows. I suspected that he thought we might be ambushed along the way. When I asked him, he muttered something about thieves and robbers.’

  ‘I see. Go on.’

  ‘Well, everything went as planned. We reached Tara in safety and we found Brother Rogallach awaiting us at the gate with the guard to pass us through. He took us straight to the royal house. I was told to take the horses to the stable, see to their needs and refresh myself and prepare to leave again before daylight … ’

  ‘Having arrived at what hour?’

  ‘Just after midnight. In fact, now I recall, it was the very night before the High King’s assassination.’

  ‘What then?’

  ‘I did as I was told. I came back well before dawn. I found Brother Rogallach standing guard outside the High King’s bedchamber and the bishop still closeted with the High King.’

  ‘In his bedchamber?’

  Irél heard the note of incredulity and said, ‘I know – it was unusual for anyone to be received there.’

  ‘So even Brother Rogallach was not privy to the meeting?’

  ‘It would seem not. Whatever passed between Sechnussach and Bishop Luachan passed in secret. In fact, I asked Brother Rogallach at the time what it was about and he swore that he knew nothing.’

  Eadulf rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘A strange affair, to be sure,’ he said to Fidelma.

  ‘I waited with Brother Rogallach,’ went on Irél. ‘After a while, Sechnussach unlocked the door of his chamber … ’

  ‘What! He and Luachan were meeting behind a locked door!’ Fidelma exclaimed.

  ‘Yes. That, too, was unusual,’ agreed the guard commander. ‘He opened the door and saw me standing ready. He asked whether I was ready to escort Bishop Luachan back to Delbna Mór. Naturally, I replied in the affirmative. But Luachan said that it would not be necessary. If I could escort him to the other side of the great river on the road to Delbna Mór, he would be satisfied.’

  ‘He was prepared to undertake the long journey without adequate rest?’ Fidelma asked curiously.

  ‘Bishop Luachan is a strong man. Anyway, he explained that he had a friend on the other side of the great river, not far from the ferry landing, with whom he would rest before commencing the journey back.’

  ‘And on your journey to the place where you left him, was anything said about this strange meeting? No word, no gossip?’

  ‘Nothing at all. The bishop was just as silent as he had been on our journey to Tara. Grim and taciturn is how I would describe his attitude. All I know is all that I have told you, lady. I can add nothing else.’ He paused and suddenly became thoughtful.

  ‘Except?’ prompted Fidelma.

  ‘It is probably nothing at all, but I think that he brought a special gift for Sechnussach.’

  ‘A gift?’

  ‘He had a saddlebag. I remember that when we left Delbna Mór he put something in it wrapped in linen cloth. When we arrived here, he took it out and carried it into the meeting with Sechnussach. When he left, he was not carrying it, so it follows that he must have left it with the High King. I noted that it seemed to be a heavy object.’

  ‘Heavy?’ Eadulf queried.

  ‘You could tell that by the way he carried it.’

  ‘What shape was it? Can you recall?’

  Irél thought for a moment. ‘The shape may have been distorted by the wrapping of the cloth, but I think it was circular. It was about a troighid in diameter but very thin, like a plate.’

  Eadulf quickly calculated the Irish measurement to something like the average foot in length.

  ‘So it was not too large, but it was heavy. It must have been made of metal or stone – probably metal.’
r />   ‘Perhaps.’

  ‘And you have no idea what it was?’

  ‘None.’

  ‘Thank you, Irél. You have been most explicit. I may want to speak with you again.’

  The warrior rose and raised a hand to his forehead in half-salute before turning and leaving them alone in the study.

  Eadulf sighed. ‘That really does not help us much.’

  Fidelma glanced at him. ‘One nut does not help a squirrel pass through a winter,’ she replied. ‘But the squirrel, each day, continues gathering a nut here and another nut there until he has built a pile of nuts which are his store that will help him survive.’

  Eadulf regarded her blankly.

  ‘We are the nut gatherers,’ she relented and explained. ‘We gather the nuts until we have our store, and looking at the store we come to the solution. One thing I should explain to you is that Delbna Mór is not that far away from the territory of the Cinél Cairpre whose chieftain was Dubh Duin. Now let us go in search of Muirgel.’

  But the girl was difficult to find. Returning to the High King’s house, Fidelma asked the guard outside where she was but he expressed his lack of knowledge in a disinterested tone and suggested that one of the servants might know. The couple passed inside but found little sign of the servants or anyone else.

  Undeterred, Fidelma started up the stairs towards the apartments above. Eadulf followed nervously.

  ‘Is it the custom to wander around the High King’s house unannounced in this fashion?’ he whispered.

  ‘I see no one to challenge us on the matter,’ Fidelma replied determinedly.

  At the top of the stairs she paused and then stepped towards the door of the apartment in which the High King’s family stayed when in residence. She halted, knocked and listened. There was no response or movement from inside. She waited a moment more and then glanced at Eadulf before reaching to turn the handle.

  The room that met their gaze was almost as bare as the High King’s own chamber.

  Fidelma and Eadulf gazed around in surprise.

  ‘Well, it seems as though none of the High King’s family reside here, and I would say that they have not done so for some time,’ Fidelma observed. ‘Abbot Colmán said that Gormflaith and her daughters had another residence within the royal enclosure but it is certainly strange that there is no sign of an occupant of this apartment.’

  She went round the room, noticing the layer of dust on the empty shelves and boxes.

  ‘Who are you?’ cried a commanding voice suddenly. ‘How dare you enter these chambers without permission?’

  The pair swung round and saw the figure of a woman standing in the open doorway, regarding them with suspicion. She was not young, like Báine or Cnucha, but she still had a voluptuous beauty, a figure that was mature but eye-catching even with the drab clothing of a house servant. She had dark hair, a pale skin and bright eyes whose colour was indiscernible in the shadowy light of the room.

  Fidelma studied her for a moment or two before replying: ‘I am Fidelma of Cashel, the dálaigh investigating the manner of the death of Sechnussach. That is the right by which I dare enter these chambers, and with the approval of Cenn Faelad and the Chief Brehon.’

  The woman blinked and her features altered a little in what seemed to be a look of apology.

  ‘I am sorry, lady. I did not know you. Of course, I have been told that you have arrived at the royal enclosure and are investigating this matter.’

  ‘And you are?’

  ‘I am Brónach. I am in charge of the female servants. Is there anything that I may help you with?’

  ‘Ah, Brónach. Of course. Well, this chamber does not appear to have been cleaned in some while. Why is that?’

  The woman moved further into the light. Eadulf regarded her movement and poise with appreciation. As handsome as she was now, she had probably once been a great beauty.

  ‘There is no need to clean it regularly, lady,’ replied Brónach. ‘It is not used. It would have been a different matter if it were occupied.’

  ‘It is obvious that it is not occupied,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘But I thought these were the chambers of Sechnussach’s wife and family.’

  ‘Not for some time,’ the woman replied, but there seemed a reluctant tone in her voice as she admitted the fact.

  ‘For how long?’

  The woman did not reply and when it was obvious that she was not going to, Fidelma said: ‘I am looking for Muirgel, the High King’s daughter. Where would I find her?’

  ‘There is a house to the south-east corner of the royal enclosure. You will find her there. It cannot be missed as it has a white-painted lintel. It is called Tech Laoghaire.’

  It was then Fidelma remembered that Abbot Colmán had made a passing reference to the fact that Muirgel lived in another house in the royal enclosure. She was annoyed with herself for forgetting.

  ‘Has the family of the High King lived there for long?’

  Once again Brónach shook her head. ‘I am sorry, lady, I am merely a servant in this house and am not allowed to talk about the High King and his family without direct permission of the Brother Rogallach, the bollscari.’

  ‘Even though you know I am a dalaigh?’

  ‘Even so, lady,’ the other returned tightly.

  ‘I am told that you were here on the night of the assassination.’

  ‘As you were told it, I will not deny it, but—’

  ‘You can answer fully, Brónach,’ came the voice of Abbot Colmán as he ascended the top stair and crossed the landing to join them. ‘You have full permission to answer all the questions that the dálaigh asks of you.’

  The woman shrugged as if she did not care one way or the other. Fidelma recognised that she was the ultimate loyal servant, never offering information without the approval of her superior.

  ‘I was here on the night of the assassination,’ she repeated, almost in a wooden fashion.

  Fidelma nodded briefly at the abbot as if to indicate her thanks and then turned back to Brónach.

  ‘Tell me about it.’

  ‘Nothing to tell. I was asleep and then I was awakened by people shouting. I went to my door and—’

  ‘Your room is where?’ Fidelma interrupted.

  ‘Just along the corridor here.’

  ‘Did you hear a scream? Was that what awakened you?’

  The woman shook her head. ‘I heard no scream but people were shouting. I went to the door and saw Torpach and Maoláin in the corridor with the girl Báine. Brother Rogallach was coming from his room.’

  ‘I presume that it was they who were shouting?’

  ‘They were speaking loudly, it is true,’ Brónach said. ‘However, I think the shout had come from one of the guards who had already entered the High King’s chamber. Someone said that Sechnussach had been killed. We all moved to his door to see whether it was true. Then Irél came running up the stairs.’ She turned to the abbot. ‘I think the abbot arrived then and took charge. That is all I know.’

  ‘Very well,’ Fidelma said. Then: ‘One other thing. I presume you or the other servants cleaned the High King’s chambers after … after his body was taken away?’

  Brónach seemed to stiffen a little. ‘We did nothing until we had full permission from the abbot here, and he was acting with the authority of the Chief Brehon.’

  ‘Of course,’ Fidelma said soothingly. ‘I would not suggest that you did anything without permission. However, when you were tidying the room and cleaning up, did you notice a particular object? It would have been circular in shape and about a troighid in diameter. Also, it would have been made of heavy metal.’

  Brónach glanced nervously at the abbot before shaking her head.

  ‘I would not have removed anything without permission,’ she stated.

  ‘I did not suggest otherwise. I said, did you observe such an object?’

  ‘I do not recall seeing any such object like that,’ the woman replied quietly.

  Abbot Colmán w
as frowning. ‘Was it something of importance?’ he asked.

  ‘Probably not,’ Fidelma said. ‘Just something I wanted to have clear in my mind.’ She turned back to Brónach. ‘What items did you remove from the High King’s chambers?’

  ‘Only the clothes and linen from the bed.’

  ‘The bedlinen?’

  ‘Indeed. That needed to be taken to be laundered for there was blood on it.’

  ‘Of course. But I understand there would have been too much blood for the bedlinen to simply be laundered.’

  Brónach shook her head. ‘Not so much blood that the bedlinen could not be used again. But Brother Rogallach, who is the head of the household, said it was unlucky for the sheets to be used again in the royal household.’

  ‘So what happened to them?’

  ‘After I washed them? Well, on Brother Rogallach’s instructions, I took them to the market and sold them.’

  ‘And there was not so much blood on them that they could not be re-used?’ queried Fidelma thoughtfully.

  ‘I have said as much.’

  ‘And you are sure that there was nothing else, no object of a circular nature, anywhere in the apartment?’

  ‘I have said as much,’ repeated the woman stubbornly.

  ‘Have you served here for many years?’

  ‘I came here three years ago, lady. When my husband was killed.’

  ‘Your husband?’

  ‘He was Curnán, son of Aed, of the Fianna, lady. He was killed in an attack by the Dál Riada. Sechnussach offered me a place in his house as the chief of his female servants. I have been here since.’

  Fidelma glanced around the empty room. ‘That will be all, Brónach. Thank you.’

  As the woman left them, Abbot Colmán said: ‘I came looking for you as I heard you had finished questioning Irél.’

  ‘We were looking for Muirgel, the daughter of Sechnussach.’

  The abbot was apologetic. ‘I thought I had mentioned that Sechnussach’s family dwell in their own house just outside the royal enclosure.’

  ‘You had, and I had forgotten,’ Fidelma admitted.

  ‘So,’ Eadulf put in, ‘do we understand that the High King’s wife and daughters dwelled separately from him?’