Suffer Little Children

Martan nodded reluctantly.

'Tell me about it.' invited Fidelma.

'It was the day before Dacan was found. I happened to be walking along the corridor to the library. I was going to collect a copy of the Aphorisms of Hippocrates, which the abbey possesses.' He spoke with pride. 'As I passed down the corridor, I heard voices coming from a small side room, the chamber in which Sister Grella has her officium. It is a room off the main library hall which has an entrance leading into the corridor.'

Fidelma waited patiently while the brother paused to collect his thoughts.

'I heard Brother Midach's voice raised in anger and so I stopped outside the door. I was surprised to find him at the library. Also it was unusual that anything would cause anger to Brother Midach because he is usually a most happy and mirthful man.'

He paused, looking awkward.

'Go on,' invited Fidelma. 'You halted outside the open door? What then?'

'It was only that it was unusual to hear Midach so angry,' began Martan repetitiously, as if to exonerate himself from the guilt of eavesdropping. He halted as he saw the annoyance spread on Fidelma's face. 'I realized that the person he was arguing with was none other than the Venerable Dacan.'

'And the cause of the argument?'

'It seems that Dacan was accusing Midach of going through his writings, of reading material that he had no right to. Midach hotly denied it, of course. Dacan was so beside himself in rage that he threatened to report Midach to the abbot.'

'Midach replied that he would report Dacan for treating the staff at the hostel as slaves, especially young Sister Necht. At that, Dacan was so angry that he accused Midach of having a relationship with Sister Necht. Midach seemed to take this seriously and replied that he simply had acted as foster-father to Necht. And his relationship was only paternal. Anyway, Midach added, it was none of Dacan's business.'

Fidelma was not surprised that Midach could be Necht's foster-father. It was quite common for children to be sent away from home for their education at the age of seven. The process was known as fostering and the foster- parents were required to maintain their fosterlings according to their rank and provide education for them. A girl would often complete her education by the age of fourteen, although some, such as Fidelma herself, could continue to seventeen. Yet fourteen was the age of choice and maturity for a girl. A boy would continue until he was seventeen. Fosterage was a legal contract regarded as being of benefit to both households. There were two types of fosterage in law. One was for 'affection' in which no fees were exchanged. The other was where the natural parents paid for the fosterage of their child. Fosterage was the principal method of educating children in society.

'Are you sure he said he was foster-father?'

'The term datan was definitely used.'

It was the legal term one used for a foster-father.

'Did you know that Midach was foster-father to Sister Necht?'

Martan shook his head.

'Just what did you think that Brother Midach's relationship was?' she prompted.

'To Necht?'

'Precisely.'

'Midach was Necht's anamchara, her soul-friend. That is all I know. As such they were friendly and close with one another.'

'So Midach obviously felt responsible for Necht?'

'I suppose so,' agreed Martan.

'Did it surprise you that Dacan would accuse Midach of such an affair? Dacan had a reputation of a man of aloof serenity. What made him suddenly attack Midach?'

'He was no saint. He was a strange, ill-tempered man who tested Midach's temper to the extreme,' replied Martan. 'All I know is that I overheard Midach reacting badly. He told Dacan not to interfere and if he continued to do so and insult Midach, then Midach would…'

He paused and his eyes rounded as he realized what he was about to say.

'Go on,' urged Fidelma. 'He obviously threatened physical violence.'

'Midach said he would kill him,' agreed Martan softly.

There was a pause.

'Do you think he meant it?'

'I do not,' protested the apothecary. 'Nor do I set myself to judge other people in their personal habits of life. If that was the way of it, that was the way of it. Midach would harm no one.'

'That's not what Midach himself threatened,' observed Fidelma dryly. 'When you learnt of Dacan's death just one day after this argument, did you not find it worrying? I presume that you made no mention of it to Brother Rumann, who had charge of the investigation?'

A tinge of color edged Marian's cheeks.

'I did not report it as I did not believe it of relevance. Midach was not in the abbey when Dacan's body had been found. If you are asking me to say that I suspect Midach of murder, I shall not. Midach is a man who loves life and enjoys life. He would no more think of destroying another life than he would of taking his own life.'

'So you did not mention this matter to Rumann?' observed Fidelma. 'What made you mention the matter now?'

Martan colored.

'I wish I had not. My only thought was that you should both know that Dacan was not the saintly man most people supposed. He could accuse people unjustly.'

'And all this came about because Dacan originally accused Midach of going through his notes and writings in the library?'

'Midach denied that also,' Martan reminded her.

'Then one more thing. You say that Midach had left the abbey on the evening before Dacan was killed. He returned six days later, so I am told. Do you know why he left and where he went?'

Martan shook his head.

'I know it was not a journey that was planned. He went by boat. It was probably some medical emergency in one of the villages. It often happens.'

'What makes you think it was not planned?'

'Because he told no one except Sister Necht, who came to inform Brother Tola only after he had left the abbey.'

'When was that?'

'Just before the completa. He must have sailed on the evening tide or he could not have gone until mid-morning on the next day.'

Fidelma's narrowed.

'You are sure of this time?'

'Absolutely.'

'Well,' Fidelma leant back, 'I think you have been of considerable help to us, Martan. You may go but I would appreciate it if you did not mention our discussion to anyone… especially to Brother Midach. Do you understand?'

Martan rose uncertainly.

'I think so, sister. I just hope I have not said the wrong thing…'

'How can truth be the wrong thing to say?' inquired Fidelma gravely.

Chapter Twelve

The next morning, as Sister Fidelma was on her way to the library to see if Sister Grella had returned, she received a summons to Abbot Brocc's chambers.