Suffer Little Children

events so far, Salbach?'

Salbach's mouth was pressed tight. He was clearly shocked at the extent of her awareness and knew that there was little he could say in the face of Fidelma's remorseless knowledge except to resort to truth.

'You have a brilliant mind, Fidelma. I knew that I should not underestimate you. Yes, you are right. I accept your knowledge.'

'When you came to this abbey and found that Sister Eisten had survived with several of her children, you could not dare allow that to pass. Intat, doubtless on your orders, managed to waylay Sister Eisten while she was down at the harbor. He tortured her to find out where the sons of Ulan had been taken. She would not reply and so he killed her, dumping her body in the waters of the inlet.'

'Grella came to your aid once more, eventually discovering that some children from Rae na Serine had been taken to the house of Molua. The bodies of four religious and twenty children and the charred ruins of their houses are the mute testament to Intat's visit.'

'I will deny nothing. But let me take oath that my cousin, Scandlan of Osraige, did not know my plans to safeguard the kingship of Osraige for our family. Neither did Grella. She is innocent of the blood that I have spilt.'

Fidelma regarded Salbach with an expression of undisguised revulsion. She found it difficult to accept that a man could admit responsibility for such death and destruction but could seek to protect others with a twisted concept of honor and love. But then it was a strange world and humankind were the strangest creatures in it.

Grella was sobbing openly now, crying: 'I did not know any of this! I did not know!'

Fidelma glanced at her without pity.

'You were so besotted by your love for Salbach that you had not reasoned out the truth. I concede that it is possible but find it difficult to believe. You would not believe that your lover was capable of ordering the death of little children. I think the reality is that you did not want to know what was going on around you.'

There was a commotion at one of the doors. Fidelma smiled sourly when she saw that Scandlan's seat was empty. The Chief Brehon had noticed also and waved to a member of the fianna and issued instructions in a low voice.

'Your cousin will not get out of this abbey,' Barran told Salbach.

'What does it matter now?' Salbach gave an eloquent shrug. 'I have admitted my guilt in this matter. I am prepared to stand for judgment. Doubtless my wealth and chieftainship will be forfeit as compensation and I shall be sent into exile. I am prepared for it. Let us proceed with the judgment forthwith.'

Forbassach had risen from the Laigin benches amid the pandemonium that had broken out. He was smiling crookedly.

'We are grateful to Sister Fidelma for discovering the culprit. But I must point out that Salbach, as chieftain of the Corco Lofgde, still owes his allegiance to Cashel. What Fidelma is proving is that responsibility for the death of Dacan still rests with Cashel. Our demand for Osraige as his honor price is still valid.'

The Chief Brehon, Barran, looked grave.

'That appears true. Or is there more to this story you wish to tell us, Sister Fidelma?'

'Much more,' Fidelma affirmed grimly. 'For I am not accusing Salbach of the death of Dacan. He is only responsible for the slaughter of the innocents, for the death of those I have named. Neither he nor Grella killed the Venerable Dacan.'

Chapter Twenty

There was a murmur of excitement from the Muman benches as Sister Fidelma made her surprising announcement. Colgu had been wearing a long face. He had already been aware of the point which Forbassach was bound to make. Now he stared in astonishment at his sister.

'If Salbach did not kill Dacan,' the Chief Brehon demanded, with an air of exaggerated patience, 'are you going to reveal to this assembly who did?'

'We must come to that logically,' Fidelma replied. 'First let us go back to the day when, going through the genealogies here, Dacan discovered the whereabouts of the heirs of Ulan. I have already said that he sat down and wrote a letter to his brother Noe.'

Noe leaned forward in his seat and spoke rapidly to Forbassach.

The fiery advocate rose again.

'There is no proof that Dacan, even if engaged in such a search, reported to the Abbot Noe; there is no evidence that he had even been asked to report to the abbot. In view of that, this assertion is an affront to the abbot and to Fianamail of Laigin.'

'I will contest that,' replied Fidelma with assurance. 'I have also requested the presence at this hearing of Assid of the Uf Dego. Is he within the court?'

A well-built man with the rolling gait of a sailor came forward. His skin was tanned, his hair sun-bleached and therefore it was impossible to discern its color.

'I am Assid,' he announced in an almost defiant tone. 'I appear before this assembly by order of the Chief Brehon but I appear unwillingly for I have no intention of bringing harm to my king.'

He stood before the cos-na-dala with arms folded, staring in antagonism towards Fidelma.

'Let that be so recorded,' the Chief Brehon cautioned his scriptor.

'Let it be recorded that Assid is, indeed, a loyal subject of Fianamail of Laigin,' added Fidelma lightly with a smile.

'I do not deny that,' affirmed Assid suspiciously.

'Are you the captain and owner of a coastal trading barc?'

'I do not deny that, either.'

'For the last year or so have you traded between Laigin and the lands of the Corco Loigde?'

'Once again, I do not deny it.'

'And you were staying in the abbey on the night the Venerable Dacan died?'

'That's common knowledge.'

'You left the abbey on the same day and sailed directly for Laigin. You went to Fearna and reported Dacan's murder to Fianamail and Abbot Noe.'

Assid hesitated and nodded slowly, trying to see where Fidelma's path was leading.

'This was why Laigin was able to act so swiftly over this matter.' Fidelma made the statement as an explanation to the assembly, rather than putting it as a question to Assid. 'Tell us, Assid, for I have not had time to question you before, what were the circumstances of that evening in the abbey? Tell us when you last saw the Venerable Dacan alive and when you heard of his death?'

Assid seemed to lose his aggressive posture for a moment and he reached forward to use the rail before him as a support, leaning his weight from the shoulders upon it.

'It is true,' he began slowly, addressing himself to the Chief Brehon, 'that I was trading along this coast and had decided to put in to Ros Ailithir and seek a night's rest at the abbey's hostel. There I saw the Venerable Dacan…'

'Whom you greeted as someone you knew?' interposed Fidelma.

Assid hesitated and then shrugged.

'Who in Laigin does not know the Venerable Dacan?' he countered.

'But you knew him better than most for you greeted him as an old friend. There is a witness,' she added in case it was denied.

'Then I shall not deny it,' Assi'd agreed.

'It makes me wonder why you put in to Ros Ailithir? Pure chance? No. There were other hostels along the coast. You could even have stayed at Cuan Doir. Yet you put in here. It leads me to suspect that you had arranged to meet Dacan.'

Assid looked uncomfortable. It was obvious that Fidelma was correct in her assumption.

'So I asked myself why you had an assignation to meet Dacan here? Will you tell us or shall I explain?'

Assi'd seemed to be attempting to catch the eye of those on the Laigin benches.

Fidelma turned to the book satchel on the bench where she had been sitting and drew out some pieces of vellum.

'I present, in evidence, the draft of a letter written by Dacan to his brother, the Abbot Noe, informing him of