Valley of the Shadow

and follow the tracks to see if we could discover anything which Colla might have missed.’

Orla regarded him with suspicion.

‘I knew that you did not believe my husband’s report after he came to examine the bodies.’

‘It is not a question of belief or disbelief. Your husband, Colla, is not a trained dálaigh of the courts, lady,’ pointed out Eadulf. ‘He might not know what to look for. There is no substitute for one’s own trained observation.’

Orla almost ground her teeth in suppressed fury.

‘That is not the reason. I know that you both want to destroy my husband and I. For what reason I do not know.’

Fidelma regarded her sadly.

‘If you have done nothing wrong, then you need fear nothing. But it is as Eadulf has said. There is no better way to examine the scene of a crime than at first hand.’

Orla was still disbelieving.

‘And why would Murgal know where you were? You did not tell him. He was as puzzled as we were by your absconding from the ráth.’

‘Not if he had really thought about it.’ Eadulf leaned forward in his saddle in a confidential mood. ‘You see, as a Brehon, he would know that a dálaigh could not accept the prohibition issued by Laisre. Any dálaigh would have to see the evidence for themselves.’

Orla appeared confused for a moment.

‘So you followed the tracks?’ She gazed questioningly at Fidelma. Was there fear in her eyes? ‘What did you discover that Colla could not?’

Fidelma felt it time to deflect the conversation.

‘It was exactly as your husband told us,’ she replied blandly. ‘The tracks vanished and we found nothing else.’

Orla gave her a searching look and then sighed and resumed her scornful countenance.

‘So it was a waste of time, your coming here?’

‘A waste of time,’ intoned Fidelma as if in agreement.

‘Then you will not mind if my warriors and I escort you back to the ráth of Gleann Geis?’

Fidelma shrugged.

‘It makes little difference whether you escort us or not for that is where we are going.’

Orla signalled to the band of warriors who sheathed their swords and turned their horses to allow Fidelma and Eadulf a passage through their circle. Orla drew her horse close by Fidelma’s and they led the way forward with Eadulf behind and the column of mounted warriors bringing up the rear.

‘We have told you the results of our inquiries,’ observed Fidelma. ‘In return you may tell us the news of Murgal’s investigation of the murder of Brother Dianach. Has Artgal been found?’

Orla glared at her. For a moment or two it seemed as if she was going to refuse to answer. Then she shrugged nonchalantly.

‘Murgal has already resolved the mystery. At least that is one killing that you cannot claim you saw me walk away from.’

Fidelma decided to ignore the thrust. She was, however, interested to hear that Murgal had solved the mystery.

‘Who was the guilty party?’ she pressed.

‘Why, Artgal of course?’

‘Then Artgal has been discovered and confessed?’

‘No,’ returned Orla. ‘But his disappearance is his admission of guilt.’

Fidelma lowered her head thoughtfully. She remained silent for a short while before speaking.

‘It is true that Artgal’s disappearance looks bad. However, it can only be argued that it does not do his case good. To move on and say that it is an admission of guilt is taking the interpretation too far.’

‘It seems logical to me,’ snapped Orla. ‘The Christian monk bribed Artgal. When the bribe was discovered, Artgal killed the monk to prevent him saying what he knew.’

‘There is a flaw in that logic, as he had already demonstrated his guilt,’ Fidelma observed.

‘Besides,’ Eadulf added with confidence, ‘Nemon could easily testify that Brother Dianach had bought the cows from her to give to Artgal. Artgal had already confessed that he had received them.’

Orla was almost pitying.

‘You should inform your assistant more carefully on the laws of the Brehons.’

Eadulf glanced questioningly at Fidelma.

‘A prostitute cannot testify,’ Fidelma explained quietly. ‘According to the Berrad Airechta a prostitute cannot give evidence against anyone. So any evidence Nemon offers is not acceptable under the law.’

‘But Murgal is her foster-father and Murgal is a Brehon. That is nonsense. Surely, with such a powerful foster-father, Nemon has some rights in this matter?’

‘It is our law, Saxon,’ snapped Orla.

‘Because it is the law does not make the truth any less of the truth,’ replied Eadulf stoutly.

‘Dura lex sed lex,’ sighed Fidelma, echoing in Latin almost the same phrase as Murgal had once used to him. ‘The law is hard butit is the law … for the time being. I hear that Abbot Laisran of Durrow is going to propose an amendment to that law at the next Great Council meeting …’

‘He hasn’t a chance of proceeding with an amendment to allow prostitutes the right of giving evidence,’ Orla sniffed disapprovingly.

‘That is up to the Great Council which sits at Uisneach next year.’

Orla was silent for a while considering the matter.

‘Well,’ she said at last, ‘whatever the future, the Brehon Murgal is satisfied that since Artgal has disappeared, there is an end to the matter. We can accept that Artgal killed Dianach and fled the valley.’

‘Rather conveniently,’ muttered Fidelma.

‘There is nothing more to be said.’

‘Perhaps. Perhaps not.’

Orla stared angrily at Fidelma for a few moments and made to speak, changed her mind and shrugged to indicate her indifference. In such silence they came to the ráth of Laisre of Gleann Geis.

Chapter Eighteen

They rode into the ráth of Laisre. The same two stable boys who had greeted them when they had first arrived were in attendance and took their mounts. It was only then that Orla addressed them again. There was a curtness in her voice.

‘Laisre and Murgal will want to speak with you immediately. They will be in the council chamber.’

Neither Fidelma nor Eadulf said anything as they followed her into the council chamber.

Laisre was seated on his official chair speaking earnestly with Murgal and Colla. They broke off their conversation to stare in surprise as Orla ushered Fidelma and Eadulf forward. Laisre did not conceal his expression of dislike as his gaze met Fidelma’s. Colla looked slightly bewildered at her appearance while Murgal’s countenance bore a look of cynical amusement.

‘So,’ Laisre said in quiet satisfaction, ‘you have caught our fugitives, Orla?’

Fidelma raised an eyebrow disdainfully.

‘Caught? Have you given orders for my capture then, Laisre? If so — why? And what is this talk of our being fugitive?’

‘I found her and the foreigner riding back here,’ Orla interposed hastily. ‘She said that had Murgal thought more deeply about matters then he would know why she had left the ráth when she did.’

Laisre glanced at his Druid.

‘Did you know that Fidelma was leaving?’