Murgal shook his head indignantly.
‘Not I,’ he protested. Then his eyes suddenly narrowed. ‘Ah, I think I do know … now. You went to investigate the ritual slaughter? You did not trust Colla’s information?’
‘You did not trust me? Why?’ demanded Colla, apparently affronted.
‘Because she is a
‘What has that to do with it?’
‘Because it is the duty of a
Neither Colla nor Laisre appeared happy with the explanation.
‘I told you that I wished you to have no more to do with the affairs of Gleann Geis than can be helped,’ Laisre intoned in annoyance. ‘We could have conducted our business this morning and you could have been on your way.’
‘We will conduct our business after the matter of the murders is resolved,’ Fidelma replied firmly. Laisre seemed outraged at her contradiction of his wishes. He was about to speak when Murgal interrupted.
‘Are you saying that you can resolve the mystery?’ The Druid’s keen gaze had swept the features of Fidelma with a strange, unfathomable expression. Fidelma kept her features implacable.
‘I should be able to answer that question tomorrow morning. Tomorrow I shall name the killer of Solin and the cause of the other deaths in this place. Now, it has been a long day, we have ridden far, so we will return to the guests’ hostel. Does Cruinn still refuse to serve us? If so, perhaps you would ensure that our wants are seen to. Baths and food are the duty of a hostel under law.’
Her bright gaze swept the astonished company and then she turned from the chamber, motioning Eadulf to follow her.
Eadulf hurried to keep in step with her as she made her way across the courtyard.
‘Did you see the way Colla was looking at you?’ he asked breathlessly. ‘By saying that you will resolve the problem tomorrow, you are inviting Colla and Orla to act against you tonight.’
Fidelma smiled grimly.
‘I am hoping that they might. It would be a short cut to resolving the matter.’
Eadulf was unhappy.
‘It will be a long night before Ibor gets here.’ Then he paused and his face paled. ‘I hope you are not telling me that you have no other plan to resolve this matter than to frighten Orla and Colla into an attempt on your life in order to prove their guilt?’
‘Ecclesiastics in the book of the Apocrypha,’ she replied enigmatically.
‘Meaning?’ frowned Eadulf.
‘Do not reveal your thoughts to anyone lest you drive away your good luck.’
Eadulf snorted derisively but, wisely, said nothing further.
They made their way to the guests’ hostel. It was deserted. Eadulf took their saddle bags back to their rooms while Fidelma set to banking the fire in the kitchen to prepare hot water for the baths. She was struggling with the logs when Rudgal appeared bearing a basket with him.
‘Let me do that, Sister,’ he insisted at once, putting the basket down on the table.
Fidelma, who had been on her knees struggling with the fire, rose with a smile of gratitude.
‘I shall not be reluctant to hand over the task to you, Rudgal. I presume Cruinn is still displeased with us?’
Rudgal bent to the task of stoking the fire.
‘Cruinn is devoted to the chieftain and his family. I presume she is still angry at your accusation concerning the lady, Orla, and her husband.’
‘She is very opinionated for a hostel keeper,’ observed Eadulf coming down the stairs. ‘She should keep to her place and not pass opinions on those she is supposed to serve.’
Rudgal glanced up at him almost with a scowl.
‘Everyone should keep to their place, indeed,’ he muttered turning back to the fire.
Eadulf had almost forgotten Rudgal’s peculiar manner when he found the girl Esnad with him on the previous evening.
‘Have you brought us some food then, Rudgal?’ Fidelma asked brightly, turning to the basket, apparently not noticing Rudgal’s scowl.
‘Yes, Sister,’ Rudgal replied shortly. He had enticed the fire into a strong blaze. He stood up and moved to the basket. ‘The hot water should be ready soon. Do you want to eat before or after the bath?’
‘We will have our baths before eating.’
‘I will prepare them then,’ Rudgal offered. ‘Perhaps you will keep a watch on this kitchen fire for me while I do so?’
After he had disappeared into the bathing chambers, Eadulf grimaced towards Fidelma and whispered.
‘The man seems to bear a grudge about something and that something appears to concern the girl, Esnad. You don’t think that he is jealous or something? No, that would be nonsense.’
‘Perhaps you should discover what ails Rudgal,’ Fidelma reflected. ‘After we have eaten, I think you should seek out this Esnad and find out what it is all about.’
Eadulf looked uneasy.
‘I do not want to leave you alone until Ibor gets here. If you are going to put yourself in the position of lure to snare Orla and Colla, then you stand in great danger.’
Fidelma shook her head.
‘After we have bathed and eaten, I intend to go to Laisre’s feasting hall and make Orla and Colla feel uncomfortable. They can scarcely do anything to me in front of the assembly. It is my belief that if they intend to attempt anything they will do it in the night when all is quiet.’ She gave him a mischievous grin. ‘Maybe you will be in more danger from Esnad than I will be from Orla and Colla?’
Eadulf blushed furiously.
‘She is only a young girl,’ he muttered. ‘But you are right. There is something that needs to be explained about Rudgal’s behaviour.’
It was an hour or so later when Eadulf left Fidelma at the door of the feasting hall and went off in search of Esnad’s apartments. He knew where they were for he recalled that they were in the building where Murgal’s library was. The same building was shared by the apothecary, Marga, and by Orla and Colla themselves. Walking across the courtyard he saw the portly figure of Cruinn emerging from Marga’s apothecary and he greeted her brightly. The pudgy woman whirled round in the dusk, glared at him, said nothing but hurried away. It was clear that the hostel keeper was firm in her new-found dislike of him.
Eadulf turned into the building. He was surprised to find Laisre standing in the entrance hall. The chieftain also appeared taken unawares to see him and demanded, in a gruff voice, to know what he was doing there. Eadulf felt that he should not mention Esnad and made an excuse that he was going to Murgal’s library. Laisre merely gave a grunt and moved off without another word. He seemed as anxious to leave Eadulf’s company as Eadulf was for him to do so.
Eadulf climbed the stairs to where he had seen the entrance to Esnad’s apartments. He hesitated a moment to summon courage and then knocked on the door. The girl’s voice called for him to enter and he braced his shoulders and did so.
Esnad looked up from a chair in momentary surprise. Then she smiled, almost a proprietorial smile. Before her was a wooden table laid out with the Brandub board and pieces set ready. She was seated at the board and had obviously been examining it for a strategy of play. Eadulf cast a look round. The girl was alone. A fire burnt in the hearth for it was chilly in spite of the summer. A cool eveninggloom hung outside. The girl already had a lamp lit and suspended from the ceiling over the table.
‘Ha, Saxon! I heard that you had returned. Have you come to play Brandub with me?’ she greeted.
‘Er, not exactly,’ he muttered, wondering how to question her.
