Valley of the Shadow

she picked herbs for the apothecary. It took me some time to make the link. The apothecary was her daughter. Then I remembered that when Murgal made an advance to Marga at the feast Marga had slapped him and walked out. It was Cruinn who went after her to comfort her, casting an angry look at Murgal.’

‘Marga is a beautiful woman,’ confessed Murgal, embarrassed. ‘No harm in paying tribute to beauty.’

‘It depends how that tribute is paid. And harm might have been your lot if you had been as blatant as Brother Solin was. You might have ended your life as Solin did if you had pressed your unwanted attentions further. Cruinn wanted to keep her daughter pure for the marriage to her chieftain.

‘I should have paid more attention to Cruinn when she was asking about the marriage laws to chieftains. I thought she had some fantasy of her own. In fact, Marga had told her mother that Laisre had offered her marriage. Cruinn was pleased, for she was ambitious for her daughter. But she was slightly concerned and asked me about the law of marriage, especially between chieftains and commoners. Cruinn was protective of her daughter’s interests. Hence her anger at you, Murgal, for insulting her daughter in front of Laisre. Then, when she found out that Brother Solin had tried to force himself on her daughter, her fury was absolute. Not realising that Brother Solin was essential to Laisre’s plans, she saw Solin creeping from the hostel one night and thought she had found her chance for vengeance. She followed him into the stables and killed him. Just then Laisre entered to keep his assignation which concerned their plot.’

‘You are right,’ the pudgy-faced woman intervened diffidently. ‘Absolutely right. Laisre came in, even as Solin was falling to the ground. I told him that I had done it for Marga and for their future happiness. He was agitated for a moment or so but then told me to leave, taking the knife with me. He ordered me to clean it so that I would not be suspected.’

Fidelma took up the story.

‘He left the stable immediately and there I saw him wrapped in his cloak and I mistook him for his sister. Now Laisre could not accuse Marga’s mother. He was wondering what to do when I fell by chance into the situation. How perfect it would be if I, of all people, could be successfully accused of Brother Solin’s murder. If I were charged with the murder of Ultan of Armagh’s secretary, it would cause the same friction which Mael Dúin has sought. My brother might even send warriors to secure my release. It would make up for my not responding to the ritual killing in the way he had initially hoped.’

Cruinn stared at Fidelma dispassionately.

‘How did you connect me with the killing of Artgal and Dianach?’

‘You left the poison beakers in the cabin. I scented the poison hemlock that had been left in them. You knew enough from your daughter’s apothecary about preparing such a poison. Once I saw blue on Dianach’s lips I knew that he had been poisoned. But you also left an apron in your haste to get out of the cabin with Dianach once you saw us approaching. Even if Artgal had been the sort of person fastidious enough to use such a garment, the apron was too large. Besides I had seen you wearing a similar garment in the guests’ hostel. Then when Ibor told me that Artgal’s body had been found in the very passage which you had told me of, I realised that you had poisoned them both.’

Not for the first time there was a total silence in the council chamber as those gathered contemplated her horrendous story.

Murgal spoke quietly to Colla.

‘You are now our chief-elect, Colla. The decisions are yours to make.’

Colla stood uncertainly. He exchanged a glance with his wife Orla before he turned with a questioning expression to Fidelma. ‘Is it true that I am to make the decisions at Gleann Geis now?’ he asked, looking meaningfully towards Ibor and his warriors.

‘Now that this mystery has been solved, Ibor of Muirthemne and his men will await your decisions,’ confirmed Fidelma. ‘You are still chieftain-elect of Gleann Geis.’

Ibor brought his sword smartly up to salute the new chieftain.

‘Yours to command, Colla,’ he said.

‘Then Cruinn and her daughter must be restrained until such time as they can be brought to trial for what they have done; Marga for plotting the betrayal of her people in league with Laisre; and Cruinn for her cold- blooded murders. I would have been inclined to treat Cruinn with leniency due to the passion of her crime hadshe not gone on to encompass the deaths of the boy Dianach and Artgal.’

Colla took hold of his wife’s hand.

‘If I am approved by the council to be chieftain of Gleann Geis, I will denounce and repudiate Laisre’s pact with Mael Dúin of Ailech and pledge anew this clan’s allegiance to Cashel and its lawful kings.’

Ibor of Muirthemne was smiling with satisfaction.

‘Excellent. That is the report I shall be pleased to take back to Tara. Sechnassuch will be delighted. But be vigilant for this is nothing but a check to Mael Dúin’s ambitions. The northern Uí Neill will not discard their objective. While Muman presents the only obstacle to their dominance over the five kingdoms, Mael Dúin will try to devise new ways of overthrowing Cashel. So be warned.’

He turned to his warriors.

‘Release the men of Gleann Geis and tell them that they have a new chief in Colla. We will then begin our journey north back to Tara.’

He glanced across to Fidelma.

‘It has been … perhaps “pleasure” is the wrong word, but it has been “rewarding” to work with you, Fidelma of Cashel.’

‘And for me, with you, Ibor of Muirthemne.’

Ibor saluted the company again by raising his sword with a flourish before he followed his warriors from the council chamber.

Colla suddenly pointed to Rudgal, who still stood in the background, wrists tied behind his back.

‘And what of him, Fidelma? What charges do you bring against Rudgal?’

She felt a twinge of guilt for she had almost forgotten the fair-haired lovelorn warrior. She turned to Eadulf.

‘That is up to you, Eadulf. It was your life that he threatened.’

Eadulf asked Colla for the loan of his knife. Hesitantly, Colla drew it out and handed it to the Saxon, hilt first. Eadulf then called to Esnad, who seemed to have recovered from her ordeal quite quickly.

‘Take this, Esnad,’ he instructed her, ‘and release Rudgal. Then take him away and speak earnestly with him. Above all, try to explain that you do not care for me any more than I care for you.’

Esnad coloured a little, her eyes meeting those of Eadulf for a moment before falling away a little in shame. She simply inclined her head and took the knife to Rudgal.

Ronan had taken charge of Marga and her mother Cruinn and ushered them away. Nemon had departed in the company of Bairsech who seemed almost friendly towards her neighbour.

Eadulf gave a wry grimace towards Fidelma.

‘I was wondering how you would lead us from the maze that I thought I saw before me. I think you dumbfounded me as much as anyone here.’

Fidelma responded with a swift gesture of deprecation.

‘You exaggerate, Eadulf. It only seemed complicated because we were dealing with two separate motivations for the wrong doing.’

Orla came forward, her face still strained from the shock of her brother’s perfidy. She was doing her best to control it and was also a little embarrassed as she stood before Fidelma.

‘I just wanted to ask your forgiveness for my attitude when I thought …’

Fidelma held up a hand to silence her.

‘You had every reason to think of me as you did for there is always indignation when innocence is accused. I regret that there was no love in your brother’s heart for you or yours.’

‘Poor Laisre.’ The woman forced a reflective smile. ‘Yes, I can say poor Laisre even now. He was ill. I believe this powerful madness was just that — an insanity like a disease, like a cold that one cannot fight. He was still my brother, and I knew him before the disease warped his mind. I shall remember him from that time and not this time.’

Colla came forward to take his wife’s arm and he smiled contritely at the dálaigh.