also. Isn’t this what combative children do when they fall out? One hits another and the reaction is to strike back.’
The elderly chieftain waved his hand in dismissal of her argument.
‘That is a system based on fear. Violent reprisal for a crime leads to a fierce resentment which determines the wrongdoers to inflict even more violence as vengeance; that leads to more reprisals and the production of more fear and more violence.’
Abbess Fainder was flushed with indignation at this challenge to her authority.
‘We came out of the primitive barbarism. Some remain in it. If we want to prevent crime then we must use means that primitive barbarian minds understand. Spare the rod and spoil the child. The same applies with adults. Once they understand that the penalty of wrongdoing is death then they will not transgress.’
Fidelma thought it time to intervene in the heated argument.
‘Such a debate, interesting as it is, is leading us nowhere. I have come to ask you some questions, Abbess Fainder. With your permission I would request that Coba withdraw so that we may discuss the matter in private.’
Coba was not offended.
‘My business with the abbess is done. I need to speak with your
Fidelma inclined her head in acknowledgment.
After Coba had left, Fidelma came straight to the point.
‘You did not tell me that it was you who found the body of the murdered girl.’
Abbess Fainder did not alter her expression.
‘You did not ask,’ she replied evenly. ‘Besides, it is not exactly true.’
‘Then tell me what is the truth.’
Abbess Fainder sat back reflectively, her hands palm down in what Fidelma realised was a characteristic position.
‘As I recall the matter, that night I was returning to the abbey …’
‘A curious time for the abbess to be returning to her abbey. It was after midnight, or so I am told.’
The other woman shrugged. ‘I know of no rule which forbids an abbess to leave her abbey.’
‘Where had you been?’
For a moment Abbess Fainder’s eyes narrowed in aggravation. Then she relaxed and smiled again.
‘That is none of your business,’ she said without malice. ‘Suffice to say that it has nothing to do with this affair.’
Fidelma realised that she could hardly press the point without further knowledge.
‘I am told you were on horseback.’
‘I was returning along the riverbank to the gates which overlook the abbey’s quay on the river. Our stables are just there.’
‘I have seen the place,’ Fidelma assured her.
‘I was riding along the path …’
‘Was there moonlight?’
The abbess frowned for a moment. ‘I don’t think so. No, it was a cloudy night and dark. I was about to turn into the gate when something attracted my attention.’
‘Which was?’ pressed Fidelma after she had paused.
‘I think on reflection it was a sound near a pile of bales and boxes that had been landed from one of the trading boats which had arrived that day.’
‘A sound?’
‘I do not know exactly. But something attracted my attention and I eased my horse near to the bales. That was when I saw the huddled shape of the body.’
‘Yet it was cloudy and dark. You had no torch. How could you see that it was a body in such conditions?’
Abbess Fainder pondered the question.
‘I don’t recall. There must have been some light from somewhere. I just know that I saw the huddled form and knew it was a body. Perhaps the moon came out momentarily from the clouds. I don’t know.’
‘What then?’
‘I sat for a moment and then Mel, the captain of the watch, came out of the darkness. I did not recognise him at first and so I called out to ask who he was. When I saw it was Mel, the captain of the watch, I asked him to examine the body. He did so and told me that it was ayoung girl: she was dead. I instructed him to bring the body into the abbey and I went to rouse Brother Miach, our physician.’
‘I see. And the body was brought in by Mel?’
‘It was.’
‘By Mel alone?’
‘No, by Mel and one of his comrades.’
‘Do you recall his name?’
‘It was a man called Daig,’ she said shortly.
‘When the body was laid out, I presume that you recognised it as one of your young novitiates?’
‘Not at all. I had never seen her before. It was the girl who had also been brought in, Fial, she who witnessed the attack by your Saxon friend, who identified her,’ the abbess said viciously.
‘You had never seen either of those girls before that night. Isn’t that strange?’
‘There is no mystery there for I do not greet all the novitiates, as I have said before.’
‘So you heard from Fial that she had apparently witnessed the rape and murder of her companion?’
‘By this time, Sister Étromma had been found and she led us to where the Saxon was pretending to be asleep. He was dragged from his bed. There was blood on his robe and we found a torn piece of the dead girl’s robe in his possession.’
Fidelma stroked the side of her nose with a slim forefinger, brows drawn together.
‘Didn’t you think that was odd?’
‘How so?’ demanded the abbess belligerently.
‘That after such a crime, the attacker would tear a piece of his victim’s clothing off and take it with him to bed as incriminating evidence? And the fact that he had not attempted to clean the blood off his own robe — isn’t that odd?’
Abbess Fainder shrugged. ‘It is not my place to delve into the motivations of a sick mind. People behave strangely, you must know that. One explanation is that your Saxon friend had no time, having realised a hue and cry had been raised. He simply hoped he would not be noticed.’
‘I concede that you have a point but I would not accept that it is not our place to delve into the motivations of sick minds. Isn’t that what we are here for, Mother Abbess, to give comfort and succour to the sick and distressed by our understanding?’
‘We are not here to make up excuses for the evil-minded, Sister. “Whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap” — you should remember Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians?’
‘There is a fine line in discovering reasons and making up excuses.’ Fidelma swung abruptly towards the door then she paused and glanced back. ‘I also came to give you notice, Abbess Fainder, that I am going to proceed with an appeal based on the evidence that I have heard so far.’
For a moment Abbess Fainder looked startled.
‘Are you saying that you have grounds on which to appeal on behalf of the Saxon?’ she demanded.
At that moment the door swung open and Coba re-entered without knocking.
Abbess Fainder rose from her chair in quiet anger. ‘Have you taken leave of your manners, to come bursting into my chamber without knocking,’ she said icily. ‘I am …’
‘I came to warn you,’ he interrupted, though there was dry humour in his tone.
‘Warn me?’ Abbess Fainder was astonished.
‘The King is approaching the abbey,’ the
