Our Lady of Darkness

reassure the woman. However, her own heart was beating rapidly. She knew that she must not allow Forbassach to dominate the situation.

Then a thin, whining masculine voice, slurred by alcohol, rose above the hubbub and confusion.

‘What’s this noise? This is an inn and I paid for a good bed and a night’s sleep.’

Behind the crowd at the door a small man pushed his way forward. He had clearly been roused from an alcohol-induced sleep; his hair was dishevelled, a cloak wrapped around him for decency’s sake.

Bishop Forbassach turned, vexed by the interruption.

‘What is happening is no concern of yours, Gabrán. Get back where you belong!’

The little man moved forward a step, almost like a terrier squaring up to a hound. He squinted almost short-sightedly at the bishop and then recognised him. He started to mumble apologies and backed away in confusion. Forbassach turned to Fidelma once more.

‘So, you were claiming that the Saxon is not here?’

Fidelma’s eyes were bright in anticipation.

‘I am not claiming anything: I am telling you that he is not. It seems that he has escaped?’

Bishop Forbassach greeted her question with a sneer. ‘As if you do not know.’

‘I do not know.’

‘He is not in his cell in the abbey. He has escaped and Brother Cett here was knocked unconscious by those who aided him in that escape.’

Fidelma took a sharp inward breath as he confirmed her deduction. A sudden breath of hope. She gave Forbassach a hard look.

‘You accuse me of helping him escape? I am a dálaigh and constrained by the laws of the courts of the five kingdoms. I knew nothing of this until you told me this moment. Why do you break intomy room in the middle of the night with a use of force and threaten me and my companions?’

‘For obvious reasons. The Saxon made no attempt to escape until you arrived and it was clear that he did not escape on his own account.’

‘On my dálaigh’s oath, Forbassach, I have had no hand in this matter. This much you could have learnt from me without your dramatic entrance and use of unnecessary force. Nor is it necessary for you to continue in your violence to my companions.’

Bishop Forbassach turned to where Dego and Enda were still bent double in excruciating pain in the hands of his men.

‘Let them up,’ he reluctantly ordered.

The men holding the two Cashel warriors loosed their holds. Forbassach gave them a moment to recover their breath.

‘Well, accepting your word that you had no hand in the matter, perhaps your men acted in your stead. Speak, you!’ He pointed abruptly to Dego.

The warrior’s eyes narrowed and doubtless he would have attacked the arrogant Brehon had he not been aware of the muscular Brother Cett at his side.

‘I know nothing about this escape, Brehon of Laigin,’ he replied in a measured tone but there was no respect in his voice which the rank of the Brehon should have commanded.

Bishop Forbassach’s face mirrored his anger.

‘And you?’ he demanded, turning to Enda.

‘I was in bed until your bullies disturbed my slumber by attacking the sister of my King,’ he said defiantly. ‘I came to defend her from your assault. You may have to answer to the consequences of that attack later.’

‘Perhaps we might persuade you to reflect on your memories,’ smiled the bishop unpleasantly.

‘This is an outrage, Forbassach!’ cried Fidelma, horrified by his insinuation. ‘You will not lay hands on my men. Remember, they are trusted warriors of my brother, the King of Cashel.’

‘Better we lay hands on them than we should lay hands on you, woman,’ broke in the surly Brother Cett.

‘There will be blood between Cashel and Fearna if you let this matter get out of hand, Bishop Forbassach!’ warned Fidelma harshly. ‘You know that even if your bullies do not.’

‘I can vouch that these two warriors have not been out of the inn this night, my lord bishop.’

The interruption came from a man who was standing outside the room and now pushed his way in.

Fidelma saw that it was Mel, the commander of the palace guard.

Bishop Forbassach looked up at him in surprise.

‘What makes you so sure of this, Mel?’ he demanded.

‘Because this is my sister’s inn, as you know, and I have been staying here this night. My bed is in the room next to where these men sleep. I am a light sleeper and I can vouch for the fact that they have not stirred until your men burst in here.’

‘You have been a long time in coming to tell me,’ observed Forbassach. ‘If you are so light a sleeper, why have you taken all this time to come to see me?’

‘Because your men started to search my sister’s inn and I thought it wiser to go with them to ensure that they were not too enthusiastic in their search and damaged her property.’

The bishop stood as if puzzled how next to proceed. It was clear that the unexpected support from the Laigin warrior had left him without room to manoeuvre. While he stood undecided, one of his men came hurrying back.

‘The inn and all the outhouses have been searched. There is no sign of the Saxon. No sign of anything at all.’

‘Are you sure? Have you searched everywhere thoroughly?’

‘Everywhere, Forbassach,’ replied the man. ‘Maybe the Saxon stole away on a boat towards Loch Garman to get a ship back to his own lands?’

Bishop Forbassach turned back to Fidelma with lips compressed angrily. Fidelma decided to seize the advantage.

‘My companions and I will accept your apology for this unwarranted intrusion, Forbassach. However, you have stretched the laws of hospitality to their limits and beyond. I will accept your apology only because it is clear that you are under some stress.’

Bishop Forbassach’s face clouded in anger for a moment and he seemed about to make a verbal attack again. Instead he hesitated and then motioned to his men to leave. His fiery eyes did not leave Fidelma’s ice-cold gaze.

‘Let me warn you, Fidelma of Cashel.’ He spoke slowly, as if he had trouble formulating his thoughts in words. ‘This matter of the Saxon’s escape is a serious one. It is known that you are a friend of his. You came here to defend him. The fact that he has escaped at this momentis no coincidence. You and your companions may have outwitted us and been able to hide him from our search. Doubtless you knew that we would come here first. I warn you, Fidelma, this will be your undoing. By taking the law into your own hands you will never be able to practise the profession of law again.’ He laughed shortly. ‘And here is an amusing thought to ponder on, Fidelma. I was actually going to defer the execution of the Saxon for a week, to please the concerns of King Fianamail, so that we might find some answers to those clever questions which you put forward. The escape of the Saxon is now a clear confession of his guilt. As soon as he is recaptured, he will be hanged. We will have no more appeals.’

Fidelma met Bishop Forbassach’s smouldering gaze evenly.

‘You are wrong to accuse me of aiding Brother Eadulf’s escape, Forbassach. I have, unlike some in this kingdom, maintained strict compliance to the laws of the five kingdoms and have not discarded my faith in them for any other law. Remember that, Forbassach. Nor would I interpret his escape as a confession of guilt. Every innocent person has the right to self-defence. The escape might just as easily be interpreted as a defence from a judicial murder.’

The bishop made to reply, changed his mind and left the room without another word.

Dego came forward with a look of concern on his face.

‘Are you all right, lady? They have not harmed you?’

Fidelma shook her head. She put a hand up to her shoulder where the tip of the warrior’s blade had pricked it.