Our Lady of Darkness

discussing?’

‘Perhaps nothing, perhaps a lot.’

‘Gabrán comes from Cam Eolaing, of which I am chieftain,’ Coba a intervened. ‘What did he do?’

‘Last night, one of my companions and I were returning to Fearna. Gabrán and some of his men attacked us. They used swords.’

There was a silence.

‘Gabrán?’ Coba’s voice was hollow. ‘How would you know that it was Gabrán who attacked you? It was a dark night.’

Fidelma swung round to him with narrowed eyes.

‘You forget that even on a dark night, the moon still hangs in the sky, and sometimes even the heaviest clouds are obliging.’

‘But why would he attack you?’

‘That is my question. Do you know anything more about his personal life, his allegiances and values?’

Coba gestured indifferently.

‘He lives outside of the settlement, across the river from it, in fact, on the east side of the valley. I do not think that he has any special allegiances except to that of his trade. So far as I know, he lives alone. He has no wife.’

Bishop Forbassach was following the conversation though with suspicion on his face.

‘Are you sure about this, Sister?’ demanded Abbot Noé, entering the conversation. ‘Gabrán has had a long trading association with the abbey here and is considered most trustworthy.’

‘I am sure it was Gabrán who attacked us,’ affirmed Fidelma.

‘Where do you say that this attack took place?’ asked Bishop Forbassach.

Fidelma looked carefully at him and held his gaze.

‘We were returning from a place which I think you know well. We were on the way back from a cabin at a settlement called Raheen. The attack took place on the road just above Cam Eolaing. My companion Enda and I were lucky to escape with our lives.’

Fidelma was not disappointed by Forbassach’s reaction at the mentionof the name Raheen. The Brehon’s face went pale and it took him some time before he found his voice.

‘Often there are robbers on the highways around Fearna, catching unwary travellers,’ he offered, his voice nervous.

‘It was Gabrán,’ repeated Fidelma.

Coba was rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

‘I would have thought that Gabrán made enough money from his boat. He is often transporting goods up and down the river as far south as Loch Garman, taking cargoes to the ocean-going ships that sail to Britain and to Gaul.’

‘What sort of cargoes does he run?’ asked Fidelma curiously.

‘What does that matter?’ Bishop Forbassach replied impatiently. ‘Are we here to talk about Gabrán and his business or the escape of the Saxon?’

‘At the moment I would like to know why Gabrán attacked me.’

The Brehon seemed concerned in spite of his attitude. He knew the serious implications which might result from an attack on a dálaigh, let alone a King’s sister. That was the very reason he had come to apologise to Fidelma for his previous behaviour.

‘Are you charging this man, Gabrán, with an attack on you, Sister Fidelma?’ he demanded.

‘I am.’

‘Then I shall order that he be arrested to answer this charge. Do you hear this, Mel?’

The commander of the guard nodded thoughtfully.

‘Then you and I will go in search of Gabrán when we leave here,’ Forbassach announced. ‘We can be making enquiries about the Saxon at the same time. The search for the Saxon absconder must be uppermost in our minds. In that matter, Fidelma of Cashel, I must warn you that you also stand in danger if you have helped him evade the justice of this kingdom.’

Fidelma’s eyes flashed momentarily.

‘I am aware of the law, Forbassach! I did not help Brother Eadulf to escape, nor did I offer him sanctuary. In the meantime, I intend to continue to investigate the mysteries which surround this matter … mysteries which have led me along the road to Raheen.’

Coba was not aware of the sharpness in her tone and the pale look on Bishop Forbassach’s face.

‘I regret the Saxon played me false by escaping,’ he said, ‘but I donot regret my action in seeking to prevent his execution under the Penitentials. He should be punished under the native laws of our land.’

Bishop Forbassach had recovered something of his old self and scowled at the bó- aire.

‘You are in a minority in the council of the King of Laigin, Coba. You made your views known when the King and I made our decision on the validity of the punishments asked for by Abbess Fainder. That should have been an end to it.’

‘That could not have been an end to it,’ Coba replied spiritedly. ‘The matter should have been held over until the next great festival of Tara when it could have been raised in the convocation on the law of the five kingdoms. The decision should have been left to the kings, lawyers and laymen of all five kingdoms as every other major law is laid before them and debated before being enacted.’

Abbot Noé intervened quietly. ‘My brothers in Christ, calm yourselves. It will not benefit anyone to waste time in debate. Surely you both have business to attend to? If you do not, then I surely do.’

Bishop Forbassach glowered for a moment before giving them a curt farewell, hurrying from the inn followed by the warrior Mel, who managed to give Fidelma an apologetic glance as he left.

Coba regarded Fidelma sadly.

‘I thought I was doing the right thing, Sister Fidelma.’ He sounded sheepish.

‘Are you sure that Brother Eadulf knew the limitations of the maighin digona?’ she asked. ‘Although he has spent much time in our land, he is still a stranger and our ways may be confusing to him.’

Coba shook his head sympathetically.

‘I cannot hold out that explanation for his actions, Sister,’ he replied. ‘When we arrived at my fortress yesterday, I explained to him most carefully the consequences that would follow should he attempt to leave it. I followed the procedure carefully and sent a messenger to the abbey last night to inform the abbess of what I had done.’

‘The abbess knew last night that Eadulf had been taken to your fortress?’ broke in Abbot Noé.

‘I told you,’ repeated Coba, ‘I followed the procedures of the law most carefully. I am certain that the Saxon understood. I only wish I could give you comfort in that matter, Sister.’

Abbot Noé muttered: ‘Ignorantia legis neminen excusat.’

Coba glanced at the religious. ‘But surely, ignorance of the law in aforeigner may be argued as a mitigation?’

‘It is unlike Eadulf to take such an action,’ Fidelma said softly, almost speaking to herself.

Abbot Noé’s face was grim.

‘According to you, Sister, it is unlike the Saxon to have raped and murdered a young novitiate. Perhaps you do not know this Saxon as well as you like to think you do?’

Fidelma raised her head to meet the eyes of her old antagonist.

‘Perhaps there is a truth in that,’ she admitted. ‘But if there is no truth in it, as I do believe, then there is something curious happening in this place. I mean to reveal every aspect of this matter.’

The abbot smiled but without humour.

‘Life is curious, Sister. It is the cauldron of God in which we are placed to test our souls. Ignis aurum probat, miseria fortes viros.’

‘Fire tests gold, adversity tests the strong,’ repeated Fidelma softly. ‘The line of Seneca has much wisdom in it.’

Abbot Noé suddenly rose and moved to stand in front of Fidelma. He peered at her with an intense