Our Lady of Darkness

between my father and his enemies no longer concern me. There is no enmity between me and any offspring of Failbe Fland.’

‘I am pleased to hear it,’ replied Eadulf fervently.

‘So we must find a way of contacting this Fidelma of Cashel,’Dalbach said. ‘Do you have any plans?’

Eadulf shrugged before realising that it was a meaningless gesture. ‘I do not, beyond getting back to Fearna and hoping that she will still be there. The problem is that I might be spotted immediately. Even with my cloak, I doubt that I could pass unnoticed for any length of time with this habit and the tonsure of St Peter on my head as well as a Saxon accent.’

Abruptly there came a nearby blast from a hunting horn. Its unexpectedness caused Eadulf to start.

‘Don’t be alarmed, Brother Eadulf,’ Dalbach reassured him as he rose from his seat. ‘That might be my cousin. I had word that he might be passing today or tomorrow to bring me some gifts.’

A figure appeared at the edge of the trees, halting before the clearing in front of the cabin.

Eadulf glanced through the window and then shot to his feet, knocking his chair backwards. He had no hesitation in recognising the small, wiry, thin-faced man who had roused him from his bed in the fortress of Cam Eolaing earlier that morning. It was the very man who had pretended to set him free and then had proceeded to try to shoot him down; to kill him.

Chapter Fifteen

‘Gabrán?’ Sister Étromma appeared surprised as she faced Fidelma at the gates of the abbey. ‘What makes you think that I would know where he is?’

Fidelma was a trifle impatient with the stewardess.

‘You are the rechtaire of the abbey. As Gabrán trades regularly with the abbey, I would expect that you might be the first person one should ask as to his possible whereabouts.’

Sister Étromma admitted reluctantly to the logic but spread her hands in a gesture denoting her inability to help.

‘I am sorry, Sister. These are difficult times and since the Saxon’s escape yesterday, the Mother Abbess has been particularly …’ She hesitated and grimaced. ‘Really, I don’t know where he is.’ Her voice was complaining. ‘Suddenly, everyone seems so keen to find Gabrán. I do not understand it.’

‘Everyone?’ Fidelma asked the question swiftly, interested at the comment. ‘I don’t follow you.’

Sister Étromma reconsidered her statement.

‘I mean that several people have asked me today if I know where he might be. The Mother Abbess, among others. I told her a short while ago that I was not his keeper.’

Fidelma raised a sceptical eyebrow at the idea of the bird-like, nervous stewardess saying anything so outrageous to the haughty abbess.

‘So Abbess Fainder was asking for him this morning?’ She was thoughtful.

‘Asking if I knew where he was,’ corrected the rechtaire.

‘But you have no idea of his whereabouts?’

Sister Étromma exhaled in exasperation.

‘The man lives on his boat unless he is too drunk to return to it. He comes from Cam Eolaing. His boat is not at the abbey quay so he could be anywhere along the river, anywhere between Cam Eolaing and Loch Garman to the south of here. I am not an augur so cannot tell you exactly where he is.’

Fidelma was surprised at the stewardess’s irritability.

‘Perhaps you can make a guess?’ she enquired gently.

Sister Étromma seemed about to refuse and then she shrugged.

‘Abbess Fainder chose to ride towards Cam Eolaing. Therefore I would imagine that is a good starting place to look for him.’

As Sister Étromma made to turn away, Fidelma stayed her. ‘There are a few questions that I would like to ask in order to clarify some matters, Sister Étromma. It is obvious that you are hostile to Abbess Fainder. Why is that?’

The stewardess glared defiantly at her. ‘I would have thought that was obvious.’

‘Sometimes things can be so obvious that they are unseen.’

‘I had ambition. A small ambition, true. Should I like the person who stole that ambition from me?’

‘Then you must equally dislike Abbot Noé for bringing Fainder here and making her abbess over your head?’

Sister Étromma shrugged. ‘I no longer care. I have already told you that I have other plans now.’

‘What of this merchant, Gabrán?’ Fidelma changed the subject. ‘He seems to have a special relationship with the abbess. He entered her chamber without knocking the other day.’

Sister Étromma chuckled sourly. ‘That can be put down to his churlish, uncouth attitude. But it is true that he seems to do some private trade for the abbess. He thinks it gives him a special, familiar relationship with her. He brings her merchandise like wine and other goods when he returns from the seaport at Loch Garman.’

Fidelma paused a moment before turning to another matter.

‘The night the young girl Gormgilla was killed …’

‘I told you what I know,’ Sister Étromma interrupted quickly.

‘I wanted to clarify something. When Fainder had her body brought into the abbey and sent for you, where were you exactly? Asleep?’

Sister Étromma frowned. ‘No. As a matter of fact, I met our physician, Brother Miach, who had been summoned to examine the dead girl, when I was on my way from the bibliotheca to my chamber.’

‘Why were you in the library so late at night?’

‘Because of Abbot Noé. I had been delayed by the stable lads who had asked me if they should unharness Bishop Forbassach’s horse …’

Fidelma was confused. ‘I thought that you said that Abbot Noé …?’

Sister Étromma heaved an impatient sigh.

‘Forbassach had arrived late at the abbey and left the stable in a hurry. He had not given instructions as to what should be done with his horse, whether he would be needing it again that night. He had obviously ridden some way in a hurry for it was sweating. I gave instruction to the stable lads and was making my way to my bed …’

‘When had he arrived at the abbey? Was this before or after Abbess Fainder arrived?’ demanded Fidelma. She felt it obvious that Forbassach and Fainder had ridden separately from Raheen but she wanted to be sure.

‘He arrived some time before Fainder announced the discovery of the girl’s body. I was told that she had only just arrived at the abbey when she had discovered it.’

Fidelma paused. Forbassach could well have arrived before the girl was murdered. She wondered if there was any significance in that fact. Then she continued: ‘So you left the stable and went to your chamber?’

‘No. I was on my way to my chamber when I heard a noise in the bibliotheca. I looked in and saw Abbot Noé. I asked him if I could help him. I am the rechtaire, after all.’

Fidelma tried not to show her reaction.

‘So Abbot Noé was also in the abbey that night? I thought his apartment was in Fianamail’s fortress.’

‘He said that he was consulting some old books.’

‘How long were you with him before you went to your chamber?’

‘A few moments only. He told me, quite curtly, that he did not need my help.’

‘And then?’

‘Then I continued on towards my chamber until, as I have said, I encountered Brother Miach, who told me