the plates from a wooden tray.
Fidelma regarded the dour, taciturn woman with a speculative eye. ‘Have you heard the news?’
The blonde servant did not pause. ‘Concerning Brother Meurig? I have.’
‘Gwnda is claiming that he was killed by Idwal.’
‘That is not my concern.’
‘I thought you were anxious to point out to Brother Meurig, when we were last here, that Idwal was deserving of some sympathy.’
‘I did not say that,’ the woman said brusquely.
‘Then what did you say?’
‘I said that if Idwal killed Mair then she deserved it.’
‘Ah yes,’ conceded Fidelma. ‘So you did. You felt that she was flirtatious and led men astray. Why was that, now? Remind me of your reason for saying so.’
‘Because Mair was sly. Capricious. She twisted men around her little finger. She could make them do whatever she wanted.’
‘Ah, so I remember. But what you are saying is that she was hardly the virgin depicted by her father Iorwerth.’
‘What did Iorwerth know of what she was up to? A virgin, indeed,’ sneered the woman. ‘She used men’s lust as a weapon against them.’
‘You seem to have known her pretty well? More so than her father,’ pointed out Eadulf.
‘I knew her. She was around here enough times.’
‘Ah, yes. She was Elen’s friend, wasn’t she? But as for using men’s lust against them — who do you say were her victims? Are you speaking of Idwal?’
‘And others.’
‘What others?’
The door opened abruptly. They looked up and saw a dark, attractive young girl enter the room. It took Eadulf a few moments to remember that she was Elen, the daughter of Gwnda, lord of Pen Caer. She hesitated when she saw Buddog. But the blonde servant took the opportunity to leave, her eyes lowered.
‘Is it true?’ The girl’s first words were a breathless gasp as she faced Fidelma. ‘Is it true that Brother Meurig has been killed and that you are looking for Idwal to kill him in revenge?’
Fidelma motioned the girl to a chair by her. Automatically, Elen obeyed the unspoken order and sat down. When she had done so she repeated with emphasis: ‘Is it true?’
‘It is true that Brother Meurig was hacked to death in the woodsman’s hut in the forest. However, it is not true that we are looking for Idwal to kill him. Indeed, your father made plain that we have no role in the matter. Nevertheless, we would like to find Idwal if only for his own safety.’
The girl remained silent for a moment. ‘Brother Meurig told me that you were a famous lawyer from Cashel.’
‘When did you speak with Brother Meurig?’ asked Fidelma.
The girl pouted thoughtfully. ‘He asked me some questions yesterday before I left.’
‘Before you left?’
‘I have just returned from Cilau and heard the news in the township.’
‘Cilau?’ Fidelma frowned. ‘I seem to have heard the name before.’
‘It is a small settlement not far from here. I have a cousin there,’ explained the girl. ‘I left there at midday to get here before dark.’
‘Did you know that Brother Meurig was going into the forest?’
‘I knew that he planned to go to the forest this morning to see where Mair was killed,’ Elen agreed.
‘Did you know that he was taking Idwal?
‘Didn’t he need Idwal to show him the spot where Mair was murdered?’
‘As I recall, you did not believe Idwal killed your friend Mair?’
‘Idwal would not harm anyone. You spoke with him so you must know that he is a simple youth. Simple but nice. . and he is so gentle. Sometimes, when a sheep or lamb under his care falls from a rock and injures itself, he can hardly bring himself to kill it. Only the fact that life is a greater misery with the pain of its injury gives him the courage to do so.’
‘You really like Idwal, then?’ Fidelma remarked encouragingly.
‘I know that he could not kill Mair.’
‘Have you heard that your father is convinced he killed Brother Meurig?’
‘My father never liked Idwal. I do not believe he could kill Brother Meurig any more than he could kill Mair.’
‘You seem to be thinking with your heart rather than with your head,’ Eadulf observed dryly. ‘Emotion is no judge of the facts.’
Fidelma knew that there was an implied rebuke to her in his words and she looked at him quickly, but he did not catch her eye.
‘There is another question I would like to ask you, Elen, before we proceed,’ Fidelma said. ‘The servant, Buddog. She disliked your friend Mair very much. Has she been in this household a long time?’
‘Since before I was born,’ asserted Elen. ‘Poor Buddog.’
‘Poor? Why so?’
‘She is my father’s mistress. But I think that my father has now grown tired of her.’
Fidelma relaxed a little. This explained much about Buddog’s attitude.
‘How well do you really know Idwal, Elen?’ Eadulf asked, interrupting her thoughts.
The girl considered the question and then understood its deeper meaning. Her eyes widened. ‘I am not. .’ She hesitated. ‘There is nothing between us, nothing sexual that is. Nor will there ever be. He is just a simple, friendly boy for whom many feel sorrow. He is four years older than I am. He was abandoned in his youth and raised by a shepherd. . Iestyn’s brother, but I forget his name.’
‘We have heard Idwal’s story,’ cut in Eadulf sharply. ‘Your relationship is no more than that?’
The girl flushed in annoyance. ‘I have said so.’
‘It seems curious,’ Fidelma said slowly, ‘that you are so adamant that Idwal could not have killed your friend Mair and that this opinion is based on no more than your feelings about the youth. I would imagine that we all have the propensity within us to kill if the circumstances were right. What I mean is that if we were outraged enough, or pushed into it by an overriding necessity which was more urgent than our moral code. .’
‘I cannot imagine any circumstances in which Idwal would be driven to such rage that he would do such a thing,’ Elen replied firmly.
Fidelma regarded the girl thoughtfully. She appeared sincere enough. ‘Tell me more about your friend Mair.’
Elen looked disconcerted for a moment. ‘What would you want to know?
‘How long had you known her?’
‘We grew up together. Here in this small township everyone knew everyone else, especially children growing up. Mair and I were the only two girls of our age. We almost looked alike and a few times visitors thought we were sisters.’
‘I believe that you know that Idwal is not guilty of the crime he is accused of for another reason. . another than simply a vague emotion of your heart.’
Fidelma made her suggestion without preamble, surprising Eadulf.
Elen was quiet, and Fidelma decided to explain further.
‘When Idwal was accused of raping Mair and taking her virginity, you knew that was not the case, didn’t you?’
The girl shrugged. ‘Mair was not a virgin,’ she agreed. ‘She told me so many months ago.’
‘If Mair had a lover, the loss of her virginity is not a factor for compensation under the law, as her father is claiming.’
‘How did you know about her lover?’ Elen asked curiously.
‘Because Idwal implied it without intending to do so.’
‘Idwal is not artful enough to keep a secret for long,’ she agreed. ‘Did he tell you who it was?’
