as witnesses and question them, using your authority to force them to answer my questions if they attempt to take refuge in your customs which give no regard to women.’
Sigeric blinked rapidly. ‘We regard women only …’ He paused and shrugged. ‘This is much to ask of my people.’
‘When I have conducted the inquiry,’ went on Fidelma as if he had not spoken, ‘then and only then shall you seek to prosecute those who bear culpability. But I want people to come to thisabbey freely and to go freely if they are not guilty of the matters into which we inquire.’
There was a silence while Sigeric considered the proposal.
‘You intrigue me, Fidelma,’ he finally said. ‘You intimate that you will call people who might be guilty of other crimes.’
‘Guilty of no crimes I know of but perhaps guilty of something in your eyes,’ she explained.
‘Such as what?’
‘I was thinking of Aldhere.’
Sigeric was astonished. ‘The former thane of Bretta’s Ham? The outlaw? You would call him here? He is guilty enough to hang for his other deeds.’
‘Nevertheless, I would want him here and under safe conduct. He and his woman, Bertha.’
Sigeric hesitated again. It was clear that he was having difficulty with the decision he was having to make. Then he raised his arms slightly in resignation.
‘You have my word. I accept your conditions.’
‘And, of course, we must ask Gadra and his followers to attend. That is essential. Your King may not welcome them into this kingdom. Yet here they are and they must also have safe conduct to come and go.’
‘Is there anyone else whom you would like to bring here? Perhaps we should invite Sigehere of the East Saxons? Perhaps, Wulfhere of Mercia?’ asked Sigeric sarcastically. ‘I suppose safe conduct will apply to all who are guilty of anything.’
‘I must tell everyone that they may come freely, but if murder and treasonable conspiracy against this kingdom can be charged at their door, then they may not go freely. If they do not come under those conditions, if they choose to stay away, then their absence may be interpreted to their detriment.’
Sigeric’s eyes narrowed for a moment and then he suddenly burst out laughing.
‘By Woden’s sword, Fidelma, you are a clever woman. I am sorry that I did not listen to you sooner.’
‘Do I have your agreement on this?’
‘You do.’
‘Then I shall want riders to go out to find Aldhere and Gadra.’
She glanced at the frowning face of the apothecary hovering in the background and called him forward.
‘Brother Higbald, I want you to make contact with Brother Laisre’s man outside the abbey …’
The apothecary’s jaw dropped.
‘You know?’ he gasped.
‘I know that you are the unwilling means of communication with Gadra, Garb and Brother Laisre. I want them to be here in the chapel at noon tomorrow. Tell them that I can assure their safe conduct.’
Brother Higbald stood hesitating.
Sigeric was undoubtedly full of questions but he merely gestured impatiently at Brother Higbald.
‘Do as she says. You may add my guarantee of safe conduct to Sister Fidelma’s.’
‘Now if we could find Mul …’ Fidelma said, as the apothecary hurried off.
‘Mul the farmer? The one who is called, locally, Mad Mul?’
Fidelma turned to Sigeric in surprise. ‘Do you know him?’
‘My men picked him up at dusk trying to find a way into this abbey. I will have him released immediately.’
Fidelma glanced at Eadulf in bewilderment.
Sigeric was smiling. ‘It seems that when you did not contact him at the appointed hour at the smithy, he felt that harm had befallen you and attempted to enter the abbey to rescue you. A foolhardy man. But one, it seems, who is loyal to you both. You may instruct him as you wish.’
‘Mul’s coming here is certainly fortuitous,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘Tomorrow at noon, we may gather everyone here in the chapel of the abbey and unravel a strange mystery. But before we do so there is more one question that I would like to ask you.’
The old man gave a little bark of laughter.
‘How can I refuse you now? Ask away, Fidelma.’
‘What is the purpose of your visit to this abbey? What brings the high steward of the kingdom to this remote corner of it?’
Sigeric grinned. ‘A good question and one that I expected to be asked.’
‘And will it receive an answer?’
‘It will. I came here in answer to Brother Botulf’s pleas to King Ealdwulf to hold a new inquiry into Aldhere’s sentence of outlawry.’
‘And was there to be a new inquiry?’
Sigeric shook his head. ‘The sentence was to stand. Similarly, there were complaints by Abbot Cild who argued that he should be made thane of Bretta’s Ham.’
‘And what were you to say to him?’ asked Fidelma.
‘I was to advise Cild to accept his King’s justice. King Ealdwulf was growing weary of his complaints.’
‘He had refused to accept the King’s original judgment,’ Eadulf pointed out. ‘Why would he accept it now?’
‘That is what probably drove the devils in him.’ Sigeric reflected for a moment. ‘I am not a Christian but I am old enough to see the devils in a man. I think the King made a mistake in confirming him as abbot in this abbey. I shall request that he discuss the matter with his bishop on my return. Cild is not suited to remain here.’
‘It seems strange that the King would send his high steward all the way here to state this,’ observed Eadulf. ‘It could be done by a messenger of lesser rank.’
Sigeric smiled at him, his bright eyes sparkling.
‘You are an observant fellow, Eadulf. It was not the only reason I was sent. Very well, I will tell you. Brother Botulf may have been mistaken in his support of Aldhere but he was a good man. He had reported that in the last few months there had been an increase in raids by warbands in this area which he believed were not to be blamed on Aldhere. He believed that Cild was responsible for them but could not prove it. I came here to make inquiries into this matter.’
‘And what of Aldhere?’ asked Fidelma.
‘Aldhere? He is safe for tomorrow. Whether the raids and burnings are due to him or to his brother, and I will find out, as an outlaw, Aldhere is still beyond the King’s pardon.’
‘Do you think that his judgment was just?’
Again Sigeric smiled thinly. ‘You have spoken to Aldhere, no doubt.’
‘Of course.’
‘He is a personable and persuasive man. But let us say thatthe King’s judgment was just according to the facts placed before him. The King’s justice will not change.’
Fidelma nodded thoughtfully. ‘Well, now we can pursue the main purpose and attempt to resolve the evil that seems to permeate these walls.’
The chapel was packed to capacity not only with members of the abbey’s religious community but with Gadra and Garb and their followers, with Brother Laisre and his co-religionists, and with the cynical Aldhere, his woman Bertha, and some members of his outlaw band, whom he insisted on including for his personal protection. The farmer, Mul, was also present, having acted as Fidelma’s messenger that morning. The lord Sigeric had taken the abbot’s usual seat before the congregation. He wore a chain of office and carried his official staff.
As Fidelma entered the chapel with Eadulf at her side, she had noticed that there was no sign of Abbot Cild and she had turned directly to Sigeric with the obvious question.
