‘Defaced?’ he whispered.
‘A section of one page has been cut out. It was obvious that it happened recently.’
‘That cannot be!’ he replied, aghast.
‘I can assure you that it is so,’ said Fidelma calmly.
‘I take a pride in my library, Sister.’ He turned swiftly and beckoned to the reluctant young Brother Faolchair. ‘I tell you that until you came here we have had no trouble. Then the burning of Cinaed’s books… I do not understand it.’
Brother Faolchair came hurrying over, pale-faced and nervous.
‘Do you know of the Ui Fidgente genealogy?’ the librarian demanded angrily. ‘When did the Venerable Mac Faosma borrow it?’
‘Brother Benen came here this morning and borrowed it on behalf of the Venerable Mac Faosma. I told Sister Fidelma of this a short time ago.’
‘You were most helpful, Brother Faolchair,’ Fidelma said gently. ‘The Venerable Mac Faosma did have the book, which I saw. However, the book had been defaced and I think that we can be sure that this was done before Brother Benen took it to the Venerable Mac Faosma.’
The young man gasped in horror.
‘I noticed no such thing when I handed the book to Brother Benen, Sister.’
‘Do you check through the books before and after they have been borrowed from the library?’ she asked.
The young man shook his head, puzzled.
‘Why would one do that?’
‘To ensure that those who borrow them do not damage them but treat them well. You said that you had not noticed the damage. I admit, it would take a sharp eye to spot it for it was only a small piece of the parchment cut from a page by means of the point of a sharp knife. I do not blame you for not noticing it.’
Brother Eolas intervened with a disapproving look.
‘Sister, when religious come to a library to look at the books one does not expect them to be vandals. Most are scholars, scribes and students. Why would we not trust them to behave in a manner befitting their calling?’
‘Someone obviously did not behave in that manner.’
‘I have never heard the like. You say that this damage must have been done recently?’
‘I do.’
‘The book has not been borrowed for some time,’ Brother Faolchair said. ‘No one has asked me to take it from the shelves. Not since…’
He paused, trying to remember.
‘Well,’ intervened Brother Eolas irritably, ‘are we to ask Brother Benen if he defaced it?’
‘And would you expect him to answer if he had?’ said Fidelma sarcastically.
‘I remember the last borrowing.’ Brother Faolchair was suddenly triumphant. ‘It was borrowed by the Venerable Cinaed.’
‘So the Venerable Cinaed also borrowed this book?’ Fidelma spoke quietly.
‘He did. It was shortly before his… his death. I remember because Sister Buan returned it to the library with some other books that he had borrowed. It was after his funeral.’
‘Did anyone borrow it before the Venerable Cinaed?’
Brother Faolchair nodded.
‘As I am in charge of any borrowing that leaves this library, I try to keep a record in my mind. Before the Venerable Cinaed, Sister Uallann and before her Brother Cillin. You see, very few people are allowed to take books away from the library. Most of the community has to come in here to read them. But Brother Eolas has made…’
‘I make certain exceptions,’ interrupted the librarian. ‘Our great scholars, of course, are the exceptions — our physician and songmaster are recognised as scholars in their own right.’
‘And all four of these exceptions had borrowed the book… when? Within a few weeks of one another?’
‘That is so,’ affirmed Brother Faolchair.
She turned from them with a quick word of thanks and left the library. Outside she found Conri and Eadulf looking for her.
She smiled at each of them.
‘I think the mystery is about to be unravelled. Let us go to see Abbot Erc and make plans to put this grim tale into the public domain.’
CHAPTER TWENTY
Fidelma had suggested that Abbot Erc request the attendance of certain members of the community to assemble in the aireagal, the oratory. As congregations usually stood in the oratory during the services, benches had been brought in and the lanterns were lit. Opposite these benches another bench had been arranged so that Abbot Erc, along with his steward, Brother Cu Mara, were seated facing the congregation. Next to them were Fidelma and Eadulf.
The small oratory was crowded. Conri sat to one side with Sister Easdan and her companions as well as the Gaulish seaman, Esumaro. On the other side sat the physician, Sister Uallann, alongside Brothers Eolas and Faolchair. Sister Sinnchene sat behind them. Sister Buan sat further back with Brother Cillin. Fidelma had asked Abbot Erc to insist upon the attendance of Slebene, who was seated behind them. His champion was nowhere to be seen and, rather than reassure Fidelma, his absence worried her. There was some surprise among the company when the Venerable Mac Faosma entered escorted by the watchful Brother Benen. The Venerable Mac Faosma attended hardly any gathering unless he was giving one of his lectures or debates. But, again, Fidelma had asked Abbot Erc to especially request his presence.
The last person to enter was Socht, with two of his fellow warriors. They stood near the oratory door, which Socht closed. He signalled to Conr that all was secure and Conr then nodded towards Fidelma.
Abbot Erc found Fidelma looking at him. He realised that he had to govern the proceedings. He gave a nervous cough and began, speaking quickly.
‘We are gathered here at the request of Sister Fidelma, who is here in her capacity as a dalaigh, as you all doubtless know.’ The abbot sounded
He sat back with mouth closed firmly, glancing at Fidelma, who, perceiving that he had said all he was going to say, rose and looked around at the upturned, expectant faces that greeted her.
‘This is not a court of law,’ she began. ‘No one here is on trial but from what occurs here a trial will doubtless result, for we are dealing with murder; not merely the murder of Abbess Faife and the Venerable Cinaed but of many unfortunate Gaulish seamen, of villagers who dwelt among the Sliabh Mis mountains, and of an ill-fated religious member of the community of Seanach’s Island named Brother Martan. In addition, we now must deal with the murder of the prisoner Olcan.’
Abbot Erc seemed irritated by her self-assurance.
‘And you are claiming that all these events are connected?’ he demanded.
Fidelma smiled.
‘I would not say so were it otherwise,’ she replied softly, but Eadulf heard the waspish rebuke in her tone.
She turned back to the still quiet assembly.
‘This has been a frustrating mystery, involving several strands. Each strand had to be followed and unravelled before one could be sure that they all led back to one central point. It makes a long story.’
The harsh voice of the Venerable Mac Faosma came from the assembly: ‘Then the sooner the story is started, the faster it will end and we can return to the comfort of our chambers.’
Fidelma was not perturbed by the old man’s rudeness. She merely glanced in his direction.
‘Are we not in the Lord’s house, Venerable Mac Faosma?’ Her voice was acrid. ‘Where else is more
