‘There was a Greek mathematician and philosopher named Pythagoras to whom the investigators of crime owe much. Knowing that a person’s height is proportional to the length of their foot, he deduced the height of Hercules from the length of his foot.’
Eadulf frowned. ‘How would he be able to know the length of Hercules’ foot?’ he demanded.
‘He did it by measuring and comparing the length of several stadia in Greece. Since Hercules’ stadium at Olympia was the longest of them all, Pythagoras argued that his foot was longer than those of lesser men.’
Eadulf pulled a sceptical face as he seriously considered the matter. ‘That argument cannot be without flaws.’
Fidelma laughed, and took Eadulf’s arm. ‘It is meant as a concept, not as a concrete fact. By a sample we can see the whole. Let us test a few more sample attitudes to Ultán. But first I think I would like to have another look at the chamber where Ultán was murdered.’
There was still a guard in the corridor outside Ultán’s chamber. It was Enda again, of Colgú’s bodyguard. He greeted them with a weary smile, and Fidelma took pity on him.
‘I do not think that there will be any need for you to remain here after I have made this examination, Enda,’ she told him.
‘The Brehon Barrán told me that I should await your instruction, lady. However, there have been some who have tried to get access here.’
‘Such as?’
‘Two of the late Bishop Ultán’s entourage. The man, Brother Drón, and one of the women who travel with him. Sister Sétach I think her name is.’
‘Did they give a reason why they needed to enter?’
‘Simply to take charge of his personal belongings.’
‘And you refused them entry?’
‘Of course, lady. Those were my instructions.’ He sounded slightly offended at being asked the question.
‘Of course,’ she said approvingly.
‘Abbot Augaire also came by. He said he was wondering if there was anything he could do. Curiosity was his motive, I think, more than anything else.’
Fidelma glanced at Eadulf but kept her expression impassive. ‘Were there any others?’
‘Brehon Ninnid, of course. Obviously, I allowed him entrance. But there was a strange Saxon. . begging your pardon, Brother Eadulf. He said his name was Ord. . Ordwool. .?’
‘Ordwulf?’ supplied Eadulf.
‘That’s it. Ordwulf, an elderly man. I think he is a little crazy.’
‘What makes you say that?’ demanded Eadulf.
‘He was saying that he wanted to see where the tyrant died and to make sure that he would not rise again as he had from the sea. I didn’t know what to make of it. I told him that the body had been removed and that Abbot Ultán was clearly dead.’
‘What did he do then?’
‘He wanted to know where the body was. I told him that Brother Conchobhar had removed it to the chapel and that it would be taken at midnight tonight and buried in the graveyard of ecclesiastics as was the custom here. The Saxon’s behaviour was most curious. He did not speak our language well and was difficult to understand.’
Fidelma sighed. ‘Perhaps you would wait here until we have finished, Enda. We will not be long.’
They entered the chamber, which was in darkness. The early dusk had already crept over Cashel and there was a curtain hanging across the window obscuring what little light might have seeped in. A faint, acrid scent came to Fidelma’s nostrils which she could not momentarily identify. She saw the shadow of Eadulf feeling for a candle and reached out to seize his wrist, preventing him from action.
Eadulf too became aware of the pungent odour from smoke arising from a newly snuffed out candle. Then there was a slight movement, and a shadow moved towards the window.
Fidelma gave a backward kick at the door behind her so that the light from the corridor would throw some illumination into the chamber. At the same time, she shouted for Enda’s help.
Eadulf, however, had thrown himself across the room at the shadow that seemed to be trying to escape through the window. He threw his arms round what he perceived to be the waist of the figure and heaved back with all his might. He realised that it was a slight female form even as his weight caused him and his captive to tumble back into the room, where he measured his length on the floor with the figure on top of him, scratching, kicking and sobbing.
Enda entered, drawn sword in one hand and a lantern from the corridor in the other.
‘Stop or feel the point of my blade!’ he shouted, moving forward.
The figure went limp and Eadulf extracted himself from it and rose to his feet. Enda held up his lamp. The figure rose to its knees. It was a woman in the robes of a religieuse.
‘I’ve seen you before. .’ gasped Eadulf, recovering his breath.
‘This is Sister Sétach,’ Enda said. ‘I denied her entry here only a short time ago.’
Fidelma came forward. ‘She does not seem to have obeyed you, Enda,’ she said softly.
Enda glanced at her. ‘Lady, I swear she did not get by me. I told her that she was not allowed here and have been outside ever since.’
‘I believe you,’ Fidelma assured him. She turned to the girl, who was now on her feet, looking shaken but defiant. ‘How did you get in here?’
The girl did not reply but raised her chin pugnaciously.
Fidelma glanced towards the window. She knew that there was a small ledge that ran round the fortress walls just under the windows of these chambers, no more than a footstep in width and with a drop of fifty metres below. She pursed her lips thoughtfully.
‘You are either very brave or very foolish,’ she commented as she pointed to a chair. ‘Sit down.’ She glanced at Enda. ‘Leave the lantern with us and remain outside.’
Reluctantly, Enda sheathed his sword and put down the lantern. He took a candle and lit it from the lantern flame, and then, with an irritated glance at the now seated girl, he withdrew.
Eadulf went to stand by the window, pushing back the curtain and glancing out. Even though the darkness obscured most of the fall, he shuddered. He would not have ventured on to the little ledge unless forced.
Fidelma had taken a seat on the edge of the bed, facing the girl, and now examined her features closely. Initially, she thought that it was the same young girl she had seen at the game of
‘So, Sister Sétach, what was so important here that you must risk your life in such a perilous manner?’
The girl shrugged. ‘You would not understand.’
‘I cannot understand unless you attempt to tell me.’
This was met with silence.
‘Would you like to tell me where you climbed out on to the ledge to make your way here so that the guard did not see you?’
‘There is a window at the end of the corridor.’
Fidelma’s eyes widened a little. ‘You crawled along that ledge for a distance of ten metres?’
‘There was room enough to move along the ledge without crawling, as you put it.’
‘So, again I ask you, what was so valuable that you must gain access to this chamber by such a means?’
The girl was silent for a moment and Fidelma was about to press her authority on her when she said: ‘I wanted to make sure that Abbot Ultán’s possessions had not been taken.’
Fidelma was puzzled. ‘Why would they be?’
The girl was silent again. Fidelma was exasperated.
‘Do you know that I am a
