Dancing With Demons

‘It was. Bishop Luachan was not a confidant of the High King. He never usually came to Tara. I would have known.’

‘You had no idea what business brought Luachan here?’

‘None at all.’

‘Was Luachan carrying anything?’

Brother Rogallach looked surprised. ‘You know that?’

‘Tell me.’

‘He was carrying a heavy saddlebag.’

‘Did you see the contents?’

Brother Rogallách shook his head, then winced and added: ‘Whatever it contained, he did not carry it away with him. The saddlebag was light on his arm when he left.’

‘So whatever the object or gift was, it was left in the possession of Sechnussach. Therefore, it should be in his chamber. But his chamber is empty. Who cleared it?’

‘I did,’ Rogallach said. ‘I cleared it with Brónach, but I can tell you there was nothing there that could account for the gift.’

‘It could not have been hidden somewhere?’

‘After Sechnussach had dismissed me, when Bishop Luachan had departed, it was approaching dawn. I had seen Irél and Bishop Luachan to the gate and then returned to my own chamber. I was just entering it when I heard the door of the High King’s apartments swing open. My room is at the far end of the corridor and I have a view of his door from there. I saw Sechnussach emerge and was about to call out to enquire if he needed me. But I noticed that he was carrying something heavy in his hands; I could not see what it was because it was wrapped in cloth. Something made me press back into my room for the manner in which he emerged was surreptitious. When I looked out, he had crossed the landing and disappeared down the stairs.’

‘Carrying the object?’

Brother Rogallach nodded.

‘You did not follow to see if you were needed?’

‘I concluded that he would have come to find me if he needed me. I believe that whatever it was Bishop Luachan had given him, he went to place it elsewhere than in his chamber.’

‘Did he have a special place for storing things? Treasures and the like?’ enquired Eadulf.

Brother Rogallach shook his head. ‘Not specifically. However, I did hear the door that led out to the kitchen open and concluded that he had gone outside.’

Eadulf leaned forward excitedly. ‘You suspect that he may have gone to the pantry … perhaps to the uaimh?’

‘It is not beyond the realm of possibility,’ agreed Brother Rogallach.

‘But it is speculation,’ Fidelma pointed out, turning her remark to Eadulf.

‘You’ve absolutely no idea what it was that Bishop Luachan brought to the High King that night?’ pressed Eadulf, ignoring her.

Brother Rogallach sighed. ‘Only that it was a circular object. The only other person who would have such knowledge is Bishop Luachan himself.’

Eadulf was disappointed.

‘Well,’ Fidelma said, ‘you need not worry further about it, Brother Rogallach. At least you are looking better.

‘Thanks to Iceadh’s noxious potion, my head is not aching as much,’ admitted Rogallach. He raised a hand to massage his brow a little and gave a rueful smile. Then he frowned. ‘What made you come to the pantry, lady? It was certainly a lucky thing for me that you and Brother Eadulf did so.’

‘We were actually looking for you,’ Fidelma told him.

‘Why me?’ asked the bollscari.

‘We have been questioning everyone who was there on the night that Sechnussach was slain,’ explained Eadulf.

Brother Rogallach nodded in understanding. ‘Of course. I was not thinking. I knew that you had arrived and were questioning witnesses. There is not much I can add to what you must know already. Like the others that night, I was roused by a noise … ’

‘A scream?’ suggested Eadulf.

‘Perhaps. It is hard to say. You know what it is like when a noise arouses you from your sleep. You don’t really know what it was and you spend a few moments trying to identify it. When I had all my senses, I heard others waking and there was movement in the corridor. I left my bed and went to see what the commotion was.’

‘And was everyone in Sechnussach’s chamber by the time you arrived?’

Brother Rogallach looked thoughtful. ‘We crowded around the door together. Irél has his chamber on the lower floor and he arrived and pushed through us. I can’t remember the order in which everyone arrived. Oh, I just remembered. As I passed by the rooms of the other servants — the senior servants are on the same floor with me — I saw Torpach’s door opening and he was just coming out. He asked me what was happening. I replied that I did not know and then I realised that people were at the door of the High King’s chambers. I noticed that Brónach’s door was still closed. I paused to tap on it to alert her in case she had not been roused. I called to her and receiving no answer, opened the door. She was not in her chamber and so I moved on, thinking she was already awake and in attendance.’

‘And was she?’ asked Fidelma.

‘I am not sure. I had the feeling that she was not there when I arrived and that she only turned up later.’

‘And you took charge?’

‘As I pushed my way into the chamber, I think Irél was just behind me. In matters of this sort he has precedence, being the commander of the High King’s bodyguard. So I stood to one side while he took charge to ensure that the assassin was dead and that a search of the apartment was made to make certain there were no accomplices.’

At Fidelma’s request, Brother Rogallach sketched what had happened but it was substantially the same story as they had been told before.

Outside the apothecary of Iceadh, Fidelma glanced reprovingly at Eadulf.

‘One of the secrets of being a good investigator is never to reveal what you know or suspect, and to avoid showing your reactions to what others might tell you. Nor is it wise to suggest ideas to witnesses.’

Eadulf was apologetic. ‘I was thinking about Sechnussach hiding the object and it is just that sometimes, after so long a time trying to demolish a stone wall, when it starts to crumble a little, you cannot help giving a shout of joy.’

Fidelma was still disapproving. ‘I cannot agree with your specific analogy, Eadulf. But I do see your point.’

‘I think that this object, this circular thing, is linked with the assassination. Sechnussach obviously hid it in the uaimh below the pantry. Whoever killed Mer was looking for it. I think that when Torpach said he saw Sechnussach in the kitchen at an early hour, it was because the King had sneaked down there to hide it.’

‘It would seem a logical speculation, but it is a speculation nevertheless.’

‘It is a speculation that needs to be followed by a search for information.’

Fidelma acquiesced. ‘I mean to go directly to the uaimh and see if I can find any trace of this circular object. While I do so, I want you to find Caol and Gormán and discover how the search for Cuan is progressing. We should have heard something by now.’

‘But … ’

She sighed impatiently. ‘It is no good both of us going on the same errand.’

Eadulf knew when to compromise. He was leaving the Tech Cormaic when he almost collided with someone. It was the young girl, Báine.

‘You seem to be in a hurry, Brother Eadulf,’ she observed in admonition as she recovered her balance.