The Council of the Cursed

‘What do you mean by that?’ asked Eadulf.

Brother Budnouen paused for a moment. Then: ‘Let me put it this way, I knew of Audofleda in a past life.’

‘In that case, you cannot let your story end there before you have begun it.’ Fidelma looked at him in curiosity.

The Gaul looked surreptitiously around him as if to ensure there were no eavesdroppers, before saying, ‘I told you that my journeying took me sometimes as far afield as Divio.’

‘Which is where Abbess Audofleda comes from,’ Fidelma put in, remembering what the abbatissa had said.

‘Except that she was certainly no abbess then,’ agreed Brother Budnouen.

‘Go on.’

‘To be truthful, Audofleda was a woman of the streets. Until a few years ago, she was known in certain parts of Divio as such.’

Fidelma was surprised but not shocked. ‘She is not to be condemned for that, but rather pitied that she had no recourse to a happy life other than sell her body to men.’ She was thinking of her friend Della in Cashel who had once been a prostitute and whom she had helped.

‘True enough, true enough,’ sighed Brother Budnouen. ‘However, I do not think she wallowed in self-pity for her fate but many said she chose the life out of her hatred for men. And when I heard of this sudden conversion to the religious life, not just conversion but her appointment by Leodegar to be the abbatissa of the Domus Femini here, I had pause to think.’

They waited a moment and then Fidelma asked: ‘And what was the outcome of your thoughts?’

Brother Budnouen shrugged. ‘I do not believe in such a rapid conversion, and if I had a daughter who said she wanted to pursue the religious life in Audofleda’s Domus Femini, I would rather kill her with my own hands than allow her to go into that house of suffering.’

‘That is an interesting choice of words, Budnouen,’ said Fidelma. ‘“House of suffering”. Why do you use that term?’

‘There is no happiness there,’ the Gaul said simply. ‘It’s true that I only deliver goods to the main door and am not allowed in, but when I deliver these goods I see the suffering on the faces of the girls who take charge of them…’

‘Such as?’ Fidelma pressed.

‘There was a Sister Inginde and Sister Valretrade…’

‘Valretrade?’ She echoed the name.

‘You know her?’ Her tone had not been lost on the astute Gaul.

‘Of her,’ corrected Fidelma. ‘I am told that she left the community a week ago.’

‘Ah, that is why this time I looked for her in vain. A nice girl. So, I am pleased.’

‘Pleased?’

‘Pleased that she left Audofleda’s community, for it means she now has freedom to search for a place where she can fulfil her life. Doubtless, she has left with Brother Sigeric. I was their go-between whenever I could be so.’

‘In what way?’

‘I knew that Valretrade was deeply in love with Sigeric and messages were hard to send between the two communities. Therefore, whenever I was in Autun I was able to pass messages between them. I am happy to hear that they have gone.’

Fidelma shook her head. ‘Sigeric is here and knew nothing of her going. He finally went to see Audofleda, who told him that the girl had gone and gave him no other information. He asked us to intercede on his behalf to discover more. Audofleda told me not a short time since that Valretrade had left because she disagreed with the Rule.’

‘She would not have left without Sigeric knowing,’ asserted Brother Budnouen. ‘You don’t know the depth of feeling between those young folks.’

‘How long are you staying in Autun?’ asked Fidelma, after a thoughtful pause. ‘Do you have any more trade to do?’

‘Well, within a few days I am taking goods to the fortress of Lord Guntram, and-’

‘I meant, do you have more business with the Domus Femini?’

‘I have already done my trade there. The goods were taken, checked and paid for by Sister Radegund. I cannot go again without arousing suspicion. Sister Radegund runs the place like a fortress. No one is allowed in or out without scrutiny-and certainly no male is allowed in.’

They had passed up the broad thoroughfare from the Square of Benignus and drawn level with the building where Sister Radegund had gone in to see the seamstress. Brother Budnouen pointed to it.

‘That is the shop of the mother of one of the members of the Domus Femini. She makes dresses and sells clothes here. I sometimes trade with her. But even she is not allowed into the Domus Femini to see her daughter.’

‘Do you know the name of her daughter?’ asked Fidelma. ‘It’s not the stewardess of the community, is it?’ She glanced at the place where cloth and animal skins hung outside. Inside, she could see the elderly woman now sewing.

‘Sister Radegund?’ Brother Budnouen’s eyebrows went up in surprise. ‘Good Lord, no. What makes you ask? Oh, because you know Sister Radegund is the only one allowed to have dealings with the outside world for purposes of commerce?’

‘So I had heard,’ Fidelma said as they moved on. ‘Is there no one else who has free access to and from the Domus Femini?’

‘No one,’ the Gaul assured her. Then a thought struck him. ‘But I was forgetting- you must surely have free access to the Domus Femini, Sister? Or can it be that you are staying among the other wives and advisers of the delegates to the council in the city? I heard that some of the delegates who did not know the Rule of Leodegar’s abbey had brought their wives or female advisers with them. They had to find accommodation not far from the abbey.’

Fidelma did not respond for a moment, then admitted, ‘No, Eadulf and I are staying together at the abbey.’

She was amused by the Gaul’s look of utter astonishment.

Chapter Ten

On reaching the abbey, they bade farewell to Brother Budnouen as he hurried off on his business, and made their way through the anticum of the abbey to their chamber in the hospitia. As they reached it, a door further along the corridor opened and a grim-faced Abbot Ségdae emerged.

‘Have you heard the news?’ he greeted them without preamble.

‘About Brother Gillucán, Abbot Dabhóc’s steward?’ enquired Fidelma, guessing the subject of his anxiety. ‘Brother Chilperic told us earlier this morning. Has there been a further development?’

Abbot Ségdae motioned to their chamber. They took the hint and led the way inside.

As Eadulf closed the door behind them, the abbot sank into a chair and heaved a deep breath.

‘Abbot Dabhóc murdered and now his steward. I am coming to agree with some of the delegates that this place is cursed.’

Fidelma sat down on the bed while Eadulf went to a jug and poured some water. His mouth was dry after the morning’s excursion.

‘It is not the place that is cursed, Ségdae; people create their own curses,’ replied Fidelma gravely.