Chalice of Blood

‘How many such accidents have there been?’

Brother Donnán thought for a moment and then shrugged.‘Four, as I recall, during the last few weeks. Five with Brother Eadulf’s accident.’

Fidelma raised her eyebrows. ‘Five? Has anyone else been injured?’

‘Two of the workmen. A grazed arm and cuts, that’s all.’

‘Has anyone been found responsible?’

Brother Donnán looked surprised. ‘Responsible?’

‘Have any workmen been censured for negligence?’

‘No one. Glassán put it down to shoddy workmanship. Oh, yes, now I come to think of it, he did fine one of his men for slackness.’

‘That is helpful, Brother Donnán.’ Fidelma was solemn. ‘But that was not what I wanted to speak to you about.’

‘I am at your service, as always.’

‘Indeed. You and I are old friends, Brother Donnán.’

The scriptor preened himself a little. ‘There were some tough cases to be heard by you that day you sat in judgement here as a Brehon. The witnesses needed to be sorted out. Do you remember the case of the son of Suanach, and Muadnat of the Black Marsh? That was a very complicated case. I was amazed how you worked it out.’

‘I could not have accomplished half of those judgements without someone to keep the witnesses and the court in proper order.’ Fidelma leant forward confidentially. ‘That is why I turn to you now, to ask your help. Information is what I need.’

‘If I have that information, it is yours.’

‘When did Brother Seachlann join the abbey?’

‘Brother Seachlann? The physician? He came here about a month ago.’

‘Only a month?’

Brother Donnán nodded.

‘Do you know anything of his background?’

‘He is a physician from Sléibhte. I know little else about him.’

‘Is it known why he came to join this abbey? Has there been any speculation?’

The rotund librarian shook his head slowly. ‘I certainly never gave it a thought. Our abbey is beginning to have a reputation for learning and I suppose that was what attracted him.’

‘What happened to the abbey’s previous physician? I presume that you had one.’

‘We did not have one for several months after poor Brother Siadhail died of some coughing paroxysm. He was elderly. Brother Seachlann came along at the right time.’

‘Is he considered a good physician? Is he well liked among the brethren?’

‘I have heard no complaints,’ Brother Donnán replied. ‘But as for being well liked, well, he keeps himself much to himself and does not venture friendship with anyone.’

‘So he is not close to anyone among the brethren?’

‘Perhaps that is the way a good physician should be,’ ventured the scriptor. ‘Then he can treat everyone equally and without favour.’

She smiled and nodded assent. ‘That’s probably how things should be.’ She paused and added, ‘You will remember that we were talking about Celsus the other day and Origenes’ answer to him.’

The scriptor frowned. ‘An interesting work. Origenes’ work, that is.’

‘It sounds a very fascinating work,’ Fidelma said. ‘I wonder why Brother Donnchad was so interested in it.’

‘I can tell you no more than I said before. He was a great scholar. And he often argued that one must understand the origins of the Faith. That was in the old days, of course, before he set off on his pilgrimage.’

Fidelma sighed. ‘I was hoping that you might know something of the work or someone who might have read it.’ She rosefrom the chair. ‘But you have helped a lot, for which I thank you.’

Brother Donnán seemed disconcerted for a moment. Then the door opened and a strange warrior stood hesitantly in the doorway. He cast a glance at Fidelma and then turned to Brother Donnán.

‘I am sorry to disturb you, Brother Donnán, but Lady Eithne has sent me for the books she requested.’

The librarian actually flushed and cast a nervous look at Fidelma. Then he hurried to a side cupboard and took out two leather book satchels and handed them to the warrior without a further word. The man thanked him and left immediately.

‘I thought you said Brother Lugna had a rule against books being taken from the library,’ Fidelma remarked as the door shut.

‘In the case of Lady Eithne an exception is made,’ Brother Donnán replied quickly. ‘She is, after all, the patroness of the abbey.’

‘What books has she requested?’

‘She is very supportive of the Faith,’ countered the librarian.

‘I do not doubt it.’

‘She has been reading some of the epistles of the Blessed Paul of Tarsus.’

‘Really? The original texts in Greek?’

‘Some Latin translations.’

‘Ah, of course. She said she did not know Greek, although I thought she had only a little knowledge of Latin. Well, no matter.’

She bade farewell to the librarian. Outside, the sun stood high in a cloudless sky and it was very warm, almost oppressive. Her forehead was moist. She felt uncomfortable in her woollen robes. She decided to return to the guesthouse to splash her face and wash her hands before the midday meal. As sheentered, she found the hosteller, Brother Máel Eoin, cleaning the entrance hall.

‘How is Brother Eadulf, lady?’ he asked, pausing in his sweeping.

She gave him the now standard reply.

‘I saw one of Lady Eithne’s men coming from the scriptorium,’ he went on. ‘Ah, that lady must love books.’

Fidelma, who had been about to pass on, paused. ‘Why do you say that?’

‘The number of times she has either sent her men for books or asked the steward or librarian to take them to her at her fortress.’

‘Really? It is a frequent occurrence then?’

‘Brother Lugna and Brother Donnán often go to her fortress at her bidding. Brother Lugna, in particular, seems to be a close adviser to her.’

‘Has she been interested in reading for long?’

The hosteller thought for a moment. ‘I suppose it was after her son, Brother Donnchad, returned from the pilgrimage. That must have been what stirred her interest in such matters.’

‘Such matters?’

‘I have heard that she is particularly interested in what manuscripts and books are kept in our library relating to the principles of the Faith.’

‘And so she has come to an accommodation with the abbot to borrow such works from the library from time to time.’

‘The abbot?’ Brother Máel Eoin smiled thinly. ‘I don’t think he knows about the arrangement. No, it was probably made with Brother Lugna. She even had Brother Donnán running after her when she could have taken the books herself.’

‘What do you mean?’ Fidelma was curious.

‘After she spoke to Brother Donnchad on the evening before he was found dead, she had poor Brother Donnán taking manuscripts to her.’

‘How do you know this?’

‘I heard it from Brother Gáeth. He was working in the fields by the roadside and saw the Lady Eithne riding back to her fortress. Then, not long afterwards, he saw Brother Donnán trotting down the road