Chalice of Blood

bearing some manuscripts from the library for her. I suppose it is her right as lady of this territory but I feel sorry for the librarian having to act in the manner of a messenger.’

A bell chimed. It was the summons for the etar-shod, the midday meal.

Fidelma joined Gormán in the refectorium. Glássan and Saor were obviously taking their meal with the workers again, so only the two of them were seated at the guests’ table. Fidelma was in no mood to talk. After the meal, she made her way to the bróinbherg and found only Brother Seachlann there. The bed on which Eadulf had been sleeping was empty.

‘I could not stop him,’ Brother Seachlann told her. ‘He has a strong will. When he awoke, he determined to go back to the tech-oíged. I insisted that he have some soup and bread to sustain him. At least he had that before he went. I prepared a salve for his forehead and a jug of an infusion that should ease any residual headache. Try to ensure that he uses both. He should have remained here the rest of the day.’

Fidelma thanked the physician quickly and hurried across to the guesthouse and Eadulf’s cubiculum.

Eadulf was lying on his bed but in a semi-upright position.

‘Can you tell me what happened to you?’ Fidelma asked after he had assured her he felt well enough to talk.

‘Not really,’ Eadulf grimaced wanly, ‘apart from getting knocked out. I seemed to be making a habit of it.’

She smiled at his reference to the falling masonry that had nearly killed them both at the old abbey of Autun earlier in the summer. That masonry had been deliberately set to kill them both.

‘Come on, Eadulf,’ she prompted. ‘Give me the details. What were you doing on the building site at night? You know it is dangerous.’

‘If you must know, I was following up an idea.’

‘Go on.’

‘I was lying here thinking about the long ladders that were being used on the building site. I wanted to check to see if any had the length to reach up to Brother Donnchad’s window.’

‘Didn’t we discount that?’

‘You said only a midget would be able to get through the window.’

Fidelma sighed. ‘You think that small child Gúasach could have entered through the window and killed Donnchad?’

‘I did so and then …’ He stopped and shrugged. ‘I thought about Glassán’s story. What if Brother Donnchad had discovered Glassán’s background secret and threatened to tell the abbot? Glassán would have a good motive-’

Fidelma stopped him with a shake of her head. ‘I don’t think it is much of a secret. I am sure Brother Lugna knows about it, judging by his reaction when I mentioned Laighin the other evening. I’ll grant you that the abbot has not been kept fully informed but I don’t think Brother Donnchad would be bothered about the master builder. His behaviour suggests that he had something else on his mind.’

Eadulf looked disappointed.

Fidelma continued. ‘However, I’ll grant you that Glassán is not beyond suspicion and the fact that young Gúasach is his foster-son makes it all the more essential that we should not forget them. However, are you telling me that, seized by this idea, you set off into the night?’

A corner of Eadulf’s mouth turned down and he sighed. ‘It seemed a good idea at the time.’

‘So you arrived at the building site. Then what happened?’

‘I found the spot where they had left their ladders and I had a candle with me. I was going towards it when I heard a rasping noise.’

‘Rasping? Like stone on stone?’

‘Exactly.’

‘And where did the sound come from?’

‘I wasn’t sure. Overhead, I thought. I raised the candle to see then …’ he hesitated, frowning. ‘I think I heard someone gasp. Suddenly I was flying forward.’

‘Did you trip?’

‘I did not. Something, or someone, pushed me hard in the small of my back. It sent the candle from my hand and I pitched forward. The next thing I knew I was in Brother Seachlann’s hospital.’

‘Well, if you were pushed, whoever pushed you saved your life.’

‘Saved my life? How?’

‘You just missed having a heavy lintel stone come down on top of your head.’

‘You think that was the rasping sound I heard?’ asked Eadulf.

‘Yes, I do. The lintel was on the ground when I went to look at the spot where you were found.’

‘Then whoever knocked me out of the way must have seen the person who was pushing the stone so that it would fall on me.’

‘A logical conclusion. Yet why?’

‘Because they knew that I was going to discover Donnchad’s murderer?’

‘Perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe they did not even know who you were. I have heard from Brother Donnán that there have been several so-called accidents on the building site in recent weeks.’

‘Isn’t that usual? You cannot have several workmen building these large constructions of stone without accidents, can you?’

‘Did you see anything else before you were pushed?’

‘I only had the candle. When I heard the rasping, I raised it in order to ascertain where the sound came from. But I saw nothing at all.’

‘You raised the candle when you heard the rasping?’

‘As I said, I was trying to identify the sound. But before I could focus on anything, the push came and blackness.’

‘The candlelight would have fallen on your face. Perhaps you were not the person they wanted to kill,’ she speculated.

‘If it wasn’t me they wanted to kill, who was it?’

‘If we knew the answer to that question, we might have an answer to the whole conundrum.’

‘Perhaps it was Glassán and his foster-son who pushed me?’

‘I doubt the boy is strong enough to either push you over or move the lintel. We can rule them out, I think. Or the boy, at least.’

Eadulf realised she was right.

‘Maybe we should have a talk with the child?’ he suggested. ‘He might know something even if he isn’t directly involved.’

‘I agree that he might be able to tell us something more. However, I would rather do it when he is on his own. We especially don’t want Glassán or Brother Lugna about.’

‘There is one question I would like answered,’ said Eadulf. ‘What was the physician doing on the building site last night? How did he come to see me lying there and carry me back to his hospital?’

‘That is more than one question,’ Fidelma pointed out with humour. ‘But you are right. They are questions that need to be answered. I think I shall go and ask them now.’ She rose. ‘Is everything all right with you? Do you want for anything? You are taking the potion that Brother Seachlann gave you?’

Eadulf nodded at the jug by his bedside. ‘Brother Seachlannhas provided me with a noxious brew and a salve. I just hope they work.’

Fidelma picked up the jug and sniffed cautiously. ‘I smell mint. Do you know what is in it?’

‘Don’t worry. I do not think he is trying to poison me,’ replied Eadulf. ‘From what I know of the contents, it is the sort of mixture that most apothecaries would mix up in the circumstances. I’ll try to sleep off this headache, though. I know there is much to do.’

‘I’ll ask Gormán to stay near in case you want anything.’

When she glanced back from the door, Eadulf was already lying back, exhausted, his eyes closed.