‘I need your advice as the rechtaire.’
‘Of course.’ The young man was puzzled but acknowledged her request. ‘I shall be at your service.’
The morning service was over. The bell denoting the end of prayers had scarcely ceased to toll before the community of the entire abbey became a hive of activity as the religious dispersed to their individual tasks. Some had gone to tend the herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, others to the herb gardens or to the fields, although there was little to do in the freezing
Brother Eadulf, with the two warriors who had accompanied Conri, had set off to the tech-nigid. Conri, wanting to be active, had volunteered to ride south along the road to meet Mugron the merchant and escort him to the abbey.
Seizing the quiet time that ensued, Fidelma accompanied Brother Cu Mara to a corner of the herb garden where they could speak without being overheard.
‘Last night you said that you needed my advice, lady,’ the young man said, as they seated themselves on a wooden bench in a sheltered corner.
‘I did,’ agreed Fidelma. She paused to make herself comfortable. ‘I think that you wanted to tell me something about Sister Buan but were dissuaded by the presence of the abbot. Is it not so?’
The young steward flushed and seemed to hesitate. ‘I suppose I was about to say that Sister Buan was more than the Venerable Cinaed’s companion.’
Fidelma gazed at him with interest. ‘In what sense are you speaking?’
‘As in male and female,’ he said as if in embarrassment.
‘Does that cause some concern? Is that not a normal relationship for men and women to follow?’
‘Oh, truly.’
‘Is not this abbey a conhospitae, a mixed house in which male and female live together working for the glory of God and where their children are raised to that ideal? Mind you, I have not seen many children here.’
‘It is so. We are a conhospitae. However, children are not encouraged here and there are some who…’ Brother Cu Mara hesitated.
‘Who would welcome these new ideas of celibacy coming from Rome?’ ended Fidelma.
‘Indeed. The Venerable Mac Faosma, for example, since he arrived here has been a vociferous advocate of the idea of celibacy. He would have all the females expelled from here and the abbey given over to being solely a male house.’
‘I see. Does that meet with the approval of the Abbot Erc?’
The rechtaire grinned cynically. ‘Since the Venerable Mac Faosma came here, things have changed.’
‘So the arguments of Mac Faosma are clearly heeded by the abbot?’
‘Oh, there are many who support the argument for celibacy within the abbey.’
‘But the Venerable Cinaed did not?’
‘He did not and could quote from the holy writings, chapter and verse, to support his contention that the religious life was never meant to deny people what he described as that basic part of their humanity.’
‘That must have brought forth some response from the Venerable Mac Faosma?’
‘Indeed, it did. His words were quite violent and… oh!’
The young man raised a hand to his mouth and looked shocked at the admission he had made.
Fidelma did not comment. ‘I presume that Abbot Erc was well aware of their conflict?’
Brother Cu Mara nodded unhappily.
Fidelma sighed. ‘It seems our inquiry begins to show that poor Cinaed was not so universally loved as it was first claimed. He had a fierce antagonist and that antagonist had supporters in this abbey.’
‘But it was merely a conflict of ideas — celibacy versus non-celibacy. That has been debated within many communities and at many times.’
‘True enough,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘However, to begin to see the garden one must clear away the weeds.’
Brother Cu Mara looked bewildered.
‘I don’t follow.’
‘It is of no consequence. Your information is most useful. Is there anything else that I should have been informed about?’
The young steward continued to look puzzled.
Sister Fidelma unbent.
‘Last night we were asking about people who nurtured possible enmity against the Venerable Cinaed. We are at first informed that everyone loved him. Little by little we learn that the Venerable Mac Faosma was his scholastic enemy and used violent words against him. Not just that, but that the Venerable Mac Faosma had a following. Were they equally violent towards the Venerable Cinaed? Were there others who displayed hostility to him?’
Brother Cu Mara shrugged.
‘I do not think that the Venerable Mac Faosma or any of his supporters would go so far as-’
Fidelma made a quick cutting motion with her hand.
‘Perhaps that is for me to decide… once I am given the relevant information.’
The young steward shook his head.
‘I have only heard cross words exchanged between them during their debates. Although I have heard the Venerable Mac Faosma berating Sister Buan in private for her relationship with Cinaed.’
Fidelma closed her eyes for a moment.
‘You told me last night that you knew Cinaed well. How long have you been rechtaire of the abbey?’
‘Less than a year.’ The words seemed to be an admission of some guilty secret.
‘That is not long,’ Fidelma observed gently. ‘And before you became steward?’
‘I was a scribe.’ Now the words were defensive and the young man had coloured again.
‘I see. Did you work for Cinaed in the library? Were you his copyist?’
Brother Cu Mara hesitated.
‘Brother Faolchair, the assistant librarian, always copied the Venerable Cinaed’s works. I was only promoted to being a scribe when the Venerable Mac Faosma came to the abbey. I worked under his direction.’
There was a brief silence.
‘So? Are you one of the supporters of the Venerable Mac Faosma?’
Brother Cu Mara raised his chin defensively.
‘As steward I am above such things…’
‘But during the time the Venerable Mac Faosma was your superior, you being his scribe, you must have had some sympathy with his ideas?’ pressed Fidelma quickly.
The young man raised his hands helplessly.
‘I… I was impressed by what the Venerable Mac Faosma had to say. I’ll not deny that.’
‘Did you ever enter the arguments… the debates, that is… between Mac Faosma and Cinaed?’
‘I attended them, that is all. And, no, I did not harbour any angry thoughts, towards the Venerable Cinaed, that is. We are all entitled to our opinions but in the end truth will always prevail without our help.’
Fidelma smiled quickly.
‘So, other than your inwardly held beliefs that Cinaed was wrong in his outlook and teachings…?’
‘I harboured no ill will towards him.’
‘And as rechtaire do you declare your stand, that you favour the new ideas of Rome?’
‘I do not!’ The words came indignantly. ‘As steward, holding a high office in the abbey, my beliefs should not be an influence on the others…’ He paused a moment, his lips pressed tightly together.
‘So where do you stand on this matter of celibacy?’
The young man flushed.
‘As I said, I am the steward of the abbey. I have to be independent.’
‘That is a hard thing to be on such a matter,’ Fidelma pointed out. ‘Did the Venerable Cinaed know your views? Your real views?’
‘I told you, I keep my views to myself. They are no concern of others. However, if you must know, I support Abbot Erc. That doesn’t mean that I killed Cinaed, if that is what you are implying.’
The young man had risen to his feet but Fidelma regarded him with a mild smile.
‘You wear your temper on the sleeve of your robe, Brother Cu Mara. I have not imputed anything but have
