‘Sister Crella, for example?’
A spasm of dislike crossed his face.
‘I know Crella.’
Fidelma leaned forward quickly.
‘You do not like her?’
Guss suddenly looked guarded.
‘It is not my position to like or dislike.’
‘But you do not like her,’ repeated Fidelma. ‘Was there any particular reason for that?’
Guss shrugged but said nothing.
Fidelma decided to try another tack.
‘Did you know Sister Muirgel well?’
Brother Guss blinked rapidly, and that guarded look crossed his features once more.
‘I met her several times at the Abbey before the pilgrimage was announced.’ There was a tightness in his voice. Fidelma decided to hazard an interpretation.
‘Did you like Muirgel?’
‘I do not deny it,’ he said quietly.
‘More than like?’ she guessed.
The youth’s jaw clamped shut. His eyes met Fidelma’s and it seemed that he hesitated as if to make up his mind what he should say.
‘I said … I liked her!’ The words came out like a protest.
Fidelma sat back for a moment trying to gauge what was going on in his mind.
‘Well, there is nothing wrong in that,’ she pointed out. ‘How did she feel about you?’
‘She returned my feelings,’ he said quietly.
‘I am sorry,’ Fidelma said, automatically laying a land on his arm. ‘I have been too impertinent. The captain requested me to enquire into the circumstances of her death. So I must ask these questions. You understand that, don’t you?’
‘The circumstances of her death?’ The youth actually laughed — a harsh, unmusical bark. ‘I will tell you the circumstances of her death. She was murdered!’
Fidelma stared into the angry face of the youth, and then she said quietly: ‘You do not accept that she was merely swept overboard then? So what do you believe happened to her, Brother Guss?’
‘I do not know!’ Was his reply a little too hurried?
‘And why would someone have killed her?’
‘Jealousy, perhaps.’
‘Who was jealous? Who would murder her?’ demanded Fidelma. She suddenly remembered Sister Crella’s accusation against Brother Bairne at the memorial ceremony. ‘You were just jealous.’ Those were the words she had used. Fidelma leaned forward. ‘Was it Brother Bairne who was jealous?’
Brother Guss looked bewildered.
‘Bairne? He was jealous, right enough. But it was Crella who killed her.’
Fidelma did not expect the reply and it made her quiet for a moment or so.
‘Do you have evidence for what you say?’ she asked softly.
The youth hesitated and then shook his head firmly.
‘I know that Crella is responsible, that is all.’
‘You’d better tell me the whole story. When did you meet Sister Muirgel? What exactly was your relationship with her?’
‘I fell in love with her when she came to the Abbey. At first, she barely noticed me. She preferred more mature men. You know, men like Brother Cian. He was mature. He had been a warrior. She certainly liked him.’
‘And did he like her?’
‘At first she was in his company a lot.’
‘Did they have an affair?’
Brother Gus flushed and his lower lip trembled for a moment. Then he nodded.
‘Why was Crella jealous?’
‘She was jealous of anyone who took Sister Muirgel away from her. But in this case …’ He paused, as if reflecting.
Fidelma prompted him to continue: ‘In this case … what?’
‘It had been Sister Muirgel who had taken Cian away from Crella.’
Fidelma had to control her features. Brother Guss was full of surprises.
‘Are you saying that Cian was having an affair with Crella and then turned from her to Muirgel?’
‘Sister Muirgel admitted it was all a mistake. It lasted a few days, that is all.’
‘Did you have a relationship with Sister Muirgel?’ Fidelma was abrupt.
The youth nodded.
‘When did this relationship start?’
‘It was just before we began this pilgrimage. When I told Muirgel that I was joining the pilgrimage because my tutor had instructed me to do so, she forced Canair into allowing her to come. Of course, Crella had to come as well.’
‘She must have liked you a lot to have followed you on this journey.’
‘Well, to be honest, I thought that I never stood a chance of being noticed by her in that way, if you know what I mean. However, she sought me out and told me outright that she had become attracted to me. I had never said anything to her before because I thought she would never have looked at me. When she told me … well, we grew together and we were in love.’
‘Did Crella know about this relationship? She thinks Muirgel was still having an affair with Cian.’
Guss’s eyes grew dark.
‘I believe she knew. I think she knew and was jealous of Muirgel’s happiness. Muirgel told me that she was being threatened.’
‘What — Muirgel told you that Crella was threatening her? Did you hear some argument between them?’
‘They argued — yes. It was a few days before we reached Ardmore. We had stopped at a tavern for a meal and Muirgel had gone to a nearby stream to wash. I had fetched ale and was taking it down to where Muirgel was washing when I heard Crella’s voice raised in argument with her.’
‘And can you recall what was being said? The precise words?’
‘I don’t know whether I can recall the precise words, but Crella was accusing Muirgel of …’ he hesitated and coloured, ‘ … of playing with my affections — those were the words she used. Of playing with my affections as she had played with others. Crella believed that Muirgel still loved Cian.’
‘Playing with your affections?’ echoed Fidelma. ‘You are sure that Muirgel had ended her relationship with Cian, then? She was not using you in some way to hit back at Cian for ending the affair?’
Guss looked angry.
‘Of that I am very sure. We expressed our love in the way any normal healthy people would.’
It was clear what the youth meant.
‘You found the time and space on a journey among your co-religionists?’ Fidelma tried to keep the scepticism out of her voice.
‘I do not lie,’ Guss replied indignantly.
‘Of course not.’ Fidelma’s reply was solemn.
‘I do not!’ He seemed irritated at her tone. ‘Don’t listen to Crella’s jealousy.’
‘Very well. Let us come to the morning that the ship sailed. Did you and Muirgel come aboard together?’
‘Everyone came aboard at the same time, with the exception of Sister Canair.’
‘How did you all come aboard together?’
‘We left the Abbey after breakfast and went down to the quay. There was no sign of Sister Canair and so Muirgel took charge. Murchad came up and told us that we must be on board or we would miss the tide, in which case our passage-money would be forfeit. So we all went on board.’
‘Did anyone raise a protest at leaving without Sister Canair?’
‘Everyone agreed that if Sister Canair had been serious in her intention to accompany us, then she would have kept to the arrangement tojoin us on the quay at dawn. It was Sister Crella who pointed out that Canair had not even sent a message.’
‘Why had Sister Muirgel taken charge?’
‘She was next in seniority from the Abbey.’
‘Surely Brother Tola or Sister Ainder were senior.’
‘Tola was from the Abbey of Bangor. Sister Ainder was senior only in age.’
‘Yet Brother Cian seems to have taken charge now. He is from Bangor.’
‘He has no right to take charge. Sister Muirgel did not allow him to do so. She was very conscious of her rank. It would have taken a powerful person to wrest her status from her.’
‘So she took charge of the party and you came on board. What then?’
‘We all went straight to our cabins.’
‘Who organised the accommodation arrangements?’
‘Muirgel did so.’
‘When?’
‘As soon as we came aboard.’
‘Why didn’t Muirgel and Crella share a cabin, if they were such good friends?’