‘Fidelma, I scarcely recognise you as the little girl whom I met many years ago. Now your fame precedes you in all the corners of our kingdom.’
‘You are kind, cousin Becc,’ replied Fidelma gravely. ‘Allow me to present my companion, Brother Eadulf of Seaxmund’s Ham, in the land of the South Folk.’
Becc tumed to acknowledge Eadulf. The chieftain’s quizzical blue-green eyes examined the other humorously.
‘I have heard Brother Eadulf’s name mentioned in the same breath as that of Fidelma of Cashel. They are names synonymous with law and justice.’
Eadulf was not looking exactly happy. He had a vague suspicion of something prompting these compliments and a hidden purpose behind this meeting.
‘Be seated,’ invited Colgú and both men obeyed. ‘I have asked Fidelma and Eadulf to come here and listen to your story before we go in to the feasting, Becc.’
The chieftain pursed his lips and a dark shadow seemed to cross his features.
‘It may well be that you can point the way out of the mire into which the Cinél na Áeda have descended,’ he said hopefully.
Fidelma gazed at him thoughtfully. ‘Tell your story, Becc, and we will see how best we may help you.’
‘The first killing was two months ago,’ Becc began without preamble. ‘The victim was Beccnat, the daughter of Lesren who is our tanner and leather worker. She had just reached her seventeenth summer. A young, innocent girl.’
He fell silent, apparently meditating on the event.
‘In what manner was she killed?’ prompted Fidelma, after a few moments.
‘Brutally,’ returned Becc at once. ‘Brutally.’ His voice was suddenly sharp. ‘Her body was found one morning in the woods not far from my fortress. She had been stabbed many times, almost as if the flesh was ripped apart in some unspeakable ritual way.’
‘You said that this was the first killing. So I deduce that there have been others?’
‘A month ago, another young girl was slain. This time it was Escrach, the daughter of our miller. She was found in a similar manner. She, too, was no more than seventeen or eighteen years of age.’
‘Was she found in the same woods?’
Becc nodded. ‘And not far from where the first body was found. Then a few nights ago the third girl was found. Her name was Ballgel. She was of the same age as the others. She worked in the kitchens at my fortress. She, too, was slaughtered in an unspeakable manner.’
‘Unspeakable?’ Fidelma grimaced dourly. ‘When things are unspeakable I often find that they are best described in words.’
Becc sighed and gave a shake of his head.
‘I do not choose my words lightly,’ he said reprovingly. ‘Have you ever seen the results when a butcher has slaughtered a hog?’
Eadulf’s mouth was tight. ‘That bad?’
Becc gazed evenly at him.
‘Perhaps worse, Brother Saxon,’ he agreed quietly.
There was a silence for a moment or so. Then Fidelma spoke again.
‘You say that this was the third girl? And each killing was spaced a month apart?’
‘At each full of the moon.’
Fidelma let out a soft breath and glanced quickly towards Eadulf.
‘At the full of the moon,’ she repeated softly.
Becc nodded to emphasise the significance.
‘That is an implication which has not been lost on myself, or on Abbot Brogán,’ he said.
‘Abbot Brogán?’
‘Nearby is the abbey where the Blessed Finnbarr was born.’ Becc glanced at Eadulf. ‘Finnbarr founded a school in the marshlands by the River Laoi and taught many years there.’
‘We know well who Finnbarr was,’ interposed Colgú roughly, ‘for was not our father, Faílbe Fland mac Aedo Duib, king at Cashel during those days?’
Becc inclined his head, not bothering to explain that he was addressing his remarks to Eadulf.
‘I had not forgotten. Anyway, Abbot Brogán is a venerable man who was trained at Finnbarr’s college by the River Laoi. He took over the stewardship of the abbey near to us two decades ago. The abbey stands just below the wooded hill where these killings took place. We call the woods the Thicket of Pigs and now the hill bears that name.’
Fidelma leant back in her chair. ‘So, from what you say, there have been three young girls murdered, each killing made on the full moon? Has your own Chief Brehon investigated this matter? I fail to understand why you bring this tale to Cashel.’
Becc shifted in embarrassment. ‘My Chief Brehon was Aolú. A man of wit and wisdom who served the Cinél na Áeda for forty long years in that office. He was old and frail and three weeks ago he died from a fever produced from a chill.’
‘Who succeeded him?’ demanded Fidelma.
‘Alas, I have not been able to appoint a successor. We have several judges of lower rank and ability, none of them of sufficient experience to be appointed as Chief Brehon. Until such an appointment can be made, we are without the wisdom of an experienced judge.’
Fidelma let out a sighing breath. She now realised what lay behind Becc’s arrival at Cashel.
‘When Aolú was alive was he able to take evidence and investigate the early deaths?’
‘He was.’
‘Are there any clues as to who would perpetrate such acts?’
Becc raised his shoulders and let them fall in an eloquent symbolism. ‘None that Aolú considered worthy of pursuing. My tanist, Accobrán, made some inquiries for Aolú was infirm at the time and could not move from my rath. Alas, he learnt nothing. But as for suspects…’ His expression became suddenly serious.
Fidelma caught the expression and her eyes narrowed. ‘You appear troubled, cousin? There is a suspect?’
Becc hesitated for a moment and then made a gesture with one hand that seemed to express a sense of helplessness. ‘It is that which prompted me to come here, Fidelma, and as a matter of urgency. There was a riot at the gates of the abbey of the Blessed Finnbarr. I had to use my warriors to save the religious from being attacked and I had to wound a man as an example to prevent the inevitable injury and destruction of the religious community.’
‘The religious? At the abbey?’ Fidelma could not conceal her surprise. ‘Why there? Are you saying that the religious are suspected of these killings?’
‘Not exactly the religious of the abbey. Brocc, who works with his brother at our local mill and is related to two of the victims, persuaded many of our people that some strangers who are staying in the abbey are responsible for the murders.’
‘On what evidence?’
‘I fear on no more evidence than his own prejudice. The strangers arrived and were given hospitality at the abbey only days before the first killing. As such a thing had never happened before, Brocc argues that it was undoubtedly the work of these visitors. It is unfortunate that something about them generates the fear and prejudice of our people. Brocc tried to lead the people in storming the gates of the abbey with the idea of seizing the strangers. Had he done so, they would undoubtedly have been killed and the brethren would have been harmed for trying to protect them.’ Becc smiled grimly and shrugged. ‘I thrice told them of the Law of Riots and its consequences. When Brocc still refused to depart to his home, I shot him in the thigh with an arrow. This caused everyone to pause for thought.’
Eadulf pursed his lips in an expression without humour.
‘I should imagine it would. Drastic but effective,’ he said with clear approval.
‘And these strangers are under the protection of the abbey?’ Fidelma asked. ‘Were the people informed?’
‘They are and they were. The strangers reside there under the sacred laws of hospitality as well as the rule of sanctuary that the New Faith has adopted.’
‘Is there not a danger of the abbey’s being attacked in your absence?’ Edulf queried.
‘Brocc, the main trouble-maker, will not be active for a while yet.’ Becc smiled grimly. ‘Also, I have left Accobrán, my tanist, in command. He will protect the abbey and the strangers.’