Iceadh, the physician, was now looking thoughtful.
‘It is true, now I think on it, that there was remarkably little blood that came from the area of the jugular; as you point out, one would expect fountains to have issued.’ He paused and his eyes widened. ‘The main area of blood was around the heart area. The High King lay on his back and most blood was pooled there. You have made a good observation,’ he said approvingly to Eadulf.
Brehon Sedna leaned forward to interrupt. ‘So what you are saying is that you think the wound into the heart was the fatal one and the throat was cut afterwards?’
‘Just so, just so,’ replied Iceadh. ‘I would agree with that contention. Mind you, there would have to be a short delay between the wounds — otherwise there would have been no negligible effect in the bloodflow. But, as I say, either one was fatal. Dubh Duin could have stabbed Sechnussach in the chest and then, not realising it was fatal, he could have also cut Sechnussach’s throat some time later. I do not see how the order of the wounds can prove … ’
Eadulf held up his hand to stop the old physician.
‘One more question, Iceadh. You observed the wounds. Were you able to ascertain any difference between the knives that inflicted the wounds?’
‘Knives? There was only one knife. It was found in the assassin’s own heart.’
‘Ah, so I don’t suppose you compared the type of wounds inflicted?’ asked Eadulf. ‘The measurements, for example?’
‘I observed only that the wound in the High King’s chest was one simplethrust, a sharp incision. The one in Dubh Duin’s chest was a jagged wound but this was probably due to the fact that he was in a hurry, having, as I am told, been discovered at that point.’
‘Is there any possibility that the two wounds were caused by two different knives?’
Iceadh stared at him. ‘It is not impossible. But only one knife was found and one assassin.’
Eadulf reached forward to take the knife that Fidelma had handed him from her marsupium. He passed it to Iceadh.
‘Had that knife been found next to the High King’s body, would you say that it could have been used in his fatal stabbing?’
Iceadh gazed at the knife. ‘Had it been found next to the body, yes I would have to say that it could have been the knife. But it was not found there.’
Eadulf smiled broadly at the other’s caveats.
‘At this stage,’ he said, ‘you do not have to make any other comment than confirm the possibility.’
‘Where was the knife found?’ demanded Brehon Sedna.
‘If you will be patient a moment or two longer,’ Eadulf replied, ‘Fidelma will come to that point. In the meantime, I would like to ask a question of Torpach, the cook.’
Torpach rose, looking puzzled. ‘What can I say about this, Brother Saxon?’ he muttered nervously.
‘Take the knife from Iceadh and tell us if you recognise it.’
The cook did so, examined it and then swallowed quickly. ‘It is the knife that went missing from my kitchen. A favourite knife. I think I mentioned it to you when poor Mer the Demented was found killed. But she was stabbed with a warrior’s knife. You said so.’
‘Indeed, she was — by the knife of Cuan, who confesses the deed and to the wounding of Brother Rogallach. But are you sure that this knife that you now hold is your own knife?’
‘I use it for slaughtering meat for the High King’s table. I have used it for many years. I know its marks on the handle. Oh yes, I know this knife very well.’
‘And when did you find it missing? I think you mentioned that to us.’
‘It was the day after the High King’s assassination, for there was a pig to be slaughtered. When I found it missing, I went to Brother Rogallach and told him. I even wondered whether the assassin had stolen it to usein his murder. Brother Rogallach assured me that it was not the same knife, for that knife had been found. Where was my knife discovered?’
Fidelma now stood up and allowed Eadulf to resume his seat. She looked quickly around the Great Assembly, noting that most of those present were visibly struggling to follow the arguments, before allowing her gaze to rest on Brehon Sedna.
‘Thank you for your indulgence,’ she told them all. ‘We will not be long now. The witnesses can resume their seats.’
Brehon Sedna addressed her. ‘You must tell us where the knife was found, Sister Fidelma. You have implied that it was used to kill the High King before Dubh Duin entered his bedchamber and cut his throat. It is a fascinating argument, but it must be backed by fact.’
‘I am coming to the facts,’ Fidelma replied calmly. ‘The knife was found in a secret passageway which leads from the High King’s chambers to a linen storeroom on the lower floor of the Tech Cormaic. The real killer left it there as they fled from the chamber when Dubh Duin entered. You see, Dubh Duin cut the throat of a man who was already dead.’
Brother Rogallach was expostulating. ‘I know of no such passageway, even though I have served here for many years!’
‘It can easily be shown to you after these proceedings,’ Eadulf promised.
‘We are now drawing to the final conclusion,’ Fidelma said. ‘Let me explain. From the very beginning, one thing became obvious to me. There was another person in the High King’s chambers when Dubh Duin entered to kill him. How do I know this? Because the guards were alerted by a scream from those chambers. They assumed it was Sechnussach’s death scream — but even had the High King not been dead already, how can a man with a severed throat scream? So who was responsible? The answer is: the person who was caught unawares by Dubh Duin. They fled through the secret passage, hiding the knife that they had plunged into the High King’s heart when he slept.’
‘I do not suppose we can identify this mysterious killer?’ Brehon Sedna asked.
Fidelma smiled quietly at his cynicism. ‘Certainly. It was the maid, Cnucha.’
Cnucha, who had been sitting quietly through all the proceedings, made no movement at all, other than to raise her head and smile faintly. Her expression seemed to say ‘prove it’.
The ripple of reaction in the chamber died away after a moment or two.
‘And will you tell us how you came to this conclusion and what motive Cnucha had?’ Brehon Sedna carried on.
‘Following the birth of her last child, Be Bhail, three years ago, the lady Gormflaith noticed an estrangement between herself and her husband. I have already mentioned this. As many of you know, it was soon afterwards that she set up her own household in the royal enclosure. She was sure, as she told her daughter Muirgel, that Sechnussach had taken a mistress or even a secret second wife. Why did Sechnussach reject Gormflaith? Who knows the deeper workings of a man’s mind. All he told her, as she repeated it to me, was that he preferred a girl — a girl was the word — who made no demands but, when called for, came to his bed like a maid. It is an interesting expression and one that revealed much about his mind. Gormflaith was a strong character, an intelligent person, and we can speculate that Sechnussach was not happy in his relationship.’
She looked to where Gormflaith was sitting. She could not see her expression, for the widow of the High King sat with bowed head.
‘If Gormflaith suspected that her husband had taken a mistress, but she didn’t know who it was, then I had to consider the possibilities. In the circumstances there seemed three candidates. It finally became clear in my mind who I was looking for when Brother Rogallach repeated a favourite saying of Sechnussach. Sit non doctissima conjux — may my wife not be very learned. He wanted a mistress who simply obeyed him and who would make no demands. Alas, there are such arrogant men in this world.’