‘You forget the tensions between the Ui Fidgente and the Eoghanacht, friend Eadulf,’ Conri answered dryly.
Fidelma made no comment and Conri turned to wave the warrior forward.
‘This is Lachtna, who was on duty the night the abbot was killed,’ he said, introducing him.
Fidelma gazed at the man. The name suited him well because it meant fair of skin – literally, ‘milk-like’. It was a popular name among the Ui Fidgente.
‘This is the dalaigh who will question you,’ Conri told the man. ‘Give your answers truthfully and without fear.’
The young warrior stiffened before his commander. ‘I am at your service, lady.’
‘What were you doing on the evening that Abbot Segdae was killed?’ she began.
‘I was on duty at the door of this hostel.’
‘And the abbot and his party were inside?’
‘Well, the abbot and the abbot’s steward …’
‘Brother Tuaman?’
‘That is so. There were two other brothers from the Abbey of Imleach but they were not at the hostel. I can’t remember their names. They were scribes, I think – those who waited attendance on the abbot.’
‘Where were they if not in the hostel that evening?’
‘I was not told, lady. I think that they were in the township and had not returned to the fortress. It was not late.’
‘So you were at the door of this building on guard duty?’
‘It was a hot night, lady. I was outside and I didn’t mind as I had a seat to rest on.’ He pointed to a bench nearby. ‘The guard was not arduous because out here, no danger threatened.’
‘A danger did threaten,’ Conri said reprovingly, ‘otherwise the abbot would not lie dead.’
The young man shifted his weight uneasily. ‘That was a danger within, Commander. One cannot guard against that.’
‘A guard should be prepared for any danger,’ Conri responded.
‘It was a danger that no guard could be prepared for, unless he was standing next to the abbot,’ Fidelma interrupted. ‘Now, let us proceed. Tell me what you know, Lachtna.’
‘When I took over my shift on guard duty, I was told that a warrior from Cashel had arrived at the fortress. He had seen the prince and then tried to see the abbot, who had been in council with other churchmen. The abbot’s steward, Brother Tuaman, told the warrior to return later.’
‘Go on,’ prompted Fidelma when he paused.
‘This Cashel warrior did return that evening. It was not yet dark but many had taken the evening meal by then. He approached me and asked to see the abbot, Abbot Segdae. I opened the door to the guest-hostel and called for Brother Tuaman. The abbot’s steward was in conversation with another religious but he invited the warrior inside. He was, of course, expecting him to return.’
‘Do you know who this religious was – the one he was in conversation with?’
‘I think it was the steward from Mungairit. Brother Cuineain is his name.’
‘Very well. And then what happened?’
‘The door closed and I remained outside on guard. Time passed and I heard the sound of yelling. It was-’
‘Just a moment,’ broke in Fidelma. ‘How long was it between the warrior going into the hostel and the time that you heard this disturbance?’
Lachtna put his head to one side as if calculating. ‘Not very long,’ he said at last.
‘Immediately?’ Fidelma pressed.
‘Not immediately.’ Then Lachtna’s face brightened as he remembered. ‘Long enough for me to have walked to the gates,’ he pointed across the courtyard, ‘paused and walked back to my post.’
‘Then you heard yelling – can you describe it?’
‘It was the anxious cries of Brother Tuaman, the steward, who was calling my name. I rushed in and-’
‘You mentioned that the steward had been engaged in discussion with Brother Cuineain, steward to the Abbot of Mungairit.’ It was Eadulf’s turn to interrupt. ‘Where was he when you came rushing in?’
It was a point Fidelma had nearly forgotten about, and this made her cross with herself.
‘Oh, he had left by then,’ the warrior said. ‘He left as soon as the warrior arrived. Only the steward, Brother Tuaman, was here. So, as I was saying, I rushed in and-’
‘Excuse me.’ It was Fidelma again. ‘The best method is to show us. Take us inside and show us where you went.’
Behind the large oak door was a communal room with doors on either side and, at the far end of the room, a wooden staircase leading to the first floor. Conri took it upon himself to explain the lay-out.
‘When this was used as the main guardhouse, the rooms for the guards were on either side of the ground floor here. The two brothers you were enquiring about have their quarters here now.’
Lachtna then pointed to the stairs.
‘I came in and, hearing the voice of Brother Tuaman shouting for help from above, I rushed directly up the stairs.’
He led the way and on the next floor they found themselves in a small ante-chamber with four doors leading off it. One of these doors was hanging on one hinge with the woodwork splintered.
‘It was Brehon Faolchair who suggested that things remain untouched until a decision on this matter was made,’ explained Conri.
Lachtna pointed to the door. ‘When I came up the stairs, I saw Brother Tuaman standing outside this door, which was the abbot’s chamber. He told me that he feared something was wrong. He had heard a cry from within and a noise, like something falling. He had knocked on the door to see if the abbot needed assistance but, having received no answer, he tried the door and found it was locked. It was locked from the inside.’
‘One moment,’ Fidelma said. ‘I just want to make sure that I know what other chambers are on this floor. This is the abbot’s door. So who occupied the other three chambers?’
Lachtna turned and indicated with his hand. ‘That one opposite is the steward’s chamber. That at the far end is occupied by the abbot’s deputy, Prior Cuan. The one next to the abbot’s room is an empty chamber. I can assure you, lady, that there are no means of reaching the abbot’s chamber from any other.’
‘And you say that the two scribes have their chambers below stairs?’
‘That is so, lady.’
‘We know the steward was here, outside the abbot’s door – but where was Prior Cuan at this time?’
The warrior was diffident. ‘He was not here, lady. Nor do I know where he was.’
‘So let us return to what happened. You say that the door had been locked from the inside. Why do you say that?’
Lachtna blinked for a moment and then gathered his thoughts. ‘There was no key on the outside, lady. Brother Tuaman and I put our shoulders to the door and managed to smash the lock.’
Fidelma glanced at the lock where it had been splintered. The metal of the door lock had clearly been wrenched from the surrounding wooden holdings by force from the outside. ‘Continue.’
‘Well, we burst into the chamber. I saw the warrior first. He was sprawled on his face, one arm flung out with a bloodied knife near his hand.’
‘Near his hand?’ Fidelma queried.
‘Yes. His fingertips were barely touching the handle, as his fingers were splayed out. I presume he dropped the knife as he fell forward.’
‘And what sort of state was he in?’
‘He was groaning as if coming to his senses.’
‘Anything else?’
‘Well, I then saw the body of the abbot. He lay slightly forward as if he had been facing the warrior, crumpled up and covered in blood from stab wounds. Oh, and near his left hand was his staff of office. That had fallen by his side.’
‘But you are certain the door was locked from the inside?’ she asked again.
‘It clearly was, lady.’
‘Do you know that as a fact, or is it an assumption? This is important. Could someone not have slipped out of the door and locked it unseen to Brother Tuaman?’
The warrior shook his head. ‘I know it was locked on the inside for, as we burst into the room, I felt something hard under my foot. I looked down and saw the key on the floor. Then, of course, I saw the warrior and the body of the abbot.’