‘There is a small chapel and habitation on the east slopes of the hill. We followed the abbot and his steward, keeping well back so as not to be observed. They stayed there last night and then around midday today we saw a large body of men arrive. That was Glaed and his brigands.’
‘So Abbot Nannid had gone to meet Glaed?’
‘We kept well out of sight, hidden in the woods. I decided to wait until nightfall to see if I could get closer and find out what was happening.’
‘That is exactly our plan,’ Fidelma said.
‘But we were having some difference of opinion over it,’ Eadulf added.
‘As a dalaigh it is essential that I witness what is happening,’ explained Fidelma. ‘I was taking Enda with me.’
‘I insist on going.’ Eadulf was still assertive.
Conri scratched his head for a moment. ‘And I must go as an unbiased witness.’ He saw the dangerous glint in Fidelma’s eyes and her mouth open ready to protest, and held up his hand, saying, ‘I know that you, as a dalaigh, are sworn to be without bias, lady. I do not question that you serve only the law. But you know that tensions have risen between the Ui Fidgente and the Eoghanacht, especially over this matter that threatens dissension between us. I must go. But we would put ourselves in danger if more than two people went.’
‘I have to go,’ Fidelma said stubbornly. ‘It is my duty as a dalaigh.’
‘I was about to agree to that,’ the warlord said, surprising her.
‘If Fidelma goes,’ Eadulf was immovable, ‘I go.’
The warlord heaved a sigh to express his irritation. ‘Friend Eadulf, I must agree with Fidelma and insist that you stay here. You are no warrior and frankly your presence will put us at a disadvantage. I will take Enda but you must stay here with Aibell and my men. We will be back long before first light.’
Eadulf was still reluctant, but Fidelma told him, ‘You know that I will be in safe hands with Conri and Enda.’
He saw that her mind was made up and so bowed to the inevitable.
‘Very well, but I do not like it, Fidelma,’ he said. ‘But if you are not back at first light – what then?’
‘My men will take you to Socht,’ Conri answered for her. ‘I have left him and another man watching the main highway to Dun Eochair Mhaigh in case Glaed tries to make a sudden attack along it. He will decide whether we are at war with the men of Sliabh Luachra and act appropriately.’
‘Do you really think Glaed would be so foolish as to attack the fortress?’ Eadulf was dubious. ‘Ceit has twice the men Glaed has guarding the fortress.’
‘You are counting the men encamped here, but what if there are other encampments elsewhere?’ Conri said. ‘What if this is not the main force out of Sliabh Luachra? What if there is some strategy to attack us from two points? More worryingly, what if there are more conspirators within Prince Donennach’s fortress? Remember the guard who released Gorman and Aibell there? It is better to be prepared than to spend time regretting one’s lack of foresight.’
Finally, when the time came, Conri led the way with Fidelma and Enda into the encroaching darkness. They skirted the small hill, finding themselves on rising ground as they climbed towards the larger hill beyond. They could now see several campfires in the distance. It was difficult terrain to move across without a light for it was not cleared for farming purposes and there were many obstacles. They had to make their way through bushes and closely growing trees. Even though they were still in the phase of the full moon, An Gealach – the ‘great brightness’ as the country folk referred to it – the light was not entirely adequate.
It was to their advantage that the trees grew almost up to the area they were making for, the spot just below where Conri had identified the wooden chapel and some smaller buildings; the higher elevations of the hill were gorse-covered or fairly bare. As they neared the end of the treeline, Conri turned and made a lowering movement with his hand at the same time as dropping to one knee. Fidelma realised that they had come to the edge of the forest and were just below a shoulder on which one of several campfires blazed. This was just in front of the wooden chapel building. Unfortunately the fire was between the building and themselves and they could only see faint outlines of figures behind it.
Conri turned to Fidelma who had positioned herself alongside him, with Enda on the other side. The warlord pointed wordlessly to his right. Some distance away was a clump of gorse and small boulders further up the rise. If they could get to that spot, they would have a better vantage-point to observe the figures on the other side of the fire. Conri pointed to himself and then to the position, but Fidelma shook her head and indicated herself and then Conri. The warlord hesitated and then nodded agreement. He turned to Enda and, again using his hand, motioned him to remain where he was.
Crawling flat on their stomachs they left their shelter and moved slowly and diagonally up the hill towards the boulders and gorse. The sloping hill was not even and there were many bumps and ridges, even molehills that, with odd clusters of gorse and tufts of tall grass, actually made excellent concealment from anyone looking down the hill. Conri knew that, even in daylight, someone peering down a hill slope with such a terrain would not be able to see very much. High ground was not always the best ground to observe someone approaching so close. Luck was on their side. They reached the boulders without any alarm being sounded.
Now they could see the area between the fire and the entrance of the wooden chapel. The first person she saw, seated on a chair just outside the door of the chapel, was the gaunt figure of Abbot Nannid. The sight took Fidelma’s breath away. He seemed relaxed and held a pottery mug in his hand. To one side of him stood the easily recognisable form of Brother Cuineain. In front of him was a strange, bearded man, hands on hips, who looked vaguely familiar.
Fidelma peered, searching for Deogaire, but there was no sign of him. She felt Conri tap her arm and allowed herself a soft gasp, for into the firelight strode a man she recognised immediately. Even in the flickering light he was still as she remembered him with his youthful air and confident stance. It was Glaed; Glaed the Howler, Lord of Barr an Bheithe, the murderer of his father and of his brother. Glaed, who now called himself Lord of Sliabh Luachra.
As they watched, the brigand chief seated himself in front of Abbot Nannid, and the other familiar-looking man stepped forward and filled the goblet Glaed held and then stepped respectfully back. There was nothing menacing between Glaed and the abbot. Both seemed relaxed. At one point, Abbot Nannid even laughed, an unusual event for him. For a while they engaged in some deep conversation. Then Abbot Nannid turned to his steward and gave him instructions. The steward nodded and disappeared into the wooden chapel. More drinks were poured and consumed as the two men seemed to wait for the reappearance of the steward.
Eventually, Brother Cuineain came out of the building with a small sack in his hand. Abbot Nannid motioned towards Glaed who set aside his goblet, took the sack and peered into it. He nodded slowly as he examined the contents. Then he stood up, as did the abbot. Glaed’s hand thrust out to take that of Abbot Nannid in a firm handshake. Then they turned together and walked out of sight towards the main encampment. Left alone, Brother Cuineain lowered himself into the chair vacated by the abbot and stretched his legs before the fire. Then he peered around surreptitiously and reached down to the ground. When he straightened, they saw he was holding the goblet discarded by Glaed. He wiped the lip with the sleeve of his robe and tilted it back, swallowing back the contents with an apparent smack of his lips that they could almost hear.
A long time passed and it seemed that Brother Cuineain had fallen asleep in the chair. Then the abbot returned alone. The steward came awake with a start. The abbot said something, pointing to the night sky, before the two of them entered the wooden chapel. More time passed, and finally Conri touched Fidelma’s arm and motioned back to the forest. She gave a nod of her head. There was not much more they could observe, though unfortunately they had not seen Gorman. Back in the cover of the forest, they paused to catch their breath.