Eadulf met her gaze for a moment and then nodded, his expression grim. ‘So we’ll attempt to rescue him tonight?’
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
At the doors of the great hall they found an agitated Enda waiting for them.
Fidelma looked at him with a frown. ‘I thought you were taking care of Aibell in the guests’ rooms?’
‘We could not help wanting to know what has happened. We heard that your arguments did not go well, lady. And we heard the worst.’
‘So where is Aibell?’
‘She had an idea and has left the fortress.’
‘Alone?’ Fidelma groaned.
‘She said she would be quite all right and will meet us shortly by the bridge off the town square.’
‘You let her go unguarded?’ she demanded incredulously.
‘She is a hard person to argue with,’ replied the young warrior. ‘Come, we must go and meet her.’
Fidelma raised her eyebrows at Eadulf. His amused expression told her that he knew someone else who was similarly stubborn. They passed swiftly through the main gates and went down to the square. Only a few people were standing about and the atmosphere was uneasy; there was a mood of fearful anticipation. The three hurried on towards the bridge, wishing they could make themselves inconspicuous.
It wasn’t long before Aibell emerged from the township to join them. Patience was not one of Fidelma’s virtues and she greeted the girl with irritation rather than relief.
‘What on earth do you think you are doing!’ she snapped. ‘It is very dangerous to be wandering alone out here.’
Aibell looked her straight in the eye. ‘Anyone could have told you that Nannid is as cruel as he is narrow-minded. That is why I have been discussing a plan.’
Fidelma was astounded. ‘Discussing a plan with whom?’
‘Come, follow me,’ urged the girl, instead of answering. ‘We do not want to be seen here.’
Before Fidelma could question her further, the girl had disappeared into a small passageway. She set off at such a quick pace that there was nothing to do but hurry on after her. The girl hastened with ease among the buildings until she came to a little house on the southern edge of the township. It was shrouded by trees on the edge of thick woodland. The girl paused before the stout wood door and knocked on it, calling as she did so: ‘It’s Aibell.’
The door was opened by an elderly woman, her slightly bent shoulders covered by a thick woollen shawl and her long grey hair tied away from her forehead. She glanced at Aibell’s companions with sharp grey eyes, then stood back for them to enter without a word. The door closed behind them and they found themselves enveloped in warmth. Although it was summer, the central hearth was obviously not used just for cooking.
Aibell laid a hand on the elderly woman’s arm and looked at the others.
‘This Etromma, Ciarnat’s mother.’
They stood awkwardly for a few moments before the woman.
‘I do not understand,’ Fidelma said.
‘Aibell was my daughter’s friend,’ Etromma said as if this explained matters.
‘I know, but …’
Aibell broke in. ‘You told me that Ciarnat was purposely given the wrong information to pass on to me, Fidelma. I have asked Etromma about it, and she has confirmed that it was part of a plot to make me persuade Gorman to escape so that he looked guilty.’
Fidelma was taken aback. ‘How were you able to confirm this, Etromma?’ she asked suspiciously.
The elderly woman lowered herself into a chair. ‘I was born in this township and worked in the fortress all my life. I have many friends.’
‘I don’t doubt it, but how …?’ prompted Fidelma again.
‘I have a good friend at the so-called abbey here, and he overheard something which worried him. You know that Abbot Nannid has taken up residence there? Well, my friend was passing a half-open door when he heard a voice saying that my daughter, Ciarnat, had been told to warn Aibell that you planned to abandon Gorman to his fate in order to preserve the peace with Cashel and your brother, the King. The person said that it had been suggested by a third party to Ciarnat that she must advise Aibell and Gorman to flee from the fortress. The same person also said that Aibell and Gorman would be tipped off that the guard could be bribed. Once they had fled, then Gorman’s guilt would be clear to all.’
‘I suspected as much,’ Fidelma said.
‘That was why poor Ciarnat was murdered,’ Aibell said passionately. ‘You were right about that.’
‘It is all very well hearing voices – but whose voices were they?’ Eadulf brought them back to reality. ‘We need to know the name of the intermediary who told her.’
The old lady’s features were twisted in anger. ‘That we don’t know. Brother Mael Anfaid was told the lie first; he then told Ciarnat. Ciarnat passed the lie to Aibell, and then Brother Mael Anfaid and Ciarnat were both killed to keep the secret of who told them.’
‘So who was it that your friend heard speaking?’ Fidelma pressed.
‘Unfortunately, my friend said the voice was one he had not heard before,’ replied Etromma.
‘Could your friend not have entered the chamber in order to identify the speakers?’ Eadulf asked.
‘The half-open door was that of the chamber used by Abbot Nannid but it was not his voice.’
‘That does not surprise me,’ Eadulf sighed.
‘Anyway, at that moment, the abbot’s steward came along and my friend thought it wiser not to tarry outside the door.’
‘So are we to believe that it was Abbot Nannid who was being told, or was he telling someone else?’ asked Fidelma.
‘Nannid must be in league with Glaed,’ Aibell said. ‘How else did all this come about and why?’
Eadulf was in agreement. ‘Nannid must be trying to use Gorman to cause dissension among the people here. But how did Nannid manage to persuade Glaed to hand Gorman over to him?’
‘You are right about them using Gorman. That has been obvious for some time,’ confirmed Fidelma. ‘Nannid would like to see a return to a more aggressive leader of the Ui Fidgente either under himself, for he is of the bloodline, or he is working with someone else who is prepared to break the peace that Prince Donennach has agreed with my brother.’
‘There is dissension enough among us,’ muttered the old woman. ‘I have seen two fine sons march off when Eoghanan was our prince. They marched to Cnoc Aine on behalf of Eoghanan and perished there fighting against your brother, lady – fighting the King of Cashel.’
Fidelma sighed. ‘That should be history now that Eoghanan is dead and Donennach rules in peace from this place,’ she said softly.
‘But now I have seen my fine young daughter, Ciarnat, killed for a lie,’ Etromma went on, as if not hearing her. ‘It is time to make a stand and accept that these lies and deceptions must not be ignored if ever there is to be true peace in this land.’
‘This is interesting information against Nannid, but I fail to see where it may lead us,’ Fidelma said restlessly, turning to Aibell. ‘Tomorrow Gorman is due to be hanged.’
‘I know,’ Aibell said gravely. ‘He must be rescued from the abbey tonight.’
‘We had already come to that conclusion,’ Eadulf told her. ‘However, the way to make the thought into reality is much harder to devise.’
Aibell gestured to the elderly woman. ‘Etromma has a plan but it will require the involvement of you, Brother Eadulf, and Enda.’
They looked at the elderly woman in surprise.
‘What have you in mind?’ Eadulf asked. He could not help the sarcasm in his voice. ‘Do we walk up to the abbey, knock on the door and be admitted by the doorkeeper, who will then show us the way to the cell where Gorman is being held, unlock the door, and then we all walk happily forth into the night?’
Aibell ignored his scepticism in her excitement. ‘That is exactly it … if the plan succeeds.’
Before the smiles began to form on their faces, Etromma said sharply: ‘My daughter was murdered. So was the nephew of a dear friend of mine who not only hates those he suspects are responsible but knows them to have corrupted the community of Nechta. He will help and-’