"Let us talk about this matter later," Fidelma suggested. There was no answer and after a moment she reluctantly went down the stairs after Necht.
In the room now designated for Fidelma to conduct her inquiries in, the portly figure of the fer-tighis, the steward of the abbey, was indeed waiting impatiently.
Fidelma slipped into her seat opposite Brother Rumann, noticing that Cass had already assumed his seat in the corner of the chamber. Fidelma turned to Sister Necht. She had given much thought to whether it was wise to continue to allow the young sister to sit in on all her interrogations. Perhaps she could be trusted to keep everything to herself; perhaps not. Fidelma had finally decided that it was better not to put temptation in her way.
"I will not want your services for a while," she told the disappointed-looking novice. "I am sure you have other duties to fulfill in the hostel."
Brother Rumann looked approving.
"Indeed, she has. There are chambers to be cleaned and tidied here."
When Sister Necht had reluctantly left, Fidelma turned back to the steward.
"How long have you been house steward of the abbey, Brother Rumann?" she opened.
The pudgy features of the man creased in a frown.
"Two years, sister. Why?"
"Indulge me," Fidelma invited pleasantly. "I like to know as much background as possible."
Rumann sniffed as if from boredom.
"Then know that I have served in the abbey since I came here when I reached the age of choice—and that was thirty years ago."
He recited his background in a wooden, petulant tone as if he felt that she had no right to ask.
"So you are forty-seven years of age and steward for two years?" Fidelma's voice was sweetly dangerous as she encapsulated the facts he had given her.
"Exactly."
"You must know everything there is to know about the foundation of Ros Ailithir?"
"Everything." Rumann was nothing if not complacent.
"That is good."
Rumann frowned slightly, wondering whether she was quietly mocking him.
"What do you want to know?" he asked gruffly, when Fidelma asked nothing further for several moments.
"Abbot Brocc requested that you conduct an investigation into the death of Dacán. What was its result?"
"That he was murdered by an unknown assailant. That is all," confessed the steward.
"Let us start then from the time the abbot told you the news of Dacán's death."
"The abbot did not tell me. I was told by Brother Conghus."
"When was this?"
"Shortly after he had told the abbot of his discovery. I met him on the way to inform Brother Tola, our assistant physician. Tola examined the body."
"What did you do?"
"I went to see the abbot to ask what I should do."
"You didn't go to Dacán's chamber first?"
Rumann shook his head.
"What could I have done there before Tola had examined Dacán? The abbot then asked me to take charge of the affair. It was after that when I went to Dacán's chamber. Brother Tola was there just finishing his examination of the body. He said that Dacán had been bound and stabbed several times in the chest. He and his assistant Martan took the body away for further examination."
"I understand that the room was not in any disarray and that a bedside oil lamp was still burning."
Rumann gave a confirming nod of his head.
"Tola extinguished the lamp when he left," Fidelma said. "That implied that you had already left the room when the corpse was carried out."
Rumann looked at Fidelma with some respect.
"You have a sharp mind, sister. In fact, that is so. While Tola was finishing his examination, I quickly looked around the room for a weapon or anything that might identify the assailant. I found nothing. So I left just before Tola had the body carried out."
"You did not examine the room again?"
"No. On the abbot's orders, I had the chamber shut up exactly as it was. I had, however, seen nothing there to help in the discovery of a culprit. But the abbot thought that further investigation might be needed."
"You did not refill the oil in the bedside lamp at any stage?"
Rumann raised an eyebrow in surprise at the question.
"Why would I refill it?"
"No matter." Fidelma smiled quickly. "What then? How did you make your investigation?"
Rumann rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Sister Necht and myself were sleeping in the hostel that night and we slept soundly until the morning bell summoned us. There was only one other guest and he neither heard nor saw anything."
"Who was the guest? Is he still at the monastery?"
"No. He was no one really… Just a traveler. His name was Assid of the Ui Dego."
"Ah yes." She recalled that Brocc had mentioned the name. "Assid of the Ui Dego. Tell me if I am wrong, Rumann, but the Ui Dego dwell just north of Fearna in Laigin, do they not?"
Rumann stirred uncomfortably.
"I believe so," he admitted. "Perhaps Brother Midach could tell you more on that subject."
"Why Brother Midach?" Fidelma thought the point curious.
"Well, he has traveled in those lands," Rumann said a trifle defensively. "I think he was born in or near that territory."
Fidelma gave an exasperated sigh. Laigin seemed to loom down every gloomy path in this investigation.
"Tell me more about this traveler, Assid."
"Little to tell. He came off a coastal barca. I think he was a merchant, perhaps trading along the coast. He left with the afternoon tide on the day Dacán was killed. But only after I had questioned him thoroughly."
Fidelma smiled cynically.
"And after he had assured you that he had heard and seen nothing?"
"Just so."
"The fact that Assid was from Laigin, and that Laigin now plays a prominent role in this matter, surely is enough to suggest that he should have been detained here for questioning further?"
Rumann shook his head.
"How were we to know this then? On what grounds could we keep that man here? Are you suggesting that he is the murderer of his fellow countryman? Besides, like Midach, there are several brothers and sisters in this abbey whose birthplace was in Laigin."
"I am not here to suggest things, Rumann," snapped Fidelma, irritated by the steward's complacency. "I am here to investigate."
The portly religieux sat back abruptly and swallowed. He was unused to being snapped at.
Fidelma, for her part, immediately regretted her irritation and secretly admitted that the steward could hardly have acted otherwise. What grounds were there to have held Assid of the Ui Dego? None. However, the identity of the person who had taken the news of Dacán's murder to Fearna was now obvious.
"This Assid," began Fidelma again, speaking in a more amicable tone, "what makes you so sure that he was a merchant?"
Rumann screwed up his features in a meaningless grimace.
"Who else but merchants travel our coastline in barca and seek hospitality in our hostels? He was not unusual. We often get merchants like him."
"Presumably his crew stayed on board the barc?"
"I believe they did. They certainly did not stay here."
"One wonders, therefore, why he did not also stay on board but sought a night's lodging here?" mused Fidelma. "Which chamber did he occupy?"
"The one currently occupied by Sister Eisten."
"Did he know Dacán?"
"I think so. Yes, I do recall that they greeted one another in friendly fashion. That was on the evening that Assi'd arrived. That was natural, I suppose, both men being from Laigin."
Fidelma suppressed her annoyance. How could she solve this mystery when her principal witness had left the scene? Already she felt an overwhelming sense of frustration.