Fidelma did not allow herself to show any recognition of the name and hoped Eadulf would not say anything.
‘Do we know whether he contacted these three pilgrims before he left?’
‘We don’t. I am told they left this morning.’
‘Are many religious attacked by robbers in such a fashion in these parts?’ asked Eadulf.
‘According to Brother Chilperic, it is unusual for a religious to be killed by robbers. They are usually interested only in money or goods, not in taking a life.’
‘Yet poor Brother Gillucán was stripped and robbed and, although we cannot be sure, his naked body was defiled by being thrown into excrement,’ Fidelma observed thoughtfully. ‘The circumstances sound unusual at the least.’
Abbot Segdae regarded her unhappily. ‘This council is turning into a nightmare. If it were not for the important decisions that have to be made, I would suggest that our delegation withdraw.’
‘That would not be good politics,’ Fidelma pointed out.
‘You are right, of course. We must stay focused on the issues before us.’ The abbot rose abruptly. ‘I will leave you now, but if you come across any information which may help me with my report to Ségéne of Ard Macha…’ He did not finish but left them.
‘Brother Sigeric will be anxious to hear what we have discovered about Sister Valretrade,’ Eadulf told her when they were left alone.
‘Then we’d better tell him,’ Fidelma agreed. It was clear that her mind was elsewhere for the moment and they left the hospitia in silence.
They found Brother Sigeric at work in the library, sitting quietly in a corner transcribing some manuscript. He looked up and an expression of hope quickly flitted across his face. Fidelma’s demeanour told him there was none, however, and his features resumed their wistfulness.
‘We saw Abbess Audofleda, but she simply confirmed what Sister Radegund had told you-that Sister Valretrade left her community about a week ago, having refused to obey the Rule.’
‘Lies!’ snapped Sigeric hotly.
‘Why would you say they were lying?’ asked Fidelma.
‘Because she would not leave here without me,’ the young man replied simply.
Fidelma nodded sympathetically. ‘I have heard similar comment from Brother Budnouen.’
‘Budnouen used to take messages between us,’ Brother Sigeric acknowledged. ‘I had heard that he had returned to Autun but have not seen him yet. He is a merchant and…’
‘We travelled here with him the other day,’ Eadulf informed him. ‘The thing is, Sigeric, if Abbess Audofleda and Sister Radegund are telling lies, what is their purpose and where is Valretrade?’
Brother Sigeric scowled. ‘I’ll wager that she is imprisoned somewhere in the Domus Femini as a punishment for her relationship with me,’ he said, answering the second question first. ‘I will break in and find her.’
He half rose as if that was his immediate intention but Fidelma reached out a hand to stay him.
‘That will serve no purpose, my young friend,’ she said. ‘Calm yourself. Let us try to work out a better strategy. Meanwhile, you must have a care. If you are right about what has happened to Valretrade, then Audofleda might surmise you would take that action. I think that the abbatissa is one who will hold a grudge. She even threatened us with punishment.’
Brother Sigeric sank glumly back on his seat. ‘In the early days, Bishop Leodegar punished those who were reluctant to divorce their wives. He had some flogged.’
‘Do you mean that they were not given a free choice to leave if they did not agree with his Rule on celibacy?’ Fidelma was horrified.
The young scribe shrugged to show she was right.
‘It is hard to believe,’ observed Eadulf.
‘Yet believe it you must. I know it is unusual to you. From what I have heard, there are few places among the Gauls and Franks and even in your western islands, where abbots, bishops and the religious are not married. But these celibates are a small band of fanatics who can only impose their views by force.’
‘Can you give any reason why Abbess Audofleda would deny that Valretrade was in the Domus Femini?’
‘Only to keep us apart,’ was the young man’s immediate reply.
‘She claims that she knew nothing of your relationship. Sister Radegund supported her in that, saying that she had not mentioned your visit to the abbess.’
‘Then I say she lies again.’
‘Valretrade disappeared on the night Abbot Dabhóc was slain,’ Fidelma said. ‘I think it is important that we find someone who is willing to talk about her.’
‘Such as?’
‘Budnouen mentioned someone who knew Valretrade…what was her name?’
It was Eadulf who remembered it: ‘He mentioned a Sister Inginde.’
The young man’s eyes widened. ‘She was Valretrade’s closest friend in the community! They worked together.’
‘Then we need a method of trying to contact her,’ Fidelma said.
‘There is one easy way of sneaking into the Domus Femini, but if one is caught…’ Brother Sigeric ended with a shrug.
‘Perhaps that is a risk that should be taken for the sake of truth.’ Fidelma’s expression was grim.
Brother Sigeric looked at her closely. ‘Would you be willing to chance this? After all, being a woman you would have a better chance of escaping detection than a man would have.’
Eadulf protested immediately. ‘There is only one way into the house of women, and that is through the main gate. I doubt whether Sister Radegund would allow Fidelma to walk in again, especially to speak with any member of the sisterhood.’
‘But there is another easy way in or out of the Domus Femini, isn’t there, Sigeric?’ Fidelma was looking at the young man expectantly. ‘The passage through the vaults under the abbey.’
‘That is so, but I would need to show you the way. In fact, it is the same passage through which the sisters of the Domus Femini come each morning and evening to attend service in the chapel.’
Eadulf raised another objection to the plan.
‘So you enter the Domus Femini-but what then? You would also need to be able to find Sister Inginde. How would you do that?’
Brother Sigeric was enthusiastic.
‘She shared the chamber with Valretrade. I can draw you a plan that would show you how to get there, if you could follow it.’
‘I can follow it,’ replied Fidelma firmly. ‘So long as it is accurate.’
Eadulf was still not convinced. ‘I think it foolhardy. What if you were discovered?’ he protested.
‘I will ensure that I am not discovered,’ Fidelma replied simply. ‘We must find out about Valretrade. I believe that some of the answers to all this mystery might be resolved when we know why she disappeared.’ She turned to Sigeric. ‘So when would be the best time to undertake this underground route?’
His answer was immediate. ‘This very night.’
‘Excellent,’ Fidelma said. ‘The best time is when the sleep period is at its deepest.’
‘You must give yourself sufficient time to enter the Domus Femini, find the chamber of Sister Inginde and then question her. Then you will have to retrace your steps,’ pointed out Brother Sigeric.
‘And all without being observed,’ muttered Eadulf.
‘Show me the way into the Domus Femini and your plan of how I might find the chamber of this Sister Inginde, and I will do the rest,’ Fidelma said confidently.
‘That is good,’ replied Brother Sigeric. ‘I will wait for you here, in the library, after the midnight bell has sounded and the last prayers have been said. Then the brethren go to their slumbers. We will wait a while and then go to the vaults.’
Fidelma and Eadulf left the young scribe in an excited frame of mind and returned to the hospitia.
As they entered their room they heard the distant toll of a bell.