‘Time for the evening bathe,’ Fidelma sighed. ‘But I suppose it must be in cold water again. I can never get used to these foreign customs where people do not heat water for an evening bath. In fact, I have noticed that these people hardly ever bathe, just have a wash with cold water in the morning and perhaps take a swim in the river every so often. They do not even use soap. How can people exist like this, Eadulf?’
Eadulf controlled his expression for a moment. He had grown up in such a fashion and even now he could not get used to the bathing customs of the people of the five kingdoms of Éireann.
Each morning it was the custom to rise and wash their hands and face but then in the evening, before the evening meal, they bathed, a full body wash, with hot water. And this was the daily custom! Eadulf shivered. When he was growing up, he swam in the river near his home once a week and that was his bath. But the rituals of Fidelma’s people continued to amaze him. The soap they used called sléic and linen towels and the sweet scented herbs and oils that were used for the bath took some getting used to.
When the toiletry demands had been met and they had changed into clean robes, Fidelma and Eadulf went down to keep their appointment with Nuntius Peregrinus.
The envoy from the Bishop of Rome was already waiting in the calefactorium and rose to greet them when they entered. He had been talking to his ever-present custodes, the Lateran Palace bodyguard. The warrior discreetly removed himself to another corner.
‘More bad news, I hear,’ Nuntius Peregrinus said sombrely as they seated themselves.
‘You mean about Brother Gillucán?’
‘The young Irish Brother,’ he agreed. ‘He was the servant of Abbot Dabhóc. That is sad.’
‘Not only sad but a mystery,’ replied Fidelma softly.
The envoy’s eyes widened a little. ‘I do not understand.’
‘That death strikes down both the abbot and then his steward in different circumstances but so close to one another: is there some connection?’
‘But this young Brother was attacked by robbers after leaving the abbey. That has nothing to do with the abbot’s murder, surely? It is a sad fact of life that there are robbers in our world, those who waylay and attack strangers, to steal whatever wealth they think they have on them. Those of the religious are not immune to such evil people.’
‘Odd that no one saw him leave-and not even the vigilant guards at the city gate saw him pass through,’ mused Fidelma.
‘And what items of worth would a young religieux have on him? I understand the young man was not possessed of wealth, unlike someone of substance-such as yourself,’ Eadulf added with a touch of malicious humour.
The Nuntius did not appreciate Eadulf’s jocularity.
‘Robbers will rob even for a good pair of leather sandals these days.’ He hesitated and repeated, ‘You surely do not think there is a connection between this young man’s death and the murder of his abbot?’
‘My task is to come to no conclusion until I am in possession of all the facts,’ Fidelma replied.
‘Did you know Brother Gillucán?’ Eadulf asked.
‘No. I met all the delegates but not their stewards or advisers,’ said the Nuntius. ‘I was present at the opening of the session and saw the enmity between some of the delegates.’
‘The argument between Ordgar and Cadfan, you mean?’
The Nuntius nodded briefly. ‘That prelates of the Church can be so antagonistic to each other is a cause of sadness when we should be united in Faith. I had to intervene in order to help Bishop Leodegar bring them under control.’
‘The more vehement the proclamation of the Faith, the more vicious the denunciation of others who deviate from that person’s vision,’ interposed Fidelma. ‘The Faith can breed great hatreds.’
‘You surprise me, Sister!’ The Nuntius was scandalised.
‘Surely you cannot be surprised by reality, Peregrinus?’ Fidelma replied. ‘We must accept that we are all frail creatures. I have not studied my country’s law and pursued its practice these many years without a realisation that humans are not perfect and rational beings. They can be sly and oft-times evil, whatever their calling in life.’
‘We of the Faith must aspire to higher codes of behaviour.’
‘Aspire, yes,’ she agreed, ‘but I am afraid there is often a gap between aspiration and achievement. What was your opinion of Abbot Dabhóc?’ Fidelma swung back to the original subject.
Nuntius Peregrinus thought for a moment.
‘He seemed a most moderate man. He tried to make peace between the Briton and the Saxon on that first day when they had the argument. I noticed that.’
‘Is it your opinion that he was killed because he intervened between them?’ asked Eadulf.
‘It would seem so.’
‘Yet his room was ransacked the same night. Robbery seems so prevalent these days. Could that be a possibility in this matter?’
‘But the abbot was murdered in the chamber of Ordgar…are you saying that Ordgar killed him in the course of a robbery?’
‘I did not say that. I simply said that his chamber was ransacked and some things have gone missing.’
The Nuntius did not respond.
‘Did you meet Abbot Dabhóc apart from that opening session?’
‘Yes. I went to look at the old Roman amphitheatre, which is not far away from here. Several of the delegates to the council had gone there. Abbot Leodegar wanted to show them some of the beauties of this city. I met Abbot Dabhóc there.’
‘Ah!’ Fidelma exclaimed. ‘And his steward was not with him?’
‘Now that you mention it, the young man was accompanying the abbot. We exchanged a few words-incidentals, that is all. He removed himself from our company immediately after that.’ The words were spoken almost defensively.
‘And when you were alone with Abbot Dabhóc, wasn’t there talk of a gift?’ The sharp tone in Fidelma’s voice caused the Nuntius to blink.
‘You seem to know a great deal, Fidelma. Yes, there was such talk.’
‘And what was said?’
‘The abbot advised me that he had brought a special gift from Hibernia. It was a reliquary that he wanted me to take as a present to His Holiness on behalf of the bishop of Ard Macha.’
‘But, presumably, this gift was not handed over?’
The Nuntius Peregrinus shook his head.
‘Did you know what the gift was?’
‘Holy relics, that is all,’ the Nuntius replied at once. ‘They were the relics of a disciple of Patrick who took the Faith to the Hibernians.’
‘The relics of Benén mac Sesenén?’
‘No name was mentioned that I recall. We were to wait until the end of the council. There was to be a closing ceremony and it was thought fitting to make the presentation there so that all might witness Ard Macha’s tribute to Rome.’
‘Whose suggestion was that?’
‘The abbot’s, naturally. I think he was quite proud of the gift and wanted the other delegates to see what Ard Macha was sending to His Holiness.’ He frowned suddenly. ‘You would doubtless know that the bishop of Ard Macha is seeking His Holiness’s blessing and recognition to be the primate of your land of Hibernia.’
Fidelma pursed her lips in disfavour.
‘We have long been aware that the comarb of Patrick, as we call the bishops of Ard Macha, make the claim that they are the senior bishops in the five kingdoms. It is not a claim that is supported by the other bishops. Least of all those in my brother’s kingdom of Muman.’
‘Comarb?’ The Nunfius hesitated over the word.
‘Successor,’ explained Fidelma. ‘Abbot Ségdae, who is now the senior delegate of Hibernia here, is recognised as comarb of the Blessed Ailbe who came to our kingdom before Patrick arrived in the island. It was Ailbe who brought the Faith to our southern kingdom. According to our scholars, he has more right to be recognised as senior bishop. Ségdae is both abbot and bishop of Imleach, the abbey founded by Ailbe. Most people do not acknowledge that the bishop of Ard Macha has a right to this title of archiepiscopus-it is not the way in which our churches are organised.’