‘Our bishop, as I have told you before, is a Frank and well connected with the ruling house. Brother Andica sometimes has difficulty in keeping his pride in check. Once or twice the bishop has had to remonstrate with him on his disrespectful tone towards our Frankish rulers.’
‘Is Andica something of a fanatic in these matters?’
Brother Chilperic shook his head.
‘We can all be proud of our peoples, but when serving in the religious we are supposed to serve the wider humanity. Christendom becomes our nation.’
‘And yet overcoming a pride in one’s people can be a hard aspiration as, indeed, Cadfan and Ordgar have already discovered.’
The steward was thoughtful.
‘Now that they have been allowed freedom outside of their chambers, they pace the abbey like restless beasts. I was once in Rome and saw the caged lions-big cats-which had been brought there from some corner of the earth. That is how I see the abbot and bishop. However, they have avoided one another so far. I do hope that you and Sister Fidelma will make a decision as to which one is guilty before there is another killing.’
‘Another killing?’
‘I am sure that if they do meet, one of them will kill the other.’
‘I am afraid it is not so easy as making a choice,’ Eadulf sighed. ‘It is a question of finding the truth.’
‘Are you near that truth?’
‘It takes time.’
‘Ah, tempus omnia revelat,’ intoned Brother Chilperic piously. ‘Time reveals all things. It is a good thought, Brother Eadulf, but sometimes events as well as people cannot wait. I have advised you, Brother. There may come a moment when the bishop will say, “Take the advice that Horace gave in his Epistles”.’
Eadulf searched his memory. ‘I do not think that I am acquainted with that advice.’
Brother Chilperic’s expression was a little malicious. ‘“You have played enough, eaten and drunk enough”,’ he quoted.
‘You are saying that he plans to dismiss us?’
‘Verbum sat sapienti,’ the steward replied almost complacently. A word is enough for a wise man.
‘Does he not care who the guilty person is?’
‘He cares more that this council meets and makes the decisions required by Rome. Only the fact that you are known to the Nuntius Peregrinus keeps the bishop patient…for the present. But he believes that we cannot wait for ever.’
Eadulf was irritated. ‘It will not be for ever. It will be when the truth is known.’ He turned and left the scriptorium abruptly.
Outside he met Brother Sigeric about to enter.
‘Brother Chilperic is working in there,’ Eadulf warned Brother Sigeric when the scribe looked surprised as Eadulf closed the door firmly.
‘Then by all means let us move to a place where we may talk freely,’ Brother Sigeric replied. They entered the main courtyard of the abbey and went to stand by the fountain. ‘I understand that you saw Abbess Audofleda again. Did she show you the letter from Valretrade?’
‘The letters were not formed just as you told us,’ Eadulf said, taking the birch bark from his marsupium and showing it to Brother Sigeric. ‘In fact, the same hand wrote all the notes from those married women who quit the community.’
‘I was right. Valretrade did not write it,’ the young man said after one glance. ‘I will swear to it.’ His face was anguished. ‘What could they have done with her? You are sure that she is not a prisoner of Audofleda?’
‘She is not in the Domus Femini,’ confirmed Eadulf. ‘Nor are the other women and the children who have disappeared.’
‘But you believe all the disappearances are connected?’
I believe so.’ Then a thought occurred to Eadulf. ‘Tell me, do you know Brother Andica?’
‘The stonemason? Why do you ask?’
‘Does he have reason to be in the Domus Femini?’
‘As a master stonemason he has to ensure the good repair of both sections of the abbey.’
‘Of course. I did not think.’ Eadulf felt a little disappointed at the easy explanation.
‘As a matter of fact, before the Rule of segregation was put in place by the bishop, there was a long gallery that linked the two sections of the building. It was Andica’s task to seal it, but to do so he had to work on both sides of the wall that he had built. So that would be the reason why he has free access.’
‘Do you mean that he is still working on this gallery?’
‘I am sure he is.’
‘And one can still pass between the two sections of the abbey? Then there is another way into the Domus Femini, apart from the underground method that you showed us?’
Immediately Brother Sigeric shook his head.
‘I am not sure about that. It is now called the forbidden gallery. We are not allowed into it. It should be sealed.’
‘Describe this gallery to me,’ prompted Eadulf.
‘It was a long passage that was said to be part of the original Roman building that stood on the site of the abbey. There are tall arches and an upper gallery on which some ancient statues stand. At the far end, the arched door leads into the Domus Femini but, as I say, I am sure that Brother Andica is supposed to have blocked it up. No one is allowed there any more, as it provides no useful function.’
Eadulf was contemplative.
Finally Brother Sigeric prompted: ‘What are you going to do about finding Valretrade?’
‘Once Fidelma has recovered…’ Eadulf began vaguely. He laid a hand on Brother Sigeric’s arm. ‘Don’t worry, we will find her,’ he said, trying to sound reassuring. ‘Leave it to us and say nothing further to anyone about this. We will keep you informed.’
Eadulf was still pondering gloomily on the subject the following morning when Fidelma rose, feeling her old self. The leg was tender but the swelling had receded and she was able to move freely. A good sign was that her appetite had returned and she made an excellent attempt at breaking her fast. Brother Gebicca came by soon afterwards, checked the wound and pronounced himself satisfied.
‘The poison is dispersed and there are no signs of any residual matters. The tenderness should be entirely gone by tomorrow.’
After Brother Gebicca had left, Fidelma made Eadulf sit down and go through his encounter with Abbess Audofleda and its consequences again. He had done so the previous evening but her mind had still been hazy. Now she listened for the most part in silence, questioning only to amplify on a point here and there. Eadulf also told her of Brother Andica, of Sister Inginde, of Sister Radegund’s relationship to Beretrude and, finally, of the warning that Brother Chilperic had given that Bishop Leodegar was ready to cancel their investigation.
‘That must not happen,’ Fidelma said forcefully. ‘We know that there is more to this matter than Cadfan and Ordgar. Verbas of Peqini is lurking around the villa of Beretrude. Why? Sister Radegund is related to Beretrude and we now learn that all the married women and their children have left the community. Some have been seen entering Beretrude’s villa. I think something very sinister is happening.’
She was silent in thought a moment before she said: ‘I am intrigued with this gallery that Sigeric mentioned. When Brother Chilperic took us around the abbey to acquaint us with it, he neglected to show us this.’
‘As it is sealed up and no one can pass between the abbey and the women’s community, perhaps it was not considered important enough. I am told it is called the forbidden gallery.’
‘Nevertheless, we must ensure that this is the truth of the matter rather than rely on hearsay. Do you know where it is?’
‘I know roughly from Sigeric’s description.’
‘Then let us make that our first priority of the day.’
One thing that Fidelma knew Eadulf was good at was spatial concepts. He could look at a building and know its geography without having to spend time exploring it. He had correctly guessed where the abbey buildings were joined together, having observed the forbidding outside walls and then translated this into the internal geography. He was able to conduct Fidelma through the large and now empty refectory hall, beyond the kitchens and through the storerooms. Everywhere seemed deserted. He paused, examining some passages, and then moved into a hall that was filled with stone dust and some blocks of limestone and even marble. There were masonry tools piled here and there but the place seemed unoccupied.