‘You make it sound intriguing, my friend, but as you’ll recall, Abbot Maelcar made it quite clear that I was not welcome in the abbey.’
‘Then let Brother Eadulf come with me, for this should be heard.’
Fidelma stood up abruptly. ‘As you are so insistent, let us all go to see this man. If Abbot Maelcar is concerned that my presence will destroy the spirituality of his community, then I will stand aside and Eadulf may listen to what there is to say. Where is the man now?’
‘There is a little house behind the chapel, set aside for the ailing sick of the community,’ Brother Metellus said, looking relieved. ‘Biscam’s man is there.’
‘You said that he is badly wounded,’ Eadulf said. ‘Has he been attended to?’
Brother Metellus nodded quickly. ‘We have a good apothecary in the abbey and his wounds have been dressed and tended. But the man has lost a lot of blood.’
They excused themselves from Aourken’s presence and followed Brother Metellus back to the abbey buildings.
‘What is this man’s name?’ asked Fidelma as they hurried along the path.
‘Berran. He worked for Biscam and his brothers.’
‘You have intrigued me as to what Berran might say that is of such importance,’ Fidelma said. ‘Is this one of the raids on local farms that Aourken told us about?’
‘I don’t know. I had not heard of them until yesterday, for I have been on my island for quite a while.’ Brother Metellus fell silent and so they followed him without any further questions back to the abbey. He led the way straight to a small building behind the chapel. It was a single room in which some wooden cots were placed, only one of which was occupied. A tall thin religious stood nearby administering some dark-coloured liquid. He looked up with a frown of disapproval as they entered.
‘The man needs rest,’ he admonished Brother Metellus in a whisper. ‘Sleep is the great healer in such cases.’ Then he seemed to notice Fidelma for the first time and his jaw slackened a little.
‘Sister Fidelma is here with my authority, Brother,’ Brother Metellus said quickly before he could raise another objection. Fidelma had looked quickly at the figure in the bed.
‘Is the prognosis good?’ she asked quietly.
‘It is not a life-threatening wound, if that is what you mean,’ the physician murmured. ‘He has lost blood and has pain from the wound, but he is young, and youth and time will lead to a good recovery.’
‘Has Abbot Maelcar been here to see him?’ asked Brother Metellus.
‘He has. The Abbot has just returned to his own chambers.’
‘Good.’ Brother Metellus ushered them to the bedside. They were surprised to see that the man who lay there was conscious; his eyes were focused on them, though it was plain to see that he was in some discomfort. ‘Hello, Berran,’ Brother Metellus spoke gently. ‘This will not take but a moment. I just want you to repeat to Sister Fidelma here exactly what you told us about the attack.’
Berran was, indeed, a young man, but his face was lined and weather-beaten and also furrowed with deep lines of pain. The eyes were dark and almost fathomless as he turned towards her.
‘We…’ he licked a tongue over his parched lips. ‘We were not far from the abbey. Biscam thought we should reach it by mid-morning. We had fifteen donkeys laden with goods and there were five of us — Biscam, his two brothers, my friend Brioc and myself. The journey from Naoned had been without incident…’
He blinked and paused.
‘It all happened so suddenly. I felt a pain and was knocked over by a blow on the shoulder. It was an arrow. I fell to the ground and was aware of my comrades falling around me. I heard their cries of surprise and pain, then I passed out. The attackers must have thought I was dead like the others but when I woke up, the donkeys and their packs were gone and only the dead lay on the forest pathway. I saw Biscam, his brothers…all dead. Only I survived.’
‘Tell the Sister what you saw before you passed out,’ Brother Metellus urged.
‘I saw the attackers emerging from the trees and bushes that lined the path. They had their bows ready in their hands and swords as well…’
‘And…?’ pressed Brother Metellus.
‘Their leader…’
‘Yes, their leader?’ cajoled the Roman. ‘Tell us of their leader.’
‘He was dressed all in white and wore a mask. He was a thin man with a shrill voice.’
Fidelma exhaled softly and glanced at Eadulf. She turned back to the wounded man.
‘Is there anything else you can tell us about this man?’ she whispered.
Berran was obviously trying to recall. ‘No,’ he gasped. ‘I was overcome with pain and passed out. In fact, I kept coming to and crawling along the path, knowing that I would eventually get to the abbey.’
Brother Metellus turned to Fidelma. ‘You see why you had to hear this? The leader was dressed in white as you described.’
Fidelma nodded thoughtfully.
‘Tell me, Berran, have you ever heard any rumours or stories about robbers in this area? Was this the first time you have been attacked in this fashion?’
The young man’s lips twisted in a spasm of pain before he answered. ‘I have heard nothing of merchants being attacked in this area of Bro-Waroch. There were stories of some attacks on farmsteads when we entered the peninsula two days ago. But there has never been any trouble before.’
‘Forgive me asking you again, Berran, but can you tell us anything more about the identity of these attackers? Apart from their leader, a slim man clad in white, you say?’
‘That is all I can recall.’
‘And you have no idea of where they came fr-’
‘Enough!’ The voice at the door was harsh.
They swung round to see Abbot Maelcar gazing angrily from the doorway.
‘Did I not make myself clear, Sister Fidelma?’ His eyes narrowed on her. ‘You are not welcome in the abbey precincts and certainly not in these buildings reserved for sick members of our community!’
Brother Metellus took a step forward. ‘It is my fault, Father Abbot. The people who attacked Sister Fidelma and Brother Eadulf at sea are the same that attacked Biscam and his men. I felt that she should hear what Berran had to say.’
Abbot Maelcar sniffed disapprovingly. ‘You dare disobey me? You knew my orders!’
‘Isn’t it more important to discover who these murderers are, than keep strictly to the rules of the community?’ Brother Metellus asked defiantly.
Abbot Maelcar’s features reddened. His eyes flashed with fury.
‘You still defy me?’ His voice rose sharply.
‘Abbot Maelcar,’ Fidelma spoke quietly. ‘We are in the presence of a sick man in the infirmary. If you wish to raise your voice, then we should repair outside and away from this place.’
The Abbot’s mouth opened in astonishment and he seemed at a loss for a moment at what he considered her impudence.
Eadulf knew that she was doing no more than obeying the law that appertained in her own land. The laws of how hospitals were run were very precise, and nothing that disturbed the peace of the patients was to be allowed within a certain area of the house where the sick were being nursed — no barking dogs or noisy people. He moved forward, slightly in front of Fidelma, facing the Abbot, and spoke softly but firmly.
‘I suggest that we leave poor Berran in peace and continue this discussion outside. It is too important a matter to argue over the dogma of rules when lives are at stake.’ He turned to the worried-looking physician attending him and smiled to indicate his thanks, although Eadulf felt that his anxiety was more for the wrath of the Abbot than care for his patient.
The Abbot turned on his heel. He was waiting for them outside, his expression angry.
‘I defer only to the sick man,’ he said, his tone harsh.
‘That is all we were asking you to do,’ replied Eadulf. Fidelma was surprised by his tone. He did not usually assume a belligerent manner. ‘As to the matter in hand, this man had important information about the people who attacked and killed the merchant’s company. From his description, it was the same thieves who attacked our ship and killed the Prince of Cashel, the cousin of the Lady Fidelma here.’ For the first time Eadulf had abandoned the religious title to emphasise that she was sister of the King of Muman. Before Abbot Maelcar could reply, Eadulf continued: ‘That means these murderers and robbers are based in this vicinity. And that means your abbey might be in danger from them.’