‘Are you saying that you actually saw him kill Eber?’ he demanded.
Crítán grinned knowingly.
‘Not actually saw him,’ he confessed, tapping the side of his nose with a forefinger, ‘but as good as.’
‘What is that supposed to mean?’ snapped Fidelma. ‘You can only say something is certain if you witnessed it.’
Critan was boastful again now that he had her full attention.
‘I witnessed Móen enter Eber’s apartments.’
Fidelma allowed her eyes to widen fractionally in surprise. Neither Menma nor Dubán had referred to the fact that Critan had been in the vicinity of Eber’s apartments before the discovery of the body.
‘You will have to explain a little more,’ she said tersely. ‘When did you see Móen enter Eber’s apartments?’
‘It was the morning when Menma discovered them. About half an hour before I went to relieve Dubán on guard duty.’
Fidelma shot a quick glance of interrogation at Dubán. The senior warrior was clearly bewildered. He was apparently hearing this story for the first time.
‘What were you doing abroad so early?’ Fidelma asked softly. The young man seemed to hesitate and she continued: ‘You must explain if you are to be accepted as a credible witness.’
‘If you must know,’ Crítán’s face reddened and his tone was defensive, ‘I had spent the night at a certain place …’
‘A certain place?’
Dubán suddenly guffawed lewdly.
‘I’ll wager that he means Clídna’s brothel. It is a few miles along the river from here.’
Crítán’s mortified face confirmed the fact.
‘I was to return to the rath before sunrise and had just reached the entrance to the hall of assembly. I saw Dubán sprawled on a bench just inside. He was fast asleep.’ Dubán’s face reddened but he said nothing. ‘Then I saw that creature sneaking along in the shadows. He did not know that I was there, of course.’
‘Was Móen alone?’
Critan grimaced.
‘Yes. It is well known that he was able to move freely, blind, deaf and dumb as he was. He seemed to have an uncanny instinct at knowing how to move from one house to another.’
‘I see. So he was alone?’
‘He was,’ confirmed the youth.
‘And you saw him enter Eber’s house?’
‘I did.’
‘How?’
Critan blinked rapidly. ‘How?’ he echoed the question as if he did not understand it.
‘You said that you were at the entrance of the hall of assembly. To see Eber’s door you would have had to move some twenty to thirty feet even to see it in the light let alone the darkness.’
‘Oh. When I saw him sneaking along I wondered what he was up to. So I waited until he had gone by me and then I followed him.’
‘And you saw him enter Eber’s apartments? How did he enter?’
‘Through the door.’ The youth was ingenuous.
‘I meant, did he do so with stealth, or did he knock on the door or otherwise attempt to announce his presence? How?’
‘Oh, with stealth, naturally. It was still dark.’
‘And you saw Móen enter in the darkness. You have good eyesight. What did you do then?’
‘I was intent on returning to the warrior’s lodge to wash before relieving Dubán,’ grinned Critan. ‘I continued on my way. I did not wish to get involved so said nothing when Teafa …’
He suddenly paused. A look of uncertainty came into his eyes.
‘When Teafa …?’ prompted Fidelma. ‘When Teafa … what?’
‘I had returned by the hall of assembly, beyond the stables towards the warriors’ hostel, which lies just by the mill house. Teafa’s cabin is nearby. As I was passing, she came out with lamp in hand. She was searching for Móen. At first I thought that she was looking for firewood for she had bent down to pick up a stick by her door. Then she saw me and asked if I had seen Móen.’
Fidelma was looking thoughtful.
‘Did you tell her where he was to be found?’
‘Not I. I did not want to get involved in hunting for the creature. I told her that I had not seen him and passed on. I washed, changedmy clothes and then went in search of Dubán. When I found him, he told me what had happened.’ Critan smiled triumphantly at the end of his narrative. ‘So there you are. It is clear that Móen killed Eber and Teafa.’
Eadulf nodded reflectively.
‘It does seem conclusive,’ he acknowledged, glancing at Fidelma.
‘Just let me make sure that I have this clear,’ she said. ‘You saw Móen enter Eber’s apartments. They were in darkness. It was before sunrise. How were you able to see Móen enter?’
‘Easy to say. My eyes were accustomed to the dark. I had just ridden from Clidna’s place in the dark.’
‘Then you passed on and came on Teafa standing at her cabin door with a lamp looking for Móen? When you went to find Dubán, perhaps a half an hour later, you learnt that Menma had found Eber and Móen. Why didn’t you mention what you had seen?’
‘There was no need. There were other witnesses.’
‘When did you learn that Teafa had also been killed?’
Critan was confident.
‘After Dubán went to find her to deal with Móen.’
‘Thank you, Critan, you have been of great help.’
Fidelma began to walk at a leisurely pace towards the guests’ hostel with Eadulf hurrying at her side.
‘Do you need me again today, sister?’ called Dubán after them.
Fidelma turned absently. ‘I still want to see the hunting knife with which Móen is supposed to have carried out this deed.’
‘I’ll bring it directly,’ the warrior answered.
As they walked back to the guests’ hostel, Eadulf waited patiently for Fidelma to make some comment but, as she remained silent, he decided to prompt her.
‘I think the evidence is pretty clear. Eye-witnesses and the discovery of Móen with the knife. It seems there is little more to be inquired into. Móen, pitiable creature though he is, is guilty of this deed.’
Fidelma raised her smouldering green eyes to his dark brown ones.
‘Quite the contrary, Eadulf. I think that the evidence goes to support the argument that Móen did not commit the murders as charged.’
Chapter Eight
After Dubán had been sent to request a meeting with Cranat, the widow of Eber, word came that she would meet with Fidelma and Eadulf in the hall of assembly within half an hour.
Crón was already there when they entered, seated in her chair of office. Before her, just below the dais, were the same seats as before. This time Fidelma noticed that a second chair had been placed next to Crón’s chair of office. Fidelma and Eadulf had barely reached their places when a straight-backed woman entered, with a fixed, unsmiling expression. She did not glance in their direction, nor make any attempt to acknowledge them, but moved forward to the empty chair and seated herself beside her daughter.
For a woman approaching her fiftieth year, Cranat was still handsome. She had kept her figure well. There was something aristocratic about her oval face, her fair skin, white and delicate. Her golden hair had no grey in it but was worn long and flowed down below the shoulders. The hands were well formed with slender tapering fingers. Fidelma noticed that the nails were carefully cut and rounded and artificially coloured crimson. Berry juice dyed the eyebrows black and there was a hint of ruam, the juice of sprigs and berries of the elder tree, which highlighted the cheeks with the blush of red. Fidelma noticed that Cranat did not believe in stinting herself when it came to perfume. A heavy scent of roses permeated the air around her. Cranat seated herself in regal posture.
She wore a dress of red silk fringed with gold and bracelets of silver and white bronze adorned her arms while a circlet of gold encased her neck. Clearly Cranat was possessed of wealth andher bearing showed that she was also possessed of status not just the rank of the wife of chieftain of Araglin.