‘They have gone. What was the meaning of that exchange?’ Fidelma halted her horse.
‘I was merely planting a seed,’ she confided cheerfully. ‘It is about time that the half truths and lies that are being spread are stopped and someone told me the truth.’
‘But aren’t you giving Crón and Dubán warning that you are suspecting them of involvement?’
‘Sometimes to flush out a fox you must start to dig into its lair.’
‘I see. You expect them to react in some way?’
‘We shall see whether they do or not.’
Eadulf sniffed disapprovingly.
‘It is often a dangerous practice for if a fox is cornered it will sometimes turn and rend its tormentor. Anyway, where are we going now? Surely Archú can tell us no more?’
‘We are not going to Archú’s farmstead now we know he is safe and there is no sign of Agdae there.’
‘Then where?’
‘The path you saw yesterday. I want to see where it leads.’
Eadulf looked dubious.
‘Wouldn’t it have been better to have an escort then? What if the path does lead to the lair of the cattle raiders?’
Fidelma smiled gently.
‘Have no fear, Eadulf. I am not going to put myself deliberately in the way of danger.’
‘It is not deliberate actions that I fear,’ muttered Eadulf.
For the first time in a long while she chuckled with genuine amusement and then signalled for him to follow her. They eventually came to the track overlooking the valley in which Muadnat’s farmstead lay. Fidelma halted and examined the fields and buildings with a searching look.
‘I don’t really want to be observed by anyone at Muadnat’s farm,’ she said.
‘I cannot see any other means of joining the path than going through the track which lies between the farm buildings,’ Eadulf pointed out.
Fidelma shook her head and held out her hand.
‘Beyond those fields is a small depression that traverses the valley. I think it is a ditch or stream. Here and there, you can see that trees and brush grow along its banks. If we can find a way down into it we can probably keep below the level of any prying eyes from the farmstead until we get on the far side of the valley and can join the path.’
Eadulf appeared doubtful but observing that she was so determined he insisted that he lead the way, giving his horse its head to pick a path down the steep incline, skirting some cultivated fields and moving steadily towards the shelter of some trees through which the ditch ran. Fidelma had been right, the depression concealed a small stream, no more than six feet across in places. The stream lay at the bottom of a ditch which gave concealment to them as they followed its shallow running waters across the valley floor.
It did not take them very long to traverse the valley and move upwards, this time emerging overlooking the back of the farm buildings. Nothing was moving below them, they could not even see any workers around the barns or in the fields.
It was some time before they finally joined the second track and began to follow its course up into the northern hills.
‘Well,’ Fidelma exclaimed, as she examined the track carefully, ‘it can’t be claimed that this is unfrequented. Dubán’s men obviously did not search this path long enough. It may be stony at the bottom of the hill but up here, where there is less stone, you can plainly see the marks of horses and asses, even a cart.’
The Saxon religieux looked concerned.
‘Shouldn’t we return for Dubán’s warriors?’
Fidelma gave him a withering look.
In silence they followed the track and it began to turn aroundthe side of the steeply sloping hill, away from the valley of the Black Marsh, until Eadulf pointed out that it had doubled back on itself.
‘We are on the far side of the hill to Muadnat’s farmstead now.’ He pointed upwards. ‘Do you see where the sun is?’
‘This is a circuitous route indeed,’ agreed Fidelma.
What was more interesting was that the path was now completely level, keeping at the same elevation along the hillside. They continued on, with the pathway leading directly due eastward and then swinging abruptly due south almost on a high plateau.
‘I don’t understand. We have doubled back on ourselves entirely,’ Fidelma said.
‘Not just doubled back,’ Eadulf smiled, ‘I think we have worked around parallel to the area of the valley where Archú’s farmstead is.’
Fidelma did not understand and said so.
Eadulf pointed to the slope of the hill on his right side.
‘If we climbed over the top of this hill and looked down from the summit we would be looking down onto Archú’s farmlands, perhaps onto the farm itself.’
Fidelma accepted his reckoning without comment.
They had gone about half a mile when the hillside became a vast wooded vista, the trees moving over the summits of the hills, growing closely together. The track plunged straight into the woods but still kept its widely spaced borders along which a vehicle had apparently moved regularly. There were ruts caused by wheels easily discernible in the track.
‘We seem to be going on for ever,’ grumbled Eadulf in protest. ‘Perhaps we should return to the rath now for we cannot continue much further and expect to be able to return there before nightfall.’
‘Just a little bit further,’ cajoled Fidelma. ‘I think we may be coming to …’
She halted abruptly and signalled Eadulf to do likewise.
‘Let’s get our horses away from this track and proceed on foot,’she instructed. ‘I think there is something up ahead.’
Eadulf was about to protest again but decided to follow her orders. They dismounted and led the horses a short distance from the track but far enough into the forest so that anyone passing along it would not spot them. Then, with Fidelma leading, they began to make their way through the wood, keeping parallel to the track.
They had not gone far before they realised that they were coming to a clearing. A sudden banging sound made them both start. It took them a few moments to realise that it was the sound of someone chopping wood. They came to a cautious stop on the edge of the clearing.
It was a wide space set against the hillside, an area of windblown grasses with grey granite rocks thrusting up here and there. There was a group of horses in a small makeshift corral composed of a rope fence. Alongside these horses were a dozen asses, sturdy little pack animals. A wagon stood nearby. Close by the wagon was a fire on which a hank of meat was roasting with a sizzling, spluttering sound as the fat dropped onto the eager flames. A man, a stranger whom they did not recognise, was chopping wood. There were also a few other men about the area apparently engaged on various tasks. Fidelma examined them closely, frowning slightly.
She laid a land on Eadulf’s arm and pointed to the far side of the enclosure. There was another smaller enclosure in which a few cows stood patiently chewing the cud and ignoring the fate of their erstwhile companion who was about to provide the men with a meal.
A little way up on the hillside stood a small cave mouth, the entrance high enough to take a full grown man standing. Surrounding the cave was bare grey-blue granite. It was protected by an overhang, a green dome and grey granite forehead, jutting over the mouth of the cave.
It was in this clearing that the mysterious track ended. Of that there was no doubt. They had come to the lair of the cattle raiders.
Fidelma and Eadulf exchange a glance. Eadulf was clearly perplexed but Fidelma, observing some of the tools which lay placed against the wagon, was beginning to see a light. She was about to signal him to withdraw when there was a movement from the cave entrance.
A tall, burly man emerged, blinked in the light and yawned, stretching his arms skyward. He had a coarse red beard and long shoulder-length hair.