Authors: Peter Tremayne

Tags: #Suspense

Suffer Little Children (8 page)

BOOK: Suffer Little Children

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It was not long before a slightly breathless Sister Necht returned with the thickset doorkeeper, Brother Conghus, at her heels.

âI've brought him, sister,' gasped the girl, in a deep, husky voice which seemed her normal tone. âJust as you said I should.'

Fidelma tried to suppress a smile and waved the young novice to take a seat by Cass.

âYou may wait there, Sister Necht. You will not speak until I speak to you nor will you ever reveal anything that you may hear in this room. I must have your solemn oath on this, if you are to remain to assist me.'

The novice swore at once and assumed her place.

Fidelma then turned her sharp smile to Brother Conghus who had stood waiting in the doorway.

âCome in, shut the door and take a seat, brother,' she instructed firmly.

The doorkeeper did as he was bid.

âHow may I help, sister?' he asked once he was settled.

âI must ask you some questions. I have to ask you, officially, if you know the purpose of my visit?'

Conghus shrugged: âWho does not?'

âVery well. Let us go back to the day of the Venerable DacÃ¡n's death. I am told that you were the first to discover the body?'

Conghus grimaced as if in distaste at the memory.

âThat is so.'

âDescribe the circumstances, if you please.'

Conghus paused to gather his thoughts.

âDacÃ¡n was a man of regular habits. His day, so I had perceived, during the two months that he lodged at the abbey, was one of ritual observance. One could almost tell the time of day by his movements.'

He paused again as if reflecting.

âMy job as doorkeeper also includes bellringer. I ring the main hours and services. The bell for matins heralds the beginning of our day which is followed by the
jentaculum,
our first meal of the day. Because we are a large community and our refectory cannot accommodate everyone, we eat in three separate sittings. DacÃ¡n invariable ate at the middle sitting as did I. This timing allows me the opportunity to pursue my duties at the ringing of the hours. After the third sitting for the
jentaculum
I ring the hour of the tierce when the work of the community starts.'

âI understand,' Fidelma said, when the doorkeeper paused and glanced at her in silent question to see if she was following.

âWell, this particular morning, two weeks ago on the day of Luan, DacÃ¡n was not at his place for the breaking of the fast. I made inquiries, for it was so unusual that he would miss a meal. You see â¦'

âYou have already explained how rigid his habits were,' Fidelma interrupted quickly.

Conghus blinked and then nodded.

âJust so. Well, I ascertained that he had not been at the earlier sitting. So after I had eaten, curiosity took me to the hostel to look for him.'

âWhere was his chamber?'

âOn the first floor.' Conghus began to rise from his seat. âI can show you the chamber now â¦'

Fidelma waved him back to his seat.

âYou may do so in a moment. Let us continue. So, you came to search for DacÃ¡n?'

âI did. There is little more to add. I went to his chamber and called to him. There was no answer. So I opened the door â¦'

âNo answer?' Fidelma interrupted. âSurely if there was no answer, one might assume that the Venerable DacÃ¡n was not in his room? What made you decide to open the door?'

Conghus grimaced, frowning.

âWhy â¦ why, I saw a light flickering under the door. It is dark in the passage so any light shines out. The light attracted me. I reasoned that if DacÃ¡n had left a light burning, then I should extinguish it. Frugality is another Rule of the Blessed Fachtna,' he added sanctimoniously.

âI see. So you saw a light and then â¦ ?'

âI went in.'

âWhat was the cause of the light?'

âThere was an oil lamp lit, it was still burning.'

âGo on,' Fidelma urged, when Conghus continued to hesitate.

âDacÃ¡n was laying dead on his bed. That is all.'

Fidelma suppressed a sigh of irritation.

âLet us try to establish a few more details, Brother Conghus,' she said patiently. âImagine yourself back at the threshold of the door. Describe what you saw.'

Conghus frowned again and appeared to give some deep thought to the question.

âThe chamber was lit by the oil lamp, which was on a small table at the side of the cot. DacÃ¡n was fully dressed. He was lying on his back. The first thing I noticed about him was that his feet and his hands were bound â¦'

âWith rope?'

Conghus shook his head.

âWith strips of cloth; linen cloth with parti-colours of blue
and red. He also had a strip of the same cloth in his mouth. I presumed this was in the nature of a gag. Then I saw that there were bloodstains all over his chest. I realised that he had been killed.'

âVery well. Now tell me, was there any sign of a knife â the knife that inflicted the wounds?'

âNone that I could see.'

âWas one found subsequently?'

âNot that I know of.'

âHow were DacÃ¡n's features?'

âI do not understand,' frowned Conghus.

âWas the face calm and reposed? Were the eyes open or shut. How did he look?'

âCalm, I would say. There was no fear or pain engraved on the dead features, if that is what you mean.'

âThat is precisely what I mean,' Fidelma replied grimly. âGood. We now progress. You realised that DacÃ¡n had been killed. Did you notice anything else about the room? Had it been ransacked? Was it in order? If DacÃ¡n was so rigid in his habits it would imply that he would be scrupulously tidy.'

âThe room was tidy so far as I can remember. You are right, of course, DacÃ¡n's fastidiousness was well known. But Sister Necht will tell you more about that.'

Fidelma heard a rustle and turned to frown a warning at the young novice in case she felt the need to respond.

âSo.' Fidelma returned her gaze to Conghus. âWe begin to build up a picture. Go on. Having realised that DacÃ¡n had been killed, what then?'

âI made directly to see the abbot. I told him what I had discovered. He sent for our assistant physician, Brother TÃ³la, who examined the body and confirmed what I knew already. The abbot then placed matters in the hands of Brother Rumann. As steward of the abbey it was his job to conduct an inquiry.'

âOne question here: you said that the abbot sent for the
assistant physician, Brother TÃ³la? Why did he not send for the chief physician? After all, the Venerable DacÃ¡n was a man of some standing.'

âThat is true. But our chief physician, Brother Midach, was away from the abbey at that time.'

âYou said that DacÃ¡n had been staying here two months,' observed Fidelma. âHow well had you come to know him?'

Brother Conghus raised his eyebrows.

âHow well?' He grimaced wryly. âThe Venerable DacÃ¡n was not a man you came to know at all. He was reserved; austere, if you like. He came with a great reputation for piety and scholarship. But he was a man of brusque manner and testy demeanour. He was a man of regular habits â¦ as I have said before â¦ and never spent time merely gossiping. Whenever he went abroad from his chamber he went for a specific purpose and did not pause to exchange pleasantries or waste an hour or two in conversation.'

âYou paint a very clear picture, Brother Conghus,' Fidelma said.

Conghus took it as a compliment and preened himself for a moment.

âAs doorkeeper, it is my task to assess people and notice their behaviour.'

âPhysically, what manner of man was he?'

âElderly, well over three-score years. A tall man, in spite of his age. Thin, as if he were in need of a good meal. He had long white hair. Dark eyes and sallow skin. Perhaps the only real distinctive feature was a bulbous nose. His features were generally melancholy.'

âI am told that he came here to study. Do you know much about that?'

Brother Conghus pushed out his lower lip.

âOn that matter you would have to consult the abbey's librarian.'

âAnd what is the name of this librarian?'

âSister Grella.'

âI am told that the Venerable DacÃ¡n also taught,' Fidelma said, making a mental note. âDo you know what he taught?'

Conghus shrugged.

âHe taught some history, so I believe. But, it would probably be best if you saw Brother SÃ©gÃ¡n, our chief professor.'

âThere is something else that puzzles me, though,' Fidelma said, after a moment's pause. âYou say that DacÃ¡n was austere. That was the word you used, wasn't it?'

Conghus nodded agreement.

âIt is an interesting word, very descriptive,' she went on. âYet why did he have the reputation of one beloved by the people? Usually a man who is ascetic, compassionless and stern, for this is what austere seems to imply, would hardly be a likable person.'

âWe must all speak as we find, sister,' declared Conghus. âPerhaps the reputation, which doubtless was spread from Laigin, was unjustified?'

âThat being so, why were you so worried when DacÃ¡n missed a single meal? If he were not that likable, surely human nature might react and say, why bother to go searching for such a man? Why did you go searching for the Venerable DacÃ¡n?'

Conghus looked uncomfortable.

âI am not sure that I follow your thoughts, sister,' he said stiffly.

âThey are simple enough,' Fidelma pressed, her voice clear and slow. âYou seem to have been overly concerned with the fact that a man, whom you deemed unlikable, had missed the breaking of his fast to the extent that you went looking for him. Can you explain that?'

The doorkeeper compressed his lips, stared at her for a moment and then shrugged.

âA week before DacÃ¡n's death, the abbot called me to him
and told me to have a special care for DacÃ¡n. That was why I went to his chamber after he had missed his meal.'

It was Fidelma's turn to be surprised.

âDid the abbot explain why you should have this special care for DacÃ¡n?' she demanded. âWas he afraid that something might happen to the Venerable DacÃ¡n?'

Conghus gestured with indifference.

âI am merely the
aistreÃ³ir
here, sister. I am doorkeeper and bellringer. When my abbot tells me to do something, I will do it, so long as it is not contrary to the laws of God and the Brehons. I will not question my abbot on his motives so long as those motives do not compass harm to his fellow men. It is my duty to obey and not to question.'

Fidelma gazed at him thoughtfully for a moment.

âThat is an interesting philosophy, Conghus. It is one we might discuss at leisure. But let me get this clearly fixed in my mind. It was only a week before DacÃ¡n's murder that the abbot specifically asked you to keep a special watch over Dacan? He did not say why? He did not say whether he might have some reason to be fearful for DacÃ¡n's safety?'

âIt is as I have already said, sister.'

Fidelma stood up with an abruptness that surprised everyone.

âVery well. Let us go downstairs so that you may show me the chamber that DacÃ¡n occupied.'

Conghus came to his feet, blinking a little at the rapid change.

He conducted them out of the room, along the corridor and down the stairs.

Cass and Sister Necht followed closely behind Fidelma. Necht's face still shone with enthusiastic excitement while Cass merely looked bewildered.

Conghus paused before a door on the ground floor of the hostel, at the far end of the corridor in which Sister Eisten and the children had their rooms.

âDoes any one currently occupy the chamber?' Fidelma asked as Conghus bent to the handle in order to open the door.

Conghus hesitated and straightened up again.

âNo, sister. It has been left unoccupied since the death of DacÃ¡n. In fact, his possessions have also been left untouched in the room by the order of the abbot. I believe that the representatives of DacÃ¡n's brother, Abbot NoÃ© of Fearna, have demanded the return of these personal effects.'

âSo why have they been kept?' interposed Cass, speaking for the first time since the questioning of Conghus began.

Conghus glanced at him, somewhat startled at his unexpected interruption.

BOOK: Suffer Little Children

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