The Council of the Cursed (22 page)

Without waiting for his answer, she turned and hurried off. Eadulf, recalling the way to the abbess’s chambers from the last visit, fell in step behind Sister Radegund who, as before, moved at a remarkably rapid pace.

Abbess Audofleda was standing in her chambers before the fireplace. It seemed chill in the dark stone rooms of the abbey in spite of it being a hot summer’s day outside. She was dressed in black robes, her dark eyes sparkling with controlled anger and her mouth a thin slit. Her hands, clasped tightly together before her, revealed the tension that was evident in the very stance of her body.

‘Brother Eadulf,’ announced Sister Radegund, taking up her stand as she had previously done in front of the closed door.

‘Well?’ The word from the abbess was a hiss, as if he were intruding in a place he was not wanted.

‘
Abbatissa
,’ Eadulf responded in an equally sharp tone, ‘I presume that you have spoken with Bishop Leodegar and you know why I have returned?’

Abbess Audofleda looked as if she was confronted by something distasteful.

‘I know that in spite of my protest at the arrogance displayed in your previous visit here, the bishop has informed me that I must see you again and answer your questions. I have been told that the woman from Hibernia lies ill from a snake bite, perhaps a just punishment for her arrogance. So I presume that you are to ask further questions.’

Eadulf’s face hardened. At least the attitude of the
abbatissa
did not soften his resolve to pursue the questions without making allowance for diplomacy.

‘As a member of the Faith, you will be comforted to know that Sister Fidelma has improved and is now healing from the bite of the poisonous snake,’ he replied, his voice heavy with sarcasm. ‘However, I am, indeed,
here to act in her place in the pursuit of truth and justice. There should be no difficulties–
veritas simplex oratio est
–the language of truth is simple.’

Abbess Audofleda was clearly annoyed. ‘This matter is distasteful to me,’ she said. ‘So ask your questions, the quicker that this might be ended.’

‘Let us return to the matter of Sister Valetrade,’ began Eadulf.

‘We have already told you about her. She decided to leave us–that is all.’

‘Indeed,’ replied Eadulf. ‘You mentioned that she left you a note.’

The abbess sniffed. ‘What of it? They all left notes. She could read and write.’

‘I had assumed she could write,’ Eadulf replied without humour. ‘So she handed you this note?’

‘Sister Radegund gave me the note.’

Eadulf was turning to the stewardess when he suddenly paused as he realised what the abbess had said.

‘They
all
left notes?’

‘The women who departed all left notes telling me that they were leaving, rather than confronting me in person.’

‘And did they all hand these notes to Sister Radegund?’

Sister Radegund answered the question.

‘They did
not
hand them to me,’ she said sourly. ‘The notes were always left in my chamber where I carry out the administration of the
Domus Femini
.’

‘And you are saying that you had no discussions with any of those who chose to leave?’ he pressed. ‘Tell me, how many
have
left?’

‘About twenty or so. They all preferred to leave the abbey before dawn without announcing their intentions to anyone. Like the cowards they were, they simply slipped out into the darkness…’

Eadulf turned back to the abbess. ‘Did you not think this was strange behaviour?’ he asked.

‘I merely thought it cowardly behaviour and in keeping with their attitudes,’ snapped Abbess Audofleda. ‘They disagreed with the Rule.’

‘I would like to see this note from Sister Valretrade.’

A frown crossed the abbess’s features. ‘You question its existence?’ Her tone was challenging.

‘I said, I would like to see it,’ repeated Eadulf calmly.

The abbess opened a cupboard and took out a thin veneer-like tablet. Eadulf thought it was probably birch bark, which many still used to write upon. She handed it to him without a word. He took it and examined it. It was written in Latin. The characters were certainly well formed but he was looking for the cross lines on the stems of the b’s and d’s–the peculiarity of Valretrade’s hand as Brother Sigeric had described it. There were none. He read the note quickly.

‘You see?’ Sister Radegund’s voice showed her annoyance. ‘You had no need to doubt our word.’

Eadulf did not reply; instead he put the piece of birchwood in the
marsupium
that he carried.

‘With your permission,
abbatissa,
I will keep this for the time being.’ His tone made it clear that he would keep it whether she gave permission or not. ‘And the other notes, do you have them?’

This time she handed him a small bundle without protest. They were mostly the same, written on bitch bark, some bearing three or four names. All ascribed their leaving to their disagreement with the Rule of the
Domus Femini
. Only Valretrade’s note mentioned the intention to go to the abbey of Gall.

‘They all seem remarkably similar,’ Eadulf pointed out. ‘As if they were written by the same hand.’

‘It is my belief that Valretrade wrote them all. She had been a scribe; her fellows doubtless paid her to write the notes.’

‘And all these women objected to the segregation of the sexes in the abbey?’

‘The Rule is clear,’ the abbess said distantly. ‘If they did not like it, then they were free to go.’

‘Most of them were married. Some of them even had children. Separation must have been hard for them.’

‘They had been given the choice by the bishop a year ago. That was to leave or accept the Rule.’

‘Many felt they had to stay as this was the only place they knew. They had been born here and lived here all their lives.’

‘The choice was their own,’ replied the woman stubbornly.

‘How many of your community are wives of the brethren?’

‘None.’

The answer came back quickly from Sister Radegund and took Eadulf by surprise. His look prompted Abbess Audofleda to add: ‘My stewardess means that Bishop Leodegar declared all the marriages of those who chose to stay invalid under the Rule.’

‘But some had children?’

‘The children were taken care of.’

‘So how many of these women and children are now in the care of the abbey?’

Abbess Audofleda glanced at her stewardess.

‘It has only been in the past few days that the last of them have departed from the
Domus Femini
,’ Sister Radegund replied firmly. ‘Most of these departures have happened in the last two weeks.’

This time Eadulf was unable control his surprise. ‘In the last two weeks?’

‘That is so.’

‘Where did they go?’

‘After they leave here, it is not our responsibility to know where they go. I presume one encouraged another and, like sheep, they all flocked together–eager to leave here for a more indolent life.’

Eadulf examined her keenly. ‘Did their husbands…did their
former
husbands,’ he emphasised as he saw the frown gather on her brow, ‘know of their departure? Were they informed that their wives and children were leaving?’

‘It is not our task to inform them or ensure that these women, who reject the religious life, inform those with whom they formerly consorted,’ Abbess Audofleda said irritably.

Eadulf was thoughtful for a moment. ‘How many women now pursue the religious life here under your Rule?’

It was Sister Radegund who answered.

‘There are fifty in the
Domus Femini
.’

‘And before?’

‘Perhaps a hundred.’

‘A sad decrease,’ he commented.

‘The chaff sometimes has to be blown away from the wheat,’ replied Abbess Audofleda unctuously.

‘That is true,’ agreed Eadulf, sounding amiable. ‘So those who are now left display the true vocation, according to your Rule?’

‘I believe so.’

‘Well, that is good. You must be proud of the good work you have done here. I believe you said that Bishop Leodegar invited you here especially for that purpose?’

‘He did.’

‘From Divio, I think you said.’

‘I did not say.’

‘Then I must have heard it from someone else. But you did come from Divio, didn’t you?’ Eadulf went on. ‘You must have done good work there for the bishop to ask you to come here.’

‘Bishop Leodegar has not complained of my work here,’ the
abbatissa
said coldly.

‘Of course,’ agreed Eadulf easily. Then: ‘Does this house have a good relationship with Lady Beretrude?’

The
abbatissa
glanced quickly at Sister Radegund before returning her gaze to him.

‘Lady Beretrude? She is the mother of Lord Guntram who governs this province and is a benefactor to this house.’

‘I am told that you Burgunds consider her a generous patron?’

Abbess Audofleda looked annoyed. ‘I am a Frank. But it is true we have cause to thank her.’

‘I apologise–but a Frank from Divio?’ said Eadulf. ‘I thought that it is a Burgund city.’

‘I did not say that I was born or raised there, but that I was in charge of—’

‘Another
Domus Femini
. I understand. But do you get on well with
the Lady Beretrude? Does she approve of the changes made to this abbey?’

‘Of course,’ Abbess Audofleda replied at once.

‘You frequently meet to discuss matters?’

‘Not frequently. Sometimes my stewardess acts as my deputy in certain transactions.’

‘Transactions?’ Eadulf stared directly Sister Radegund.

The stewardess was staring at the floor.

‘My stewardess and I discuss matters with the bishop and if there is anything of consequence that needs to be drawn immediately to the attention of Lady Beretrude or Lord Guntram, then my stewardess does so on my behalf.’

‘So apart from Sister Radegund, none of your community should have cause to venture out to Lady Beretrude’s villa?’

‘Only in exceptional cases does anyone from the
Domus Femini
venture out from here,’ replied the abbess crossly.

‘What would constitute such an exceptional case?’

The
abbatissa
exhaled in impatience. ‘Really, Brother Eadulf! I see no point to these questions.’

‘You will oblige me,
abbatissa
,’ Brother Eadulf stated firmly. ‘I am trying to clarify something in my own mind.’

The woman went to protest again but then shrugged.

‘For example, then, some of the delegates to the conference that the bishop is holding, not realising the Rule and custom here, brought wives and women with them. They were placed in a local inn for they could not stay in either part of the abbey–
unlike
the dispensation the bishop has now given to the Hibernian woman.’ There was bitterness in her voice.

‘And how did this constitute an exceptional case for members of your community to venture out?’

‘The bishop asked if selected members of my community could advise and guide these foreign women during their stay in the city. There was a visit to the Roman amphitheatre that needed several of our Sisters to attend, in order to escort the visitors.’

‘Was Sister Valretrade one of those?’ asked Eadulf as the thought occurred to him.

‘If we had realised then that she could not be trusted, we would…’ cut in Sister Radegund and fell silent as Abbess Audofleda cast her a withering glance.

‘Had we realised that she had commenced this…this affair,’ the
abbatissa
went on, ‘she would not have been given the task of escorting the wives of the foreigners.’

‘When did you find out about this affair? Was it before she disappeared?’

Abbess Audofleda stamped her foot. ‘This is too much! We have been patient. The questions are now ended.’

‘Why do you not allow your stewardess to reply?’ Eadulf demanded.

‘Because I choose not to,’ replied Abbess Audofleda. ‘Now remove yourself from this place.’ Her jaw was thrust out and her lips set in a thin line.

There were so many more questions Eadulf wanted to ask, but he saw that it was useless. He looked coldly at her.

‘It is your choice, Abbess. Of course, we will mention your lack of co-operation in our report to the Venerable Gelasius in Rome.’

He turned to see Sister Radegund look anxiously at the abbess, who merely tossed her head.

He walked to the door.

‘I am sure you will find your own way out,’ called the abbess rudely.

Outside, Eadulf paused. He felt frustrated at having learned little more than what he had already suspected–that Sister Valretrade had
not
written the note and that she had
not
left of her own free will.

Striding off along the corridor to the stairs that led to the main doors of the building, he heard a soft voice call on him to wait a moment. Eadulf turned. An attractive young girl in religious robes stood in the shadows of a deep alcove. She gestured quickly towards him in a conspiratorial way.

‘Stay a moment, Brother. I need to speak to you.’

The girl reached out a hand and pulled him into the alcove. Her expression was anxious.

‘I saw you go to the
abbatissa
’s room. Are you the Saxon who is the companion of the Hibernian woman who is investigating the deaths in the abbey?’

‘I am. Who are you?’

‘My name is Inginde.’

‘Ah, of course.’ Eadulf glanced quickly round. ‘Perhaps now is not a good time to speak. Sister Radegund might come after me at any moment to ensure I have left the building.’

‘I just wanted to know if you had any news of Valretrade yet?’

‘We are still looking,’ he told her, ‘but you can be assured that she did not leave this place of her own free will. The note she left was certainly not in her own hand.’

The girl’s eyes widened. ‘How could you know that?’

‘A scribe will tell you that each person has their own style of forming letters. I have ascertained that she did not form the letters in her note.’ He paused as a thought struck him. ‘Is there any place in this building where she could be kept out of the sight of the community here?’

‘You mean as a prisoner?’ breathed Sister Inginde.

‘As a prisoner,’ confirmed Eadulf.

The girl shook her head immediately. ‘There is nowhere that one can hide in this place. I know every corner of it. No, you must accept that poor Valretrade has left this abbey–and who knows where she has been taken.’

‘I understand that other women and their children have also disappeared from this community recently.’

‘It is so,’ Sister Inginde conceded. ‘We were told they no longer wished to live by the Rule of the
abbatissa
.’

‘Has anyone mentioned the villa of Lady Beretrude in this connection?’

The girl looked shocked. ‘Lady Beretrude? I don’t understand.’

‘Could those who have disappeared from here have been taken there?’

Sister Inginde regarded him curiously for a moment. ‘Do you know that Sister Radegund is related to…’ she began.

There was the noise of a chamber door opening.

‘Don’t worry. We are near a solution, I promise.’ Eadulf felt reckless, trying to reassure this sweet-faced, anxious girl. ‘We think the answer might lie at Beretrude’s villa. I promise all will be revealed soon.’

The girl did not answer but sank back into the shadows as Eadulf turned and hurried off along the corridor.

The voice of Sister Radegund called suspiciously from behind him. ‘You are slow in making your departure.’

‘I think I took a wrong turning.’ Eadulf turned and tried to look apologetic.

‘Then I will show you the way.’ Sister Radegund brushed by him with a purposeful stride. He followed her meekly.

‘I was surprised that you and Abbess Audofleda were not at the reception given by Lady Beretrude yesterday,’ he said, trying to open a conversation.

‘It was only for the delegates to the council and their advisers,’ Sister Radegund snapped.

Eadulf felt he could chance some boldness, remembering what Brother Budnouen had told them.

‘I wondered whether Lady Beretrude had not invited the abbess because she had an objection to her previous life in Divio.’

Sister Radegund stopped and gasped. A red hue had come to her cheeks.

‘My…Lady Beretrude is…’ she began, and suddenly became confused.

‘You were about to say…is your mother? You bear a close resemblance to her.’ Eadulf felt he had nothing to lose by making the guess.

Sister Radegund recovered quickly.

‘Lady Beretrude is my aunt. I am not ashamed of it. And you seem to know a great deal.’

‘I need to know more,’ Eadulf pressed, but she had turned swiftly and did not answer him. They came to the main door and Sister Radegund bent to draw back the bolts. Eadulf opened his mouth to speak again but she simply pointed through the open door.

‘
Vade in pace
,’ she said in dismissal.

Eadulf had no recourse but to leave.

Fidelma was dozing when Eadulf arrived back at the
hospitia
of the abbey. Outside the door sat a muscular young religieux from Imleach who had been placed on watch by Abbot Ségdae. Eadulf exchanged a few whispered words with him and decided to let Fidelma continue to sleep. Sleep was always a good healer. He would go instead to the library in search of Brother Sigeric.

Brother Sigeric was not in the
scriptorium
but he found the steward, Brother Chilperic, seated there looking over some columns of figures on a clay board. The steward glanced up with a rueful smile.

‘The accounting of the abbey,’ he said, laying down his stylus. ‘It is a job I dislike. Running the affairs of the abbey is much like being a trader. The bishop is very particular that we do not enter into debt.’ He paused. ‘Can I help you, Brother?’

Eadulf was about to say, ‘No,’ when a thought occurred to him. ‘Do you know Brother Andica?’

‘Of course,’ came the immediate response. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘I met him a short while ago.’

‘He is one of our stonemasons. An excellent artisan.’

‘Is he from these parts?’

‘A Burgund? Yes, he is. Why?’

‘I would have thought that a stonemason could demand good fees in a city like this and never be out of work. But I suppose he wanted to serve the Faith, a man with religious zeal?’

‘Not really. He is not very devout. He is more concerned with pride in his city and his people. I fear that pride will one day get the better of him.’

Eadulf raised an eyebrow in silent question, and the steward grew confidential.

‘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.

‘The gallery must lead from the end of this hall, beyond those doors,’ pointed Eadulf in satisfaction.

The doors were unlocked and, as Eadulf opened them, both Fidelma and he drew a quick breath as they surveyed the long passage that spread before them. It was broad but seemed narrow because of the vaulted roof rising some fifteen metres from the floor level, supported by ten tall pillars on either side, fluted like great Roman columns, pushing upwards. An arch connected each pillar. Behind the arches, some ten metres from the floor, a gallery seemed to run, its floor level with the base of the arch. In the centre of each arch stood a statue of some sort, five of them along each side. They seemed to be of men in the military attire of Ancient Rome. The floor of this passageway was of small coloured pieces of stone, an intricate mosaic as they had seen in Rome. At the far end was a large arch that looked as though doors had once stood beneath it but now it was blocked by stones that had obviously been placed there recently.