‘Is it true?’ The girl’s first words were a breathless gasp as she faced Fidelma. ‘Is it true that Brother Meurig has been killed and that you are looking for Idwal to kill him in revenge?’
Fidelma motioned the girl to a chair by her. Automatically, Elen obeyed the unspoken order and sat down. When she had done so she repeated with emphasis: ‘Is it true?’
‘It is true that Brother Meurig was hacked to death in the woodsman’s hut in the forest. However, it is not true that we are looking for Idwal to kill him. Indeed, your father made plain that we have no role in the matter. Nevertheless, we would like to find Idwal if only for his own safety.’
The girl remained silent for a moment. ‘Brother Meurig told me that you were a famous lawyer from Cashel.’
‘When did you speak with Brother Meurig?’ asked Fidelma.
The girl pouted thoughtfully. ‘He asked me some questions yesterday before I left.’
‘Before you left?’
‘I have just returned from Cilau and heard the news in the township.’
‘Cilau?’ Fidelma frowned. ‘I seem to have heard the name before.’
‘It is a small settlement not far from here. I have a cousin there,’ explained the girl. ‘I left there at midday to get here before dark.’
‘Did you know that Brother Meurig was going into the forest?’
‘I knew that he planned to go to the forest this morning to see where Mair was killed,’ Elen agreed.
‘Did you know that he was taking Idwal?
‘Didn’t he need Idwal to show him the spot where Mair was murdered?’
‘As I recall, you did not believe Idwal killed your friend Mair?’
‘Idwal would not harm anyone. You spoke with him so you must know that he is a simple youth. Simple but nice. . and he is so gentle. Sometimes, when a sheep or lamb under his care falls from a rock and injures itself, he can hardly bring himself to kill it. Only the fact that life is a greater misery with the pain of its injury gives him the courage to do so.’
‘You really like Idwal, then?’ Fidelma remarked encouragingly.
‘I know that he could not kill Mair.’
‘Have you heard that your father is convinced he killed Brother Meurig?’
‘My father never liked Idwal. I do not believe he could kill Brother Meurig any more than he could kill Mair.’
‘You seem to be thinking with your heart rather than with your head,’ Eadulf observed dryly. ‘Emotion is no judge of the facts.’
Fidelma knew that there was an implied rebuke to her in his words and she looked at him quickly, but he did not catch her eye.
‘There is another question I would like to ask you, Elen, before we proceed,’ Fidelma said. ‘The servant, Buddog. She disliked your friend Mair very much. Has she been in this household a long time?’
‘Since before I was born,’ asserted Elen. ‘Poor Buddog.’
‘Poor? Why so?’
‘She is my father’s mistress. But I think that my father has now grown tired of her.’
Fidelma relaxed a little. This explained much about Buddog’s attitude.
‘How well do you really know Idwal, Elen?’ Eadulf asked, interrupting her thoughts.
The girl considered the question and then understood its deeper meaning. Her eyes widened. ‘I am not. .’ She hesitated. ‘There is nothing between us, nothing sexual that is. Nor will there ever be. He is just a simple, friendly boy for whom many feel sorrow. He is four years older than I am. He was abandoned in his youth and raised by a shepherd. . Iestyn’s brother, but I forget his name.’
‘We have heard Idwal’s story,’ cut in Eadulf sharply. ‘Your relationship is no more than that?’
The girl flushed in annoyance. ‘I have said so.’
‘It seems curious,’ Fidelma said slowly, ‘that you are so adamant that Idwal could not have killed your friend Mair and that this opinion is based on no more than your feelings about the youth. I would imagine that we all have the propensity within us to kill if the circumstances were right. What I mean is that if we were outraged enough, or pushed into it by an overriding necessity which was more urgent than our moral code. .’
‘I cannot imagine any circumstances in which Idwal would be driven to such rage that he would do such a thing,’ Elen replied firmly.
Fidelma regarded the girl thoughtfully. She appeared sincere enough. ‘Tell me more about your friend Mair.’
Elen looked disconcerted for a moment. ‘What would you want to know?
‘How long had you known her?’
‘We grew up together. Here in this small township everyone knew everyone else, especially children growing up. Mair and I were the only two girls of our age. We almost looked alike and a few times visitors thought we were sisters.’
‘I believe that you know that Idwal is not guilty of the crime he is accused of for another reason. . another than simply a vague emotion of your heart.’
Fidelma made her suggestion without preamble, surprising Eadulf.
Elen was quiet, and Fidelma decided to explain further.
‘When Idwal was accused of raping Mair and taking her virginity, you knew that was not the case, didn’t you?’
The girl shrugged. ‘Mair was not a virgin,’ she agreed. ‘She told me so many months ago.’
‘If Mair had a lover, the loss of her virginity is not a factor for compensation under the law, as her father is claiming.’
‘How did you know about her lover?’ Elen asked curiously.
‘Because Idwal implied it without intending to do so.’
‘Idwal is not artful enough to keep a secret for long,’ she agreed. ‘Did he tell you who it was?’
‘He would not even have told us that Mair had a lover if I had not drawn it out of him by a ruse,’ replied Fidelma. ‘He refused to give a name. He said that he had sworn an oath to Mair not to tell who it was. She wanted a certain message delivered. Idwal refused to take it. That letter was to her lover.’
Elen lowered her head sadly. ‘He is a very moral boy. That’s a further reason why he could not have killed Mair.’
‘Granted that, do you know who this lover was?’
‘I do not. She was very secretive. She only told me of how it was, that first night. You know, the way girls talk about their relationships. The way it felt. Mair was very cynical. She was actually poking fun at this nameless lover. She told me that he was very clumsy and not at all expert in the techniques of love.’
‘And was Mair such an expert at the techniques of love?’ inquired Eadulf cynically.
Fidelma suddenly leant forward towards the girl, her eyes searching. ‘Brother Eadulf does have a point. This conversation you say you had with Mair, was that truly the time when she lost her virginity or had she had experiences before?’
Elen considered the question carefully, realising the implication, and then she shook her head. ‘At the time, she was boasting about losing her virginity. She was always a flirt. Always attracted to men — older men at that. As I recall, it was the first time that she had talked about sex, but I think she was implying that her lover was elderly and clumsy and that she felt superior to him.’
‘Elderly?’ Fidelma sat back thoughtfully. ‘As Mair was very young, it might be someone who was merely older than she was.’
‘Elen, you have absolutely no idea who this man was?’ demanded Eadulf.
Elen shook her head firmly.
‘Think carefully,’ he pressed. ‘This might be the very man who killed her if, as you claim, your friend Idwal did not.’
‘I do not think Mair’s lover killed her.’
Eadulf was sardonic. ‘Another emotional deduction, I presume?’
‘Not so,’ replied the girl with some spirit. ‘You see, I believe that I was supposed to be the victim that day.’
Chapter Thirteen
There was a moment of utter silence. Even as Fidelma was about to form the question that Elen’s statement obviously demanded, there was a noise outside the room. Gwnda came through the door and paused. He looked anxious.
‘They have-’ he began, saw Elen and stopped abruptly. Then he said: ‘Elen, please leave us.’