Brother Madagan nodded. ‘I agree with you, friend Eadulf. I feel there is something afoot. Something. .’
Fidelma sniffed deprecatingly. ‘In another moment, you will be echoing Deogaire’s prophecy by saying that you believe that this is the devil’s deputation.’
Brother Madagan flushed indignantly.
‘Anyway,’ Fidelma rose abruptly, ‘all I needed to know was whether you had seen anything unusual as you passed the chapel yesterday. You have made it clear that you did not.’
‘That is true,’ the steward of Imleach confirmed, also rising to his feet, with Eadulf following his example.
‘Then we will trouble you no more. Thank you, Brother Madagan.’ Fidelma turned for the door of the chapel.
Outside, she halted and addressed Eadulf accusingly.
‘The name of Verax meant something specific to you, didn’t it?’ she demanded.
‘Not Verax on its own but the Venerable Verax, son of Anastasius of Segni,’ corrected Eadulf carefully. ‘That is the name that meant something to me. You will recall I spent some time in Rome after we had resolved the mystery of the death of Wighard, the Archbishop-designate of Canterbury? You had left on your return journey to Cashel. During the time I remained in Rome I was to counsel the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore, because he was a Greek from Tarsus and knew nothing of my people.’
Fidelma restrained her impatience. ‘I know all this. But what about the name?’
‘I spent much time in the Lateran Palace. .’ Eadulf said reflectively.
‘Eadulf!’ Fidelma was becoming impatient.
‘The Bishop of Rome is named Vitalian.’
Fidelma almost ground her teeth in exasperation. ‘I know it. So?’
‘Vitalian is son of Anastasius of Segni.’
It was a few moments before a startled expression crossed her features. ‘Are you saying that this Venerable Verax is. .?’
‘He must be brother to Pope Vitalian himself and therefore a foremost prince of the Church.’
‘Brother to the Bishop of Rome? Brother to the Pope of the Faithful?’ Fidelma breathed.
It was only in recent times that the Bishop of Rome had adopted and been acknowledged by the Latin title of Papa — the child’s name for ‘father’. It was still unusual for members of the churches of the Five Kingdoms to use that title. Now Fidelma was using it as a means of emphasis. She focused her piercing green eyes on Eadulf.
‘If a person of that rank is coming here, this makes the reason for this deputation even more mysterious.’
‘And makes it even more essential for us to resolve the murder of Brother Cerdic before his arrival,’ claimed Eadulf. ‘Brother Cerdic would have been his emissary, not the messenger of Bishop Arwald.’
‘Colgú must be told of the importance of this guest.’
‘And I think I should question my brother further. Surely his companion, the Venerable Victricius, was coming here in connection with this deputation. He must have been a leading Roman cleric, judging by his senior form of address and will have known that he was meeting the Venerable Verax in this place.’
‘But why wouldn’t he tell your brother of his mission?’ asked Fidelma.
‘I do not know,’ Eadulf said hesitantly. ‘Perhaps Egric. .’ He left the thought unarticulated.
‘Are you saying that your brother was not telling us the truth?’ guessed Fidelma.
Eadulf admitted unwillingly, ‘He does seem to be holding something back. I am thinking that there are possibilities. Firstly, that he was told not to say anything in view of the identity of the Venerable Verax. This could mean that if he found out that we have learned of that identity — and it was only by chance I knew, because of the time I spent in Rome — then he might now be more forthcoming.’
‘And the other possibilities?’
‘That he simply does not know. Or that he knows and will not say because of some ulterior reason. I still find some of the things he says to be strange for one in the religious.’
Fidelma was about to speak further when a rider came through the gates into the courtyard. It was the lean, saturnine figure of Aidan, one of the warriors of the King’s bodyguard. He came to a halt hurriedly and had leaped from his horse almost before it had halted, shouting for one of the echaire to attend to it while he hurried purposefully across the flagstones towards the main doors that led to the King’s chambers.
‘Aidan!’ called Fidelma. ‘Where are you off to with such a serious expression?’
Aidan halted and turned, as if seeing them for the first time. He gave a quick smile of apology.
‘News for your brother, lady.’
‘Bad news?’
‘Yesterday I was told to send lookouts along the eastern roads: your brother is expecting a group of visitors from the direction of Fearna.’
‘I know all about that.’
‘Well, I have learned that they crossed the River An Fheoir, and last night, I am told, they were resting at the church of Mogeanna.’
Fidelma raised her eyebrows. ‘That is about forty kilometres from here, which means. .’
‘They could be here tomorrow,’ Aidan finished for her and, with a quick salute, he turned and hurried on.
Fidelma gazed in concern at Eadulf. ‘Tomorrow,’ she repeated in a tone of dismay. ‘Somehow I don’t think that gives us enough time to resolve anything, before the brother of Pope Vitalian arrives in Cashel.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
Eadulf spotted Dego’s horse outside the tavern of Rumann on the western side of the town square. Dego was inside with Egric enjoying the local ale, which was a product of Rumann’s own brewery at the back of the tavern. They looked up as Eadulf came across to join them. Rumann was already following him with another pottery mug of his ale.
‘It is not often we see you in here, Brother Eadulf,’ the big alehouse-keeper greeted him cheerfully. ‘I suppose this is a special day with the arrival of your brother. How is the lady Fidelma? And your son?’
‘They are both well, Rumann. And your own family?’
‘My son is well and a great help to me.’ With a smile at the company, Rumann turned towards his other customers, a couple of local shepherds seated in a corner.
Eadulf raised his drink towards his companions. Egric was regarding him with an odd expression — something like apprehension. Dego, however, did not seem to notice his companion’s discomfiture.
‘I have shown your brother around our town,’ he reported. ‘Not that it took long so I thought I should introduce him to the most important place.’ He waved a hand to encompass his surroundings. ‘Oh, I saw Della as we passed, and she asked me to pass on a message — that if Fidelma calls by soon, she has some special herbs for her. It seems that now Aibell is living with her, Della is able to spend more time cultivating her land.’
Della was a longtime friend of Fidelma, who had successfully defended her from false accusations of murder. A few months ago, Della had begun to look after the wayward young girl, Aibell. Found near Della’s home, it turned out that she had escaped to Cashel, having been illegally sold as a bondservant and mistreated in the country of the Sliabh Luachra. Fidelma had given the girl her protection.
‘I’ll pass the information on to her,’ Eadulf assured him.
‘Did you come here in search of me?’ Egric wanted to know. He frowned. ‘Is anything wrong?’
‘Nothing is wrong that we did not know already,’ replied Eadulf. ‘I just wanted to ask you a few more questions.’ He glanced at Dego apologetically. ‘Would you give us a few moments?’
Dego rose. ‘Old Nessán is over in the corner. I haven’t seen him for a while. I need a few words with him.’
When they were alone, Egric challenged: ‘What is this about?’
‘The same matter,’ Eadulf said with an easy smile. ‘I just wanted to clarify that the Venerable Victricius gave you absolutely no hint about the purpose of his journey here.’
‘I have told you that he did not.’ There was irritation in his brother’s tone.