The wraith of Gélgeis — which he, too, had seen that first night near the chapel; the blue flame — whether it be the firedrake or not — and now the story Brother Redwald was telling him drew him back to the ancient beliefs of his people like tentacles reaching out and drawing him back into the tenebrous ways of the shadowy religion from which he had fled.
He set his jaw firmly. In his mind he could hear Fidelma’s s chiding tones.
‘What is the supernatural but nature that has not yet been explained?’
As soon as he said it, Eadulf realised that he was merely repeating something Fidelma had said. She would doubtless argue that if people of sound reason had seen the woman and she had been clearly recognised as a woman thought to have been dead, then there were two possibilities. Either the woman was alive or someone was impersonating her. Wraiths and spirits of the dead would not enter into her reasoning. It was as simple as that. Yet this was not her country nor her culture.Eadulf even felt a momentary resentment. How would Fidelma be able to understand the brooding evil that shrouded the dark Saxon winters? Then he felt disloyal for the thought.
The boy did not seem convinced by his argument.
‘It is Yuletide, Brother. You remember what that means?’
He knew well enough. During the twelve days of the feast of Yule the pagan deities of the Saxons came closest to Midgard, the middle world in which humankind dwelt. This was when the dead were free to seek out those who had wronged them in life, when trolls and elfin people were sent to punish the wrongdoers. Eadulf felt guilty at even thinking it, but a culture one has grown up with is hard to discard.
He leaned forward to the boy and patted him on the shoulder again.
‘There is nothing supernatural here, son,’ he assured him confidently, although he felt he was an outrageous liar and that it must show. ‘It is just some mystery that we will get to the bottom of. Believe in your faith and be firm in the protection of the Christ.’
He left the boy in the small cell and made his way back to the main quadrangle. From there he followed the route which he knew would lead him to the abbot’s chambers. Abbot Cild was waiting for him, seated at his table, his hands spread palm downwards and an angry scowl distorting his features.
‘Did you not understand that I had sent for you to come to me immediately you returned to the abbey?’ he demanded belligerently.
‘I had more pressing matters to attend to,’ Eadulf replied coldly, his demeanour showing that he was not browbeaten by the abbot.
Abbot Cild’s scowl deepened.
‘Your lack of respect to me has been noted before, Brother Eadulf. Your duty is obedience to me as abbot.’
‘I have other duties,’ Eadulf responded. ‘My duty is to Archbishop Theodore, your superior in the faith. I have been appointed his emissary and may speak on his behalf. That is my sole area of obedience.’
As he spoke, Eadulf crossed his fingers superstitiously. What he had said was true in that this had been his role when Theodorehad appointed him as emissary to King Colgú at Cashel, but it was his role no longer. Eadulf, however, suspected that Abbot Cild was not going to challenge him outright and send to Canterbury to ask Archbishop Theodore for verification. By all accounts, Cild himself was not one to stick to the truth. Within a few days, Eadulf hoped that he would have resolved the matter and he eased his conscience by remembering an old saying of his people — falsehood often goes further than truth when dealing with a liar, and such a lie will eventually pass away while only the truth remains.
Abbot Cild regarded him with mixed emotions. A tiny muscle twitched at his temple; his lips thinned.
‘Are you claiming to have superior authority to me?’ he demanded threateningly.
‘I am simply pointing out that you have no power over me, Cild,’ snapped Eadulf. ‘Now, Sister Fidelma is ill. The crisis is close; her fever either breaks or she worsens. I shall be her nurse this night. So remove your guard on her chamber door.’
Abbot Cild appeared stunned by Eadulf’s assertive manner. He was obviously totally unused to anyone challenging his power.
Eadulf continued, unperturbed: ‘Next, remove this stigma of black magic and evil doings from her name. That a man intelligent enough to claim the position of abbot of this house should give credence to such tales of witchcraft is beyond belief.’
Abbot Cild rose rapidly from his chair.
‘I shall not! I am abbot here, not you, and let Archbishop Theodore come here in person if he would challenge me.’
Eadulf had not really expected his demand to be accepted immediately and without trouble.
‘That he might well do, for many things have come to his attention about this house.’ Eadulf realised that he was going out on a limb here by departing from the facts.
Abbot Cild’s eyes narrowed.
‘Explain your meaning,’ he demanded.
‘I intend to. But questions first. Why are you so afraid of this reported apparition?’
The question was unexpected and Cild blinked and sat down again with abruptness.
‘What … what makes you think that I am afraid?’
Eadulf merely smiled. ‘I saw a lady near the chapel last night. You were afraid when I described her. Tonight, Brother Redwald saw the same woman in Sister Fidelma’s room. This time, Brother Redwald claimed it was your wife who, it is reported, is dead. Is she dead?’
Abbot Cild’s expression became angry. ‘Dare you call me liar?’
‘I am asking a question.’
‘She is dead. And only a person who practises the black arts could conjure up her image. Nothing happened until you arrived here with the foreign woman.’
‘But I am told that this wraith was seen before we came to the abbey,’ protested Eadulf.
‘The spirit appeared as soon as you entered this kingdom. The foreign woman’s witchcraft must be powerful to conjure the spirit at a distance,’ replied Cild, unabashed. ‘You forced your way in here and demanded hospitality. I should have expelled you both at that very moment. I relented and let you stay. Immediately, the wraith appears. And I have not forgotten that your coming heralded the arrival of Garb and his men who make such vile claims against me. I have not overlooked the fact that Garb and your companion are from the same country. Perhaps they are kin and in conspiracy? I am a logical man. It was your coming that brought this evil into Aldred’s Abbey. Nothing evil had happened until last night, when you both demanded the hospitality of this abbey.’
Eadulf heard him out quietly and then smiled sadly.
‘But it did, Cild. Yesterday morning my good friend Botulf was murdered. And it was by his wish that we came here — too late!’
Eadulf saw no reason to withhold this information any longer. He judged that now was the moment to use it, and he was right, for Cild was quiet for some time, trying unsuccessfully to make his face an expressionless mask.
‘Why did Botulf ask you to come here?’
Eadulf smiled knowingly. He would play mind games with the abbot now.
‘Did someone in the abbey know that he had sent to Canterbury to request my presence at this place?’ Eadulf made his voice reflective.
‘I certainly did not know.’ Abbot Cild’s voice was tight with suppressed anger.
‘I realise that Botulf and you were not the close associates that you would have had people believe at the funeral service. What enmity lay between you?’
‘Did Botulf tell you that there was enmity between us?’ demanded the abbot.
‘Do you deny it?’ countered Eadulf.
‘I do not. I point out that your friend Botulf was forced upon me by the wish of King Ealdwulf. If you must know the truth, Botulf tried to defend a traitor and coward and was ordered by the King to remain in this community, moving no more than a mile from it, until he had expiated his crime. I did not like the arrangement but accepted the order of the King.’