Eadulf nodded slightly. This agreed with the version which Aldhere had told him.
‘Yet you must have found Botulf a useful member of the community to allow him to remain as steward of the abbey?’
‘He had his uses,’ Cild reluctantly agreed.
‘So my friend, Botulf, who helped Aldred found this abbey some years ago, was returned here to serve you as the new abbot?’
Abbot Cild pursed lips thoughtfully. ‘Botulf was one of Aldred’s first community here. But then he was sent to a western part of the kingdom to preach and it was there he fell in with the man who was to be a coward and traitor to the King …’
‘Aldhere?’ The question was swift and caused Cild’s eyes to widen a fraction.
‘How did you know that? From Botulf?’
‘No. I happened to fall in with your brother earlier today.’
There was a silence while Abbot Cild digested this information.
‘You are trying to play games with me, Brother Eadulf,’ he said quietly. ‘And what lies has my young brother been telling you?’
‘Should he be telling any lies?’
‘He doubtless justified to you why he lives outside the law.’
‘He claimed to be innocent of the murder of Botulf for which, as I remember, you were insistent upon hanging him had youcaught him earlier today. I seem to recall that Aristotle wrote that the strife between brothers is bitter and cruel. Would Aldhere have done the same to you, I wonder?’
Cild glowered in annoyance. ‘He has done worse to me by using guile to rob me of my inheritance.’
‘Was that not your father’s decision?’
‘My father was in his dotage and was influenced by Aldhere.’
‘But you went into the Church. Surely that is an end of the matter?’
‘I did not make Aldhere a traitor and coward. Shortly after I returned here, Aldhere came under sentence of outlawry from the King. I merely attempted to regain what was mine by right.’
‘And King Ealdwulf did not agree with you?’
‘He agreed on the principle but not on the practicality, for he decided that there should be no future thane of Bretta’s Ham.’
‘Do you hate your brother to the point where you would personally encompass his death? That is hardly in keeping with the cloth you wear.’
‘Where is it written that I should forbear from vengeance?
“Sing psalms to the Lord, who dwells in Zion
proclaim his deeds among the nations
for the avenger of blood had remembered-”’
Eadulf interrupted the abbot’s quotation with a sharp gesture.
‘I would have thought that you might have considered the story of Cain from the text of Genesis. Cain murdered his brother, and when God came to pass judgment on Cain, Cain fully expected that his life would be forfeit as vengeance. But God told him “No; if anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold.” God merely set a mark on Cain so that anyone meeting him should not kill him. For vengeance begets vengeance.’
Cild smiled thinly. ‘Brother Eadulf, I should advise you to read Exodus as well as Genesis — “then shall thou give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning …”’
‘I know the lines, Abbot, but blood cannot wash out blood. Vengeance will prove its own destroyer.’
‘Then, Brother Eadulf, am I to understand that you will disobey the words of the Scriptures?’
‘Are they there to be obeyed without question?’ demanded Eadulf.
‘They are the words of the holy men inspired of God.’
‘They are the words of men who set them forth for the obedience of fools and the guidance of the wise.’
‘Now I see why you travel with a witch. You have no religion!’ snapped the abbot.
Eadulf was forced into silence by the cold illogic of the man. Finally, he found his voice, but he realised that Abbot Cild was a man of narrow mind and total self-absorption. And it brought him back to the main purpose of his argument with the abbot.
‘How can you believe that Sister Fidelma is capable of that which you accuse her of?’ he asked softly, realising, as he asked the question, that it was a weak argument.
‘I have given my reasons. They are plain enough. And it seems that your irreligion makes you blind to her guilt. These mysterious happenings only occurred after you both arrived in this kingdom. That is the reason I accuse her. I believe that she is one who works for the devil, or by some devilish and curious art has conjured images which the devil has devised to entangle and ensnare the souls of the pious brethren in this community. It is my responsibility to save them from damnation!’
‘Without the trial of her whom you accuse? While she lies ill and in no position to defend herself?’ Eadulf was seething with anger. ‘I tell you, Cild, you exceed your authority. You believe in an eye for an eye. So be it. Should harm befall Sister Fidelma, you will truly know what vengeance is. I swear it.’
Abbot Cild sat back and examined Eadulf’s angry features. His mouth turned down.
‘One thing you do not lack, Eadulf of Seaxmund’s Ham, and that is courage. You threaten me in the sanctuary of my own abbey? I could have you taken out and flogged, aye, and even burnt as a pagan heretic for daring to ignore the holy words of the Scriptures. I have armed brethren within call. What do you think I should do in the face of your threats, Brother Eadulf?’
Eadulf stared back defiantly.
‘I do not know what you will do, Cild. I cannot predict whatyou will do, for you do not seem to be answerable to anyone for your actions. I will tell you this, though. If anything happens to Sister Fidelma or to me, then the retribution that you will bring down on yourself might be more than you bargain for.
‘Sister Fidelma is blood sister to the King of Cashel. She is highly respected in the faith having been a delegate at Whitby. She attended the Lateran Palace at Rome, and is a lawyer of her people. Do you think that you can act against her with impunity? I, an emissary of Archbishop Theodore, am as of no consequence compared with her. However, of little worth as I am, Archbishop Theodore will want an accounting of King Ealdwulf if harm befalls me, and Ealdwulf will want to know why his tranquillity is disturbed by Canterbury.’
There was a lengthy silence after Eadulf stopped speaking.
Then Abbot Cild actually smiled. It was not a pleasant smile.
‘You have put your case very well. I shall now tell you what I shall do. I shall wait until Sister Fidelma is recovered from her illness and then we shall have a formal hearing about the matter. If it is proved that she has had no hand in conjuring spirits in this abbey, then you may continue on your journey. Whatever whispers of the dead brought you hither can be consigned back to the dead. Do you understand me?’
‘How can one defend oneself against such an intangible accusation as conjuring images of the dead?’ demanded Eadulf.
Abbot Cild spread his hands. ‘That is not my concern. If she is innocent then let her prove it.’
‘And who will decide her innocence or guilt?’
‘I will,’ returned the abbot blandly.
‘And if you decide that she is guilty?’
‘The punishment is prescribed by the laws of the Wuffingas, the laws of our people handed down to us by Wuffa son of Wehha.’
A coldness went through Eadulf. As a gerefa he knew the laws well, but what was more terrifying was the fact that it was obvious that Abbot Cild was demented, and in his state of mind the man was without mercy.
‘As amended by the ministration of the new faith?’ he asked hopefully.
Abbot Cild shook his head. ‘I see no reason why the laws of the Wuffingas should be amended. The penalty for conjuring demons and ghosts is clear … the guilty woman is placed face downwards in a grave and buried — alive!’