Free The Devil's Seal by Peter Tremayne

suppose you will be told when Bishop Arwald arrives with his companions,’ Fidelma said.
    ‘His companions?’ There seemed uneasiness in the way Egric asked the question.
    ‘A Roman cleric named Verax.’
    Egric sighed. ‘I do not know him.’
    ‘What about Brother Cerdic – do you know him?’ Fidelma asked suddenly.
    Egric turned to her, startled. ‘What name do you say?’
    ‘Brother Cerdic,’ she repeated carefully.
    This time, Egric tried to assume a blank expression but it was clear the name had registered. ‘Brother Cerdic? I don’t think so. Who is he?’
    ‘An emissary sent here to announce the imminent arrival of a deputation from Theodore of Canterbury.’
    There was an awkward silence and then Egric said: ‘Are you saying that Brother Cerdic is here already? Perhaps he could explain everything.’
    ‘He can’t,’ Eadulf replied shortly.
    ‘I don’t understand,’ his brother returned with a puzzled glance.
    ‘He is dead.’
    Egric paled. ‘Dead? Cerdic is dead?’
    ‘He was murdered this morning in the chapel here. We don’t know by whom or why.’ Eadulf went on: ‘You seem disturbed, Egric, yet you said that you don’t know him.’
    Egric passed a hand slowly across his brow. ‘Nor do I,’ he maintained. ‘But a Saxon visitor to this place . . . I may be in some danger. I have already survived one attack that killed my companion.’
    ‘It is true there is a mystery here,’ Fidelma said patiently. ‘So that is why we require all the information we can get in order to resolve it.’
    ‘Of course,’ Egric nodded. ‘I am but newly arrived here and my first encounter with any animosity was the attack on my companion and myself on the river.’
    ‘We will do our best to bring the culprits to justice.’ Fidelma rose. ‘Meanwhile, the news of your coming will have spread through the palace. It will be a breach of protocol and manners to keep you to ourselves any longer. First, we will take you to meet the King. You must also meet with Abbot Ségdae who is the Chief Bishop of the Kingdom.’
    ‘Is it really necessary for me to meet the King and his bishop?’ Egric seemed reluctant. ‘My journey has been long and not without incident. I feel quite exhausted.’
    ‘You are Eadulf’s brother,’ Fidelma said. ‘Eadulf is my husband. The King is my brother. Thus your arrival becomes a family matter. The King will want to meet the brother of my husband, especially in view of the circumstances.’
    Egric caught the word and said sharply, ‘What circumstances?’
    ‘The imminent arrival of this deputation, the death of Brother Cerdic, this emissary – not to mention the attack on yourself and your companion. Obviously, the Venerable Victricius of Palestrina must have been a man of authority from Rome. There is already an atmosphere of menace spreading through Cashel.’
    ‘We’ll present Egric to Colgú at once,’ agreed Eadulf. ‘Or perhaps Egric would like to see his nephew first?’
    Egric looked startled.
    ‘Our son, little Alchú,’ Fidelma explained. Then she turned to Eadulf and reminded him: ‘You forget the lateness of the hour, Eadulf. I cannot wake Alchú up even to meet his new uncle. Muirgen would never allow it. There will be plenty of time for that tomorrow. First, we must take you to meet the King.’
    As they rose, Egric cast a nervous glance at Fidelma and then turned to his brother, speaking in their own language.
    ‘I would like to . . . er, visit the privy before being conducted into the King’s presence,’ he said awkwardly.
    ‘Come, I’ll take you there.’ Eadulf glanced at Fidelma, not wishing to embarrass his brother by pointing out that Fidelma had a knowledge of their language. ‘We will rejoin you in a moment.’
    Outside the chamber, Egric seemed embarrassed. ‘I am sorry, I don’t remember any polite words for a privy in the language of this land.’
    ‘Polite?’ Eadulf smiled. ‘Well, you can call it a
fialtech
or veil house.