Free The Devil's Seal by Peter Tremayne Page A

A urinal is called a
fúatech
.’ He pointed to a nearby door and added: ‘I’ll wait here for you. It is the custom here to wash your hands in a basin in the corner,’ he added. The people of the Five Kingdoms were fastidious about washing rituals. There was the full bath at night and then the morning wash. He knew that this was unusual among his own people, so felt it necessary to point it out to Egric.
    His brother nodded and pushed inside. It was not long before he came out. Noticing his brother’s frown, Egric asked: ‘Is there something wrong?’
    ‘Not really. I just thought it was the custom among all religious to perform the Sign of the Cross on entering and leaving the privy.’
    Egric chuckled. ‘What use would that be?’
    ‘Oh, it is the belief that the privy is the abode of demons, and whoever enters is enjoined to bless the demons and themselves. Similarly a blessing is usual on leaving it.’
    ‘A quaint custom,’ Egric replied, amused. ‘But now, do you think that your wife, Fidelma, is right in that the people here are afraid of this recent murder?’
    ‘I am not sure that she used the word “afraid”,’ replied Eadulf. ‘The murder of a foreign emissary – a religious emissary – in the King’s own palace, is certainly disturbing. Then you arrive and tell us that you have been attacked and that your companion, an eminent religious from Rome, has been killed. That is enough to cause consternation anywhere.’
    ‘Eminent?’
    ‘The title Venerable is not lightly obtained.’
    ‘True enough, I suppose.’
    Fidelma was right about the atmosphere in Cashel. By the time they conducted Egric to the King’s chambers, the whole of the palace was abounding with wild speculation.
    Egric was greeted with due politeness by Colgú and Abbot Ségdae, yet Fidelma noticed that he seemed very ill at ease. Many pressed him for details about the attack on the river, especially Brehon Aillín, who was inclined to a sharpness of tongue and obvious suspicion when he questioned the young man.
    ‘The Brehon at Cluain Meala is investigating,’ said Gormán, who was in attendance and apparently felt sorry for the deluge of questions Egric was facing. ‘He shares my suspicions about the Déisi outlaws.’
    ‘Then we will leave the matter for him to resolve,’ Colgú agreed glumly. ‘We have enough problems here with the death of Brother Cerdic. What of the obsequies?’ His question was directed at Abbot Ségdae. Then he peered round. ‘Shouldn’t your steward, Brother Madagan, be here to take charge of such details?’
    ‘He had some urgent business to attend to but he will be here to oversee the arrangements,’ the abbot confirmed. ‘Brother Cerdic will be buried outside the walls at midnight, as is the custom. Perhaps, as a fellow Saxon, Brother Egric might like to conduct the internment and blessing?’
    Eadulf’s brother stirred uncomfortably. ‘I have just arrived here and do not know your customs. It would be better if Eadulf took on this task.’
    ‘I have no objection to you performing them with your own rites,’ encouraged Abbot Ségdae.
    It was clear that Egric was not keen and so Eadulf agreed to accept the task.
    ‘We have come to no conclusion as to who might be responsible for Cerdic’s death?’ Colgú asked his sister.
    Fidelma could not help an automatic glance at Abbess Líoch, seated on the other side of the council chamber, before responding: ‘No, not yet. It seems there were no immediate witnesses and we have yet to find anyone who even saw any suspicious figure enter or leave the chapel. However, we will widen the search and the questioning. I am sure something will develop.’
    There was a moment’s silence before Colgú sighed in resignation. ‘So, then we must await the arrival of this mysterious Bishop Arwald. Only then will we know the purpose of this deputation.’
    Beccan, his steward, coughed and took a step forward. ‘There is the matter of tonight’s meal